WHY - part 2

WHY????

As I reflect on KTI as well as the 2016-2017 school year, I see how to make the 2017-2018 school year even better.

Last year, I was very focused on WHAT I was teaching and HOW I was teaching it.  As I was listening to the keynote speaker on Jared Mader, my transformation began!  It was my big AH-HA from the 5 day summit.  I was at a technology conference and my biggest take away was not about a website or an app or a fancy new makerspace toy.  It was a shift in mindset and pedagogy (how I teach).  I want to look at every lesson and ask myself WHY am I teaching this?  What will these young people take away from this lesson?  I started to teaching nearly 18 years ago with a passion for youth and wanting to make a difference in their lives.  I NEED TO REFOCUS ON MY WHY!

In addition, he and Ann Noonen talked about the ISTE standards.  ISTE stands for "International Society for Technology in Education". The standards focus on what our students will become by graduation.  It is exactly WHY I am teaching which is to make a difference in my students lives.  These standards have powerful language built into each one.

So I will be taking the next three weeks to dive in and fully comprehend how to implement these standards!  I cannot forget the model library curriculum created by the Pennsylvania State Library Association (PSLA).  Actually, the two items work hand in hand.

Here are the ISTE standards with more information at ISTE STANDARDS:



FELLOW TEACHERS/LIBRARIANS/ADMINISTRATORS -
what is your WHY?  Is this in the forefront every day?

Conference + "cult" + summer camp

Wow - the past 4 days have felt like all three things in one (in a good way!)

I have learned (conference), I have participated in traditions("cult"), I have eaten in a dining hall (camp), I have slept in a dorm (camp)!

AND...

I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT...

Some might say that I drank the "koolaid".

Seriously, this week has been a professional and in many ways a personal "bucket filler".   This week has been a sacrifice.  I left my family at home - cleaning, painting, building, moving, chasing, and so much more!  I am here learning and having fun.  I needed new ideas.  I needed new tools.  I needed to refind my "why" in education.  I did all of this and more!  Thank you to my family for the chance to do this.

Would I recommend this experience to a fellow teacher in Pennsylvania?  ABSOLUTELY
Would I chose to come if I could go back in time?  ABSOLUTELY

This post is a bit jumbled and incoherent...but it is my thought processes on the screen.  It is my raw emotions and feelings thrown out to the whole world.

I AM A KTI STAR!  I am part of a new family and ready to face the 2017-2018 school year!

So you need my nightly few pictures :)

My STAR

KTI STAR

Keystone Technology Integrators at Shippensburg University 2017

Lead, Develop, Advocate, and Connect

These four words are driving the entire KTI experience!

So what am I learning after 2.5 days in each of these areas?

LEAD:
One theme has been leading from the middle.  What does that mean?  I can be a teacher and a leader in my educational community/school when I return.  How do I that?   By developing...

DEVELOP:
I am developing as a teacher and learner while at KTI.  Today I learned about many topics but my big 3 were the following:
      1. Alternatives to Google for research for the elementary student

      2. How to give all students a voice
      3. Digital story telling apps and websites
It has been amazing the new tools, ideas, and information that you can learn in these smaller break out sessions

ADVOCATE:
I need to be advocate for the library, the curriculum, the students, and so much more!  I will be learning more on this topic tomorrow and Friday...so stay tuned.

CONNECT:
The best part of a conference or an in-service day is connecting.  I learn so much from lunch talks or casual conversations while waiting for a training to start.  Fellow librarians stick together and are sharing amazing ideas!

So here are a few pictures from today's learning and adventures:

Building with "LEGOS" with these four key words

Fidget Spinner fun 

90's themed outing to a local winery
 This was my attempt at a throwback outfit 

High School jacket!

Breathtaking views tonight from our adventure/outing

Information Overload

Keystone Technology Institute (KTI) has been AMAZING!!!!!!

However, I have to admit a bit of information overload.  I am going to give you a few take-aways and ah-ha's from today's 11 hours of learning, collaborating, thinking, and discovering.  This is just the big ideas...fellow educators who LOVE technology just have to experience this event for themselves.

First take away/ah-ha:

Technology speed dating is a great way to learn!  Imagine the power of 100 people sharing his/her favorite app or educational website.
The spreadsheet created is packed with information and ideas.

Second take away/ah ha:
How to make my phone a "remote" to control my slide shows in Office 365.  So cool and useful...
Just need to get it to all "sinc" and it will be magical!

Third take away/ah ha:
Thinking and learning through the eyes of my students is a great way to shift my perspective.
Today was more design challenges, visiting 16 different maker stations, the "Amazing Make" event, and being in the shoes of the learner.  Experience success and failures is a powerful learning tool!

Fourth take away/ah ha:
I am getting great tips and tricks for both the library and the "STEAM" class, but also my fellow educators.  Today, I heard great ideas like creating a reading nook with comfortable seating (sounds like a common sense item, but it was my ah-ha).  Finding an app or website to record students reading fluency at the beginning and end of the year.  Imagine playing that at an IEP meeting...imagine the parent who can hear the growth in his/her child's reading over the course of the year.  Plus grant and funding ideas :) 

Final take away/ah-ha:
FREE STUFF IS SO FUN!  Today I caught a t-shirt, my name was pulled to get 2 months free subscription to Actively Learn, someone else passed on an educational video, and more!  There are so many companies that are sponsoring and supporting PAECT to make this an amazing week :)

Here are a few pictures from today:

Newspaper building challenge

The final outcome 

My prize collection - video, ear buds, subscription to Actively Learn, and t-shirt from WeVideo

Front of the t-shirt

Hands-on learning with this "Amazing Race" themed activity

Keystone Technology Summit

Last summer and school year, I spent a year with a program through Pennsylvania State Library Association called "Sustaining Leaders" as seen in my post from last summer Sustaining Leaders

This summer, I have a NEW opportunity...Keystone Technology Summit brought together by PAECT which focuses on technology in education (PAECT).  My principal nominated me to be a Keystone Technology Star for implementing technology in my building and community.  I then completed an application.  From the 600 nominations, about 100 teachers, technology coaches, librarians, and more were selected and I was one of them from the entire state of Pennsylvania.

I am spending Monday through Friday at Shippensburg University learning and growing.

Want to know more?  Check it out on the web at Keystone Technology Summit.   Today will be shorter post since we had only had dinner, STEM challenge, ignite sessions, and learned about the LAUNCH cycle for design thinking for students.  I only learned about part one tonight, but might spend my TV free time tonight clicking through this website - The Launch Cycle. 
Found this cool video so far

Look for more on this and so many other topics tomorrow from Office 365 to makerspaces.

If you want to follow along - search for #kti17 on both facebook and twitter.

Here are few pictures and captions to go with this first day!

Banner over main session room tonight

Follow the Keystone Stars to the main session

Great graphic - does it come on T-Shirt?

Teachers learn by being learners themselves
 Here is our design challenge outcome of the spaghetti tower

LAUNCH CYCLE - here is what I am working on this week!

Look for more pictures, ideas, ah-ha's, and so much more this week :)

Poetry

Poetry

What comes to mind when you think of this genre? 

Humor, dread, fear, excitement, love ?????

For me - I would say that in the past it was dread and fear.  Then my husband shared his poetry with me.  He introduced me to Shel Silverstein.

Now, I want to convey to my elementary students the "other" side of poetry...the POSITIVE.

So Sally and I jumped into POETRY in April.

 First, I chose this fun read aloud last week :)

Website for template - Poem in my Pocket

Students in grade 1 created spring acrostic poems using this template

Spring Acrostic

Students in grade 2 and 3 searched through a variety of poem books and copied a poem for their pocket (or a library pocket)

Template  for writing your "Poem in your Pocket"

Keep on Swimming

This week in Library, the kindergarten and one class of fourth graders turned the entrance to our library into an aquarium or ocean.  The tag line is "Keep on Swimming".  Students in grade K read Eric Carle's book entitled Mr. Seahorse.  In addition, each class did a different sea creature inspired by these blog/pinterest posts.

Fourth graders made these fish that move!
Fish

Here are a list of the Kindergarten projects.  Click on the title for a link!
Hand fish
Jellyfish Suncatchers
CD Fish
Toilet Paper Tube Octopus
Paper Ring Octopus

It was so fun watching our sea come to life...the window is also covered in blue cellophane which is so neat!

I could not pull off my crazy ideas without my educational aide and craft expert (Ms. Sally!).

Busyness

In my new position this year, I hear myself everyday answer the same question the same way. 

Q:How are you today?

A: Busy, but good

This is my default mantra.

This week in my last "virtual" session with my Sustaining Leaders Academy - the topic of BUSYNESS was brought up.  I was skiing with my oldest and on a video conference chat at the same time.  I was torn between wanting to be in the moment with her, but in a weird way was proud that I could multi-task or be BUSY. 

Mary Kay Biagini brought up a recent article that she had read on this topic.  Tonight, as I sit on my couch at 10:45 working away at numerous small tasks and tempted to post a braggadocios post on social media on my daily accomplishments, I remembered this article.

I stopped myself, erased my post, and found the article in Forbes Magazine and READ it...

Why Busyness Isn't Good Business

As I reflect on this idea of busyness, everyone sees it and has been telling me to slow down, focus, relax!  My principal has given me the advice to slow down.  On Thursday, a co-worker even told me "you make the rest of us look bad".

Time for me to take a breath and relax this week...time to spend some time with my children at the maple festivities...time to just stop and think...time to refocus my energy and goals!

I think that it might be the perfect time to read my sister-in-law's book "Exit Normal".  

Here is a link to her book - Exit Normal by Domini Hedderman

Thanks to all my family, friends, co-workers, and mentors for being so honest...

Busyness isn't good business...DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

Impact Grant Wrap-Up

In the summer, I applied and was awarded a Little Free Library through the Impact Grant.
Little Free Library Blog Post

In November, Mrs. Barboni (our principal) finished painting the Little Free Library and the maintenance staff found a great place to mount the Little Free Library box.

In early January, Scholastic chose this Little Free Library to receive a donation of 400 books.

On Friday, March 10th, I completed the last piece for my Impact Grant...a community reading celebration.

The library hosted three local guest authors during the PTO Ice Cream Social/Art Show.

Mrs. Tina Curtis read her "Cat in a Basket" and talked about how she made the illustrations.
See my post from October - Author Feature

Mrs. Hillary Barboni read both stories that she wrote "My Lucky Penny" and "Joshua Finds a Home".  The library was a packed house each time.  Author Feature

Mrs. Brittany Atkins came to read her newest book as well.  I have not done a feature author story on her book YET!  Her first book is available on Amazon.  Look What We Can Do

Hillary Barboni reading her Joshua book

Mrs. Barboni also read her other book "My Lucky Penny"

Tina Curtis reads her "Cat in the Basket"

Mrs. Curtis reads to a packed room!

Brittany Adkins shares her first book.

 \

Everyone was all ears for Mrs. Adkins book

In addition, here are some pictures of the STEM challenge table and donated book cart!

Book Markers for Everyone!

1st Line Project

I was looking through Pinterest for STEAM/LIBRARY ideas a couple of bulletin boards inspirations (links at the bottom).  No real description of who or how this project was completed by these other libraries/librarians.  Plus with my graduate class, I want students to start thinking about their thinking more.

So I took these pins and developed an entire project.  The first piece was done in Library which was the worksheet.  FIRST LINE WORKSHEET

The second part was done in STEAM on the computers.  It ended up taking two STEAM classes to type, print, and assemble the projects.  A few remain unfinished for a variety of reasons.  Day 2 starts with showing students how to get into Word on the desktop, create tables, insert pictures, and more (not in Office 365 because tables are light blue in Office 365 and tables are black in desktop version).  Students then moved to the computers and started on the project.  Step one was to insert a table and increase the size of the boxes so the four boxes filled the page.  The first box was used to type the "first line" of the book.  The second box was used to  put in the book cover.  Most student could locate creative commons pictures of the covers using the "online pictures" option embedded in word.  Otherwise, I had to individual show students how to get a safe picture from google of the cover.  I could not always ensure that we had the permission to use these pictures because of time constraints.  The third box was for the feeling emoji.  Students could draw or pick an emoji from the "online pictures" as well.  The final box was for the student's name.  The reason for the four boxes was because I wanted to minimize the size of the boxes (for the assembly step) and limit amount of printing/ink used.

Students then showed me the finished product before printing.  I had to individually assist in saving and printing each student project because the U drive was not the default setting and we were not using Office 365 online which auto saves.  The printing default is set as a document and black/white printing.  So students had to select the correct printer and change the color settings.  This was easier to do by myself for all 20 + students.  The color printer is down the main hall and into our kindergarten wing.  So I could only allow a couple of students to walk to the printer at one time.

The next step was to cut these elements apart.  Then the student had to pick a colored sheet of paper and fold into a "card" (hamburger fold then fold in half).  I could have done a half sheet of paper, but I did not have time to pre-cut paper.  The FIRST LINE was to be glued on the front, the emoji and book cover pictures were to be glued in the "middle" of the card when you open it up, and name would go where the student selected or on the back.  The idea is that library patrons can read a first line of a book and get intrigued and open up the display to see what book this FIRST LINE goes with (and ideally ask to borrow the book).

What would I change?  Finding a way to make tables work in Office 365 to save time saving the project, pre-teaching printing, pictures, etc...  Even though the project got a bit overwhelming to manage, I would repeat it again!

The projects in the hallway are quite popular.  I see students and staff peaking at the projects and commenting as they walk by.

Here was my inspiration on pinterest/twitter:
First Line Inspiration

Book cover/Emoji Inspiration



LOOK FOR PICTURES SOON!