Week of 3/24-- teacher

Today,
A group of kindergartners and 1st graders came to the media center in order to engage in a maker's space.   A maker's space is a place where children who share the same interest can meet up and engage in different technology based activities.  It's a place where they can share ideas, knowledge, and equipment.

The students used a graphic organizer to gather data regarding a parachute activity.  Students were given a plastic egg that was broken apart.  They were asked to take a survey from others to see which end of the egg would land slower after being connected to a coffee filter and some straws (see pics).  

Week of 4-10 through 4-18 Information Specialist

This week we are in the process of testing.  I have been helping out with setting up lap tops and desk tops for GMAS.   This includes logging computers onto the online platform, and troubleshooting when icons are missing, students can not go in, and computers time out.   In addition, hallways have to be monitored. 

This will continue until Friday, April 21st.  

3-17 checklist item #4

Today, I really got to fine tune my skills regarding cataloging.  I cataloged approximately seven fiction books.   I added them to Destiny, made and printed bar codes and spine labels.  Afterwards, I identified the AR points, reading level, and lexile.  I laminated soft cover books, and learned that there are three different types of binding; library, hard, and soft. While I've previously heard of the latter two, I've never heard of the library binding.   Apparently, that's the top of the line and there is a lifetime guarantee on them.

While cataloging, I also learned that if there is a 'red house' underneath the title that means that there is already a copy of that book in the county.  If not, I had to add the copy.

Catologuing!

Just catalogued all of these books!

Students stayed after school for 'Game Day Friday'.

3-15 information specialist

Today, Darnita was absent.  Therefore, I worked the circulation desk, shelved books, and got a quick tutorial regarding printing out late notices for teachers.   Late notices go out to teachers during the week of report cards.  We ask the teachers to send them home with the report cards.   We usually get bombarded the very next day with students returning for re-checking out these late books.  

Here's a short video that I can refer to when it's time to print out late notices on my own. 

3-9 teacher

This week, I taught my reading lesson to a group of fourth graders.   The students were really engaged and enjoyed the lesson on inventions.  I read the story, The Crow and the Pitcher.  Afterwards, we discussed the meaning of the quote, necessity is the mother of invention.  The students shared very accurate responses; such as, when you are in need, you come up with something to help you fix the problem.  After reading this story, the students were given some materials and told to create something that they need.  We used survey monkey in order to vote on the best invention (see screenshot below).  

At the end of the lesson, students used Padlet in order to share their definitions of an invention (see 2nd screen shot below). 

Invention survey.

Exit ticket:  What is an invention?

3-15 administrator

Today was 1/2 day for students.  My supervisor was at a conference from 8-11:30.  Therefore, I helped the clerk with circulation and shelving books.  It was a very busy day.  When Darnita, my supervisor, arrived around noon we worked on finishing up the evaluation report and the activity report (see checklist item).  

My supervisor has never created an infographic before.  We discussed ways that we can share information to staff, parents, and students in the future using infographics.   One example that we came up with is to send out a summary of late books based on each grade level using an infographic.  Also, keeping up with grade level reading/AR point goals.

2-24 checklist item #6

2-10 teacher

Today was fun.  I learned to do something that I've been wanting to do for a few years now.  I was introduced to QR codes two years ago when I worked in Fulton county.  Unfortunately, I've never been able to take the time to sit and figure out how generate them.  Thanks to my site manager, I was able to find a user-friendly website and get it done in no time. 

I was also able to assist the site manager with teaching her 4th grade specials class.  The students are doing a maker's space... working on programming robots.

1-30 info. specialist and teacher

My biggest accomplishment was working with the media specialist and finishing up my reading unit. Next week, we will decide which dates I will begin teaching the unit. 

I chose the topic inventions, because it ties in with what she's doing with some students.  She is having them break down old radios,  writing down their findings, and attempt to put them back together again. 

This correlates with the invention unit because it allows the students to see how things are created.

Week of 3/31--- information specialist

Today was a pretty slow day.  It was the last day before Spring Break.  I checked a few books in and out, and conferenced with my mentor.  I also worked with a group of gifted first graders and kindergarteners who were beginning a new unit on endangered species.   I used youtube, brain pop, and online graphics organizers to make the learning more engaging.   

In addition, I took some time to reflect on my role as a media specialist.  What have learned?  What will I want to immediately implement?  How can I improve the state of our current media center?  When will I be ready to take on such a task?  

While I am quite sure about some of answers, there are others that I need to continue pondering.  I am sure that I want to either work in an elementary or middle school setting.  I say this because I've taught in both of these environments.  In addition, I found the high school experience to be quite boring.  I know that if I was the media specialist in a high school, there would be several changes that would need to be made.  I saw no media specialist/teacher collaboration, and I saw media specialists taking on roles that were not in the realm of the media center.