Say What? 5 Ways to Get Students to Listen Ah, listening, the neglected literacy skill. I know when I was a high school English teacher this was not necessarily a primary focus; I was too busy honing the more measurable literacy skills -- reading, writing, and speaking. But when we think about career and college readiness, listening skills are just as important. This is evidenced by the listening standards found in the Common Core and also the integral role listening plays in collaboration and communication, two of the four Cs of 21st century learning. So how do we help kids become better listeners? Strategy #1: Say it Once Repeating ourselves in the classroom will produce lazy listening in our students. Of course you don't want to leave distracted students in the dust so for those few who forgot to listen, you can advise them to, "ask three, then ask me." Strategy #2: Turn and Talk One way to inspire active listening in your students is to give them a listening task. Strategy #3: Student Hand Signals Motivating Words
Moving From Decoration to Documentation I've been thinking a lot about first impressions lately and about what our physical spaces say about the work that goes on in the library. I visit a lot of school libraries and when I do I try to put myself in the shoes of someone who a) knows very little about what happens in these spaces BUT who is also b) charged with making funding/staffing decisions for libraries in the coming year. (This may sound silly, but think about it. What does this librarian value? What happens in this space? How does what happens here impact student learning? Why do we still need libraries? Whether you work in a brand new, state of the art library, or one that hasn't been updated since the day it was built, your work should look like the future. Now... don't get me wrong, I know that what happens in our spaces is far more important than what we hang on the walls. And here are some suggestions to help...
Do Your Students Know How To Search? The Connected Student Series: There is a new digital divide on the horizon. It is not based around who has devices and who does not, but instead the new digital divide will be based around students who know how to effectively find and curate information and those who do not. Helene Blowers has come up with seven ideas about the new digital divide – four of them, the ones I felt related to searching, are listed below. The New Digital Divide: In an age of information abundance learning to effectively search is one of the most important skills most teachers are NOT teaching. Teachers – especially in the elementary grades -need to develop a shared vocabulary around the skill of searching. Here are some of the searching skills and vocabulary we should be teaching students : Quotation Marks: Students should always use quotes to search for an exact word or set of words. Example: “The Great Chicago Fire” Dashes (or minus sign): Example: Great Chicago Fire -soccer Two Periods: Site Search:
Your Winning Strategy | SLWorkshop When I blogged about writing a Mission Statement two weeks ago, I said it would help focus you so at the end of next school year you would not feel overwhelmed, exhausted and unsure of what you had accomplished. If you took my advice and wrote one, along with a Vision Statement as I recommended last week, you can use them to chart your course for the coming year and take your program to the next level. Now is the perfect time for you to create a small strategic plan. While organizations, corporations, and sometimes school districts bring together key members and a facilitator for one or more days to develop their strategic plan, you can do one on your own, although if you can get others to join you it’s likely to be even better. The reason why strategic planning is considered important is that you set a direction for the next three years, understanding where, why, and how to concentrate your efforts. How will you accomplish each of your Action Plans?
Infographic: Why librarians are crucial in the digital age [Educause 2013] As campuses becoming increasingly digitized, the role of campus libraries becomes more complex—and more important. A new infographic released at Educause 2013 by Jones eGlobal Library, a provider of online library solutions, draws on a variety of research from sources such as Pew and the College Board to paint a clearer picture of the important role librarians play in their institutions. Students are bombarded with more information than ever, and librarians play a critical role in helping them to become better consumers of that information. After all, no instructor wants a research paper sourced from Wikipedia. According to eGlobal Library President Joseph G. Gregg, the challenge is presenting a library that can accommodate a wide range of clients who want anything from a sophisticated search engine to a simple search box. “I think librarians are critical. Click on the image below for a better look at the new infographic.
School Libraries Transform Learning This digital magazine produced by AASL in partnership with American Libraries, is designed to be shared with parents, colleagues, administration, and policymakers. Available electronically or as a PDF download, this tool can open the door to discussions on the multiple ways school libraries transform learning. Articles "I'm an Expert" School Librarians Transform Learning Reimagining Advocacy for School Libraries "Do Kids Even Use the Library Anymore?" Creating Coalitions Building Advocacy before a Crisis Extras Give printed copies to your stakeholders during your conversations! School Library Advocacy Packs These advocacy packs are intended to be used as tools to spread the word about the many ways school librarians are transforming teaching and learning. This pack includes: 2015 | Item # 9200-2015 | Free.
Free Visual Dictionary & Thesaurus | Online Dictionary | Associated Words | Synonyms Dictionary at SnappyWords.com The Art of Self-Promotion Or how I learned to stop being quiet and talk about how great the library is. I am an introvert. Susan Cain’s Quiet was a revelation for me to read. So, it should not have been a surprise when I jumped at a chance to work as the sole librarian at a very small independent school. Working alone provides a number of advantages. On the downside, while I had the opportunity to develop working relationships with many of the teachers, administration had little reason to wander into the library. Being on my own in the library has meant learning how to become my own biggest cheerleader. Hill Top is a very small community. This was a great start to making myself known. So I recently took a page from blogs such as YALSA blog, The Hub, and Knowledge Quest. Some advantages to this new schedule were easy to anticipate. Administration took notice. The biggest unexpected outcome from this planned presence was the increase in student involvement in the library. Categories: Blogs
Full STEAM Ahead: Injecting Art and Creativity into STEM Illustration by Andy Ward By Amy Koester “I get it! The Titanic sank because too much water got inside! A boat can only hold so much water!” What’s “STEAM?” While government agencies and schools were busy promoting STEM, some educators believed that something was missing. Does STEAM really belong in a library? STEAM has great potential for school and public libraries because it taps into children’s natural interests while also facilitating informal learning. In a public library, STEAM means creating opportunities for children to explore and experiment. Top 10 Go-to Resources for STEAM Programming Books Titles by Gail Gibbons, including The Vegetables We Eat (Holiday House, 2007), a great summertime read for a gardening or plant science program. I like Steve Jenkins’s books, especially The Beetle Book (Houghton Mifflin, 2012) and Bones (Scholastic, 2010), to show a variety of images on a STEAM topic. Fizz, Bubble & Flash! Online SimplySTEM Library Makers Mixing in Math Steve Spangler Science
Building Relationships for Back to School As summer draws to an end, it’s a good time to start thinking about back to school activities to build collaborative relationships and create a warm and welcoming place, both physical space and virtual, for our students, parents, and faculties. Let’s take a quick assessment: 1) How’s the signage in your library? Does it project an air of possibilities and not a list of rules and dont’s? 2) How do you introduce yourself to your faculty? 3) How do you greet parents? 4) How’s your online presence? While recreating your library culture is harder once you’ve been somewhere for a while, it’s never to late to make a good start! Categories: Blogs, Uncategorized Tags: Back to school, collaboration, collaborative culture, parents