Pray Tell, Librarian

Images. They're powerful. A single image can enlighten a student's thought process, build connections not perceived with words, and fill in gaps in understanding.  Images can also challenge students to think critically and strengthen their inferencing skills. Images in motion, take the brain to the next level.  It has been said, time and time again, that the human's attention span has dramatically decreased.  This is why modern day apps are so effective; they provide a short, concentrated burst of information and allow the brain to process them in that time frame. This allows the mind to focus and discern the message displayed.  It can be used for trivial purposes, or a teacher can present important information as well.  Thanks to technology, two apps heavily integrated into our everyday lives can do just this: Instagram and Vine. Instagram is a photo app where users can upload personal picture, apply various filters for effect (students can manipulate...

Vital tools for a flipped classroom  The concept of a flipped classroom has revolutionized how children learn. And while the transition may have been difficult ten or fifteen years ago, it as a lot easier to execute nowadays... one just needs the tools and a little direction. Enter... the librarian! As a English teacher, there were concepts students would conveniently forget from year to year. It was as if there was a horrendous "reset" button the students pressed every single summer making students get behind every year. However, I'm sure this happens in every single course! And I'm sure other teachers share the same frustrations I did at the beginning of the year.  With the following tools, teachers can create mini lessons that will close these gaps, provide practice time for students, and ensure that they come to class with the background knowledge they should have to grasp the next challenging concept. Screencast-O-Matic Screencast-O-Matic is a tool tha...

The Power of Dynamic Cartoons and Comics Nothing entertains more than graphics. It's an excellent way to engage students. Creating graphics entails all levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.  And when teachers are thinking about how to incorporate Rigor & Relevance in the classroom, creating graphics opens up a world of possibilities.  Using technology to harness what students know by giving them a creative outlet could not benefit them more. I explored three different mediums: ToonDoo , Pixton , and Make Beliefs Comix . ToonDoo is a simple website that students can register for and create comics comprised of one panel or more.  It's very easy to set up an account, and the commands are also fairly user friends.  As with all technology, all it takes is practice.   One thing I also like about ToonDoo is that it provides a 15-day free trial for the service.  It gives teachers and students the opportunity to explore the site. It's also available on the ...

Connecting with others through books I read... What book do I read?" "How do I know if that book is any good?" "I wonder what other kids my age are reading." "Why should I read that book? What are kids saying about it?" These questions flood my mind when I consider reading anything, especially books.  The experience of interacting about reading anything while engaging in a book chat at the local coffee shop is now amplified by online book communities.  Imagine reading, sharing, talking, and interacting with millions of people about books that you've read, have, want to read, or are reading.  Online book communities enable any reader to partake of these activities.  There are three that I will discuss here are Goodreads, LibraryThing, and Biblionasium. Goodreads   The first online community I came across, by other librarian recommendation nonetheless, not only recommends books, which gives you a starting point, but also allows you t...

Padlet and Lino are virtual bulletin boards. They can be interactive as well.  Both allow you to post sticky notes with images and information.  When I tried to use Lino, I was attracted to it's background colors and the vibrant designs, but when I tried to create titles and paragraphs, it was difficult and cumbersome for me.  I quickly turned to Padlet. It was easy, simple, and the interface guides you to where type titles, upload pictures, and add text.  I also like the versatility between posting information for students or faculty or to enable students to add posts of their own without modifying or deleting posts from others.  Teachers can create an online collaborative environment throughout the year or per unit.  Students can also partake of a novel study, grammar workshop, or writing exercises. This is an example of a Padlet I created for the high school English department at my campus.  It provides students who are in the Pre-AP and Advance...

This is what all flipped classroom teachers dream about, especially if you're a teacher who's well into practicing going green.  It's also perfect if you are just starting out. Podcasts are an excellent way to enable students to be accountable for their own learning, involve and engage them in mentoring and teaching others, and an excellent way to help the environment. From papers to sound waves, this is the way of the future. How can you record your lesson, begin a book chat, or provide a preview or review of your lesson using technology? The podcast! My favorite podcast or recording tool to use is Soundcloud . It's easy-to-follow instructions bring comfort and ease.  A free account provides about 3 hours of free service to record, and the site also has upgrade options. Soundcloud is a service you can use to record anything you want to say.  As a teacher, you can record important study notes, give a summary of a story, or explain basic sentence structure for students...

The library is quickly extending it's mighty reach through doorways, windows, breaking through walls, and transcending all material things with technology.  Two things that have equipped librarians and teachers are QR codes and videos. I've used videos as synthesizing assignments through projects in the English classroom. I have also seen how teachers use QR codes to update and facilitate information for students.  After observing a few YouTube channels and viewing videos from several libraries, I have chosen to highlight eight. YouTube The N orman High School Library This collection of videos is small, but very useful.   The video I think would be most useful to high school students is the “How To Use EBSCO host.” As a teacher, I can see students visiting this video multiple times and at least once every year.   The video I think students would like the most is titled, “Tiger Visits The Norman High Library”.   The video is entertaining and shows everyt...