WSWHE BOCES - SLS
NYLA-SSL Attendees Talk About Their Experiences!
NYLA-SSL Conference, May 1 - 2
If you have an interest in digging deeper about any of the topics below, all documents and PowerPoint presentations that were provided for this conference can be found at the conference web page's "Presentation Archive" link.
Thanks so much to all who attended! The 2016 Conference will be in Albany, sponsored by ENYSLMA. If you want to get involved in planning or working there, or attending, please contact me. - J’aimé
Catch on to Coding
I had heard about coding but always shied away from it because I don’t have an extensive computer background. After attending presenters' Anne Gordon-LMS for Pocantico Hills School District and Cynthia Sandler-LMS for North Salem School District workshop, I gained the confidence to pursue coding and am now doing it with all my 4th grade students and will be also doing it with my 3rd graders by the end of the year. Using blockly, students are able to give computer commands which in essence is beginning computer programming. I recommend you begin with the website: http://code.org and have the students do the hour of coding. I have included the link to the resources provided to us by our presenters. This workshop gave me the opportunity to go right back to school and use what I learned. Try it!!! Don’t be afraid of it!!! The students love it!!!
Check out their Google Docs for even more resources!
Library Media Specialist
Kensington Road School K-4
Glens Falls School District
ArcadiaReads- Summer Reading Circles
I had a wonderful time at the conference! I can't say that I took away anything earth shattering; however, I was reaffirmed that I am on top of many of the current movements in the field. I also picked up several new strategies throughout the different sessions that will be helpful when collaborating with teachers.
The workshop that I chose to focus on was ArcadiaReads- Summer Reading Circles, which was presented by Claudine Dixon and Sally Brothers on Saturday morning. The presenters were a HS Librarian and an English teacher from Greece Arcadia School District. They presented on Summer Reading Circles in their school. Each summer each student in the district is required to read a book. The Librarian and the English teacher help in this process by making Reading Circles. They invite teachers, coaches, and local authors to read a book over the summer as well and form a reading circle with other students who want to read the same book. In the Fall when students arrive back at school they have a day that runs on an assembly schedule and the reading circles form within the building to discuss the books. So, all the students who read "X" book meet in the teacher/ coach/ administrators room that also read that book. They then have a book discussion on that book. If you visit their library page you can learn more about the program or contact Claudine Dixon.
I loved this idea, but knew that I would have to adapt it to fit within the elementary school setting. We also don't have a school wide requirement to read one book over the summer. I started thinking about how this might look in our school and realized that this would be a perfect way to get students into the library over the summer. I work on Wednesday's over the summer and the library is open for all patrons. I am going to invite teachers and faculty to lead a group and volunteer to sign up for one Wednesday session over the summer. I am also going to extend the invitation to members of the community, well known HS athletes, coaches, and BOE members. I am going to call the program "A Community of Readers". I am currently working on a Smore poster with a Google Form for signing up. After I finish that I will send it out and build "circles" based upon my responses. I will then send a flyer home with the students with days and choices. Unlike the Acadia program, students can sign up for more than one circle.
I am a little apprehensive about the responses I will get, but I am hoping for at least a couple of groups my first year. I will let you know how it works out. Of course I am open to any ideas or suggestions.
I look forward to reading other responses and ideas. Have a wonderful day!
School Library Media Specialist
Lake George Elementary
Conference "ReHash"
First off let me say that I truly enjoy going to the annual NYLA SSL Conference, other than the food.
Call me “Crazy” but one of my favorite things is visiting the vendors. I like putting a face to the companies we already use: Kary Barth from Kapco Book Protection, Jim Hopper from GumDrop Books, Nancy Grimaldi and Mike James from Ebsco Information Services, Daiva Madjar from Overdrive, Peggy Storinge and Rose Burns from Garrett Book Company, John Gummoe from World Book Inc., Steve Rozzi from PermaBound., Susan Gall From Fact Cite and Rich Ruggiero from Follett.
There are also a few vendors (Gumdrop Books, and Davidson Titles) that sell their sample books really cheap and I am fortunate to have my PTSO reimburse me for books that I purchase. I can get away with about 200 non-fiction books for about $600.
Here are some other things I found out from the vendors that I feel are worthwhile for everyone to know.
1. World Book has a list of ebooks that they are offering for 19 cents per student (that is for all the books on the list). The books are non-fiction books for grades k-8. Here is a link to the list. This is a really great deal and can be purchased through BOCES. There is also access to 900+ classics.
2. I also met and talked with Jason Edwards, author/edutainer. He has some interesting programs that help kids build research skills as they track down a lurking monster or help kids develop story crafting skills. Cost seemed very reasonable I believe it was about $625 for a day, don’t quote me, but check him out at RogueBearPress.com. I have his flyers if anyone is interested.
3. Scholastic has some great free programs for kids. Kids are Authors is an annual competition that encourages teams of 3 or more students to use their reading, writing and artistic skills to create a book. The contest is open to kids in grades k-8. They also have a summer reading challenge program in which students log the number of minutes they read during the summer to try and set a world record.
4. The World and I Kids has a relatively cheap database designed for kids in grades 3-8 that provides students the opportunity to discover new perspectives about other countries. They have a free trial until June 30. URL: www.worldandikids.com username worldandi password slsa15. I believe the cost is just $200.
5. Jim Swartz with Davidson Titles Inc. had some great book titles that I am looking into. This Is Who We Were In …. . (different decades). I looked at the 1920’s.
School Library Media Specialist
Queensbury Middle School
To read more from Ella, go to the SLS Advocacy - NYLA-SSL 2105 Conference Page. There you'll find out about other workshops such as Elevating and Empowering Librarians and Teachers: Become National Board Certified and History at Your Finger Tips: Discover New York’s Digital Libraries (where she lists TONS of great resource links!).
Hosting a Successful Digital Citizenship Week
The title of this session is somewhat misleading. We never actually discussed “hosting” a digital citizenship week. However we did discuss digital citizenship and the presenter gave us an overview of the Common Sense Media website. Common Sense Media is a national non-profit group that provides free educational resources for schools. If you haven’t already heard about Common Sense Media follow this link and set up a free account.
The presenter, Tali Horowitz was great! She was very informative and knowledgeable concerning digital citizenship. She introduced us to a variety of fabulous FREE resources that Common Sense Media offers on their website. They have free lesson plans and videos available. Common Sense Media also offers free online reviews of movies, books, video games, and apps. These reviews are great because they include items that parents and teachers are concerned about when selecting any type of media for kids. For instance each review includes ratings on violence, sex, language, consumerism, drinking, smoking, and safety. The reviews also recommend media according to age appropriateness.
The reviews are very useful, but I find the lesson plans to be the most valuable resources available on the website. Common Sense Media offers lessons suitable for students in kindergarten through twelfth grade. To find the free lesson plans simply sign in and click on the Education tab and then choose Digital Citizenship from the drop down box. Here you will find a Digital Literacy & Citizenship iBook Textbook as well as printable curriculum. If you click on Scope and Sequence you will find age appropriate lessons for your classroom. I have already started using some of these resources with my 6th grade library skills class. Common Sense Media has so much to offer and I learned a lot useful information that I have already put into practice. I really wish we had more time for this session.
All in all I had a wonderful time in Tarrytown networking with fellow librarians and attending relevant and informative sessions. I also had the opportunity to reconnect with some old friends from graduate school and meet some wonderful authors. I’m thankful that the WSWHE BOCES sent me and I recommend that everyone take advantage of this opportunity at some point.
K-12 School Librarian
Bolton Central School District
*For a PDF file with additional information about Common Sense Media and the workshop I attended, got the SLS Advocacy - NYLA-SSL 2015 Conference page.
Expanding the Definition of Text
Thank you for the opportunity to attend this conference again this year. Although I did not present this year it was especially nice to still have people come up to me and talk to me about my Mentor Texts presentation. I was even asked to go and present at another BOCES again this summer. It is these networking opportunities that I really value the most about these types of conferences - from the vendors, to other librarians, adminstrators and the time I get to spend with my own district collegues.
I attended many amazing sessions. My favorite session was with author/ illiustrator Steven Kellogg. As a librarian I really cherish the opportunity to hear authors speak. I also really enjoyed hearing Audrey Vernick speak about her books and she reaffirmed for me the importance of narrative nonfiction.
The session I feel that I am bringing the most home from was “Expanding the Defintion of Text”. I personally have been doing a lot of Close read activities with my students this year so I was very familiar with the process. I like the way that they set up text groups and the use of the picture was a great touch.
Participant/Workshop Information;
Nicole Waskie-Laura and Susan LeBlanc
Expand your definition of text! Images and other non-print text can be used to promote critical reading, spark curiosity and initiate the inquiry cycle, instructional practices which are embedded in both The Common Core ELA Standards and Social Studies framework. This hands-on workshop will step participants through "close reading" a historical image and a related document. In addition, participants will leave with resources to build text sets to support inquiry and create library/content-area curricular connections.
School Library Media Specialist
Wood Road Elementary, Ballston Spa