final reflections

In June 2013 I concluded my career as a teacher-librarian and moved into retirement. I would like to thank all my teacher-librarian colleagues for their support and inspiration. I am hopeful that school libraries will continue to evolve to help to educate students. I will continue to be a strong advocate for adolescent reading and literature.  I will leave this blog up for a time as I hope that it may assist my successors Beth Hunter and Heather Marren-Reitsma with their transition. I wish them well - they will be awesome!
Good-bye!

more listening titles for young adults

These are the 2013 Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Top Ten from "Teacher-Librarian" magazine April 3013

1. Warriors Don't Cry by Melba Beals Read by Lisa Renee Pitts Tantor Audio 2011
   In 1957, Melba Pattillo turned sixteen. That was also the year she became a warrior on the front lines of a civil rights firestorm. Following the landmark 1954 Supreme Court ruling, Brown v. Board of Education, Melba was one of nine teenagers chosen to integrate Little Rock's Central High School. Throughout her harrowing ordeal, Melba was taunted by her schoolmates and their parents, threatened by a lynch mob's rope, attacked with lighted sticks of dynamite, and injured by acid sprayed in her eyes. But through it all, she acted with dignity and courage, and refused to back down.
2. The Diviners by Libba Bray Read by January LaVoy Listening Library 2012
   Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies."When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.
3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney Read by Ramon de Ocampo Recorded Books 2011
   Greg Heffley is in big trouble. School property has been damaged, and Greg is the prime suspect. But the crazy thing is, he’s innocent. Or at least sort of. The authorities are closing in, but when a surprise blizzard hits, the Heffley family is trapped indoors. Greg knows that when the snow melts he’s going to have to face the music, but could any punishment be worse than being stuck inside with your family for the holidays?
4. Personal Effects by E.M. Kokie Ready by Nick Podehl Candlewick on Brilliance Audio 2012
   Ever since his brother, T.J., was killed in Iraq, Matt feels like he’s been sleepwalking through life — failing classes, getting into fights, and avoiding his dad’s lectures about following in his brother’s footsteps. T.J.’s gone, but Matt can’t shake the feeling that if only he could get his hands on his brother’s stuff from Iraq, he’d be able to make sense of his death. But as Matt searches for answers about T.J.’s death, he faces a shocking revelation about T.J.’s life that suggests he may not have known T.J. as well as he thought. What he learns challenges him to stand up to his father, honor his brother’s memory, and take charge of his own life
5. Crusher by Niall Leonard Read by Daniel Weyman Listening Library 2012
   The day Finn Maguire discovers his dad bludgeoned to death in a pool of blood, his dreary life is turned upside down. Prime suspect in his father's murder, Finn must race against time to clear his name and find out who hated his dad enough to kill him.
6. Wonder by R.J. Palacio Ready by Diana Steel, Nick Podelh and Kate Rudd Brilliance 2011
   I won't describe what I look like. Whatever you're thinking, it's probably worse. August Pullman was born with a facial deformity that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face.
7. Inheritance by Christopher Paolini Read by Gerard Doyle Listening Library 2011
   The young Dragon Rider Eragon must finally confront the evil king Galbatorix to free Alagaesia from his rule once and for all. Fourth book in the Inheritance series
8. Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein Read by Morven Christie and Lucy Gaskell Bolinda 2012
   Two young women from totally different backgrounds are thrown together during World War II: one a working-class girl from Manchester, the other a Scottish aristocrat, one a pilot, the other a wireless operator. Yet whenever their paths cross, they complement each other perfectly and before long become devoted friends. But then a vital mission goes wrong, and one of the friends has to bail out of a faulty plane over France. She is captured by the Gestapo and becomes a prisoner of war. The story begins in "Verity's" own words, as she writes her account for her captors
9. The Watch That Ends the Night: Voices From the Titanic by Allan Wolf Read by various readers Candlewick on Brilliance Audio 2013
   Millionaire John Jacob Astor hopes to bring home his pregnant teen bride with a minimum of media scandal. A beautiful Lebanese refugee, on her way to family in Florida, discovers the first stirrings of love. And an ancient iceberg glides south, anticipating its fateful encounter. The voices in this remarkable re-creation of the Titanic disaster span classes and stations, from Margaret ("the unsinkable Molly") Brown to the captain who went down with his ship; from the lookout and wireless men to a young boy in search of dragons and a gambler in search of marks. Slipping in telegraphs, undertaker's reports, and other records, poet Allan Wolf offers a breathtaking, intimate glimpse at the lives behind the tragedy, told with clear-eyed compassion and astounding emotional power.
10. The Isle of Blood by Rick Yancey Read by Steven Boyer Recorded Books 2011
    When Dr. Warthrop goes hunting for the “Holy Grail of Monstrumology” with his eager new assistant, Arkwright, he leaves Will Henry in Victorian New York. Finally, Will can enjoy something that always seemed out of reach: a normal life with a real family. But part of Will can’t let go of Dr. Warthrop, and when Arkwright returns, claiming that the doctor is dead, Will is devastated—and not convinced. Determined to discover the truth, Will travels to London, knowing that if he succeeds, he will be plunging into depths of horror worse than anything he has experienced so far. His journey takes him to Socotra, the Isle of Blood, where human beings are used to make nests and blood rains from the sky—and puts Will Henry’s loyalty to the ultimate test. Third book in the Monstrumologist series

promoting listening

There is a need to actively promote audiobooks.
Pam Spencer Holleyat  Booksontape.com lists the Top Ten Educational Benefits of Audiobook Listening 
Pam is the Past President, YALSA (ALA's Young Adult Library Service Association)
Look around. Teens everywhere seem to have headphones on or in their ears. This fact, together with studies showing a positive correlation between listening to audiobooks and reading improvement, is leading teachers and librarians to use audiobooks in their classrooms and libraries. With this increase in audiobook usage, I reviewed the literature (various articles, presentations, and conversations) to compile a list of the reasons why teen listening is important, beyond just the enjoyment factor. Here is that list: 

1.  Removes any stigma of lower reading levels or "uncool" genres
2. Increases vocabulary skills
3. Improves speaking and writing skills 
4. Introduces storytelling, an important tradition in human history
5. Engages imagination by allowing students to create mental images of the story
6. mproves listening skills — essential in this multimedia world
7. Makes mundane yet necessary tasks (exercising, dishwashing, room cleaning) more tolerable
8. Keeps students informed of popular books or latest releases from favorite authors
9. Improves ability to multi-task and complete assignments simultaneously
10. Listening is an important step for becoming a life-long reader

Mary Burkey in "Booklist" magazine makes these suggestions for titles with adult and youth appeal for summer listening. Mystery is the preferred choice of 47% of all audiobook listeners.
Check out:
Alexander McCall's The Great Cake Mystery: Precious Ramotswe's Very First Case (Listening Library)
Gertrude Chandler Warner's Boxcar Children series - Bicycle Mystery: The Boxcar Children (Oasis Audio)
Wendelin Van Draanen's Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief (Live Oak Media)
Charlie Higson's Blood Fever & Death Cloud (Listening Library)
Nancy Springer's The Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye
Maryrose Wood's The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place series (Listening Library)
Matthew J. Kirby's Icefall (Scholastic)
Libba Bray's The Diviners (Listening Library)
Barry Lyga's I Hunt Killers (AudioGO)
Elizabeth Wein Code Name Verity (Brilliance/Bolinda)
Adult titles to share with teens..
Robin Sloan"s Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore (McMillan)
Steve Hamilton's The Lock Artist (Brilliance)
Alan Bradley's Speaking from among the Bones (Books on Tape)
The website Sync YA Listening audiobooksync.com offers two free weekly downloads throughout the summer. A teen title is paired with a classic.
Example Rotters by Daniel Kraus coupled with Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

june 2013 reflections

June 2013 - reflections on the critical questions

1. 21st Century Learning  - includes topics related to online databases; social media; safety & ethics; e-books; hand-held devices; authenticity & authority; role of the librarian
1. Reflection:
1. have a clearer understanding of the EBSCO tools - some resource guides prepared, need for more in all subject areas
2. no decisions made about a Twitter or Facebook presence for the library - more exploration needed 
3. safety issue presented excellently by Darren Laur - may need to add an extension component to Planning 10 - CommonSenseMedia a good source for resources
4. e-books - awaiting the Learning Team grant results on this  project 
5. hand-held devices - will be ordering 10 Surface RT devices as well as two charging stations
6. authenticity - CRAPP test information posted on website but more systematic instruction necessary at all grade levels 
7. continue to explore ways to provide leadership to help teachers and students gather the skills to be comfortable in a digital environment
2. Post- secondary Transitions - includes topics related to post-secondary transitions; tools for success
1. Reflection
1. successful year 12 field-trip to UNBC library - need to continue to promote and organize this activity
2. need for more in-depth instruction at all levels on the online databases, including the "peer-reviewed" concept - to include training for teachers on how to access professional resources
3. Learning Commons - includes topics related to dynamics & library changes; personal learning networks; use of Google Apps; Web 2.0 tools
1. Reflection
1. reluctant to change the name to "Library Commons" - think that all the elements of it are present in the current library -  drawings of a new physical layout posted on the Learning Commons page however the larger project to reconfigure the physical layout may be delayed due to anticipated budget constraints to purchase technology -  have completed a reconfiguration of the library website - did not change it to "Library Commons"
2. need to confirm the reliability of the wireless connection; confirm electricity update potential for charging stations
3. Google Apps are a no-go for our district due to FOIPOP issues  - awaiting a direction or alternative from the district
4. PLNs [Personal Learning Networks] also a challenge due to FOIPOP issues - awaiting direction or alternative  from the district
5. need for more training and pro-d demonstrations for teachers on the variety of and use of Web 2.0 tool although this initiative may be compromised by  FOIPOP issues
4. Inquiry-based Learning - includes topics related to impact on library collections; availability of online tools
1. Reflection
1. possibility of a project-based learning class at the grade 10 level for 13/14 will bring some clarity to a move to inquiry-based learning
2. non-fiction section has seen a serious weeding and will be downsized to accommodate more student learning space - individual reference titles shelved with and loaned as non-fiction; Reference moved to the beginning shelves of non-fiction; on-going evaluation of non-fiction purchases necessary - how relevant are print resources?
5. Literacy - includes topics related to audiobook loan; accessing the library collection; citing references; engaging readers; graphic novels
1. Reflection
1. to promote the audio element of literacy - a subscription to online audiobooks  needs to be considered - sites evaluated; Tumblebooks fills some of the demand but more options whereby students can download titles to portable devices are necessary
2. ongoing work necessary to ensure that all students are learning to summarize, paraphrase, quote and cite - a comprehensive scope & sequence still needs to be developed 
3. ongoing work necessary to ensure that all students are learning to access the library collection effectively and efficiently
4. much work ongoing with engaging readers - booktalks and displays are connecting students with literature -  need to be an ongoing focus on purchasing good, current fiction titles  - more teachers are exploring the literature circle concept - Faye Brownlie presentation in February heightened this concept -  resulted in purchase of her resources - junior focus with weekly booktalks in grade 8 classes was very successful - ongoing need to promote independent novels & lit circles  - Book Club a huge success - resulted in the development of multiple copies of titles that can be used for lit circles
5. develop of a good graphic novel collection ongoing - need for an exploration to see if graphic novel readers make the transition to fiction

dealing with databases

• I now have a clearer understanding of the EBSCO and non-EBSCO tools that are available.
• A detailed analysis of the determinations and solutions is posted under the 21st Century Learning tab.
• The layout that is available at Charles Best Secondary has the potential to simplify the interface.

top 20 circulating fiction titles

Annual circulation statistics have been compiled and these are the top 20 fiction titles for 2012/13.
Ellen Hopkins continues to be the favourite author with her "Crank" series.

Collins	Catching Fire	89
Dashner	Maze Runner	72
Collins	Mockingjay	67
Hopkins	Crank	56
Flanagan	Ruins of Gorlan	49
Dashner	Scorch Trials	47
Klavan	Last Thing I Remember	47
Dashner	Death Cure	44
Roth	Divergent	44
Forman	If I Stay	42
Hopkins	Burned	39
Asher	Thirteen Reasons Why	38
Clare	City of Bones	38
Grant	Gone	38
Hopkins	Tricks	38
Stiefvater	Shiver	38
Wells	I Am Not a Serial Killer	36
Collins	Hunger Games	35
Hopkins	Impulse	34
Klavan	Long Way Home	32

From the entire list of 115 titles that circulated more than 10 times - the favourite authors whose titles appear 3 or more times are:

Cast, PC - House of Night series
Clare, Cassandra - Mortal Instruments series
Colfer, Eoin - Artemis Fowl series
Collins, Suzanne - Hunger Games series
Dashner,  James - Maze Runner series
Dessen, Sarah -  various titles
Flanagan, John - Ranger's Apprentice & Brotherband series
Grant, Michael - Gone series
Green, John - various titles
Hopkins, Ellen - Crank series
King, Stephen - various titles
Klavan, Andrew - Last Thing I Remember series
Lore, Pittacus - Lorien Legacies series
Nylund, Eric - Halo series
Riordan, Rick - Heroes of Olympus &  Percy Jackson series
Stiefvater, Maggie - Forever series
Weeks, Brent - Night Angel series
Wells, Dan - Mr. Monster series

updating and expanding the First Nations resources

• I prepared a display of Aboriginal fiction, poetry and biographies during Aboriginal Education Week and was dismayed to discover that this collection was in serious need of upgrading and expanding.
• To this end I have prepared a comprehensive order from a BC-based First Nations jobber called "Strong Nations"  https://www.strongnations.com/
• I found the people working at Strong Nations to be helpful and knowledgeable and I would use their site again.

may 3 nid plans

• For me, the subject of e-resources and their use has been fraught with confusion and a lack of understanding.  
• There will be a meeting of secondary teacher-librarians this week to discuss and explore these resources. 
• In preparation I  think that I have gathered an understanding of the nature of the databases that are accessed via  the district-subscribed tools. 
• The next challenge will be determining an audience and purpose for each of the tools/databases as well as a comparison of search results.
• See the 21st Century Learning page for my  OBSERVATIONS, DETERMINATIONS and SOLUTIONS for the use of the e-resources at PGSS
• I shared these reflections with the Humanities teachers on February 3

booktalking in the grade eight classes

This year I began a read-aloud booktalk program with the grade eight classes. I visited each class one day a week and read for about twenty minutes  from titles that had been recommended by Rob Reid in his Reid's Read-Alouds and Reid's Read-Alouds 2 . I read from two titles each week. 
I was so grateful for the recommended reading selections in Rob's books and I found the selections to be engaging and well-received by the students. 
I choose the following titles:
Fever 1793 by Laurie Halse Anderson
Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World by Jennifer Armstrong
Down the Rabbit Hole by Peter Abrams
Tangerine by Edward Bloor
The Supernaturalist by Eoin Colfer
Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau
Red Kayak by Priscilla Cummings
Gone by Michael Grant
Found by Margaret Peterson Haddix
The Black Book of Secrets by F.E. Higgins
Far North by Will Hobbs
Redwall by Brian Jacques
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy
Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis
Goodnight Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian
Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden
How Angel Peterson Got His Name by Gary Paulsen
Harris and Me by Gary Paulsen
The Teacher's Funeral by Richard Peck
Life as We Knew It by Susan Pfeffer
Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick
The Amazing Maurice by Terry Pratchett
The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan
Small Steps by Louis Sachar
Holes by Louis Sachar
Unwind by Neal Shusterman
The Trap by John Smelcer
The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli
Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt
Poison by Chris Wooding

good news story - literature circles in family management

One of the teachers at PGSS  recently implemented a Literature Circle study in her Family Management class. She used the following  novels that are focussed on the issue of date violence:
Bitter End by Jennifer Brown
Things Change by Patrick Jones
Dreamland by Sarah Dessen
Breathing Underwater by Alexandra Finn
Leslie's Journal by Allan Stratton
Beaten by Suzanne Weyn
She reports that she distributed the titles last week and already some students have read one of the books and are asking for more.

more considerations

It seems that every issue of the "Teacher-Libriarian" journal provides me with more ideas to explore. The December 2012 presented the following:

1. Interviews on educational change presented by Steve Hargadon
1. Kirstin Olson and her book Wounded by School 
1. http://www.stevehargadon.com/
1. http://www.futureofeducation.com/page/past-interviews
2. The Inspiring Middle School Literacy project  
1. http://www.teachersdomain.org

march 8 nid

 Workshop choices.....

 Morning - Online Educational Resources and Tools

Presenters: Steve Dotto, Lynne Massee-Danes
Lynne is the Director of LearnNowBC Steve and Lynne will lead a lively and useful exploration of many of the resources and tools available to educators in BC.
The session will focus on, but not be limited to the many tools, resources and features provided at learnnowbc.ca. It will be an engaging session with much sharing from the audience as well as Steve and Lynne.
Some critical questions...

1. What are the steps to easily accessing the learnnow.bc tools - particularly the online safety tools?
1. There is a plan afoot to have the SD57 students and teachers able to access these resources from one portal
2. How can we make this process more available and transparent for students and teachers?
1. The "Charged Up videos" for Math and Science and the "Success Checker" will be useful study tools for students and teachers
3. What support materials are available or need to be developed to ensure that these tools are effective in the classroom? 
1. Use of and access to the safety tools remains a challenge
2. Will investigate the preparation of a set of lessons using these resources for the Planning 10 classes
4. Where and how will these tools be implemented into the curriculum?

Afternoon - ProTECHtivity

Presenter: Steve Dotto
The fact is the pursuit of productivity is often the least productive time we spend, searching for the tools that will save us time, make us more efficient, and more current is one of the major time wasters today. Steve has created this workshop in which he shows the tools that work, and how to integrate them into your professional life.
Regardless if you are an iPhone, Android, Blackberry, or Windows Phone user, you will come away from ProTECHtivity with a better understanding of what apps work and how to fit them into your life.
Some critical questions....

1. Which productivity tools do I need? and why?
1. How to work smarter - workers check e-mail 40 times per day
2. Some tools to explore further:
1. Evernote - manage everything
2. Google forms
3. Drop box - dropbox.com
4. Asana - team project manager app
5.  Noteability - mark up .pdf documents

thought-provoking lists

On the "Your Committed Sardine Blog" created by Ian Jukes, Mary Ellen Tribby posted these lists of these "success indicators"...

Successful People
Have a sense of gratitude
Forgive others
Accept responsibility for their failures
Compliment
Read everyday
Keep a journal
Talk about ideas
Want others to succeed
Share information and data
Keep a “to-be” list
Exude joy
Keep a “to-do/project” list
Set goals and develop life plans
Embrace change
Give other people credit for their victories
Operate from a transformational perspective

Unsuccessful People
Have a sense of entitlement
Hold a grudge
Blame others for their failures
Criticize
Watch TV everyday
Say they keep a journal but really don’t
Talk about people
Secretly hope others fail
Horde information and data
Don’t know what they want to be
Exude anger
Fly by their seat of their pants
Never set goals
Think they know it all
Fear change
Take all the credit of their victories
Operate from a transactional perspective

Her challenge.... if you are ready kick up the success meter a bit, make a conscious effort to eliminate the traits on the bottome of the chart above.

nid february 1 2013 - more questions

•  Sessions attended:
• @ school - Google Docs - a great collaborative resource
• How will we have students use this tool  under the current FOIPOP regulations?
• @ the DLC - Learning Commons Team Learning Grants - some great work being done with this initiative
• How do we move towards this new paradigm?
• What will we be doing in a Learning Commons that wasn't happening in the library?
• @ the DLC - E-resources - some clarity around the access to these resources
• NFB - requires a teacher registration then playlists can be saved
• World Book Dramatic - good resource for Drama classes