There's a policy for that...

Well, I have taken a bit of a break from blogging for my course. I thought I would continue on with my sharing my thoughts to anyone who is brave enough to read them! The new format will be less formal than previous posts, but I will be speaking from experience and shooting straight from the hip with my posts.

So, this entry is dedicated to the Library Policy and Procedure manual that I have created for my own school library.

Once upon a time (about two and a half years ago to be more exact) several school divisions became one large division. Now there is one huge division, that has many, many schools under its umbrella. This new division doesn't have a library policy- yet!! So, as a little project for myself I decided to make my own policy and procedure manual.

You may ask why I need to have a policy, so I will answer that with the following quote from the American Library Association:

Every school system should have a comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials. It should relate to and include all materials; for example, textbooks, library books, periodicals, films, videocassettes, records, audiocassettes, and CDs. The reason should be obvious: haphazard patterns of acquisition will result in waste because some—perhaps many—materials will overlap in content, or will be unrelated to changing patterns of instruction.

A comprehensive policy on the selection of instructional materials also will enable school professionals to rationally explain the school program to the community. And, most important in a crisis, when there are complaints about social studies texts, human development materials in the media center, or fiction in the English class, the use of the “objectionable” item can be explained more easily.

A good policy on the selection of instructional materials will be relevant to your particular system and include basic sections on objectives, responsibility, criteria, procedures for selection, reconsideration of materials, and policies on controversial materials.

I think it answers the question about why very nicely. I also wanted a way to be able to say to people- "yes, this is how I select material, delete material, etc." I have been asked that and now I will be able to refer them to my document. I also thought it would be a great idea to have some kind of procedure in place for challenged material. The previous librarian told me that she has never had anyone challenge material before, but knowing my luck, someone would challenge a book and I would have little or no recourse to fall back on. I do now!

I have "borrowed" heavily from the old document that the "legacy" division had in place. It is still applicable and it seems to make sense.

I've told the powers that be and now a couple of division people have the policy and are looking at it. Hopefully, there will be a division policy soon and I hope that I can help them with it!

That's what I think about library policies (for now!)...

Katie

To Infinity and Beyond...

In the beginning...

When I registered for this class I was not sure what to expect. The title and course description don’t always match the content of the course. I was expecting to read about using search engines, automated computer systems, online sources to help catalogue- things like that. I was pleasantly surprised when I logged on and saw the course outline! Web 2.0 was a term that I had heard being talked about, but I never really paid much attention to. The tools that we would be investigating were, for the most part, things I had heard of, but never really thought of researching to find out how to use them in the school.

I was relieved to see that many of my classmates also had some apprehension about the up-coming assignments and tools and that I wasn’t the only one wondering what exactly a wiki was. I was looking forward to learning some practical applications that I could use in my day-to-day life. Many of my previous classes dealt with evaluating the library, organizing materials, and other concepts that, as a librarian I was comfortable with. I was ready for something that seemed to be a bit more challenging and to have actual skills that I could use; I was ready to leave my comfort zone!

Low Points:

One of the most difficult areas for me, during this course was the amount of time I had to spend reading articles and websites. It is not the readings themselves, but there just seemed to be so much information out there and it was very time consuming to read everything and then decide if and what I could use from the articles or the sites for the discussions and the blog entries. I think more than one person stated in the discussions that they felt a bit overwhelmed. I was used to doing my course work on one or two days of the week- like when I was on-campus as an undergrad. I found that Jenn’s suggestion to look at blogs one day and discussions on another day to be really helpful. I tried to look at the class blogs on Tuesday or Wednesday and the discussions on other days. Once I got into this routine it was more manageable and less daunting for me.

I did have problems with my podcast. That was the only low point for me in terms of the actual tools we were looking at. I did this assignment on my brother’s laptop, which went back to Winnipeg with him the day after I posted my blog. I was visiting my parent’s for winter break in February. The first link that I put on my blog didn’t work and I had to rush around and try and find a different way of getting it out into the ether. Luckily, my mother took me to her work in the evening and we sorted it out. Considering that when I deal with technology, there is usually a major kink or bug I have to work out, only having this hiccup was not too bad.

High Points:

The highlight of the course for me is the experience and confidence that I have gained by using these tools. For the first time since I started teaching, 6 years, ago I am really re-evaluating my instruction, evaluation and delivery of course material for me and my students. I am trying to think of how to incorporate these new tools I have learned into my teaching for next semester. I have found that through this process, I am also re-evaluating the content and assignments that I give. I think it is very easy to get into a routine and want to stay there- especially for teachers. I feel that many of us have the motto, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” I am breaking it and then re-assembling it to be something that has the same core, but a different aesthetic. I think that I have become fired-up and I’m ready for change.

I also feel quite “cool” because when the students are talking about SNS or Flickr, I know what they are talking about and I can interact with them and discuss these tools with some knowledge. I still think that students are the best teachers for me when it comes to technology. They are a wonderful resource and I find when I ask them to help me- they feel quite proud and knowledgeable. To quote Martha Stewart, “it’s a good thing.”

I’ve also “met” some fantastic people through this course and it has been really nice. Cindy and I were put together for the wiki assignment and have been messaging each other since then. We’ve also had a couple of really good Scrabble games going on Facebook! She seems to beat me- quite badly- every time, but there is always the next game! I have enjoyed reading everyone’s blogs. Even though I put the readings under my low points, I found the links that others have found to compliment their postings to be fantastic and I have spent a lot of time reading their links as well.

The End...

In coming to the end of the course I feel very confident and ready to use what I have learned. As I said in one of the last blog posts, I think that I will continue with my blog- maybe not every week- but I am putting it on my new library website for my staff to have a look at and comment on. It is going to be part of my Professional Growth Plan for 2008/09 to keep it up and continue with my own learning.

Good luck to everyone and I hope to be able to work with you again in future classes or to read your blogs in the future.

Watch this space because it will be changing!!

I have a signature on my email that contains the following quote. I would like to sign off with it as I think it sums up how I feel about this course and my educational philosophy:

“Who dares to teach must never cease to learn”- John Cotton Dana

Katie

PD Plan: Blogs

The Web 2.0 tool that I would most like to showcase to my staff would be blogs. I have found that blogs are very simple to create, use, and navigate through to find information on just about any topic in the educational field.

My staff presentation would follow the format below:

1. Introduction to blogs:

1. I would assume that some people will never have seen a blog before and therefore not know what they look like or what they are about. There is really simple and straightforward definitions and examples of blogs on the Wikipedia page.

2. I would also show them this blog and highlight some of the features and talk about how I set up my blog from the beginning. I would also look at some of my previous entries and highlight some of the other tools that compliment a blog (wikis, videos, Voicethread, podcasts, etc.).

3. I would also show some other blog hosting sites and give a few examples. Examples include: Blogger and Word Press,

2. The benefit of teachers using blogs:

• Some teachers will wonder why I am suggesting that they either view or create their own blogs. I have compiled some research that highlights the benefits of blogs for educators.

Reason #1: As Will Richardson writes, “Blogs are powerful communication tools. Blogs are powerful publishing tools. But blogging (the verb) is still much more than that to me. Blogging, as in reading and thinking and reflecting and then writing, is connecting and learning” As a profession that adheres to the dictum that we should all strive to be life-long learners, a blog is a great tool to be able to reflect on what you know and feel and reading or creating a blog allows a teacher to continue to learn.

Reason #2: Chris Lehamnn writes, “It's about putting ideas out there, exploring them, sharing them, and taking part in a larger community. Sometimes, yes, it's just about an announcement or two, but at its best, my blogging helps me think, brings others into my thought process and improves it because of their input and forces me to make sense of my thoughts -- which is why it's so damned hard sometimes.

Blogs make publishing easier, but having something to say is still hard. But if we can model reflective practice, if we can embody the old Socratic ideal that "the unexamined life is not worth living," if we can publicly create communities where thoughtfulness -- truly being full of thought -- then we have accomplished something powerful.”

Reason #3: It’s easy! I am not only advocating that teachers create and maintain their own blogs, I think they should also be reading other teachers’ blogs and commenting or interacting with them and it is so easy! If you can open a Word document, type some text and print it, you can blog. Sometimes the idea of using “new” technological tools can be daunting, but a blog is truly one of the easiest tools to start using. And who knows, maybe in a few months or years, a person will be designing websites or digital video games to use in the classroom!

3. Sharing:

• After doing a number of blogs and researching various Web 2.0 tools, I have complied a list of my own favourite blogs and would show them to my fellow teachers and highlight the kinds of information that is shared through blogs. Teachers would be able to see examples of the types of information they would like to write about in their own blogs.

#1- Cool Cat Teacher: This site was created and is maintained by Vicki Davis a teacher from Georgia, USA. It has a phenomenal amount of information, on just about any topic relating to the teaching profession. I really like the “links of the day” feature and the “Most Valuable Posts” sidebar.

#2 Ubbernoggin : is a great site that is not necessarily for educators, but has lots of good information about technology and the tools that we would need to use in our schools or classrooms.

#3 Borderland: is a blog by Doug Noon who is an elementary teacher and he writes about technology and education in general. It is a truthful and amusing blog by a teacher in the “trenches” of education.

#4 The Fisch Bowl is a blog done by Karl Fisch designed specifically for staff development and to promote the use of technology in the classroom. It has really good information for anyone who is interested in trying to use technology in their teaching.

4. Concerns

• Some teachers will have concerns about privacy issues and legal implications. I would direct them to this website by David Warlick; he suggests that there are three kinds of blogging teachers:

• independent teacher bloggers, whose writing is completely unrelated to their job with your school or district;
• professional teacher bloggers, who write in their capacity as teachers in your school or district; and
• instructional teacher bloggers, who blog as an instructional strategy, usually encouraging their students to blog, too.

Warlick provides descriptions of each type and some interesting advice to follow. Many school divisions have rules or procedures to follow and each teacher should be looking into those to see what is expected and/or discouraged. He also has one excellent quote that applies to everything in life, “don’t be stupid.” I would advise teachers not to put anything they wouldn’t want their principal or superintendent to read. Don’t use students’ names or describe specific situations.

If privacy is the issue, I would advise teachers not to use their real names, reveal their schools’ name or location and don’t use specifics. We do have to realize that what we do can and will be judged, so act accordingly.

Hopefully, by seeing the presentation and looking at a few of the blogs on my list, teachers would be interested and want to learn more. Teaching teachers is sometimes one of the hardest things to do, but even if one of them wanted to blog or use blogs for their own education I think I would feel like I actually encouraged someone's learning and I would feel very satisfied.

Katie

I feel like a Blog...

It is a sign of the times that something so ingrained into the population’s psyche is something that is so young. The birth of the blog (or web log as it was known at first) happened just over 10 years ago. I found it fascinating to read an article- a blog of course- by Rebecca Blood that chronicles the beginnings of blogs and their rise to popularity. I find it very amusing to remember my first experiences with the internet in general and to realize that my first experience in grade 7 with the “new” computers in our lab was about the time that many other people first got their taste. I can even remember when the fax machine was the height of technological sophistication! My how the times have changed- and so quickly!!

Blood’s history of the blog is very interesting to read and it provides a timeline to the popularity of the blogs. She addresses the question of why blogs became so popular and suggests that it is because of the free-form concept- people are able to express their thoughts and opinions- combined with the ease of use. I have certainly found the ease of use a definite plus to my blogging experience. I have found this particular site (blogger.com) to be extremely easy to use and it has taken away that anxiety of many other Web 2.0 tools in that I don’t have to worry about how to use it and if I’m going to be able to figure it out in time.

McGraw-Hill/Glencoe has a very informative website that helps teachers research many of the Web 2.0 tools that we have investigated in this class. Their site on blogs has been particularly interesting and useful. They suggest that blogs are beneficial for students by:
·motivating to students, especially those who otherwise might not become participants in classrooms
·excellent opportunities for students to read and write.
·effective forums for collaboration and discussion.
·powerful tools to enable scaffolded learning or mentoring to occur.

They go on to suggest some uses in the classroom:

1.Classroom ManagementClass blogs can serve as a portal to foster a community of learners. As they are easy to create and update efficiently, they can be used to inform students of class requirements, post handouts, notices, and homework assignments, or act as a question and answer board.
2.CollaborationBlogs provide a space where teachers and students can work to further develop writing or other skills with the advantage of an instant audience. Teachers can offer instructional tips, and students can practice and benefit from peer review. They also make online mentoring possible. For example, a class of older students can help a class of younger students develop more confidence in their writing skills. Students can also participate in cooperative learning activities that require them to relay research findings, ideas, or suggestions.
3.DiscussionsA class blog opens the opportunity for students to discuss topics outside of the classroom. With a blog, every person has an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions. Students have time to react to ideas and reflect on learning. Teachers can also bring together a group of knowledgeable individuals for a given unit of study for students to network and conference with on a blog.
4.Student PortfoliosBlogs present, organize, and protect student work as digital portfolios. As older entries are archived, developing skills and progress may be analyzed more conveniently. Additionally, as students realize their efforts will be published, they are typically more motivated to produce better writing. Teachers and peers may conference with a student individually on a developing work, and expert or peer mentoring advice can be easily kept for future reference.

I really liked the idea of using blogs as a way of having an organized discussion with students. Sometimes in the classroom we are inhibited by the time we can spend on a subject or by other factors such as management and size. Blogs would allow for the students who are truly interested in exploring a concept further to be able to extend the discussion at a later time. It would be a great adaptation for students who need to be accelerated or enriched.

I see the use of blogs more beneficial for professional development than for use in the classroom. I can use myself as an example; I have learned so much about Web 2.0 tools in this class by both researching for information for my own blog and by reading and exploring links that I have found on my classmates’ blogs. I have found that sometimes being a teacher can be an isolating experience. Not so much when we need to discuss behaviour problems or school related issues, but more in the actual delivery of material or ideas for changing and improving one’s program. I have mentioned in previous posts that being one of only two high school teacher librarians in a huge school division can be quite daunting. Until last spring I had never even met the other secondary t-l and so I had no one to really share ideas or to ask advice from. It never occurred to me to look on the internet for t-l blogs or wikis to gain some information. I basically used my classmates on my online courses- a big thank you to those who helped me in the beginning! Also, having taught at two rural schools where you are the only teacher teaching each subject is can also be isolating as you don’t have many to bounce ideas off of and I would (and have) recommended to anyone looking for that kind of interaction to look for blogs by other teachers.

In my search for information, I have come across a number of teacher blogs that support professional development. Some are by teachers for teachers in their division or district and some are for everyone. Here is an example of a few:
1) http://thefischbowl.blogspot.com/ : a blog by Karl Fisch. From reading it, I believe that he is a leader in his school, maybe by choice or by job description. Some entries really mirror this course. There is a good entry on VoiceThreads he did not too long ago.
2) http://coolcatteacher.blogspot.com/ : this site is on my side bar and I use it a lot. I have been using it for other things besides this course and I love it! Lots of great information and interesting posts.
3) http://teacherlingo.com/ : this is a site that hosts teacher blogs. It connects teachers in one site to share ideas.
4) http://onf.ca/blogs/hello-teacher : I have signed up for the NFB newsletter and I came across this blog a couple of months ago. It is great to find out information about the films NFB offers and ideas for using them in the classroom.
5) http://borderland.northernattitude.org/ : a blog by teacher Doug Noon. It is very informative and entertaining. I enjoyed the quote he found on Accommodating Student Weirdness! More on Doug Noon later in my blog...
6) http://gwegner.edublogs.org/ : a blog by Aussie teacher Graham Wegner. Fascinating insight
and ideas.

As promised, I would like to share more information that I found on Doug Noon’s blog. He has a “blogging manifesto” that I would like to share:
“Educating people for a democratic society is cultural work. Teachers must become border crossers. We need to be creatively flexible because even if curriculum is standardized, our students are not. Teaching is more than methodology. It begins with understanding, and it depends on personal connections that honor the identities of learners. Conceptual borders are places to make new meanings - to explore different ways of thinking and being, to muck about with difficult questions and to be unafraid of wrong answers.”- Doug Noon
I love that quote- it has really summed up my own ideas about teaching and spoke to me in a way that no other idea about teaching has. I have copied that and printed it out and have it beside my desk at school. So once again, through a blog, I have found information that has affected me personally and professionally- I believe that is the power of blogs.

Conclusions:

There is a reason that I titled my blog “Here’s What I Think...” I had plans to continue using this blog as a professional and personal diary for my own purposes after the class had ended. I thought I would use it as a place to vent and get some frustrations out of the way. I have changed my mind a bit- I probably still vent somewhat- but I have decided to try and keep up the research part of the blog and have it as a tool for my own personal and professional development. What better way to keep on top of the new ideas, tools, methods, etc. of teaching. Maybe someone will stumble across my blog and find it useful- hopefully that will happen, but even if now one reads it, it will still be valuable to me and my professional growth. I also plan on having it attached to my Virtual School Library site and it will be available for my colleagues to view and have a look at. Hopefully some of the entries on Web 2.0 will be useful for them!

The only downside I can see to blogging in general is the time factor. It takes a lot of time to research and create blog entries like these and I’m not entirely sure that I will continue on with the same determination if there is not a mark attached to it. I hope that I will, but I can see that becoming an issue. I think the “time problem” cannot be underestimated in a teacher’s life- in some cases with our teaching days, planning, extra-curricular, families, personal lives, etc. there isn’t a whole lot of time for blogging, but I think that if I (or anyone) can set aside some time to put their thoughts into the ether- it is well worth it!

That’s what I think about blogging...

Katie