Competency #9: Internet

I found Teachers Network which can be found at http://www.teachnet.org/ using a Google search. The website provides a vast amount of information to teachers from lesson plans to news in the education field.

Teacher Network's Mission includes:

Teachers Network’s Core Purpose
To empower, recognize, and connect teachers to improve student learning, and to advocate for teacher leadership, all for the public good.

Teachers Network’s Vision
Our leadership will empower all teachers to transform public schools into creative learning communities so every student will succeed and contribute to the public good.

I choose this site because it is another source that teachers might find useful to help with their lesson planning as well as keeping them informed on the issues. Since the school librarian fits into the educational setting, this site will prove useful for me in keeping current on educational issues. I can use the site in helping to improve student learning through the library.

Competency #8: Research Visual

This chart was created by another student in library studies. The student used The 7 habits of highly effective people: Powerful lessons in personal change by S. Covey to create this chart to help influence teachers to work with school librarians. This chart ties in strongly to my blog because my hope is to work closely with students as well as teachers.

This charts demonstrates how teachers and librarians working together can be effective in the school environment. The chart displays areas that the teacher and librarian relationship can build upon and the role the school librarian plays in supporting the teacher. It also suggests ways in which teachers and librarians can collaborate together.

I found this chart using a Google search. The original image can be found at http://cathyinoz.edublogs.org/tag/collaboration/.

Competency #7: Image

I found the following writing outline using Google images. This image ties into my blog because it is a resource that could be useful for teachers who plan to teach a compare and contrast writing assignment. Teachers could use this as a model to assist in student's writing.

The original image can be found at http://mlrittenhouse.googlepages.com/. This site also contains other resources for teachers as well.

Competency #6d: Citation Pearl Growing

Database: Books in Print

Search Query: Find more information similar to the book Collaboration and the School Library Media Specialist.

Search strategy: Using the title Collaboration and the School Library found in a previous search, I was given a list of similar subject in BIP. These subjects were:

Bowker Subjects:	INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEMS_POLITICAL SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS CENTERS SCHOOL LIBRARIES
General Subjects (BISAC):	EDUCATION / Teaching Methods & Materials / General POLITICAL SCIENCE / General LANGUAGE ARTS & DISCIPLINES / Library & Information Science

S1= I clicked on Education/Teaching Methods&Materials/General and I received 18,018 hits.
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S2=I clicked on Language Arts & Disciplines/Library & Information Science and I received 12,725 hits.

S3= I clicked Instructional Materials Center and received 253 hits.

Search Evaluation: I was determined to understand BIP. I tried a couple of titles prior to this one and was not given the option to perform subject searchs. The title I used in this search provided me with additional subjects to search. Overall,the subject areas were too broad in this database. I retrieved far too many hits that really did not meet my topic area. Search 3 was a little more on target, still, a lot to sift through. While successful in that I have new understanding, I would probably need to continue to click on the other subject areas or refer to a different database.

Competency #6c: Successive Fractions

Database: World Cat

Search Query: I would like to find more resources for teacher and librarian collaboration.

Search strategy:

S1 = school librarian - 3386 hits

S2 = S1 and teacher* - 733 hits

S3 = S1 and S2 and collaboration - 21 hits

Search evaluation: I am coming to understand this search strategy the more I use it. I felt that the hits retrieved proved useful, and I was introduced to books that will be helpful for my blog's purpose. I enjoy that this search can result in a narrower pool of information the more facets I add to the search.

Competency #6b: Specific Facet First

Database: Academic Search Complete

Search Query: I would like to find more resources for teacher and librarian collaboration.

Search Strategy:
S1 = teacher and librarian collaboration - 28 hits

S2 = librarian collaboration - 52 hits

Search Evaluation: I had performed this search before for the discussion board using the terms "teacher librarian collaboration" and received only 13 hits. This time I wanted to try the search adding the and between teacher and librarian. I liked that I retrieved more hits this time around. I felt my first attempt was too limited. Our professor has recommended that 30 hits is a manageable number to sort through. I was satisfied that I was closer to 30 this attempt.

I could see how this strategy of searching could result in wide selection of hits. I feel that this fits with my style of how I search on the Internet. I attempt to pinpoint the words I need in order to retrieve the information I seek. I appreciate this type of search, but I am also glad I am learning new methods.

Competency #6a: Building Block Search

ERIC - Internet

SEARCH TOPIC: How can the librarian help the teacher?

Search Strategy:

S1: librarian or school librarian or library media specialist

S2: help or aide or collaborate

S3: teacher or instructor or staff

S1 and S2 and S3 = 305 Hits

Search Evaluation:
This search allowed me to find many useful articles on how the school librarian can help the teacher. I could narrow my search down by specifying the subject area. My first attempts were not as successful because I did not fully understand the search concept. I have a much better idea now of how to build a search and have had more success in finding the information I need.

Competency #5 - Tagging/Cataloging

I chose the tag cloud for the book MathART Project and Activities by Carolyn Ford Burnetto:

3(1) 4(1) 5(1) Activities(1) apt(1) art(3) curriculum(1) ed(1) Education (Art)(1) Education (Mathematics)(1) Fractions(1) Geometry(1) grades 3-5(3) mathematics(6) Multiplication(1) nf(1) paperback(1) Personal(1) Projects(1) Reproducibles(1) Shelf (School)(1) Tag This(1) teacher(1) teacher resource(3) Tessellations(1)

Library Thing link: http://www.librarything.com/work/1323646

I chose this math book as resource for teachers in grade 3-5. It is a fun way to incorporate art with math concepts. I would add this to the school library's professional collection if teachers found this a useful tool in the classroom. These activities could be used in the classroom as a center or as additional concept practice.

Competency #4: RSS Feed

I have added the RSS feed on the right side of my blog to Creating Life Long Learners by Mathew Needleman (name and link). I felt this blog ties into Teacher Helper as it discusses strategies for language arts instruction in elementary schools. It also focuses on integrating technology into the classroom. In addition to these things, Creating Life Long Learners provides a link to Open Court Resources (name and link) which provides free Language Arts materials to teachers. As a future librarian for public schools, I hope to find more helpful teacher blogs that focus on other areas of the classroom such as math, science, and social studies.

Competency #3: Podcast

Willowdale Elementary in Omaha, Nebraska is taking an interesting educational approach to incorporating podcast into the classroom using Radio Willow Web. Students are creating podcasts based on what they are learning in the classroom. This ties into my vision for Teacher Helper. I would like to help teachers find podcasts students can learn from, as well as encourage teachers to help students create their own podcasts from material they are learning in the classroom.

The following is an example of a podcast from Willow Web:
http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/shows/Willowcast01.mp3

If a teacher is looking for an audio segment to supplement a lesson on George Washington, she could play the excerpt from this podcast to have students hear additional information from someone their age.

I found the webside using a "teacher podcast" search on Yahoo. My search lead me to Scholastic which recommended additional podcast websites teachers could use in the classroom. I found this one to be a good example of how students and teachers can make use of this technology. Additional podcasts for Willow Web can be found at http://www.mpsomaha.org/willow/radio/listen.html.

Competency #2: Related Blog

Have Fun Teaching Blog
http://blog.havefunteaching.com/

This blog's focus is not only on free ideas for teachers, but it also provides teachers with opportunities to obtain free stuff for their classrooms. I can see this being a useful site that teachers will want to refer to frequently.

The blog's most current post focuses on Learning Activity Centers:

After teaching 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and now 5th grade I can honestly say that Learning Activity Centers are amazing! Learning centers, if used effectively, can eliminate behavior problems in the classroom and make learning fun, motivating, and meaningful.
I am currently using centers with my 5th grade math class. I have four different homeroom classes each day. Each class is split up into 6 groups with 3-4 students in each small group. The students rotate between two different centers each day, spending 25 minutes at each center. An effective classroom with learning centers consists of students doing 85% of the working and talking while the teacher is guiding them the other 15%. It is great when you leave work feeling stress-free and energetic!

The blog was found using GoogleBlog: http://blogsearch.google.com/

Competency # 1: Introduction and Purpose

The purpose of this blog is to fulfill a requirement for my Information Retrieval and Storage class.

I am interested in offering teachers a guide to available information and resources for the classroom. I want to help teachers, new and experienced, to navigate through the vast amounts of information to find the gems that will enhance their lessons. In the future, I hope to become a librarian for a public school.