Are you talking? Save the date!

There is a plan in the works for Coloradoans to participate in robust conversations about learning, or is it Learning 2.0! Come join others interesting in education February 23rd, 2008 from 9-3pm at Arapahoe High School in Centennial, Colorado.

The theme for the day is: Education is conversation-Conversation creates change. and this more information about this FREE conference, take a look at Bud the Teacher's blog. Also- here is a tentative schedule, and make sure to register to get the FREE LUNCH! Wow- this sounds like fun! ~guybrarian

Library 2.0 Course- Winter Fun!

Rob Darrow and his California State Library Association is at it again...they are now offering “Winter Fun” for those who want to learn more about Web 2.0 applications that can work in the school library.

In his blog California Dreamin' he points to the School Library Learning 2.0 (CSLA) blog where it explains the 23 things Winter fun! If you haven't taken this course yet I would highly recommend it! I know a few folks that have done it for professional development credit as an independent or group study. Nice format, and it should be done by April fools day. WOW!

Need a Golden Compass to find your way?

Michelle Pulley reminds me about the release of the Golden Compass movie which comes out tonight 12/7.the movie coming out tonight...she suggested this blog from Rick Riodan’s blog, that contains a fellow author's thinking....I like when he says:

I can think for myself, and I give young readers enough credit to believe they can too. Sharing ideas, especially ideas we do not agree with, makes us all stronger thinkers. That is what good education, and good reading, is all about.

I've read some interesting email concerns hovering around these issues. Library podcast Lib Vibe reports that Toronto Catholic boards of education have pulled the series and are considering what to do.

On Teacher Librarian ning I asked: "What do you think this email frenzy and movie release will do for our readers?" So....what do YOU think? :)

Kindle your reading habit!

Your new reader is here!

Amazon just introduce Kindle, an e-book reader. While it is kind of pricey, if boasts NY times bestsellers for $9.99 and claims it can hold up to 200 books! Amazon is offering support for this wireless device too- saying that it offers 90,000 titles that can can be accessed with Kindle.

It might be possible to use it as your RSS reader too- Amazon will sell you monthly subscriptions to magazines, books, newspapers, and even some blogs. But don't worry about ordering today- the Kindle sold out in 5.5 hours and isn't scheduled for re-release until late December. Hmm...folks must be ready for this!

Marians in October!

Here are some resources we talked about at Marians tonight:

Kim presented on TRAILS- an tool from Kent State for realtime assessment of information literacy skills. All Adams 12 High Schools are going to use this with their freshman this year. Several of our Middle Schools are already using this. (I'll even try it)

CAL- Get Radical at the DIA Holiday Inn November 8-10

Several professional development opportunities for you:
Librarian Days at the Tivoli in Denver February 1st and 2nd

K12 Online conference...going on right now! Many great workshops and exciting events! I just finished one by a 8th grade math teacher called Release the Hounds. Tomorrow, I want to start the class on COPYRIGHT...it looks helpful too!

Kim doesn't want us to forget Colorado Council for International Reading conference in February 6-9...Tools for Literacy

Cool! See you at all these!

LIbraries- Front page Denver Post!

The Broncos pull off an overtime win- but the picture on the front page of the Denver Post is the companion to an article about Public Libraries. How cool is that? Check it out...the article talks about the changing role of libraries to include-

• 37 million online transactions
• librarians as research trainers
• teen attractions
• askcolorado.org
• laptop check out

Love to hear your comments on this one!

Register for Teen Read Week!

Did you know you might get a free book if you register for Teen Read Week with YALSA?

Here is an excerpt from their site:

Why should you register? YALSA is a non profit organization that depends on its members for support. By registering, you are letting us know that teen literacy is a concern and you are willing to do something about it! By registering, you are telling YALSA that this program is worthwhile, and we will continue to sponsor the week.

Be sure to download the Teen Read Week LOL logo to include on your promotional materials and check out the official Teen Read Week products brought to you by YALSA and ALA Graphics. Also- visit the Plan Your Event section of the YALSA site and the Teen Read Week Wiki.

GOOD LUCK getting ready for October!

Check this out for new info!

Joyce Valenca has a wonderful new tool called VoiceThread. She developed a presentation for database use called: Why I Love Databases. It’s a good idea- I think we should adapt it for our own schools!

Axel Wins!

Wow- I caught the Channel Four Denver News...and saw our own Axel Reitzig accepting a huge check on behalf of his school. Seems like it might have been the Qwest Technology grant!

I'll try to update this as we find out more...but in the mean time- congratulations Axel and Trail Ridge Middle School!

Phone Home!

OK gang- we just found a way to help collect books at the end of the year. First, we create a list of ALL BOOKS OUT.

Then, we work with our attendance person to set up a parlant call. (Phone Home!) She helped us get our own account using the school software. We input the list of names with overdues and set up the time and date the call will go out. Then- I record a message to the parents and save it. Once we are all done, the calls go out when we specify and the books come rolling in!

Tonight will be the 3rd time we have tried it- and I am amazed it its success! Try it!

CO Teen Lit Conference

Just pictures- you'd better ask me for stories:

Karol S

Just a quickie to let you know Karol's presentation at the Colorado Teen Literature Conference was the best! People were flowing out in the aisles. Nobody (and I mean nobody) does book talks like Karol! She is simply fabulous :)

Joyce Valenza's New NING

Yes you read it right- I said NING. TL extraordinaire has set up a social network just for Teacher Librarians! There are only about 65 of us so far- but what a great way for Marians to read/meet and send each other great info. It is really a cool way to communicate and get ideas! TAKE A LOOK!

Longmont Makes LibVibe

Many of you already listen to the LibVibe library news podcast. When I was listening recently - I heard some news of Longmont Public Library on this national podcast about meeting space. Wow! Marv has started to do interviews and incorporate them into his podcasts too. Nicely done!

Speaking of libraries- the Longmont Pulbic Library is about to hold their spring book drive May 2nd. Make sure to contact Kim if you need books!

Who's your favorite librarian?

In a recent search on Askville today, I ran across a question in the top ten questions...it went something like this:

"Most people have a favorite teacher or two, but do you have a favorite librarian?"

What a cool question! There were lots of nice answers to this question (you can read them yourself! - click here)

Most of you folks ARE librarians, but how would you answer the question? Make a comment on this post and we'll all read about your fav's!  ~guybrairan

technorati tags:librarian, favorite, teacher

Powerpoint evil for educators?

Attention presenters! Australian researchers have found that powerpoints are not necessarily the best tool for education!

In the article Research Points the Finger at PowerPoint researcher Peter Costello presents findings that show there are limits on the brain's ability to process and information in keep it in short-term memory.

So- reading straight from the bullet points on a PowerPoint is actually supposed to be worse for education. Bummer huh- However he also says:

"It is effective to speak to a diagram, because it presents information in a different form. But it is not effective to speak the same words that are written, because it is putting too much load on the mind and decreases your ability to understand what is being presented."

OK- I think I can do that!

BTW- next Marians 4/26- see you there!

St Vrain Valley's Teen Tech Week - UPDATE!

Students are lining up to present at the very first Teen Tech week organized by Holli Buchter of the St Vrain Valley Schools District Media Serviles. Over 50 entries will be presented Thursday March 8th at Silver Creek High School. The projects represent the best student work from throughout the Middle and High Schools in St Vrain Valley. Projects vary, but some include DVD's, Website designs, Digital Photography and even a solar collector.

The work was inspired by American Library Association's TEEN TECH WEEK celebration! Check out their web site for really fun things to try with your kids! It is great fun! ~guybrarian

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The power of Lucky!

Oh my! Isn't it interesting what  a little book can do for you! My friend Kim gives me a hard time because I don't think I have enough controversial books on the shelves. Is your district struggling with this Newbery award winner? Ours is- we don't have endorsed librarians at the elementary level and the book is being withheld until it is approved for those schools. I can't wait to get my copy!

Here is a nice response from Susan Patron, (found in Publishers Weekly) author of The Power of Lucky- she starts with:
"I wrote The Higher Power of Lucky for the 10-year-old who lives inside me. That girl was curious about everything and sometimes went to great lengths to get information about the world and how it works." "I was shocked and horrified to read that some school librarians, teachers, and media specialists are choosing not to include the 2007 Newbery Medal winner in their collections because they fear parental objections to the word scrotum, or because they are uncomfortable with the word themselves." YIKES - we librarians have some work to do!

Perhaps this book and the struggles that ensue will help us become stronger and more helpful in getting the kids what they need, rather than being the gatekeepers! ~guybrarian

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Illinois Senator proposes a "MY SPACE" ban!

Last week, Senator Matt Murphy filed a bill proposing that all social netowrking sites be blocked in ALL libraries.

Take a look at part of the bill-

"Provides that each public library must prohibit access to social networking

Web sites on all computers made available to the public in the library."

I personally don't feel total censorship is going to be the answer. Folks should use find ways to make good decisions and thoughtful responses on their own without being censored. Here is an original post on SLASHDOT.

They are having another, better crafted the Internet Safety Education Act introduced by Dan Kotoski - as TEACH42 says- "it doesn’t sound as flashy as Deleting Online Predators, or Social Networking Website Prohibition Act, but maybe something good can come of it." There are some nice parts to it- take a look! ~guybraian

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Second LIfe Strikes again...

Did you see Second Life made January 29th's issue of Newsweek- Politics: Pelosi in Pixels? Well, Kim and I have been searching SL's Capital Hill for Senators and Representatives stumping on the issues. So far I haven't heard any speeches, but I have seen some nice history displays. Here is a picture of my avatar in the chambers. You can see the speaker's podium, and up above are some viewing screens (they can project videos there).

I showed this to our AP Government teacher- he is excited to try this and might create groups for his kids and meet online with them after he explores it.
~guybrarian

Teen Tech Week - March 8th

For those of you not in our district- we are running a contest in conjunction with YALSA's teen tech week. Here is some of the information on my promo flyer that my student aide created:

Want $ 280 in 10 minutes?
Then what are you waiting for go NOW!
Enter Teen Technology Fair
See Mr. Goerner in IMC for more Details
Before this Friday, February 16th 2007
Individual
Grand Prize – Highest Score - $280 gift card
1st Prize Individual-– MP3 (Nano)
2nd Prize individual - - MP3 (shuffle)
3rd prize individual- - $40 music
(gift card)

Group Prize
1st prize one middle one high – $ 200
2nd prize one middle one high - $100
3rd prize one middle one high - $40


Thank you to our sponsors!



SO HURRY and go see our Mr. Goerner in IMC NOW!!

Behold- the power of BLOGS!

Earlier this week I finished working with the upper level English classes. They have decided to use BLOGS as a way for the students to complete their SAT vocabulary words. This energetic student teacher set up four blogs (one for each of the four classes) and invited each student to be a member of their class's blog.

On their assigned day, each student must define their word using the format designed by the teacher. The blogs are working very nicely when they need to talk about the mnemonics...They love adding cool graphics.

It is a good idea and the teacher is willing to "muck around" a bit to see if it works! I have great hope- so far they are only on the A's!
~guybrarian