Blogs I would write if I had time to blog...

Six months later my running list of blogs that I would like to write grows longer, but the time to carve out to actually write the entries grows shorter and tighter each day. So here's the list of blogs (topics) that I would like to write if I had time to blog:

Risk taking - how taking risks can bring about big results and make one's life more enriching.

Genuine enthusiasm - how the kind word, the sincere greeting, the genuine inquiry and enthusiasm about life is contagious and betters the world

Missing Dixie - how the positive, effective leadership of our now retired principal is so very needed at a time of low morale, budget cuts, disorganization and non-communication

New Year's resolutions - always a good entry to set one on the right course for the new year

Teacherprenuership - the idea that teachers develop their pedagogical talent, “sell” their expertise, and find innovative solutions to challenges facing their students

Digital footprints - making our stamp on the digital world, making connections both personally and professionally in the digital age

NaNoWriMo - the National Novel Writing Month and how I once again attempted to get thoughts on the page (I made it to 5000 words)

The Power of Small - a book that I am reading about how little things make the difference

Thanksgiving - a list of 30 days of things I was thankful for during the month of November

Information and Technology Essential Standards - the new document to integrate information and technology into the core curricula and how teacher librarians need to push in to the classroom and push back those that don't get our role in education

Growing up with Elizabeth - how life as a mother puts everything else in perspective

So perhaps over the winter break and in the new year, I will once again reorganize my life, break out my list, crack my knuckles and get to typing and posting new blog entries.

AASL Conference - Day 3 - Spatial Intelligence and Information Seeking Skills

This afternoon I geeked out and attended a fascinating session that focused on a research study and dissertation that a colleague in the northeast had completed. In working with her students at her all girls’ school, she was concerned about how students learned the information seeking process. Why were some kids asking her to slow down her instruction and yet other kids were complaining that she moved too slowly?

After a number of different theories, studies, and research (that I’m sure I could link you to if you really need to see it), she basically drew the following conclusion:

Students with high spatial intelligence find information faster than those students with low spatial intelligence.

What followed her introduction to the research was a presentation of interventions, ways that we can help our students increase and grow their spatial intelligence in order to help improve their information seeking skills. For many students, all it takes is talking the language, using the vocabulary to get them thinking in those terms.

One intervention is to use gestures when answering spatial questions. For example, when asked about moving an object, you could just answer “move the objects closer” OR you could give that answer AND gesture with your hands to show the movement that you would make to move objects closer together. This helps build spatial intelligence. (I’ve also read that gesturing while talking improves vocabulary.)

Other early interventions to help build spatial intelligence:
Mapping – navigation, scaling
Math talk – equivalence, symbols, ordering, calculation
Block-building – building up, towering, instead of building out
Measurement
Visual representations
Perspectives – zooming in and out
Aiming games – physical outdoor games, video gaming
Mechanics – putting things together, taking things apart

I can see how my daughter is already building her spatial intelligence based on these early interventions. Now I need to figure out where my middle schoolers are in their spatial abilities and intelligences and determine the interventions I can use to assist them in transferring that into strong information seeking skills.

School Librarians, Where Do You Hang Your Hat?

At my library media learning team meeting yesterday, we looked at the beliefs that are the cornerstone for the standards in library media programs using the book, Standards for the 21st Century Learner in Action (AASL, 2009).

First, we looked at the nine common beliefs through our own eyes, as library media coordinators. If we had to hang our hat on just one of the beliefs, where would we hang it? What did we see as our focus in our library media programs?

• Reading is the window to the world.
• Inquiry provides a framework for learning.
• Ethical behavoir in the use of information must be taught.
• Technology skills are crucial for future employment needs.
• Equitable access is a key component for education.
• The definition of information literacy has become more complex as resources and technologies have changed.
• The continuing expansion of information demadns that all individuals acquire the thinking skills that will enable them to learn on their own.
• Learning has a social context.
• School librarires are essential to the development of learning skills.

We were split between two of the beliefs: 'Reading is a window to the world' and 'School libraries are essential to the development of learning skills'. Some of us felt that reading was the main focus of our programs and our work with students while others took a broader approach to seeing themselves and their programs as the place, environment, and access to all. No real surprises there.

But when we looked at the beliefs from other perspectives, we began to see how others view the library media program and how this affects our work. We asked ourselves which belief our principals would hold up as the hallmark for the media program. What would our students say is the most important belief? And what about our parents and PTA? Where would the superintendent or the school board member hang her hat on these common beliefs?

That's when we realized that we have to consider all perspectives about library media, our influence on others, and the advocacy to promote our entire program. If a teacher views the library media program as a place for reading and that's it, will they ever begin to incorporate instructional technologies or encourage educational and social networking with their students? If our principal sees our program as the place for students to improve their technology skills, will we ever get a budget to purchse the latest and greatest fiction? If the superintendent is most worried about and focused on ethical behavoir in use of information, will he recognize the need for inquiry and critical thinking skills within the framework of learning?

We as librarians know that these are a set of beliefs and one does not necessarily outweigh another. It's important to understand the perspectives of all our users in order to meet their needs, build influence and advocate for out total program. However, our hat rack may tell a different story if we tend to hang our own hat on only one or two of the beliefs instead of wearing the many different hats of our profession.