Friday, November 3, 2017

Creating a Newsletter For Teachers Filled With Curated Resources

3:06 PM
Let's face it - many teachers and educators are unaware of all that a librarian can do for them.  Many of them still see us as only a book resource.  When I first started in my newest library position last December, my principal admitted that I confused him, because he had no idea librarians could do all the things I was doing.  We really need to put ourselves out there and say to our other staff members:

Hey!  Pay Attention!  I can help you do great things in your classroom!



Ok, perhaps we don't actually say that, but we do need to find ways to reach the teachers in our school.  Hopefully they will find that we can help them make their lessons awesome.

So where do we start?


This past week I started sharing a weekly newsletter filled with curated resources through Smore.  Smore is an awesome program that allows you to add pictures, text and multimedia.  The newsletter can be shared and it keeps track of people who have viewed your newsletter.  

Now, you may be thinking, "I already create a newsletter"  I have a regular library newsletter as well, and have kept this going since last December when I started my position.  But this is different.  This is a newsletter with resources just for teachers.  When I started writing my first newsletter, I decided to limit it to the following:

  • websites
  • book reviews
  • Listings of people and places who Skype
  • Databases
  • Articles about education


This is meant to be a resource for educators, and teachers in my district can choose to read as much or as little as they like.

Here is a copy of my very first newsletter.  I am hoping it brings about many new connections with my staff.


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Sunday, October 22, 2017

How I Used Animoto to Create Digital Citizenship Videos

5:08 PM


One of the unit I teach my student in Information Literacy is Digital Citizenship.  We spend time sharing and discussing netiquette, digital privacy, maintaining a digital footprint, and cyberbullying.  I have found that this provides a sounding board for many of my students and we have had some amazing conversations.

More than 90% of my students own a cell phone and most of them are on social media.  The issues we are discussing are real and need to be discussed.  This is one of the few classes that takes the time to discuss digital citizenship at length.  I have found that many of my parents have no idea where to start and some are even unsure about some of the newest social medias like Snapchat.

Last year I decided to not only discuss the issues, but also to spend time creating with technology so students could promote digital citizenship themes through 21st century technologies.  Specifically my 7th graders created projects that I am especially proud of.  Students created Animoto videos on a digital citizenship topic.  Did you know that Animoto offers free accounts to educators and their students.  Here is a link with information for getting educator accounts.  https://animoto.com/education/classroom My students enjoyed making the videos and were very proud of their finished creations.

Digital Citizenship Animoto Videos

  1. It was explained to students that they will be making a PSA with Animoto on a specific area of digital citizenship (digital privacy, cyberbullying, keeping a clean digital footprint)
  2. Students picked a partner and began planning out their video using a storyboard paper.
  3. Students were instructed on using Animoto, and began creating their video.
  4. Videos were created using at least 5 slides (most of my students opted to do more)
  5. Students added their videos to Padlet so we all could share.

Here is the link to the Padlet.  Padlet of Digital Citizenship Animotos
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Sunday, September 24, 2017

My Journey to Starting a School Library Makerspace: Part 2

2:37 PM
When starting a Library Makerspace, one of the most important things to consider is funding.  In these times of library budgets getting slashed, many schools simply do not have the funds to invest in the items needed for a Makerspace.    It was no different in my school district.  Most of my students are middle class or above, so we are not considered to be low poverty.  Unfortunately, the library budget is rather low and every cent is needed for library resources.  Since we are not low poverty, many of the big grants out there were not available to us.  Those are given to the schools that have the highest need (the schools with the highest poverty)

So how does someone get funded for a Makerspace if they are ineligible for need based grants?

Librarians need to tap into their local resources, such as the school's education foundation, the home and school association, and other local grants.  Organizations that truly care about your school and students, because they have a vested interest.  When I first started working in Shamong, NJ, I knew I wanted to start a Makerspace.  I also knew that the funding would need to come outside of my budget.  I walked into a library situation that was in desperate need of updating.  My entire budget was needed so I could make the necessary updates.  

Our district is very blessed, because we have an education foundation who is willing to fund projects that are creative and innovative.  When the Spring Grant submissions started, I decided to submit a grant to start our Library Makerspace.  

The grant process involved:

  • Talking to other teachers who had previously had a project funded through the foundation.
  • Doing my homework ahead of time, prior to writing the grant proposal.
  • Finding a way to integrate the items requested for the funding,  into my curriculum.
  • Working with my technology director to plan out purchases for the grant proposal - this included getting pricing for IPads, a 3D printer, and a shelf for the IPads.
  • Writing and submitting the grant to the foundation.
  • Responding to questions about the grant from the foundation.
The final grant requested $13,307 in materials.  I opted for those higher tech items.  The items decided upon were based on a survey sent out to students.  I wanted the students in my middle school to take ownership of the Makerspace.  The items requested were things that were most important to my students.  Some of the items we requested were:
  • 10 IPads
  • Cases for the IPads
  • Shelf for the IPads
  • 4 Dash and Dot robots
  • 4 Sphero Spark robots
  • 1 K'nex robot kit
  • 4 boxes of legos
  • 2 Raspberry Pi
  • 1 3D Printer with filament
Here is a copy of the grant request.

I am happy to say that our grant was fully funded, and we were also able to get another grant through the state for an additional $10,000.  We have used this money to renovate our once computer lab, and turn it into a Makerspace lab.  We have also used the additional money to purchase new furniture for our space, shelving, and additional supplies.

                                                  Students enjoying our Makerspace Room.

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Monday, August 21, 2017

My Journey to Starting a School Library Makerspace: Part 1

6:45 PM
About three years ago while attending the PSLA (Pennsylvania School Librarian's Association) Conference, the Makerspace movement caught my attention.  What a way to inspire creativity in the library, I thought.  I started collecting as much information as I could on the movement (reading books, reading website pages and articles, attending workshops and conferences with maker related topics, and following maker librarians on Twitter).

Some of my greatest ideas have come from librarians and educators on Twitter.  Laura Fleming, makerspace guru from New Milford High School, New jersey was especially helpful.  I began asking her tons of questions about starting a makerspace in a school.  She answered all my questions, and was extremely helpful.  I was lucky enough to meet Laura in person at this summer's ISTE conference in San Antonio.  Laura's Twitter Handle is @LFlemingEDU.

Many other librarians have inspired me along the way.  They include:

  • Heather Lister @Heathermlister
  • Todd Burleson  @todd_burleson
  • Kristina Holzweiss @lieberian
  • Diana Rendina @dianalrendina
  • Colleen Graves @gravescolleen
I officially began implementing my ideas for a Makerspace into my curriculum when I was teaching K-8 at School Lane Charter School.  Because I was on a fixed schedule, and did not have a lot of money or space to start a full-fledged Makerspace, I decided to do centers during library time.  This involved areas such as:  Legos, Puzzles, K'nex, Bookmark making, STEM related projects, Ebook Listening center, and crafts.  The kids truly loved their library time, but was still quite far from my vision of a library Makerspace.  Unfortunately, my district did not "buy in" to the advantages of a Makerspace.

December of 2016, I accepted a position at Shamong Township School District.  Since my schedule involves time in the afternoon for students to come to the library for twenty minutes after their lunch period, I began thinking about how I could implement a Makerspace into my library.  I realized very quickly that some of my students were bored during this open library time, and I began creating monthly STEM Challenges. You can read about this  here.  This proved to be an excellent way to incorporate basic making skills that were low tech and inexpensive.  It was also a way to test the interest level for adding a real Makerspace to our library.

Once I realized our students and staff had interest in starting a Makerspace, I began writing a grant through our school district's education foundation.  Since the grant was very specific to wants and needs, I polled my students on items they would like to see in our space and met with teachers to discuss their needs.  Here is a link to  My Student Makerspace Survey   Our Makerspace Grant was approved in June 2017.  This will be an exciting school year for my library, staff, and students.  Stay tuned for my next blog post on "My Makerspace Grant".
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Sunday, August 6, 2017

A Supportive Administration - The Key to a Successful Library Program

9:10 AM

New Transformation . . .

This past year has been a huge transformation for me both personally and professionally.  This time last year, I was starting year 3 at a charter school outside of Northeast Philadelphia.  I had spent the two years prior at their K-8 school and moved up to their new school which was grades 7-12.  Brand new library, huge budget to fill the shelves, beautiful new school, and only 7 minutes from my home.  Sounds like heaven . . . right?  I thought so too, but I was miserable by October, and found a new position by November.  The new position was in New Jersey and over an hour away.  New Jersey also requires that all new teachers live in New Jersey, so I was looking at moving within a years time.

So why did I leave? What was the problem?

The problem at the charter school was not the teachers or students.  I had a great rapport with all of them.  The library was very nice, although it was unfortunate the CEO never valued my opinion enough to work together on a plan for the new space.  The main problem, however was the administration.  They did not value my position, nor did they welcome my opinion on anything.  Everything was micromanaged, so new ideas I had were always shot down.  The thing that bothered me the most was the fact that I wanted to start a Makerspace, and the administration wanted no part in that.  They seemed to still have an old-fashioned view of the library (students should be silent, reading or studying)  I guess I would have to say I left because the administration and I had two different views of the library, and I realized it was not going to change, nor was it going to get any better.

Moving On . . .

I accepted a position with Shamong Township School District at their Middle School (Indian Mills Memorial School) in Shamong, New Jersey in November 2016, and began working for them in December.  It has been a fabulous experience, and I can't imagine working anywhere else.  I have a fabulous schedule, a wonderful student and teacher population, but most of all an excellent administration.  My principal, Timothy Carroll is a fantastic leader.  He is excited about changes I can make in the library and welcomes new ideas I have for our school and library.  Our superintendent, Dr. Christine Vespe is just as supportive.  It has made a huge difference what I am able to achieve as the school's library media specialist.



So What's Next . . .

I am happy to say that I moved to New Jersey over the summer, and am thrilled to be returning to Shamong.  
Our Education Foundation approved a grant for the school library, to begin a makerspace.  We will be adding a 3D Printer, 10 IPads, 5 Sphero Sparks, 5 Dash and Dot robots, K'nex sets, Lego sets, Little Bits sets, Snap Circuits sets, and 3 Raspberry Pis.  This is a dream come true, and I am so thrilled I can bring this to the students and staff at this school.
This year I also hope to work with even more of the teachers than I had the opportunity to work with last year.  We have expanded our electronic collection, and I am hopeful our new collection will provide more opportunities for collaboration.

My Advice . . .

If you are in a situation that is far from ideal, I would suggest meeting with your administration.  Let your needs and wants be heard.  Understand that you may not get everything you want, but perhaps there is a way you can meet in the middle.  Whenever you have a chance promote and communicate what you are doing in the library.  Remember, most principals and superintendents have come from the classroom and not the library.  They may not know exactly what you are doing, unless you tell them.  This can come in the form of a brief email, a monthly newsletter, creating a library social media site, presenting on your school library at conferences, or simply meeting with your principal.  There does sometimes come a time when you must agree to disagree or move on.  I knew I wanted something better than the situation I was in last year, and I am so delighted that I moved on to Shamong.
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Sunday, March 19, 2017

Working with Teachers to Use Video Conferencing Tools

3:50 PM
Earlier this month I presented to my teachers about how they can use videoconferencing in the classroom.  If you are not using Skype or Google Hangouts in your school, I would highly recommend starting.

Some of the benefits to using videoconferencing in the classroom include:

  • It prepares students for the 21st century
  • Students can connect to experts, authors, other classrooms and teachers
  • It raises global awareness
  • Students are able work collaboratively not only with their own classmates, but also with students at other schools
  • Increases students interest and motivation
  • Gives students a voice
While making my presentation, I tried to point out to teachers and staff that whether they decide to use Google Hangouts or Skype does not really matter.  What matters is how they use the tool.  

Some of the awesome types of videoconferences include:

  • Mystery Skype/GHO
  • Virtual Field Trip
  • Skype/GHO With an Author
  • Connect With an Expert/Guest Speaker
  • Connect With Another Classroom
  • Virtual Book Club
  • Connect With an After School Club
  • Learn a New Language
  • Professional Development Opportunities
  • Parent-Teacher Conferences
  • Meeting with Colleagues
  • Student Collaboration
  • Flipped Classroom Model
During my presentation I was lucky enough to do a Google Hangout with Nikki D. Robertson.  Nikki is a fabulous resource and is happy to help answer any questions about using social media, videoconferencing, and any other programs that promote global connections.  

Here is a link to my presentation.  Feel free to use any of the resources I have listed in my slideshow.

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Friday, March 3, 2017

10 Ways to Bridge the Gap Between the Library and Classroom

5:48 PM
Working as a school librarian poses many challenges.  One of the biggest challenges is finding a way to get teachers to collaborate with you.  Since starting my new position in December, I have been trying to come up with creative ways to get involved in any and all aspects of the school curriculum.  Here are some things I have done to get involved.

1.  Send Out a Monthly Newsletter to staff  . . .

My chosen medium for this is Smore.  Smore is a fabulous way to send out online newsletters.  It is easy to include web links, photos, even videos.  I like to send out my monthly newsletter to teachers via email, and also embed the newsletter in my library website.  Smore offers users 5 free newsletters per year, and has different subscription plans if you need more.  I opted to pay for my Smore account, because I needed to create more than 5 Smores per year.  It has proved to be worth the money.  


2.  Plan a Schoolwide or Gradewide Event . . .

After only working at my school a few weeks, I began planning World Read Aloud Day for our 5th Graders during their Language Arts classes.  This gave me an opportunity to show these teachers the wonderful way we can use Skype with their students.  At the end of the day, we planned a read aloud for our 5th graders.  They were read aloud to by teachers, staff, and 8th grade students.  The day was a huge success!







3.  Find a Way to Connect Weekly With Teachers . . .

A few weeks ago I decided to begin connecting weekly to teachers through a weekly tech tip blog.  I have tried to focus on one small tool that teachers can use in their lessons/curriculum.  Since our school has Google Education Suite, and we are now 1:1 with Chrome books.  It made sense to begin by focusing on Google.  I didn't think it was enough to only send the blog out and offer nothing else, so I am staying after school two times per month for 30 minutes to go over one or two programs covered in my blog.  The sessions I have done have not attracted a ton of teachers, but it seems to be growing.  Its always a good idea to have some sort of a handout, so if a teacher stops by later you can give them something to get started.
When I first started working in my district, my library did not have a website.  It is so important that the library has an online presence for both teachers and students.  This is a great way to promote things you are doing in your library.  It is also a place to include your calendar, online catalog, and websites for students and teachers.


5.  Offer to do Professional Development Trainings . . .

When I interviewed in my district, I made a point to make it clear that I would like to take a hand in providing professional development to teachers.  This March I am presenting on how to use Skype and Google Hangouts in the classroom.  This is a great way to promote how the library can help.  When teachers realize the librarian can make their life easier, they are sure to take you up on your invitation to help.

6.  Think Outside the Box . . .

Sometimes teachers really do not fully grasp how librarians can add an awesome technology tool to their lessons.  Just recently I had a teacher ask me to help come up with pre-reading questions for the book Holes.  I turned this into an awesome lesson integrating the tool Kahoot.  The kids loved it and so did the teacher.  Now I took this one step farther, by asking the teacher if she would be interested in connecting with another class who is also reading Holes through Skype.  Now, what started out as a no-tech lesson has turned into an awesome high-tech lesson.

7.  Create Interactive Displays . . .

If students are interested in what you are doing in the library, they will tell their teachers about it.  In February we did Blind Date With a Book and I had so many teachers ask me about it.  We also do monthly STEM Challenges in the library.  So many teachers have asked me about it and are now starting to think about how I can help them with their lessons.



8.  Take Time to Talk . . .

When teachers come into your library stop what you are doing and chat.  Believe me what little task you are attending to (unless you in the middle of a class) can wait.  You may find something out while you are chatting that can lead to a collaborative project.

9.  Get Involved in Curriculum or Grade-Level Meetings . . .

If time permits go to any curriculum or grade level meetings.  This is a good time to promote how the library can help teachers with their lessons.  Do you know of an awesome web tool teachers can use?  Did you just get a book that might fit into your teacher's curriculum perfectly?  Meeting when teachers are planning their curriculum is a great way to connect.

10.  Involve Teachers in Your Purchases . . .

Keep teachers involved in your purchases.  Find out what they are teaching and what you need to back up their curriculum.  Take advantage of trials for databases and subscription based programs.  Send passwords and usernames to teachers and ask them for feedback.  Chances are if they do not like the program as a trial, they will not use it if you purchase it.



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