Save time on your email

    Reading and replying to email messages can waste tons of time each day.  There are several tips that I have found work well for me.  I have specific times each day that I check  and respond to emails ( even on Slummer Vacation!!) 

    Once I have looked at an email I figure our first-should I read it? If is is important enough to be read  then  I figure out  the next 6 items.

1) Do- I reply if I can do so in 3 minutes or less.

2) Delay- move to a folder on my email to follow up later.

3) Delegate- I forward it to someone who can  act on it or who really needs to see it.( I do this for staff when I find info that staff might use)

4)Place in folder- this is for items that I need to keep to refer to- something from the District Office , or administration , or my Dept Chair.

5&6) My favorite s: delete it right away, or unsubscribe from the email . This gets rid of the stuff you do not want or need.

  As I have slowly adopted these  strategies, I am not a slave to my emails and not overwhelmed by having to many in my mailbox.

Digital Citizenship

     Digital citizenship teaches students how to navigate online spaces in critical, healthy, and ethical ways. The lessons should be done in context with subject area teachers throughout the year.  It should not be done in isolation as the students will have no connection to the learning.

     Learning Digital Citizenship this way will be mostly incorporated, learned and remembered, and applied to the topic at hand.  This avoids disconnect of how students behave at school and then at home  do something differently.

      Librarians can work with teachers to help pose the right questions and teach skills to using social media, , the internet,( including video sharing, blogs, podcasts, & related media). Students can learn to use these products in creative and ethical ways.

Storylineonline-

http://www.storylineonline.net/

This is one of the coolest sites I have seen in a long long time- I am so excited
to show this and use this with my teachers and classes!! Boy will this save time
for so many educators. And the students will LOVE it!

If you haven't seen this before - check it out. I want to use this with students for black history month! ( there are many great books here) Also  there are teachers guides for most of the books so you can really use the books for extending learning!!

Read.Gov

  Read.Gov is a website which is a Division of the Library of Congress's  The site encourages everyone (kids, Teens, & adults) to discover the world of books and reading.  You will see a variety of free reading resources to explore.  There are programs to be done on line, and classic books to read online. Author webcasts( where authors speak about their  books and their work as a writer .)

  Also helpful to both librarians and teachers are the book lists that are related to research and school topics. There are  online book exhibits( Books that Shaped America- which shows covers of the first edition and gives a synopsis of why the work is important) There is also  a list of some best American literature. This is a good resource for librarians, elementary teachers , ELA ,and English teachers.

Toonbooks.com

 Toon.books.com

      Although Toon.books.com  is  a site that is selling  their books , there is a lot of content that can be used by teachers who want to incorporate cartoons  or graphic novels into their classroom. Under the Educators tab, you can find a Comic Genre study, an article on Why Comics? And also CCSS-aligned Teachers' Guides which includes common core standards, lesson plans, and activity sheets.  There are also guides to some of their books.

        Under the Just for Kids tab, you will find cartoon makers,  read along videos, toon craft activities, and tips for parents. So I think this would be a good site for teachers who want to use cartoon and graphic novels  in their classroom.

Awesomelibrary.org- geat site

    Awesomelibrary .org is both awesome and amazing!  The tag line on the main page is that Amazing library organizes the internet with about 37, 000 sources.

    There are 30 tabs in block form in the center of the main pages. There is also a search box. The top tabs are Teachers, Kids, Teens, Parents, librarians and College. Each of those links takes the viewer to the next level where you can find specific sites for additional topics.

   Example: Under teens, there are school subjects( Math, Language arts,  Science, Technology ,English,  Social  Studies, the arts, health & PE ) and then there are also links for activities and more( Games, projects, Friends, questions, .authors, ) Each  link takes you to a page that has links .

      My focus is to find what they offer for librarians, teachers, and student’s. I feel that this will be a valuable site for librarians, educators, and students.

Library or Classroom Project- Did you Know?

      An interesting and little different author/ reading project is an Author Poster, which could be do as a small group or individual  project  .  Students choose a favorite author to research . They will find interesting biographical information  about the author. "Did you know?" can be the heading and the information can be listed in bullets or around  appropriate images or clip art or the authors photo. This poster will also have a list of titles  written by the author. 
       This will provide students with good suggestions for excellent  reads. The posters can be displayed in the library, in the hallways and in classrooms. After having several done, the posters can be swapped out for different ones  to provide variety, interest and surprise.

Library Databases & Passwords

   Last week got away from me and I did not post- guess it was the first week of school thing.  Anyway I am planning a type of book mark or "cheat sheet"  for use by my staff and students.  This will provide  the log in and passwords  to our school databases. ( could also be adapted for the public library  if they have passwords)

   Students will be shown the  log in and passwords when I instruct them on the databases. I will have the 'bookmarks' available  for anyone who wants them during a research project for their use and to keep. We will also have copies at the circ desk in the library, by the computer bank in the library, and also in the computer lab.   Another larger copy can be taped to the laptop carts that are used by the students in their classrooms.
  I am also planning to give the teachers laminated  one for their personal use. This will help keep students and staff   to have easy access ( and a reminder) to the effectiveness of the databases.

Still More Benefits of Blogging!

    Sorry  to say( not really) but the more I keep reading  and thinking about  the benefits of blogging  with students. I can't wait to do this and encourage my teachers to do also with their classes!  Yes I know  we need more laptops!!!

   Using blogs with students  will cause development of expertise in one subject area. Maybe not all students but a majority will  .  When reading and writing is focused on one topic increased learning , and skills will be  seen( according to reports I've read- which I  would assume would be the case.This will create for the students and the class a vast database of learning that is built on.

  Blogging will expose new literacy's  that students will need to function in the every expanding information based society on the internet.   New information grows rapidly every  month. Students will learn a way to process , analyze and interpret their findings .

  More and more careers will require research, organization  and syntheses  of ideas . This will help many students obtain and advance in   their career choice.

Best websites for teaching and learning- how do you choose?

     Librarians are asked constantly for recommendation of the best website for teachers to use with students.  When keeping up with the newest sites this is the place to go . A great source that will save you time and effort is the AASL( American Association of School Librarians) site which names the top 25!
  
   I found this awhile ago  and would like to explore each and every tech tool. So far I have done a few but not all..  The site provides descriptions and learning standards in 6 different categories. You can easily find formats and tools that will help students build and expand their knowledge and provide engaging ways to increase the desire to learn.
   The curriculum collaboration section  helps when teachers ask about content websites.  There are lists of past years best sites , so all in all this is a great place to bookmark , refer to, and dive in to each site to see how it will be useful to your students and teachers.



.http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/best-websites/2013


  Actually , if you have never explored  AASL there is a lot of information here that  you may find very helpful. So check out this site  to find some great internet tools and resources.!!

Teachers and Librarains: Using Digital Tools / Media

     Both teachers and librarians should become comfortable using the new technology tools/ Why?? 
Students are more engaged and involved when using technology tools.

     How do you start?  Well I hope you are moving along in your goal for learning at least two tech tools this summer. ( Remember I said -don't stop at just two- when you have mastered two do two more!)

   Hopefully you will have the ability to display screen shots from your computer to a smart or white board in your classroom.  Start each new unit by displaying a variety of internet resources, databases and tools relative to that topic. Show the students how to determine if the information is accurate and reliable.

   Compare search and information from different search engines , websites, and library resources. Discuss differences information and layout and ease of use.

    By doing this you will show students up to date , accurate information . Having engaging tools, and instructing then using the tools will help them acquire the information and  inspire them to become lifelong learners.