Blogs

I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced by Nujood Ali
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Nujood’s story was appalling because it brings to light the cultural practice of marrying young girls to much older men in Yemen. Nujood was a young ten year old who loved her family, playing with friends and didn’t have many cares in her daily life. All that changes when her father who is not working, just sitting around chewing khat and getting high on sucking the leaves of this plant, pledges Nujood in marriage to a much older man. Nujood is not afraid leading up to the wedding since she knows nothing about what will transpire. It is that night, where she is pounced upon by her husband, she runs around the room, escapes the room and calls for help throughout the strange rooms (no one comes to her aid) until she is dragged back into the room and raped her(he promised her father he would leave Nujood alone until she reached puberty). Nujood is traumatized by this man every evening; beaten, hit with sticks and cursed at; until she is raped again and again. It is after months of pleading that Nujood persuades her husband to take her home for a visit with her family. When she is alone with her parents and brother and tells them what he is doing to her and to let her come home; her father, mother and brother all tell her she must stay with him because she is honor bound. It is when she pretends to go to a bakery and instead goes into the judicial district (recommended by her father’s second wife who lives as a beggar in squalor) and seeks a divorce. Nujood has 2 judges and a female lawyer who decide to protect her (they put both father and husband in jail) and grant her a divorce. Nujood becomes an example of the pain inflicted on young women in this culture, but she becomes a role model to many similar girls throughout the world. I loved Nujood’s voice, her fierce personality that would not settle for a life of trauma with a much older violent man just because it is the way Yemen women have been treated. The worldwide response to her plight and the many interviews she granted after the divorce also allowed her to return to school with her sister. But this book only shows how many other girls suffer and makes it a difficult read for the many girls throughout who are being sold as young as ten into a slave-marriage.

View all my reviews

Lost in the River of Grass by Ginny Rorby
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I read this for July Goodreads book club for YA Reads for Teachers (and any other adults)---join us if you'd like. I read Ginny Rorby's other book
a few years back for PSLA and I just love this author, what she writes about, her characters and the depth of feeling that comes across in her novels. In this book Sarah is 14 years old and has a swimming scholarship to a prep school where she is not accepted, except by one teacher, Mr. Wethers. It is while on a weekend trip with science class that Sarah meets Andy who is working on an airboat and invites her out for a ride. Only problem is, Sarah has to lie, act like she is sick, to sneak out and go on this boat. It is after they have stopped many miles away and gone exploring that they discover the boat has sunk because Andy forgot to replace a plug in the bottom of the boat. They musst hike out of the everglades because no one knows where they have gone. Andy's parents are away for the weekend and Sarah is supposed to be back by lunch---OUCH! The suspense, along with the many animals (alligators, boars, etc) and insects (too many mosquitos!!!) and the density of the everglades and the reeds, need I say more? Rorby did a terrific job of showing Sarah's fear and Andy's calm but as the hours turn into days you really are frightened for Sarah and Andy, how will they make it out, will they be discovered by the search parties? The little duck, Teapot, Sarah rescues is such an enjoyable major part of the book as Sarah fights with Andy to keep Teapot with them as they claw their way back to civilization. This book will be enjoyed by boys and girls alike, the animal lovers and middle school and high school readers alike. Recommended, and read her other book, Hurt Go Happy too, you will love it.

View all my reviews

I finally was able to sit down and watch the archived webinar Back to School Ideas.  I loved it and wish I had seen it at the beginning of the year.  I loved the idea that LibrarianTiff shared about creating Tuesday Tech videos for teachers.  I think I would like to do something like this next year.  I will need to learn to use video software though.  The Daring Librarians had a really great idea of using the library's Twitter account to have students create 140 character book reviews.  I might try that old school, with posters to decorate the library since not all of my students have access to technology at home.  I will have to watch for this webinar in September for some great ideas for next year.

Hi, My name is Gwyneth and I use Wikipedia every day.

There, I said it. Somehow that's pretty freeing! Wikipedia is NOT a dirty word. We're doing a disservice not teaching our kids HOW to use it and how to cite it...as in - ummm selectively & with forethought. Sadly, I don't believe teachers & college professors are ready to wrap their mind around or admit recent studies that show: Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica.

Much like the Internets in general, (or the Googles, or the Facebooks, or the Twitters, or the YouTubes) many educators look upon Wikipedia with suspicion, sometimes derision, and occasionally with fear.

But who are we kidding? It ain't goin away folks! the Wikipedias are here to stay...It's an Internet Wonder of the World! And for gosh sakes, it comes up top 3 in just about any Google search you do. What? Ignore a good entry for a query? Really? Can you admit, you use it, too?

So....How do we teach kids to use it?

Teaching Wikipedia in 5 Easy Steps.

1. Use it as background information
2. Use it for technology terms
3. Use it for current pop cultural literacy
4. Use it for the Keywords
5. Use it for the REFERENCES at the bottom of the page!

Tech Terms Here: I mean, I love me my research databases! I do! Heck, I even made a animation video for them! I love you Gale/Cengage, Sirs, Worldbook, and EBSCO - I do! But if I look up Hashtag or QR code there, all I get are a few articles (one by Chris Harris! YAY!) but no explanation. No definiton. No examples of real world use. That's just not good enough.

But when you look up Hashtags or QR code in Wikipedia you get it ALL!

Click for a Teaching Wikipedia At-A-Glance Comic Tutorial! (working on that now)

Oh and By the by...this blog caused me to work. Yeah, like do something I've never done before and it hurt a little. Learning something new sometimes feels ouchy and uncomfortable. Because of this posting I created a Wikipedia editing profile and pushed myself to create a Wikipedia page for my school Murray Hill Middle School because I wanted to be there when my kids (or parents) look for us on the Howard County Public School wikipage. Another step forward in Web Presence and Advocacy - & yes, Socialnomics: be where your customers are. But, I got stubborn and pushed through the uncomfortable feeling (took a break to have dinner Buffy Hamilton & Mary Beth) and Voila! It's done...whew!

"The goal here is not to take Wikipedia as gospel but to use it to focus your research (via links, keywords and references) and get a little context (via background information). Focusing cuts down the time you spend on the project while context will get you a better grade for your effort." - by rebecca from Gear Fire

4 ways to use Wikipedia (hint: never cite it)

Teachers: Please stop prohibiting the use of Wikipedia

Unnatural acts at Nature

20 Little Known Ways to Use Wikipedia

Study: Wikipedia as accurate as Britannica

Rosenzweig, Roy. "Can history be open source? Wikipedia and the future of the past" Journal of American History, Volume 93, Issue 1 (June 2006) p. 117-144.

What about YOU!?

Talented wunderkind Caleb Brown created this resource and it's amazing! AND he's very responsive giving out his email address at the bottom of the page and when i had a question - he actually answered it himself within a day or so!

You can even edit the page reposition the links easily!

keep up with new updates by checking out the Sqworl blog

SEOmoz’s new Web 2.0 Awards were announced yesterday. Last year’s list led me to tools that became a regular part of my life online. There’s lots to explore. Some are already favorites. Some look like great fodder for pathfinders. Others present some cool potential for incorporating in learning activities.

Among the categories:

• Blog Guides
• Bookmarking
• Books
• Collaborative Writing and Word Processing
• Communication
• Content Aggregation and Management
• Digital Storage and Remote Access
• Events
• Feed Management
• Games
• Health
• Hosted Wikis
• Lists and Polls
• Mapping
• Mashups
• Mobile Technology
• Music
• Online Desktop
• Organization
• Photos and Digital Images
• Podcast Services
• Professional Networking
• Questions and Advice
• Search
• Social Networking
• Social News
• Social Tagging
• Video
• Visual Arts
• Web Development and Design
• Widgets

The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book rightly deserved the Schneider Family Book Award which honors the disability experience in children's and young adult literature. The author is also committed to reading writing and running. Jessica is a normal 16 year old finishing a race one moment and as she rides on her school bus going home, disaster occurs. An uninsured truck driver hurdles down a hill into the bus, killing a classmate and depriving Jessica of her leg. Not onlyis she a runner and racer; she is a winner and while losing her leg causes her all kinds of hurt, anxiety, and insecurity; Jessica is the kind of person who always tries to be positive, works hard to be the best and cares about others. This book was so good on so many levels; Jessica has great friends but Fiona is truly a best friend who is willing to wait for Jessica to come around, support her when she is down and find a way for the track team to get Jessica back in action with a prosthetic leg. Jessica's family is supportive; her dog, Sherlock accompanies her on runs and the most supportive person is her coach, Kyro. Kyro has winners on his team because each runner knows what it takes to do their best and they strive to be winners. Since Jessica had to use a wheelchair when she returned to school, she was placed with Rosa who has cerebral palsy. From Rosa (who Jessica barely acknowledged before)Jessica learns how to reach out and help Rosa feel the wind flying on her face and in her hair. Gavin has been her crush for two years now and he contacts Jessica about doing a story about her in the school newspaper. It is because of Jessica's can do attitude that a friendship develops between them, will there be a romance too? You will have to read this emotional book to find out!

View all my reviews

What if you could find a learning management system that would allow you to take polls, post assignments and links, create online quizzes, and upload files for free?  Better yet, what if you could find an online resource that would actively engage students to become independent, lifelong learners?  Edmodo is that site!  Edmodo is a secure worldwide learning environment where teachers and students can collaborative and learn from each other. 

Almost 800 educators are connected in a nationwide Edmodo group, the "Common Core Conversation," to discuss what their schools, districts, and states are doing to address the new Common Core Standards in the k-12 classrooms. 

Help us reach 1,000 innovative educators.  Join the Common Core Conversation at http://www.edmodo.com.  The group code is gy48aa.

Kristina Holzweiss, The Laptop Lieberrian

lieberrian@yahoo.com

Information Investigator 3.1

A limited time preview of the 21st Century Information Fluency Project's online self-paced training and assessment course is now available to all educators.

We use a game based scenario that puts the student into the process of working their way into medical school as they complete real time search challenges. This is our newest approach to information fluency assessment and training.

This work aligns directly to ISTE NETS for Students 3. Research and Information Fluency.  It also promotes informational reading as called for in the Common Core Standards.

This package starts with a 10-level interactive tutorial that diagnoses and strengthens eight key search and evaluation competencies.

Live search challenges are coupled with "first aid kits" that address the knowledge and skills needed to succeed.

A Certification Exam is provided after the tutorials to assess information fluencies in finding and evaluating information.

The entire experience can be completed in about 3 hours.

If you are interested in previewing the entire package for your students, please contact Carl at carl@21cif.com.

The course and your personal performance assessment is completely free.

The 21st Century Information Project was originally funded by a Federal Department of Education grant. This course and assessment package is part of a 3 year project and was developed with feedback from teachers and library media specialists across the country. 

Over 900 students in middle school and high school took the course this summer and improved their information fluency scores by over 50%.

Take the first step!  Contact Carl at carl@21cif.com

What in particular did you like?

My field experience at Arvada West was not at all what I expected. I had heard storiesabout what high school libraries were like. I admit I was nervous about havingnothing to do and sitting around for 80 hours feeling a sense of desperationand frustration.

Was I ever wrong! I spent my time at AWest working with students and teachers, helping torefine processes, researching tools for lessons, setting up for classes andattending meetings that will drive the school. I enjoyed every minute of it andI learned so much from Susie Lackey. We had some great and inspiringconversations about advocacy. We did some networking and reached out to folkswe knew to help us resolve some problems and answer some questions, and we doveinto the unknown by creating lessons that were new to everyone involved. It was80 hours filled with broad thinking, problem solving, teaching, researching,and learning all kinds of amazing tools. I came away from the experienceenergized and ready to tackle some of the issues in my own building. I met withmy principal and shared my insights, and we devised a plan to share some of myideas with the staff. I also joined the district library leadership team!

What were some successful activities you did?

I was able to teach several lessons during my time at AWest, I began with just helpingstudents with some science research. Later that week I helped prep for anancient civilization class and then I taught all but one of the sections ofthat class. Finally, I did quite a bit of work and research for a documentaryproject, including meeting with the teacher, making suggestions, puttingtogether the information for the students and then teaching 2 different lessonsabout it to the students. All of these were great experiences and I trulyenjoyed them. I was particularly tickled when I would later see the samestudents in the library outside of class time doing more research. I was glad Iwas able to continue to help the kids.

All together the experience was an excellent one and I am thrilled I had a chance to work withsuch an energized and dynamic high school librarian. I learned more than Icould even fit in a paper and I will take away not only the skills I learnedbut the relationship I developed with an inspiring high school librarian.

"Have an iPhone? Download ISTE’s new iPhone application by clicking here or searching for “ISTE Mobile” in the iTunes App Store. Have another Web-ready smart phone? Visit www.iste.org/mobile to surf our mobile Web version. Network with fellow ISTE members and get up-to-the minute news, blog posts, and educator resources."

"An ISTE Learner is

• An active contributor to a professional learning community that focuses on the power of educational technology • An engaged educator passionate about teaching, learning and leading with educational technology
• An advocate for the ubiquitous use of the NETS as a vehicle for students, teachers and administrators to obtain 21^st century skills

Become an ISTE Learner to

• Engage in conversations about the application of educational technology • Learn and share innovative approaches to building digital-age skills
• Gain access to experts and peers from around the world

It’s easy and free to become an ISTE Learner. Sign up today!