Podcasting in the Library and Amplifying Student Voice

By Alexandra Cornejo

Alexandra Cornejo is a high school librarian in Harlingen, TX. She is a member of the Texas Maverick Reading List Committee and hosts a booktalk podcast Allie the Librarian Booktalks. She is an enthusiast of comics and graphic novels and can often be found reading them late into the night with her booklight. Twitter @allie_cornejo

iPod + Broadcast =Podcast, this was the concept that was born in 2004 to offer the world radio on demand. Podcasts are usually audio only and meant for entertainment or news, but have since evolved to provide content on a multitude of subjects. There are actually about 750,000 podcasts or 30 million episodes available today!  It's not surprising that educators have found their niche within the podcast sphere and some of my absolute favorite podcasts are Cult of Pedagogy, Overthrowing Education and Educhange. However, my love of podcasts doesn’t stem from listening to them or even hosting my own. I really knew I loved podcasts when I realized they were an essential tool for providing students choice in the classroom or library. 

I've been listening to podcasts for years and I've always preferred them over YouTube or even music on the radio. Being an auditory learner, listening to thoughtful conversation has always aided in my comprehension of information. This served as an inspiration to bring this way of learning into the library; an innovative way for students to demonstrate evidence of learning or using it as a method of internalizing information. Choice boards have become popular and education technology is now essential to a quality education, so my hunt for a user-friendly way of recording a podcast was urgent. I needed an app that wouldn’t be hard for students to grasp and made the product easily shareable. Synth was an app I found on library Twitter that offered everything I needed to carry out podcasting for the classroom. Synth, at the time, allowed 4 ½ minutes to record and students could respond to their classmate’s podcast through voice comments. I immediately brought it into my library and had students begin creating their own podcasts by summarizing informational texts and having their classmates, or audience, respond with thoughtful commentary. Podcast projects grew to include reflections for expository writing, book reviews, interviews and eventually, even my Tech Team had a weekly podcast they were publishing. Podcast presentations became a fixture on my student choice boards and after I conducted podcast PD with my teachers, this presentation method was a common tool in my teachers’ digital toolbox. 

The benefits I’ve seen from podcasting with students have been numerous, indeed. Podcasts are immersive, which appeals to our sociologically trained ear that is inclined to listen to a story from start to finish, which also diminishes opportunity for distraction. Students develop valuable skills in articulating their thoughts effectively with the limited time they are allowed. Also, my students are their own harshest critics, so when they listen to themselves, they notice every “Um”, “Well”, and “Like” and quickly make the necessary adjustments. One of my favorite benefits, though, has to do with Emergent Bilinguals and the fact that they’re using their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills required for language proficiency when a podcast project requires script writing, voice recording and audience participation. And while Synth is still my preferred way of producing podcasts in the library, the trend has grown and increased in availability on a number of platforms, including Flipgrid, Garageband and Anchor. 

It’s a joy to witness my students become expert storytellers and savvy debaters, and I have, especially, enjoyed being able to effectively communicate with parents and teachers through an audio newsletter podcast I embed on my website. Podcasting has become such a passion of mine that I created my own podcast, Allie the Librarian Booktalks, which is available where you listen to your favorite podcasts. Conveniently, recording a podcast is fairly easy to carry out using a variety of devices. Chromebooks, laptops, iPads and smartphones are all great choices for recording. Earbuds with mic capabilities eliminate a lot of noise pollution which increases sound quality but are not necessary. 

I do hope you’ll give this a try in your library, as many of our students tend to be anxious creating a video response in class. Let podcasts serve as a way of easing a student out of their comfort zone to create something just as effective and entertaining. This is a trend that will not be going away anytime soon and I’m positive that it has found a permanent spot on our choice boards to amplify student voice.

Let's Promote Libraries 2021

by Brooke King, Middle School Librarian in Humble ISD, TASL Legislative & Advocacy Chair

The TASL Legislative & Advocacy Committee began the "Let's Promote Libraries!" campaign in 2017 with the hopes of encouraging school librarians to promote themselves, their programs, and their instruction proactively to our stakeholders. This social media campaign encouraged school librarians to show off what happened in their school libraries each month as a question framed around the Texas Library Standards.


This year, we would like to focus on specific stakeholders each month and show those stakeholders a way their school librarian is important to them. Personalize your message to that specific group. 


We will still share on the 1st of each month, but choose whichever platform works best for your stakeholders. You can post on any social media outlet, send an email, create a newsletter, or write a blog. Choose photos and images to tell your story. 


Please use #TxASLTalks so it is easy for all of us school librarians to find and help share our messages. Then use your own hashtags to share your message of the important role school libraries have with students and learning with your local stakeholders


It’s easy to participate!

Step 1: Look at the current month’s audience and prompt.

Step 2: Snap a photo and write your message showing how you do that task or activity to help that stakeholder.

Step 3: Post your message and photo on any/all platforms of social media.

Step 4: Be sure to use the hashtags #TxASLTalks and any other key hashtags.

Step 5: Repost/retweet/share


Here is an infographic to guide you.


Thank you for participating in this campaign and advocating for the work librarians do that contributes to the success of students and schools!

Advocacy Doesn’t Stop When Retirement Begins

Jennifer Rike, Retired Librarian

In May 2020, I retired from my high school library position and have spent the past school year trying to figure out how to be retired.    During COVID, I stayed in touch with former colleagues, and realized my former peers were experiencing a hard time.  It wasn’t just Covid struggles, this went beyond that.  One friend could not even talk about it.  But sometimes, your gut just tells you to reach out to someone.  I’m so glad I did.

We began with a conversation about the past year.   But then came a shocker.  My friend mentioned that in April all elementary principals had been told it would be “okay” to put all their librarians in rotation.  My friend’s principal was going to follow that advice.  Sadly, the elementary librarians in my former district had no advocate at the district level.  My school district of 49 schools doesn’t have a library director.  And the person who had suggested rotation?  Their district level advocate.  

My anger and frustration at the situation forced me to step up.  This was a Thursday afternoon and the next school board meeting was the following Tuesday.  So there were about four days to pull together some sort of presentation for the board.  

So just how do you advocate when you are retired?  First, I recruited some other district retiree friends.  This allowed me to build a “brain hive”.  Secondly, I reached out to library administrators I had worked with through TLA and in advocacy work over the years.  This not-so-subtle plug reminds us of why we need to work with our professional organizations.   The Texas Library Association has been a large part of my professional development and advocacy training.  

The TLA hive was powerful as I prepared my presentation. My local hive helped craft and deliver the message.

The benefits of the hive included:

1. Help researching talking points 

2. Curating links to documents.

2. Perspective in what would resonate with the school board.

3. Valuable suggestions to improve my presentation.

The most valuable suggestion was never, ever surprise your superintendent.  Send an email with your intent to speak at the board meeting.

 Besides not surprising the superintendent, it gave her an opportunity to have an Area Superintendent and the Directors of Elementary Education to call me.  This allowed for a conversation.  While not extensive, it was a start.  

Next, I constructed 3 focused questions for the school board.  Then I sent an email to my school board with these questions.  This variation of the one sent to the superintendent shifted the focus to the board as the audience.  It also allowed for continuity of thought.  By sending the board an email prior to their meeting allowed them to “listen” more critically.  It also allowed me to provide resources for the board to review both prior to and after my presentation.

Lastly, another retired librarian and I spoke at the school board meeting.  We prepped dividing the information so we maximized our 3 minute speaking time.  We distributed to the school board, superintendent, top administrators copies of the advocacy piece created by Dorcas Hand.  I sent a follow-up email thanking everyone for the opportunity to speak.

How effective was this advocacy work?  One of the school board members spoke to the superintendent the next day for 30 minutes. Later, two additional school board members thanked me for letting them know what was going on.  Will that result in keeping the librarians from going into rotation?  I hope so.  

More importantly, I know that advocacy works.  Our school board and administrators know there are people in the community who are interested and knowledgeable about how librarians benefit learning and student outcomes.  And I have built a “hive” of support for the future.

My advice for current librarians includes:  

• Reach out to the TLA advocacy folks when you need them.  Ask them to become advocates or recommend options.  

• Cultivate your retired peers.  The more members of your hive you have, the better your response to the issue.  We care and there are no consequences to our job.  This is one perk of retirement.  

• Reach out to parents.  

• Lastly, remember you are not alone.  The phrase “the hive is powerful” is true.  

Together the hive can create a voice of advocacy.  Start building your hive today so it can spring into action when needed.  

Editor’s note:  As a District Level Supervisor I can attest that while district leadership will speak on your behalf, parents, retired librarians, and others speaking up through emails, petitions, and talking to Principals, Administrators, and School Board Members is more powerful.  Look to district leadership to provide guidance and help with statistics.  

Looking Ahead: Words from Texas Association of School Librarians Chair 2021-22

by Jill Bellomy, TASL Chair 2021-22, Librarian, Highland Park Middle School Library and Lead Librarian, Highland Park ISD

We did it! We made it to the summer after one incredibly trying school year. Last August, did you wonder how we would make it through the first semester yet alone the year? I certainly did. Yet here we are! Throughout the months, we were challenged and stretched. We learned and grew. We creatively met the needs of our students and staff in brand new ways. We served as technology troubleshooters daily. We helped teachers discover different ways to engage students in person and online. We ran our homes while also focusing on the needs of our schools. We kept kids reading and learning. We have so much to be proud of, school librarians!

That said, our experiences looked very different from school to school. Many of us could perform the essential functions of a circulating library, but not much else. Some operated full curbside service to get books to large numbers of remote learners. Others could not even circulate materials as administrators called us to serve other duties. Some welcomed students back into their spaces, and others were never able to do so. Most felt they existed in survival mode, facing challenge after challenge and just trying to get to the finish line.

Whatever your situation, TASL recognizes that you endured a year like no other. We want to support you as you look ahead. We hope to help all our members take the necessary steps toward running engaging library programs that are again the hub of the school. To move from surviving to thriving!

TASL will continue to strive toward our mission of promoting library services and librarianship in Texas school libraries. We will pursue that in many ways that include connection, advocacy, and professional development. These are more important now than ever!

CONNECTION.

We encourage you to reconnect with colleagues in your area and across the state to form and grow your PLNs.

• Thank you to the many members who volunteered for TASL Committees!
  You will form new connections and will help us do the vital work of the division. If you missed the chance to volunteer this time, watch for another opportunity to assist in the spring.
• To stay up on the latest, be sure to follow @TxASL on Twitter (if you aren’t already.) Heather Hornor and our exceptional Social Media Team
  keep us in the know, and the TASL members are constantly posting innovative ideas. So follow for inspiration and new connections!
• Watch for an exciting new online community coming soon to TLA. This community will replace the listservs and will allow members to engage in more dynamic, meaningful conversation. Some TLA members are beta testing the platform this week, and it looks very promising.

ADVOCACY. 

TASL continually promotes librarians as valued teachers and leaders on our campuses, advocates for strong school libraries at the state level, and fosters advocacy skills in our membership.

• You will find advocacy resources curated for you on the TASL website. Bookmark these to help you stay proactive in your efforts!

• Brooke King and the TASL Legislative and Advocacy Committee do an excellent job of providing additional resources throughout the year. For example, last year’s School Library Bingo was fun and effective.

• One meaningful way we advocate each year is by presenting and exhibiting at the PTA Launch Annual Conference. This year’s conference is July 30 - August 1 at The Gaylord Texan, Grapevine. Watch for a chance to sign up to work a shift (or two!) at the TASL booth. Serving at this conference is a great way to champion school libraries and to sharpen your advocacy skills!

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. 

We provide professional learning at conference and throughout the year to help our members grow in the many roles we play in our schools.

• We are already hard at work planning for TLA Annual Conference 2022! This year’s theme is perfect: Recover. Rebalance. Reconnect. Start making plans to attend April 25-28 in Fort Worth in person, if you can!
• Thank you to all who submitted proposals.  There are many innovative submissions!  We will be in touch as we evaluate the submissions and select the best learning opportunities for our members. 
• Watch for more learning offerings from Lakeisha Branch and the TASL Membership Committee in the months to come.

Echoing the sentiments of our TLA President Dan Burgard, it is now time to take a much-needed breath. You deserve some self-care after serving so many for so long. Rest, recharge and reflect over the upcoming weeks. If you think of ways TASL can help you or have ideas to strengthen our division, please share at https://bit.ly/TASLfeedback or reach out to me at jillbellomy at gmail dot com.

This year, we rose to the challenge before us, gathered strength and knowledge from each other, and persevered. Now, we can take the lessons learned and move forward stronger than ever. With smoother waters and sunnier skies ahead, the future is bright, school librarians!

School Administrators Conference Session at TLA

by April Stone, Librarian at Four Points Middle School in Leander ISD, TxASL Talks member

In March 2020, Steve Crawford (the principal of my middle school) and I were invited to TLA’s School Administrators session at the annual conference. Travel plans were set and we eagerly anticipated using our learning to create new goals for our school’s library program. I was especially looking forward to visiting my hometown of Houston for TLA that year. As you may already know, the conference moved to a virtual setting last year and the Administrators session was postponed. Fortunately, TLA extended the invitation to us for a second time in 2021. 

The School Administrators session is a unique opportunity for school administrators to learn about issues and trends impacting school library services, and how to leverage the expertise of their school librarians to impact student achievement. It is free for those who register for the TLA Conference. Librarians recommend their administrators for this session.

Perhaps the most valuable part of the experience was that my principal carved out an entire afternoon to focus on our library program. So often administrators are incredibly busy and interruptions are the norm. We were able to collaborate during and after the sessions. I took some time to ask him about his impressions of the experience. 

Stone: What were your thoughts going into the conference?

Crawford: I wanted to learn about how to include the library into the epicenter and culture in everything we do. I wanted to learn how our library can reflect the needs of our current kids by updating the space to reflect spots for the curation of books, MakerSpace, etc. I wonder what a modern library looks like that still includes traditional things.

Stone: What did you learn?

Crawford: I am well equipped to reinforce and I am reassured that I can handle a diverse library. It has renewed my interest in what we can do to update the library to serve the needs of a new generation. The library is the hub of all things. How can the librarian enhance instruction beyond that?

Stone: What surprised you?

Crawford: The challenge of books is not only here. A lot of people are trying to diversify their libraries, not only culturally, but also in content. It is throughout the entire state and nation. 

After 13 years as a librarian, this was the first time that I had considered inviting my administrator to this conference session. I feel our working relationship and our vision for the library allow us to collaborate effectively and imagine a world of possibilities. Please consider recommending your administration for next year’s TLA School Administrators Conference Session.

TLA 2021: Celebrate Differences, Empower Voices

by Kristi Starr, TASL chair 2020-2021, librarian at Coronado High School, Lubbock ISD

 

The 2021 Texas Library Association conference is rapidly approaching, and I hope you’ve decided to attend. Though things look different from our usual beloved conference, we still have many opportunities to connect and interact. Thanks to an early decision on the part of the Programming Committee co-chairs, TLA executive board, and TLA staff, we've had ample time to plan a wonderful online conference. I can’t give enough props to ProCo co-chairs Valerie Prilop and Melanie Scales, TLA president Christina Gola, ProCo/TASL liaison Ann Vyoral, and of course the amazing staff at TLA for all their work. 

I’m excited about what you’re going to experience next week. We have a variety of sessions: live, simulive with live chat, simulive with live Q&A after, and on-demand. Live sessions offer exactly what their name implies. The simulive sessions are pre-recorded but provide either a live chat with the presenter(s) during the session or a live Q&A with the presenter(s) immediately following the recording. On-demand sessions may be viewed at any time. ALL sessions will be available to watch through June 22. 

If you’ve registered for the conference, look for an email on Monday, April 19, that contains your log-in credentials and provides more information about the conference and platform. If you have more questions, check out the conference FAQ page at any time. We invite you to follow along and contribute to online conversations using the Twitter hashtag #txla21 Also be sure to check out the conference schedule in the winter edition of the Texas Library Journal. 

TASL is featuring two speakers who are new to TLA - Michelle Easley and Julie Stivers.

https://www.michelleeasley.com/meet-michelle

Michelle is the founder of Positive Push Press, a publishing and consulting company. She is an experienced librarian and accomplished library leader both in Georgia and at the national level. I first heard Michelle when she served as a powerful voice on AASL past president Mary Keeling’s Task Force on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. We are fortunate to have her join us this year for two sessions - “Open Your Virtual Doors” (Friday, 1:45) and “Disrupt Inequity With Your School Library Program” (Friday, 4:00). Michelle is also the author of Increase Diversity in School Library Collections and Programs. Find out more about Michelle at https://www.michelleeasley.com/

https://www.libraryjournal.com/?detailStory
=julie-stivers-movers-shakers-2019-change-agents

Julie Stivers is the librarian at Mount Vernon Middle School in Raleigh, NC, part of the Wake County Public School System. Attending Julie's presentation at the 2019 AASL conference in Louisville, KY, was one of my highlights. Julie is a champion of inclusion and student voice and authored Include, one of six volumes in AASL’s Shared Foundation Series. She was named one of Library Journal’s 2019 Movers and Shakers. Julie’s TLA sessions are “Auditing Our School Library Space & Program With an Equity Lens” (Saturday, 10:15) and “Equity: Moving Beyond Intention to Inclusive Practice” (Thursday, 3:00). You can find Julie and her campus library program at https://mtvernonlibrary.weebly.com/

The other live TASL sessions are

• “Advocate This, Not That” with Stacy Cameron, Brandi Dawson, and Emma McDonald (Thursday, 10:15)
• “Letters About Literature: Student Engagement and Inclusion” with Rebekah Manley and Abby Harrison (Friday, 1:45)

Simulive sessions with live Q&A at the end of the presentations are

• “LGBTQ+ Advocacy in the Library and in The Classroom” with Heather Hornor, Mahoganie Gaston, and Camille Stafford (Thursday, 1:45)
• “Windows and Mirrors: Mexican American Literature for Youth with the Rivera Book Award” with David Bowles, Xelena Gonzalez, Dr. Sandra Murillo-Sutterby, and Priscilla Delgado (Thursday, 4:15)
• Digital Playgrounds for MS and HS: Using Choice” with Claire Hogg and Angie Pidgeon (Friday, 10:15)
• “Library 24/7/365: How to Promote Your Program to Families at Home” with Brooke Corso, Keris Christie-Law, Tracy Frey, Paige Miller (Saturday, 10:15)
• “Science and Library Collaboration for a Curriculum-Aligned Makerspace” with D’Anne Mosby and Rhia Johnson (Saturday, 1:45)

We have many more familiar names and faces as well as some Texas school librarians presenting for the first time at TLA. Whether new or familiar, I’m quite confident you’re going to find amazing content. Additionally, you’ll have access to ALL conference content until June 22, so you won’t be limited in the number of sessions you can attend. Be sure to check out the TASL sessions, but don’t forget the Young Adult Round Table (YART) and Children’s Round Table (CRT) programming, Programming Committee sessions, and so many more.

I look forward to “seeing” you at #txla21 and face-to-face in 2022 in Fort Worth where we will embrace the aptly-worded theme “Recover, Rebalance, Reconnect.”

It's Not Just Books and Bonbons

 by Deborah Zeman, Coppell High School 

https://ccnull.de/foto/meet-clubhouse-the-voice-only-social-media-app/1038705

Lizenz: CC-BY 2.0  Marco Verch

The last year of Covid has thrown a wrench into everything: everyday life, connecting, collaborating, you name it. As an edtech librarian, I’ve been searching for ways to collaborate more with librarians in the same boat as me: trying to build a collaborative partnership with teachers while in a remote setting. It hasn't been easy, until now. Over the past few months, I have been playing around with the Clubhouse app.

You might be thinking to yourself, “Oh great, another app to add to my already overloaded plate. What IS this thing called Clubhouse?" It is an audio-only social media platform where users can listen in to discussions or panels, start conversations, and network with other like-minded professionals.

At first when I joined, I was skeptical. Clubhouse reminded me of another audio platform that I wasn’t super set on. However, I decided to give Clubhouse a shot. After a couple of weeks of maneuvering around, making connections, listening in to panels, I discovered it was definitely a place to create a space for librarians, whether academic, public and school. For myself, I joined clubs that are all about books, such as What Are You Reading?, Diverse Shelves, Entrepreneurs on Etsy, and Education Innovation to name a few. I’ve joined chats over edtech, diverse books, young adult fiction, and even chats with Elon Musk and Ashton Kutcher. In some I have jumped up on stage and joined the discussion; during most, however, I just listen and learn. The sky is truly the limit on Clubhouse.

I made a lot of connections with other professionals in the edtech world, however, my search for fellow librarians was coming up empty. My original search came up with maybe fifteen other librarians but no librarian groups. As I became more frustrated I thought to myself, “Wait, why can’t I build a Librarians’ Clubhouse, one where librarians can discuss topics from advocacy to connecting with patrons, to favorite tech tools and books genres?” From there, with a little help from Twitter & Facebook, It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons librarians’ Clubhouse was born. (The idea for the name will come in a later post.)

First stop - Monica Burns’ blog. This helped a lot. Here are some of her best tips to get started on the app:

• First, download the Clubhouse app to get on the waitlist or reach out to a friend for an invite. (NEED to have an iPhone. Android app is coming soon!)
• Next, follow educators on the platform by searching for keywords related to your area of interest.
• Then, listen in to rooms on different subjects to get a feel for how the app works.
• Finally, check your notifications and set an intention for using the app.

These tips helped me find my way around the app and guided me with starting up a librarians’ Clubhouse. Monica started a clubhouse specifically for edtech tips. She offers weekly edtech tip chats on Mondays, 7pm EST & Thursdays, 7pm EST. I always discover some new tips that help with getting around on Clubhouse.

Tisha Poncio, my best friend and design guru, created some very helpful infographics to get started!

From there, as invites were added to my account, I started posting on Twitter & Future Ready Librarians’ group on Facebook. I invited fellow librarians who I knew would want to be a part of this growing community. My friends Amanda Hunt, Amy Hermon, & Heather Lamb moderate the rooms with me. The actual clubhouse was not yet approved, so to build momentum, we scheduled weekly chats on Wednesdays at 7:15 pm CST.

The first chat started out small, which was OK. We were new, not everyone was able to join. We were just getting our feet wet. We just got together to chat. Some people jumped in and stayed, some moved on, which is OK. There are no expectations. If people like what they hear, they will stay!

As the weeks have rolled on, and the It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons Clubhouse was approved, the group has grown. We have made connections with librarians from all over the world, including academic and public librarians. Each week we discuss collaboration, connecting with patrons and stakeholders, successes, and failures. And like Vegas, what happens in Clubhouse, stays in Clubhouse. If you want to learn more about the It’s Not Just Books & Bonbons Clubhouse, reach out to me on Twitter & I’ll send you an invite!

What is Project LIT All About? Two Secondary Librarians Share their Experiences

By Kara Johnson, Librarian at Hendrickson High School, and Kimberly LaMarre, librarian at Park Crest Middle School, both in Pflugerville

First of all, what is Project LIT? 

Kara: Project LIT began in 2016 when English teacher Jared Amato from Nashville, Tennessee, recognized that something had to be done about book deserts. He organized a huge book drive to distribute books to readers of all ages. He quickly realized though that the books needed to be high quality, relevant, and culturally sustaining. That is how Project LIT evolved into what it is today: a large network of Project LIT chapter leaders who commit to work together to empower readers, promote reading, and celebrate books. Each year Project LIT releases its list of book titles one by one through their social media accounts. There is a YA list and a middle grade list. One thing I learned is that you don’t have to be reading from the current year’s list. This is very helpful in implementing the program because there are dozens of titles from which to choose! And you can wait until books come out in paperback to help save money. 

How did you hear about Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’m at a middle school and I heard that the cool high school librarians were offering Project LIT...I wanted in for my students, too.

Kara: I first heard about Project LIT from Twitter. I started following their account and liked the titles on the lists. 

What made you decide to join Project LIT?

Kimberly: I’ve been booktalking our state reading list for years but when I saw the titles on the Project LIT list I was impressed that it was curated by students and reflective of today’s issues.  I wanted the conversation around books to be ignited--not just read and move on.

Kara: I decided to join Project LIT because the titles on the list are high interest, relevant, and inclusive. At the high school level it is hard to get students to want to read. I thought the PL books would help solve this problem. 

How are the books chosen?

Kimberly: Jared Amato’s students helped create the first list. Today, members of the Project LIT network from all over can submit nominations -- students, teachers, librarians etc. A giant list is compiled,narrowed down and sent back to the Project LIT chapters. They then submit their ballots on the books they are most excited about. Finally, the Project LIT educators meet to review votes and finalize the lists. Currently, my campus is reading the nominated lists and discussing.  We have not taken it to the level of finding a great title and sending in a nomination.

How does Project LIT benefit students and teachers?

Kimberly: Anytime you can get students to read, it’s a win.  If you can get them to discuss the books with others, then the learning is deeper and changes can be seen.

Kara: Agreed - It is hard to get high school students to like reading. If we can get the students to find at least one book that speaks to them we can possibly make a difference. The program also involves hosting events. I have shared live and taped interviews with PL authors with my ELA teachers. When the kids can actually hear from the authors, it helps them become more interested and connect in a deeper way to the books. 

How have you implemented Project LIT during this strange and virtual year?

Kimberly: We launched Project LIT this school year, so providing the books for my in-person students and my virtual students was important. Diverse reading is my goal initiative this year. I had the financial support of my administrators as well, so we were able to purchase the titles in print and digital. We also added MP3 players of audiobooks and the digital audio as well. Many avenues to get these great titles read. Our campus uses Canvas, so I added Project LIT to our programs area. Students can link to book talks on the titles and then participate in silent discussions as they finish a title. Since we aren’t meeting in person, it was great to use the online platform to discuss. It also allowed my students to finish the titles at their own pace and add to the conversation when they were ready. I do have a special display for Project LIT titles right now but I also will keep the titles shelved in the regular fiction genres. To kick off the program we had gift cards from local places donated and when students participate in a silent discussion for a title, their name goes in a drawing for the gift card. It’s been fun to make the videos and spin the wheel of prizes.

Kara: HHS is implementing PL in the ELA classrooms. I received a $5000 grant at the end of last year to purchase ebook copies of the PL titles since we knew this year was going to be a challenge with print books. I originally was going to run virtual PL book clubs with our reading class, which is a class for struggling readers. The program quickly evolved though when our ELA teachers were able to acquire new novels for their classrooms through a textbook adoption. 9th, 10th, and 12th all chose titles that were on PL lists. I knew then that I would be helping them implement the PL within their ELA program. I switched my focus from small reading groups to purchasing large numbers of titles that the teachers were reading in their classrooms so that the virtual learners had digital access to the books as well. The ELA department purchased the print copies from their budget. It has been a partnership with the English teachers from the beginning of the year. I have shared resources with them for the titles they are reading and have shared interviews and poetry readings from the authors as well. I hope the program expands more next year to 11th grade. Since I was awarded a grant, I did a pre PL survey and will do a post PL survey about whether or not the students like to read and what their favorite book was that they read in English class. I have a feeling a lot of the PL titles will be the favorite of this year. Stay tuned….

How could it be implemented in a typical year?

Kimberly: I would continue what we have set up even if we were all in person.  The online format allows my students to read the words and thoughts of other students to help them select their next book.  It allows them to read at their own pace and not keep on a schedule with a group.  And it also allows my younger and older students to discuss all together instead of divided out by their grade level.  Since I don’t see my students in large classes I am doing most of the book talking through Google slide decks.  Each title has its own cover pic and then includes links to book talks by me, YouTube book trailers, author interviews and other fun media I can find.

Kara: Since we have used the program in the ELA classroom, I see it continuing for many years. My hope is that when we can gather again, we can hold in person meetings or events related to the books each grade level is reading. Maybe we could even get one of the authors to visit our school--fingers crossed! Virtual visits have not panned out this year but it is not due to a lack of trying.

How can librarians be a part of Project LIT?

Kimberly: Follow Project LIT on Instagram ( @projectlitcomm ) and Twitter ( @ProjectLITComm ) first; watch the posts and you’ll get how they disperse information.  You then can apply to lead a chapter at your school.  It’s all about reading and getting conversations started.

Kara: I second what Kimberly said!

Visiting with Authors, Virtually

By Susan VanDeWater, Librarian, Wieland Elementary, Pflugerville ISD

This school year has been full of new experiences, and buzzwords like "unprecedented” and “pivot.” Buzzwords I’m happy to never hear again. But it’s a year that has pushed me out of my comfort zone.

Hosting an author visit in a normal year can be daunting. But in a year full of restrictions and new rules? Yikes. Technology fails frighten me, and the thought of Zoom not working in the middle of a school-wide event makes my stomach turn.

But my desire to bring something fun and engaging to my students outweighed my fear. My principal often tells me that things don’t have to be perfect. Everything is a learning experience, including Zoom fails!

A local, independent book store, BookPeople, works with area schools to organize dynamic author visits. I was able to take part in two this year--one pre-recorded and one live. They were amazing. And easy!

First up was Kwame Mbalia, author of the recently-announced 2021-22 Bluebonnet, Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky. I hosted a live visit with him via Zoom Webinar. (I was able to use the District’s Zoom Webinar account. Check with your district to see if that’s an option.) I hadn’t run a webinar before so I recruited a few of my fellow librarians to help me test it out. My campus IT Support guru joined in and we worked through various scenarios--promoting people to co-hosts or panelists, sharing my screen, spotlighting speakers. It helped me get a feel for the application and gave me greater confidence.

On campus students joined as a group from their classrooms; virtual students used the same link as classrooms to join from home. I chose the Webinar option because it allowed greater control of the crowd. No one was on camera unless I promoted them to panelist.

Students listened to Kwame and then had an opportunity to submit questions through the Q&A. I monitored the questions and fed them to Kwame. My principal and our library coordinator helped me monitor questions, too. That was helpful since it meant I could listen to Kwame while the kids continued to submit questions.

At the end of the visit, I promoted everyone to panelist and invited them to turn on their video. This gave students a chance to wave to Kwame and allowed him to see everyone at once. The students and teachers loved it!



The second visit I hosted was pre-recorded. There was definitely less stress associated with that event, but of course it wasn’t as interactive. This time I was able to bring Mac Barnett to campus. This was a dream come true for me. My students fell in love with him after I introduced them to Triangle.

His timeline for a live visit didn’t work with our schedule, so a pre-recorded visit was the best option. Students submitted questions, which I sent to Mac (via BookPeople). A month later, we received two videos -- a generic video where Mac discussed his newest book, talked about the writing process, and showed us his original Gameboy. The second video was Mac reading and answering our questions.

I showed the video in two groups. All of the questions came from students in 2nd-5th, so I set up a regular zoom meeting with those grades. We watched both videos together.

Kindergarten and 1st grade watched only the generic video, which was still fun and engaging, and perfect for their attention spans.



Both author visits were free through BookPeople; I merely had to sell a certain number of books. I’m at a Title 1 school, so I didn’t meet the sales minimum either time. I ended up buying several copies and donating them to classroom libraries. It was less expensive than bringing any author to visit, though.

The feedback I received from students and teachers was so positive. The kids were especially pumped about the live visit but also loved Mac’s hilarious videos.

Hosting a virtual visit was so much easier than I thought it would be. I just needed a little push and some support. I really can’t wait to do it again!

Examining the Impact of School Librarians

by Rebekah Friedman, Communications Manager, College of Information and Communications, The University of South Carolina, and Dr. Lucy Santos Green, Professor of Information Science, University of South Carolina

Ask Lucy Santos Green to explain Guided Inquiry Design and she’ll tell you about rollercoaster engineers and toy cars. Three years ago, Green — now a full professor in the School of Information Science at the University of South Carolina— co-taught a unit on force and motion to a class of teachers-in-training. Instead of assigning textbook chapters or drawing diagrams on the board, she brought in a rollercoaster engineer. The students made models with toy cars and tracks. And they even created videos to illustrate what they’d learned. “They were able to come out of that unit with a strong understanding of what force and motion are and how those concepts are used by an engineer when designing a rollercoaster,” Green says. GID units like these — inquiry-based collaborations between school librarians and classroom teachers — have gained momentum in K-12 education. But what type of time and support do teachers need? And how critical are librarians to their success? The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded Green a $376,000 grant to explore these questions. Her findings could boost support for librarians to work side-by-side with classroom teachers and potentially prevent school librarian jobs from being cut.

 What is Guided Inquiry Design?

The GID model brings together librarians, teachers and even local professionals to design and implement educational units as a team. The inclusion of outside experts underscores how concepts like force and motion can translate into day-to-day life. “More than ever, our students need to understand that what they’re doing in the classroom has real-world application,” Green says. Students review a broad range of information sources on the topic to formulate research questions that pique their interest, a technique intended to promote a better understanding of the subject matter. That doesn’t mean they can skip over the hard parts. GID-trained educators provide enough structure throughout the unit to keep participants on track, and they set rigorous criteria for the final projects. Participants come away more engaged and better prepared to think critically beyond the classroom. “It’s not just about delivering content to your students and having them regurgitate it like a computer,” Green says. “It’s about helping them navigate the information landscape and come to strong conclusions.”

 Proving the Value of Librarians

From bolstering research skills to promoting digital literacy, the scope of what modern librarians do has seen a rapid expansion since the rise of the internet. Yet between 2009 and 2016, about 15 percent of the nation’s full-time school librarian positions were eliminated, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Previous studies have suggested that school librarians have a powerful impact on student success rates, but Green hopes hers — which will span up to 6,000 students over three years — will be exhaustive enough to prove it.

“The existing data isn’t always used by systems when evaluating their librarians and allocating resources,” she says. “We need to continue collecting hard data to advocate for our profession.”

Research team members are GID co-creator Leslie Maniotes, associate professor Melissa Johnston from the University of West Georgia and assistant professor Ismahan Arslan-Ari from South Carolina’s College of Education.

 Teachers from 60 schools comprising a diverse range of ages, geographical areas and socioeconomic classes will independently teach units in a traditional way for the study’s control data. Then, a GID-trained librarian and classroom teacher will lead the same unit to a different group within the same school. Both groups will be scored on their mastery of the content. Green will also observe instruction and gather feedback. Once completed, the study’s data will be made publicly accessible, fueling additional research for years to come.

 Kristin Fontichiaro, a clinical associate professor at the University of Michigan School of Information, says the school library community is buzzing with excitement about the questions the project may answer. “Dr. Green’s research is poised to fill a critical gap in our understanding of how our aspirations — for students to engage in deep and thoughtful research — play out in the real-world constraints of school libraries,” Fontichiaro says. “Her analysis will help reveal how skilled librarians navigate the inquiry learning process with students, where they struggle, and where there are opportunity gaps. These insights will help library educators better target instruction for aspiring librarians and open new avenues for future research and inquiry for the profession.”

 An Incredible Opportunity for Texas School Librarians

 The EQuIP (Educational Quality through Instructional Partnerships) Research Team is recruiting thirty outstanding school librarians from the States of New Jersey, South Carolina, Wisconsin, and Texas, who would like to be a part of this groundbreaking project. If you are a fulltime K-12 public school librarian and you are interested in helping measure the school librarian’s impact on student learning, then join the EQuIP project! School librarians who are chosen to participate will receive a scholarship to complete the fully online 2022 GID summer institute taught by none other than Dr. Leslie Maniotes, GID co-designer and teacher trainer. You will also receive a stipend, and financial support to attend TxLA at the end of the grant project, along with additional opportunities to present with the research team. The best part is that all participation activities are already part of your daily school library practice!

 To secure your place follow the steps below:

      Watch this brief, 4-minute introduction video explaining EQuIP’s research goals, expectations, and why it’s a great opportunity for you and your students.

2.     Email Dr. Green at lgreen2@mailbox.sc.edu to express your interest. You’ll receive instructions on how to obtain permission from your school system and school administrator to participate.

3.      Build your school team and submit signed letters of agreement.

The EQuIP Website includes detailed information to help you become familiar with the project, and advocate with your administration. You can also access the How to Participate page for quick videos that explain the study, how to select your school team, and answer other frequently asked questions. Join the EQuIP team today and help measure the impact of school library and classroom instructional partnerships on K-12 student learning. More than ever, it is vital that we not only make sweeping declarations about the school library being the heart of the school, but that we take time to investigate our own practice to see the specific decisions we’re making that most benefit our students and are most worthy of our time! Commitment applications must be finalized by April 26, 2021.

Suggestions for ISTE Certified Educator Success

 

In December 2019, I began the process of earning educator certification from International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE).  I was looking for a way to improve my technology skills to enhance my classes. I pinpointed ISTE professional development and applied for a grant. I was excited when I went to the Texas Computer Education Association (TCEA) headquarters for the two-day face to face training. I took the class with a variety of educators from all over the state of Texas. Then there were participants from Puerto Rico too. The interesting part of the training is that it is not just for classroom teachers. There were administrators, higher education instructors, technology teachers, and district personnel in the group.

The two-day training is not the only certification requirement. The training prepares educators for an interactive online class consisting of modules, materials, and assignments for each ISSTE Educator standard. A roadmap, a standard pamphlet, templates, and a handbook are provided. These materials prepare participants for the course and the documentation needed for certification. If participants work through the course and promptly complete assignments, they can get feedback on their work. Ultimately, some of these materials can become part of the portfolio.

After the online class is finished, candidates move to the next stage. This stage is the portfolio creation step. Although I thought I had researched the process, I underestimated the commitment that I would need to make progress. When I took the face-to-face training, I was confident that I would have more artifacts done by the end of the online class. I was not close to being done.

Therefore, I recommend that candidates take the time extension if they need it. Initially, I did not want to take an extension. The extension felt like a badge of shame. But I had an important deadline to meet. Candidates should not feel ashamed if they need the extension. I was not judged.  In fact, early on in the process, participants receive messages telling them how to apply for the extension.  I tried to avoid needing to extend, but in the end, I took it, and it relieved some of the pressure.

With this said, here are some tips for completing the portfolio. My first tip is to make friends with the people in your cohort. Exchange contact information during the two-day class. Then classmates can check each other’s work.

Next, use research skills to find tips from other people that have finished the certification process. Candidates can search for materials that have been submitted by previous ISTE certified educators. They often detail their experiences on blogs.  I was inspired by the blogs that I read. But, be careful. The requirements have changed, and documents are configured differently now.

Another tip is to think about some of the materials that already exist that can be adapted. Candidates may need to teach a lesson again and change it to incorporate the standards. Reenvision what has been done through a reflective scope to finish quicker.

After the training portion of the process, it is easy for one to believe that they know how to create each standard example. When the portfolio submission site is accessible, candidates will see examples of submissions for each standard. The models are based on the subject taught and the position of the candidate. It is best to review the examples so that one can conceptualize how to create artifacts.

Candidates need plenty of feedback. There will be meetings to enable interaction with other participants and ISTE facilitators. During the meetings, participants can share an artifact and ask a specific question about it. Also, sessions will cover each standard. In conjunction with posting portfolio samples to the discussion board, these meetings can be beneficial for receiving feedback.

Review the examples in the ISTE site early because they can be quite detailed. It took me a considerable amount of time to plan activities for each standard. Then the portfolio requires participants to put the examples in a format that is easy for the reviewers to read. There must be a short narrative based on the standards’ content to explain how materials fit the criteria. I also had to edit several videos or identify specific time frames in the videos to make my examples concise for reviewers.  

At the end of the process, participants will need to summarize what they have learned in a written narrative or a video. I found it easier to create the video. I recommend reviewing the summary requirements in advance and taking notes during the portfolio development.

In all, I feel like the ISTE Certified Educator process has helped me to be more mindful of my teaching and leadership practices for technology integration. Creating the portfolio forced me to spotlight my strengths and weaknesses in a way that demanded action and documentation of the steps that I took. While I passed, I will admit that I missed some standards. These are the areas that I have made it a priority to fix. If you want an honest critique of how you are utilizing technology to facilitate your school community's learning, I highly recommend that you complete the ISTE Certified Educator training.