The Best Web 2.0 List

Just a quickie here. I found a good collection of Web 2.0, or if you’re boycotting that term, the next generation of web resources off of a link from Digg yesterday.

I was intrigued with with the way I was evaluating the tools from this list. The librarian in me had wished that who ever put this list together would have provided an annotation for each resource. Something to the effect of how its been successfully used, and how it helps people.

As an educator, the one question I kept asking in my head was, “How can this be useful in helping students learn?” If I couldn’t find a reasonable application or a tie to the curriculum, I moved on and asked myself, “How can I put this resource to work for me and use it to my advantage in my daily routine?”

I had mostly positive experiences interacting with the tools. I’d like to get more into images and using them in education, so naturally I spent most of my time with the photosharing and photocasting software. There a literally hundreds of good curricular connections when planning to use Flickr, Funtigo, and zoto.

Completely off of the topic, my overall favorite is still craigslist.

Oh, and if you’re in need of a hot date, try this one…

One of the best children’s books

When it comes to children’s literature I am a non-traditionalist. Growing up and in my elementary years I was always read the classics by my teachers, anything written by Patricia Polacco, Eric Carle, or Jan Brett. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the books written by these authors. But in all honesty, their stories weren’t edgy enough for my glue-sniffing, rambunctious 9 year-old personality. I was and still am a fan of the un-classic stories and picture books. If it’s radical, rude, or politically incorrect, I would probably love it.

So, what do you like, you ask?

Think Walter the Farting Dog, think Don’t Let Pigeon Drive the Bus, think Dogzilla and Kat Kong. Hell, I’m even a fan of this book.

But the one that takes the cake for me is a picture book called Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O’Malley. The story is outstanding and always seems to hook the elementary crowd, particularly those in 4^th and 5^th grade. You know something is remarkably good when 5^th grade boys beg you to buy more picture books like Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude.

So to Kevin O’Malley and my other unorthodox author friends, keep ‘em coming.

The Art of Storytelling

Today, I had the opportunity to meet author and professional storyteller, Donna Washington. If you’ve never heard of her, I suggest you check out her website. Or better yet, watch a few uploaded videos of her telling stories. Donna is a great person and is amazing at her craft.

Donna spent the morning at our elementary school– an hour with our Kindergarten through 2nd graders and another hour with our 3rd through 5th graders. She works extremely well with children, but something tells me that she has ability to inspire people of all ages. If you are ever considering having a professional storyteller come to your school or organization, Donna Washington is highly recommended.

In education, there is a wide body of research that links storytelling and school success. One study found that one of the keys to literacy development is consistent exposure to storytelling and narrative discourse in both the home and classroom environments. Other studies cite that storytelling “promotes verbal literacy, one of the most important aspects of education.”

As a librarian, my appreciation for storytelling is ever-developing. The World Wide Web has made it possible for anyone at anytime to access facts at lightning speeds then use that information with differing intentions. As facts become easier to access and manipulate, I am starting to see my job in a whole new light. What is beginning to matter more for me is developing the ability to place facts into context and deliver them to others with emotional impact. And that essentially is what storytelling is all about.

Lately in my own life , I have become increasingly intrigued with the raw power and influence that story can have on an audience. I’ve been trying to improve my own storytelling skills by researching anthro-mythologist Joseph Campbell and watching his interviews and lectures online. I’ve also been experimenting and creating digital stories using my photo albums in iPhoto. So Watchout!!

The book that changed my life

Over the summer I blogged of my intentions to read about Friedman’s concept of the flat world and McCourt’s 30 years of experience in the New York public school system. Well, I did all that. And, I’d like to believe that I am more informed for doing so.

Both books were enlightening in completely different ways, and ultimately have changed the way I approach my job as an educator each and every day.

But, it was a different book altogether that I hadn’t planned on reading that ended up completely changing my lifestyle.

Thanks to a June 2006 blog post about my summer reading list, I was able to get into touch with one of my academic idols, Wes Fryer. He kindly left a comment on my blog with a book recommendation- Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind: Why Right Brain Thinkers Will Rule the Future. I was a little skeptical of his suggestion, but one doesn’t argue with someone of Fryer’s stature. So I purchased the book from Amazon. I’m glad that I did.

I’m a slow and pedantic reader, and its an accomplishment for me if I ever finish a book from cover to cover. But, I loved every part of A Whole New Mind… and have even read some the sections twice. I’m not much of a summarizer and you’ll never see me writing reviews in the New Yorker, but I’m going to try my best to tell you why I was effected by this book.

Pink writes that we are in the process of moving away from the Informational Age and towards the Conceptual Age. Such a large scale transition requires adjustments in our behavior, particularly the way in which we utilize our brains. If we are to be successful in the future, we will need to start paying more attention to the right side of our brain.

As an educator, this high-concept approach speaks to me. Our students come to Kindergarten with minds that are wide open and imaginative. We then spend much of the next thirteen years shutting down all of their creative outlets. I’m getting awfully tired of all the emphasis placed on testing and teachers struggling with curriculum programs that eschew creativity. As Pink writes… “the R-directed aptitudes are so often disdained and dismissed- artistry, empathy, taking the long view, pursuing the transcendent–have been underemphasized and shortchanged by organizations and neglected in schools for years.” We create learning environments where only testable skills are rewarded. Does anyone else see a big problem with that?

So what are we going to do about it?

Who will help equip our students with the right brain skills they need to be successful in life? When will design, story, symphony, empathy, play, and meaning become key the building blocks of our curriculum?

Teachers can help make the difference. Read Pink’s book and start mastering the six Conceptual Age senses. You’ll be glad that you did.

**Image excerpted from Daniel Pink’s website**

Blogging OCM BOCES SLS Fall 2006 Conference

I spent today at my School Library System’s annual Fall conference. In the short two years that I’ve been attending, I’ve been very impressed. Judi Dzikowski and the fine folks at OCM BOCES do a bang-up job putting this conference together. Above all, the OCM BOCES is always able to secure dynamic and influential keynote speakers and presenters. Last year I was exposed to the likes of data expert Annette Lamb and Boys and Reading expert Michael Sullivan. This year they were able to land Big 6 guru Mike Eisenberg and neighboring GV BOCES SLS leader Chris Harris.

Let’s start with, Mike Eisenberg.   He’s come a long way from his early years when he was a library media specialist in Central New York. He’s now Dean Emeritus of the iSchool at Washington University. And apparently he has connections to Bill Gates, only the richest and most powerful man on the planet.

From Eisenberg’s keynote, I’ll walk away remembering his emphasis on the importance of the teacher-librarian building influence and becoming an essential player in the school. Think, act and make decisions like you are the Chief Information Officer of the school.

I didn’t attend Chris Harris’ afternoon workshop, but I had the opportunity to dialogue with him during our breaks and over lunch. Chris has great big ideas and is plugged in to issues that surround school libraries. He’s radical and even challenged Eisenberg on his blog and in person today.  I’m sure his approach turns some people off, but I’m under the strong opinion that we need more people like him in the profession.  Write his name down, you’ll be hearing a lot from him in the future.

Lastly a bit of news from the rumor mill. My sources have informed me that OCM BOCES could possibly land David Warlick as the keynote speaker for next year’s Fall Conference. This would be a major coup- to land Dave’s talent. If you aren’t familiar with his line of work, then I suggest you check him out. And Mr. Warlick, if you are somehow reading this, please come to Syracuse, NY in the Fall of 2007 and spread the good word to us Central New Yorkers.

Blogging Hanoch McCarty

Who doesn’t love a professional development day? It’s a respite from the daily routine of working with children and an opportunity to learn. Did I just reference learning on a potential blow off day? If only my elementary school teachers could see me now. I’ve turned into the productive citizen and lifelong learner that they had so long ago asked me to be. Too bad it wasn’t on their watch. I missed out on a lot of candy.

Anyways….

The admin from my school district invited a gentleman named Hanoch McCarty to keynote at our professional development day. Boy, did they hit a homerun with this guy. If you’re unaware of Hanoch McCarty, he is the author of many of the extremely popular Chicken Soup for the… books. Did you know that the idea for the Chicken Soup books had gotten rejected 45 times before one publisher took a chance on the idea? Not four or five times, fourty five times. Imagine submitting something for publication 45 times? I give up after 1 attempt if my blog won’t publish after a few mouse clicks.

Hanoch’s two-hour presentation was tremendous. What stuck with me the most was Hanoch’s understanding of empathy and its place in education. He elaborated on safety, identity, connectedness, power and fun & laughter as the building blocks of education. After reading Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind, I couldn’t agree more. Empathy and character matter the most, because in the long run, people work for people. The relationships that evolve in a school where empathic behaviors are practiced make learning environments meaningful and emotionally safe.

As he was keynoting, I couldn’t help but think that we need more big picture thinkers like Hanoch out there spreading the good word. Keep at it Hanoch!