For Challenged Readers, Custom-Tailored Texts

Last month I was quoted in an Education Week article about struggling readers.  I discussed how I use genres that my students are interested in to spark an interest in reading.  I really embrace ALA's Freedom to Read Statement in my Library Media Center but it is so difficult implement.  With Common Core State Standards mandates just around the corner, I believe 'freedom of choice' will be challenged heavily.   The group of students I feel that will be most impacted are my struggling readers.  These students who I call, 'Re-Emergent Readers' are now embracing reading and enjoying it.  It looks like student learning will be interrupted for test preparation and assessment.....sigh.

Despite these obstacles, I'm still going to find a way to deliver books of interest to my students.  Enjoy the article.
For Challenged Readers, Custom-Tailored Texts
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/04/23/29books_ep.h33.html

NATIONAL LIBRARY WEEK @CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY

Recently I gave a presentation at Chicago State University which was hosted by the College of Education.  This event was a celebration of National Library Week 2014.  It was really great to hear presentations about the new Archives and Record Management concentration  offered by the Department of Information Studies.  Below is the a copy of my presentation and a description:

Archiving Academic Culture & Building Community Presence on Pinterest

The Wendell Phillips Academy High School Pinterest page has been active since the fall of 2013. The page/account was established as a result of the numerous pictures, videos that have been created over the last four years by staff and students. This curation tool has been very helpful in several ways.
First, it provides students, teachers, community and interested stakeholders with a portal for information about events taking place at Phillips. Academically, the boards have served as a teaching tool during Black History Month, Women's History Month and Poetry Month. Students and teachers are able to access organized links to articles, pictures and videos are a variety of subjects. Through our history board, visitors of Wendell Phillips Academy High School are able to learn more about our illustrious history within the Bronzeville community and contributions to the city of Chicago. Lastly, the boards support all things positive at Phillips high school!
Follow us today at: http://www.pinterest.com/auslwpahs/.

Archiving Academic Culture & Building Community Presence on Pinterest from Chicago Public Schools

Garage Band Anyone?

My co-worker Mr. Simpson has mastered the use of the Garage Band app.  Last month, when he approached me about team teaching a lesson, using the app I jumped at it.  I looked at it as an opportunity to learn something new with a tutor sitting by my side.    The only glitch I had was, my inability to load all of the iPads with the app due to a CPS tech issue.  Otherwise the some classes had to share the devices and it worked out pretty well.

The students had to create a 8 measure 'back beat'.  These beats would be used as a background beat for the class song.  Some classes used the acoustic guitar while others used the smart guitar.  Was it noisy in the Library Media Center, yes but I didn't mind.  The kids enjoyed themselves thoroughly.  The final project was uploaded to SoundCloud.com for grading.  Some of the students really created some interesting beats and in some cases Mr. Simpson and I were pleasantly surprised with the level of genius on the part of the students.

Within the first five minutes of the lesson, Mr. Simpson had the students hooked in.  The students were interested, smiling, laughing and eager to be creative.   There were students who seemed to 'come to life' before my eyes because they could creative their own song and share it with others.

Below is a video highlighting a couple of periods where students used the apps and spoke very candidly on camera about the lesson.  Mr. Simpson and I plan on working with the students again this week.  Stay tuned for more music from these classes.

iMovie Tutorial

February 5, 2014

Digital Learning Day is about giving every child the opportunity to learn in a robust digital environment everyday, with the goal of success in college and a career.  Read more about this day dedicated to technology at:  www.digitallearningday.org.  Below is the Behind the Paws student news crew's video submission for this year's celebrations.  Junior level students Jordan and Myiah provide viewers with a descriptive hands on demonstration of the powerful app, iMovie.

Enjoy!

Pinterest and Black History Month

While watching Dr. Henry Louis Gates encore presentation of 'Many Rivers to Cross', I decided to create a new board on my Pinterest account.    The Black History Month Pinterest board highlights the achievements of African-Americans in American history and abroad.  You will find pictures, articles, school lessons and videos on this page that celebrates African-Americans.  There's also a little humor along with little known facts about people and events.

Pinterest is a social website where users can create, share and categorize images found online.   Users 'pin' items that are of 'interest' to them; this is why its named:  Pinterest.   Watch this cool tutorial video about the popular social media application here:  Pinterest Tutorial.    If you are still on the fence about Pinterest, access their Frequently Asked Questions page learn more about this site.  To fully enjoy the website, you must register and join which takes less than three minutes.

Like many, when I first joined Pinterest I merely viewed popular pins.  Eventually I because more comfortable with the site and began to create my own boards and re-pin items that were of interest to me.  Some of my boards are more developed than others, mainly because I'm enjoying other people's pins.  The one thing I enjoy about Pinterest the most is it serves as kind of a online locker for my interests and I can access them at any time.  Here's a screenshot of my board below.  There are over 200 pins about the subject of Black History.  Enjoy!

www.pinterest.com/boydkc/black-history 

Providing the Service That Counts

     Three years ago I posted a very personal presentation describing, "Why I Am A Librarian". Three years later with school libraries under attack, I felt it was time to update the presentation.  Often times I'm so busy with my students, books and learning/applying new technologies,  I don't articulate well what I do.  I'm guilty....I do a very poor job describing accurately what I do with print and non-print material.  Along with encouraging the love of reading, my job now consists of using technology to instruct, create and enhance lessons taught in the classroom.

That's me reviewing my students
'Behind the Paws' Twitter Activity

     Honestly, if you were to pass by my Library Media Center doors during the day you will think that all I do is sit behind my desk.  Not true, that glance of me behind the desk is only a snapshot of the numerous tasks that I complete in a day, week and month!   "School Library Media Specialists:  Providing the Service That Counts" accurately describes the work I do every day through technology supporting my fellow Library Media Specialists and serving the students and staff at my school.   If you would like to view the videos from some of the slides, just copy and paste the website address from the presentation into the address bar and the video will load.
     I am a school Library Media Specialist and I love what I do!

School Library Media Specialists: Providing the Service That Counts from K.C. Boyd

CPS Tech Talk - Part II

     I have been giving presentations for years at the local, state and national level.  I've always checked and re-checked my bag to make sure that I had all of my presentation aides and materials.  Unfortunately this time and with the slip of the fingers,  I uploaded the wrong presentation and had to go off of 'my memory' to complete my second presentation of the day.  Believe me this was not a good move as my memory is extremely poor!
     With that said, here is the presentation that should have been uploaded to my slideshare cloud account and presented to the attendees who came to my session.  Hopefully you will enjoy the presentation and recognize that school librarians are already implementing Common Core Standards in their daily lessons.  Just remember to share the AASL Crosswalk for Common Core with your principal, use some of the resources provided in the presentation and take a deep breath.  It's going to take a minute for all of the members of the learning community to understand your role and the indelible impact you will make on student achievement through Common Core.

Common Core Standards, Technology and the School Library Media Specialist from K.C. Boyd

Schoology @Phillips HS

Yes, my school is a Schoology school!

     Schoology is an online learning, classroom management, and social networking platform that improves learning through better communication, collaboration, and increased access to curriculum and supplemental content.   Teachers in my building use this website heavily and the students love it.  Many students have downloaded the app on their Android/iPhone devices and enjoy completing their classwork and homework assignments with greater ease.

     Below is a video highlighting how my co-worker, Ms Decker effectively integrates Schoology into her daily lessons.   Library Media Specialists:  This is another way you can support the curriculum at your school. Videotape your peers teaching lessons that successfully integrate technology and share it with other teachers.  Maybe just maybe, videos like this will inspire teachers to try integrating more technology in their classroom.

     Sorry for the shaky camera work.  I had the flu when I shot this video.

If you would like to learn more about Schoology, play the video below.

Struggling Readers and Common Core

I will be participating in an upcoming webinar!  See the announcement below.

Event status:	(Register)
Date and time:	Tuesday, October 22, 2013 1:00 pm Central Daylight Time (Chicago, GMT-05:00)
Program:	Booklist Webinars
Duration:	1 hour
Description:	The goal of the Common Core is to accelerate students’ reading achievement to grade level by the end of 2014, but educators can’t begin to make an impact on young adults who are reading below grade level without rich resources to aid them. In this hour-long, free webinar, sponsored by Orca Book Publishers and Saddleback Education, an expert panel will offer tips about how to implement the Common Core State Standards with struggling and striving readers in the middle- and high-school classroom. Presenters: KC Boyd is a library media specialist in inner-city Chicago and author of the popular blog The Audacious Librarian. Troy Fresch is the Assistant Principal at Tustin High School in Tustin, California and has served on the Tustin Unified School District’s Common Core implementation team. Tim McHugh is the co-owner and VP of Sales/Marketing at Saddleback Educational Publishing. Andrew Wooldridge is publisher at Orca Books and the editor of several series of successful novels for middle and high school readers.