What's Popular

This is the last week of my class, and this week's topic is books that transport teens... in other words, what they actually read. What the trends show, what the teens themselves say.

Since I only have access to a 12 year old at home (although she will loudly insist that she's a teenager when it suits her), I turned to a few websites to see which books are most popular with teens right now.

Roth, Veronica. Allegiant. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2013.

_____. Divergent. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2011.

_____. Four: Divergent Stories.New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2013.

_____. Insurgent. New York: Katherine Tegen Books, 2012.

The Divergent series has been extremely popular with teens (and even adults!). Like The Hunger Games, there's a strong female protagonist, a dystopian society, and lots of action. They're also both trilogies, although Roth added extra stories about Four. Perhaps most importantly, the two trilogies are being made as movies. This series has been recommended by word of mouth, displays, movie posters, and more.

Dessen, Sarah. Along for the Ride. New York: Speak, 2009.

_____. .Just Listen. New York: Speak, 2008.

_____. Lock and Key. New York: Speak, 2008.

_____. The Moon and More. New York: Viking Children's, 2013.

_____. What Happened to Goodbye. New York: Puffin, 2011.

Sarah Dessen is the master of lighthearted romance for teens. Her books are sometimes considered summer reads, particularly since many of them take place on an island in the summer. Her heroines are complex and their relationships are, too. Even though I'm calling her books romance, there's a lot more to them; her stories have heart and are satisfying on several levels. She's written a lot more books than these, but these are her most recent five books.

Clare, Cassandra. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Angel, 2010.

_____. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Prince, 2011.

_____. The Infernal Devices: Clockwork Princess, 2013.

The Infernal Devices series is a prequel to another series of Clare's, The Mortal Instruments. Once again we have trilogies, and both series have been optioned for film. Featuring: Shadowhunters, the Pandemonium Club, clockwork creatures, a love triangle, and enough heartbreak to keep fans obsessed. These books (both sets, as well as Clare's other books) still fly off the shelves.

"Nutritious Books"

This week's Young Adult literature focus is on "nutritious books," in other words, books that are good for students to read. These books are books that can supplement the curriculum, and align with the Common Core. I'm going to start my recommendations with some historical fiction.

Sepetys, Ruta. Out of the Easy. New York: Speak, 2013.

Plot summary:

It's 1950, and 17 year old Josie lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans. She's the daughter of a prostitute, but she wants so much more for her life--she wants to go to college. Her job in a book store is a good start, but she's also a part of her mother's underworld, not just cleaning the brothel but involved in the whole criminal side of the city. The odds are stacked against her, a million to one. Josie becomes entangled with a murder mystery involving a businessman from Tennessee. When her mother is suspected of the murder and leaves town, Josie has to figure out a way to pay her mob debt if she ever wants to leave the city.

Where I found it & why I chose it:

I'd already read Out of the Easy. I'd read Sepetys' Between Shades of Grey the year before, and knew that anything she wrote would be amazing. I was happy to trade the bleak tundra of Siberia for vibrant New Orleans. I was captivated by Josie. She'd had such a tough life, but she was smart and a fighter. I wanted to know if she could possibly get out or not. This book conveys its setting richly. It presents a portrait of the high and the low parts of New Orleans. Although it's possible that a parent could object to the focus on prostitution, kids can learn so much about what it takes to survive for a desperately poor girl in the city.

Bruchac, Joseph. Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two. New York:     Speak, 2005.

Plot summary:

A old Navajo man tells his grandchildren a story about when he was 16. World War II is going on, and the Marine Corps announces that it is recruiting Navajo speakers. After boot camp, Ned is off to war. But he doesn't end up as a regular Marine Corps member. The Navajo servicemen are asked to use their Navajo language as radio communication among the allies. Their language was never "cracked" by the enemy, and in fact, the truth about the code only came to light 24 years after the war ended.

Where I found it & why I picked it:

I was walking around in Barnes and Noble and the title caught my eye; I'm not sure if I'd heard of this specific book before, or whether the concept was just familiar to me. Either way, I wanted to learn more about Navajo coding during World War II.

I chose to highlight this book, first of all, because it's such a great story premise, and true to beat! How great to have cultural underdogs provide such an amazing service to their country. Second, the book puts the reader right there in the thick of the war. Ned serves in everywhere from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima, and readers can see the war through his viewpoint. This book could be a nice complement to a unit on WWII.

Paulsen, Gary. Lawn Boy. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2008.

Plot summary:

12 year old "Lawn Boy" is given a lawnmower by his grandmother, and after he mows his own lawn, neighbors start to clamor for his services. Before long he's found a lucrative part-time job, and is earning hundreds of dollars. But one customer, Arnold, doesn't have enough cash to pay him, so he invests in stocks for him instead. Before long, the boy has a partner, 15 employees, money invested in the stock market, and a prizefighter. Now he has to figure out how to break the news of his wealth to his parents.

Where I found it & why I picked it:

I found this book online. I didn't want to choose all historical fiction books. I searched for middle school or high school books that taught math concepts. In the course of this one book, the boy learns about the stock market, fees, commissions, partnerships, employees, competition, and more. I can picture this book being assigned as supplementary reading for an introduction to economics class. Some middle school classes also have students do a stock market project, where they pick a stock and keep track of their stock's performance. This book would be a great companion to this kind of project.

Messner, Kate. Eye of the Storm. New York: Walker Childrens, 2012.

Plot summary:

Storms are coming like crazy, tornadoes and other monster storms. Jaden's dad, a meteorological engineer, creates shelters for people to survive these storms. Jaden attends a summer science camp and meets another science enthusiast, Alex. Alex and Jaden discover that Jaden's dad may be steering storms away from expensive areas and into local farm areas.

Where I found it & why I picked it:

I've heard Kate Messner speak, and have read some of her other books. I thought of this book right away as a possible science supplement. Messner's book contains solid science. Even though the book is futuristic/dystopian, the book is clear on topics such as storm formation, tornadoes, and environmental problems. The story also has plenty of mystery and suspense to hold kids' interest.

Scaaaaaary books

For this week in my class, we're focusing on two genres I generally dislike, horror stories and fantasy/science fiction. I read very little in either category, although I've read (and enjoyed) the usual bestsellers like Hunger Games. I've read more fantasy than sci fi; I can't even think of a sci fi book I've read recently, except for maybe Cinder (Marissa Meyer), and that was because it got such great reviews.

So, let's move on to horror. I can't even deal with suspenseful movies--I squirm and get anxious, and it's not a good oh-my-God-I-can't-wait-to-see-what-will-happen-next kind of way. It's an oh-my-God-get-me-out-of-here-I-can't-deal-with-this way. I challenged myself to focus on horror this week, because it's the genre most out of my comfort zone. But I might have cheated; I picked two typical horror books, and then let myself pick two realistic fiction books, psychological horror stories. Here's what I ended up with:

Typical horror:

Alender, Katie. Bad Girls Don't Die. New York: Hyperion, 2009.

Plot summary:

Alexis keeps noticing weird things going on around her--for one thing, creepy things are happening in her house (for example, water boiling on the stove when no one has put it there). Her sister Kasey has also gotten freaky, with her eye color changing and her odd conversion to old-fashioned language. And worst of all, maybe she's not even Kasey. Alexis has to figure out what's going on before something really horrible happens.

Where I found it & why I picked it:

At Barnes and Noble, I was looking for another book by Alender, Marie Antoinette, Serial Killer (I saw her bed at Versailles two weeks ago!). I found this book instead. As soon as I read on the back cover that Kasey becomes obsessed with an antique doll, I knew this would be the kind of book I wouldn't want to read. And that means teens probably would!

The book seems to be an interesting mixture of a realistic fiction "bad girl" story and a horror story as well. Some reviews say that the combination is awkward, but others say that it's a great book for teens (they say "girls," but whatever...) who want their horror packaged in a regular teen story. Alender has written a series with the same characters and their ongoing scary lives.

Lorenta, Dayna. No Safety in Numbers. New York: Speak, 2012.

Plot summary:

A biological bomb has been discovered in a mall, and the people inside the mall are trapped inside. As the days go on, the hundreds of people inside the mall fight for survival, turning on each other in their new microcosm of society. And, to make things worse, there's a virus spreading. Four teens in the mall tell the story.

Where I found it & why I picked it:

I saw the book at Barnes & Noble, and picked it up based on its bright cover and its title. The premise sounded interesting, even to me. The book is part of a trilogy--the other titles are No Easy Way Out and No Dawn without Darkness. Reviews online compare the book to The Hunger Games and The Lord of the Flies, but set in a mall instead (which some people might think is worse than the arena or a deserted island). Teens would enjoy the premise, and that the survival story is set in a familiar place.

Realistic fiction horror:

Werlin, Nancy. The Rules of Survival. New York: Dial Books, 2006.

Plot summary:

Matt, Callie, and Emmy's mother, Nikki, is abusive in a horrifyingly inconsistent way. Sometimes the kids can predict her attacks (when they've done something to displease her), but other times her psychotic abuse seems to come out of nowhere. And sometimes she ends up being unexpectedly kind. What she does to them is horrible, from cutting a bit of Matt's throat so he won't steal cookies anymore, to driving on the wrong side of the highway to teach the kids a lesson. Their father and aunt seem unable to intervene. Matt and Callie meet a man named Murdoch, by chance, and when he dates their mother, Matt and Callie start to see him as a father figure. They are devastated when Murdoch breaks up with Nikki. Finally, as Matt learns to advocate for himself, he builds a network of adults to help the kids, and they are finally free from Nikki (at least as free as they can be, knowing she is still out there). 

Where I found it & why I picked it:

This is my one choice that I've read before. I was struck by the premise of the book and listened to it as an audiobook. Then, when I was at my writing conference in May, Nancy Werlin was signing, so I bought the book and got to meet her. There was no line, which surprised me, because I think this book is so amazing. She was touched that I liked the book so much.

So, I love this book but it's so hard to read. I've read so many stories where kids are abused one way or the other, but I've never read about abuse that's so inconsistent; Nikki can be loving and vicious all in the same day. I also loved the character of Murdoch, who was treated so awfully by Nikki, but really came through for Matt, Callie, and Emmy in the end. I would highly recommend this book to teen readers, but with the caveat that it really is a horror book, in its way.

Watson, Carrie Gordon. Quad. New York: Razorbill, 2007.

Plot summary:

A shooter is on a rampage through their high school, and six students are trapped in the school store, desperate for safety. Each student is from a different clique--prep, jock, techie, geek, "choirboys," and "drama queens." The book is from the perspectives of all six, and the present time is mixed with flashbacks. The six students try to figure out who is terrorizing the school, and why. The answer isn't revealed until the end of the book.

Where I found the book & why I picked it:

Goodreads keeps recommending this book to me, based on the other teen books I read. I haven't even marked it as "want to read," because the book seems so intense. But I've read nonfiction about Columbine, and books that deal with school shootings like Jennifer Brown's Hate List. But both of those books treat school shootings from more of a distance. I'll probably read Quad now that I've looked into it, though.

I picked this book for a few reasons. First of all, it's definitely a horror story (although I don't know too many details). Second, school shootings, from a drastic situation like Sandy Hook to 'less horrible' shootings where someone is only injured, are a despicable possibility in America. Students who can handle this kind of book can explore the real-life shootings through a fictional perspective. Finally, according to the reviews, this book focuses on the bullying that made the shooter snap. Bullying is a perennial problem, and schools are finally trying to educate students about it.

*****

PS. As I go back and read through my post, I'm wondering if I put No Safety in Numbers in the right category. I put it into the traditional horror story category because it seemed like a regular horror story. But on the other hand, what differentiates this book from Quad? Could No Safety in Numbers actually happen? Is that the difference I'm looking for, fantasy/sci fi vs. realistic? Or are my categories manufactured & it's an overlap? Hmmm....

YA Books - The Romantic and the Sexy

For this week's book picks, I looked at the sweeter side of romance. I started with one I already read, Dash and Lily's Book of Dares:

Levithan, David, and Rachel Cohn. Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2010.    

Plot Summary:

Lily leaves a notebook full of challenges at the Strand bookstore, and Dash finds it. He and Lily take turns writing in the notebook, coming up with more (innocent) dares each time they write. As they write to each other, they start to fall in love. When they finally meet in person, it's a disaster, and it doesn't seem to reflect the romance they'd started through writing. They have to get to know each other again, and eventually they become close, but to the real people they are.  

Where I Found It & Why I Picked It:

I originally found this book at the library. I'd heard of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist and I hadn't realized that Levithan and Cohn had written other books in the same vein (Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List), with each author writing for one of the characters.  I love David Levithan's books, so that was another reason to give it a try. Also, romance that begins in the Strand? C'mon. (My husband and I met in the college library and had our first kiss on the library elevator... but anyway...)

I'm highlighting this book because it's sweet and romantic. It's in some ways a conventional love story (boy and girl meet, boy and girl have problems, boy and girl get back together, Happily Ever After -ish ending), but the structure of the book and the dares makes the book a fun read. With so many people meeting each other online (dating websites, etc.), it's good to think about how well you know someone just through their written thoughts.

Lockhart, E. The Boyfriend List. New York: Delacorte Press, 2005.

Plot Summary:

Ruby is having panic attacks; her boyfriend broke up with her for her best friend, and her friends have completely turned against her. Her parents are making her see a shrink. Her shrink asks her to make a "boyfriend list." Although Ruby's only had one actual boyfriend, she comes up with a list of 15 boys who have affected her life in one way or another. Dr. Z. helps Ruby figure out the patterns in her misadventures, and Ruby's social life is reconfigured.

Where I Found It and Why I Chose It:

I found this book in the library while my daughter and I were browsing. I've read about half of it  I just finished it - I meant to read just a few pages but I couldn't stop. This is the problem with me finding books for these assignments. 

Ruby was a fun character. This book wasn't a straightforward romance or overly sexy book, but a conglomeration of the difficulties you can have with boys as a high schooler. One thing I loved about this book was the structure of the list Ruby has to make for Dr. Z. (I'm noticing that I really like unusual structures in books). I also enjoyed the footnotes in her list that explain things like the traditions of the prep school, certain terms (Freddy Krueger), or her general commentary. And honestly, I'm a sucker for a good therapist-helps-the-protagonist story.

Cabot, Meg. Teen Idol. New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2004.

Plot Summary:

Jenny is the force behind "Ask Annie," an advice column in her school newspaper. She's great at witty but heartfelt responses to the lovelorn, but can't seem to get herself a boyfriend. When an acting superstar, Luke Striker, comes to her high school to research a role, she's in charge of keeping the whole thing a secret. But secrets can't be hidden forever, especially when it's a hot movie star. And then Luke asks Jen to a dance. Is he the right guy for her? (Dun dun DUN...) 

Where I Found It & Why I Picked It

Library, again. The summer reading program is in full swing, and my daughter must earn tickets to win the Isabelle American Girl Doll! I've never read any Meg Cabot... I think I kind of avoided her because her books seemed too fluffy. But I figured I'd give it a try. And again (sigh, I mean really, come on, Lisa! There are sophisticated adult books to read!) I'm reading the whole thing. 

I picked the book because Meg Cabot seems to represent this style of light romantic writing... kind of like Sarah Dessen, but for a younger audience, and less substance (to me). Her books are enjoyed by lots of kids as an easy, pleasant read. A bit predictable, in my opinion, but maybe not, if you're her target audience. I can tell my younger daughter will be into Cabot's books... she likes the sweet HEA endings.

Forman, Gayle. Just One Year. New York: Penguin Books, 2013.

Plot Summary:

Just One Year is a follow-up to Just One Day. In Just One Day, Allyson meets Willem and they have one perfect day together in Paris. At the end of the book, Willem has disappeared, and Allyson is devastated. In Just One Year, we read Willem's perspective. Willem remembers Lulu (Allyson) and travels the world looking for her. Willem learns a lot about himself from his journey. Forman also just released a "mini-novella" called Just One Night, which starts Willem and Allyson on their Happily Ever After.

Where I Found It & Why I Picked It

I have not  found it and I'm irritated about that. I read Just One Day and I liked it (I really like Gayle Forman in general). But Just One Year is never at the library, and I'm stubborn enough to not buy it and forgetful enough to not put a hold on it.

I probably picked it because I'm listening to If I Stay and Where She Went right now. The romance between Allyson and Willem, like the romance between Mia and Adam, is real. Not fluffy or light, but  authentic, adultish romance. Their love is the kind of love we all want.

Young Adult books: funny!

I'm writing this on the train from Brussels to Paris, but I'm going to be a good little student and try to get my work done. (It took almost 20 minutes to get online, and that should surely get me the bonus points to make up for not having these books in my hand. We can count the one I read, right?)

I'm a realistic fiction reader, so these books will be in that vein: more witty than guffawing all over the place. Like me. Right? On to the first book, one I absolutely loved, An Abundance of Katherines.

Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. New York: Speak/Penguin Group, 2008.

Plot Summary

Poor Colin (former child prodigy) has been dumped 19 times, all by girls named Katherine. Unfortunately, the 19th Katherine dumped him right after graduation. His friend Hassan decides that what he really needs is a road trip. They end up in Gutshot, TN, in search of the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand. Colin meets a girl named Lindsey who might be able to help him escape the curse of the Katherines.

Where I Found It and Why I Picked it

I've read An Abundance of Katherines. There's a copy in my daughter's room and somewhere in mine. I think I was influenced by a literary agent's tweet that she was so excited to take a long plane ride because she really wanted to read the book.

This book isn't an "issue" book like John Green's The Fault in Our Stars or Looking for Alaska. In addition to Green's normal wit, the book is filled with funny additions: footnotes, anagrams, graphs, equations, the "Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability," historical references, and an appendix. The book is also sprinkled with great quotes, including ones from Greek philosophers. There's a ton of sarcasm between Colin and Hassan.

LaZebnik, Claire. Epic Fail. New York: Harper Teen, 2011.

Plot Summary

Epic Fail takes place at Coral Tree School in Los Angeles, an elite prep school where Elsie is at the bottom of the food chain. Her failing? She's the daughter of the new school principal. Everyone at her school worships Derek, the "prince of the school." Her sister falls in love with Derek's best friend, which leaves Elsie with a lot of time to spend with Derek. But she's falling for Webster Grant instead, a social pariah.

Where I Found It and How I Picked It

I have heard of this book, but haven't read it before. I found it trolling for funny YA books on Goodreads, to be honest. The title pulled me in--my daughter and I use that term.

Part of the reason I fell for this book is that it's a modern day take on Pride and Prejudice, one of my all-time favorite books. Elise is Lizzie, and Derek is Darcy, of course. (Get the names? And her sister Juliana is Jane, and their last name is Benton...) An elite prep school is the perfect setting for Austen's mannered and genteel characters.

Just glancing at the first page made me laugh. Elise describes a "condom tree" at another prep school, where students put up their used condoms. Another funny moment right away is when she bumps into another girl on her first day, and the girl snarkily says, "Fail."

Kenneally, Miranda. Catching Jordan. Naperville, IL: Sourcebooks Fire, 2011.

Plot Summary

Jordan is the captain and quarterback of the high school football team, and in fact the best high football school player in the state. The catch? She's a girl. She's surrounded by hunky players, but she's focused on getting a college scholarship. And then one day, a new boy arrives, and Ty is both incredibly hot and a quarterback. She falls for Ty... or is she falling for her best friend, Henry?

Where I Found It and Why I Picked It

I've had this book on my Goodreads "to read" list for a long time. When I saw it listed as a funny book, I was skeptical; I thought it was just a sports romance kind of book. Instead, what seem like throwaway lines keep us entertained. Jordan narrates, "I once read that football was invented so people wouldn't notice summer reading. (1)" It's the kind of book that's sweet and funny, with some heart.

I'm baaaaaack...

And here is my triumphant return to Lisa Loves Libraries! I'm in a summer class on Children's Literature, and for the Young Adult Literature half, we're back to blog posting.

For this week, our topic is Award Winners, and we need to list 3-5 YA books on this topic. I'm going to start with one book I've already read, that I HAVE to include on my list because it was one of the first YA books I'd ever read, and, well, it's amazing.

Halse Anderson, Laurie. Speak. New York: Macmillan, 1999.

Awards: 

-1999 National Book Award finalist

-2000 ALA Best Books for Young Adults

-2000 Printz Honor Book

-2000 Edgar Allan Poe Best Young Adult Award finalist

-and more!

Plot:

Melinda is a pariah at her school because she called the cops at a party over the summer, and some kids got arrested. Melinda is mute and withdrawn for most of the book, although her artwork helps her find a way to express herself. Finally, Halse Anderson reveals that Melinda was raped. When the boy tries to attack her again, Melinda's best friend comes back to her and helps her come to terms with her trauma. Melinda finally speaks.

Where I found it and why it's highlighted here:

-I was introduced to Speak as part of the National Writing Project in 2008. I bought the book and have read it several times, although it's a tough read emotionally.

-I'm highlighting this book because it was the first Young Adult book that really touched me. The effects of Melinda's rape were stunning to me; at that point, I hadn't read many stories where there character was raped. It was required reading for entering ninth graders at a school district near us, and some parents weren't happy. But Melinda was precisely that age when everything happened to her, and we disrespect teens when we think they can't handle this sort of book when one in five women is sexually assaulted in her lifetime. Hopefully it speaks to boys as well as girls.

Next up--

Gantos, Jack. Joey Pigza Loses Control. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2000.

Awards:

-Newbery Honor Book, 2001.

-a New York Times Book Review Notable Children's Book of the Year

Plot:

Joey Pigza is off to have a summer visit with his dad; he hasn't seen him in years. His dad turns out to be a big version of Joey--ADD to the extreme. Joey gets involved in baseball, hangs out with his dad's girlfriend, and is generally doing okay until his dad forces him to stop using his medication. Joey spirals out of control and eventually goes back to the stability of life with his mother.

Where & Why

-I found it at the public library in the children's room. I checked it out to look at it, and ended up reading the whole thing. I retold it to my daughters in the car and I think the older one will probably read it next.

-I'm highlighting it because it was funny and serious at the same time. Joey's antics are funny (like when he pretends to be a mannequin at the store), but there's so much heart in Joey's growing self-awareness and in his relationship with his mother. Joey's ADD is reflected in Gantos's writing; the more 'wired' Joey is, the more the sentences run on and on and on. 

And finally...

Stead, Rebecca. When You Reach Me. New York: Wendy Lamb Books, 2009.

Awards:

-Newbery Medal winner, 2010

-Massachusetts Children's Book Award, 2012.

-a New York Times Notable Book, 2009

-and more!

Plot:

New York City girl Miranda is going through lots of changes. Her best friend, Sal (a boy), has dumped her. Her apartment is broken into. And to top it off, Miranda has gotten mysterious notes asking her to write a letter about something that's going to happen. When Sal almost gets run over by a car, Miranda realizes that this is the event in question. She pieces it together at last and realizes that a homeless man and her (sort of) friend Marcus are the same person, connected by time travel to save Sal.

Where & Why:

-Got this one at the library (was trolling for Newbery books, and remembered that my daughter liked this book). Like the other book, I read it cover to cover. I was sucked in. I needed to know what these notes are all about!

-I chose the book because there are so many layers here--not just the ones I picked for my plot summary. The book is a hybrid of realistic fiction, mystery, and science fiction. I liked that I couldn't predict the mystery's end.

*****

I'm going to stick with three this week, because I was really wordy and I'll be in Belgium 48 hours from now!

"Top Ten Things Teachers Should Know About Technology," Part 2

At the beginning of the semester, we made our own list of the top ten things teachers should know about using technology in the classroom. After a semester of exploring different kinds of technology for the classroom, I have a slightly different take on the Top 10. The first six are from the beginning of the semester, and the last four are thoughts and learning since then. #7-10 have been directly influenced by what I've learned about pathfinders, social media, and gaming (none of which I would have thought about before).

1.

1. Experiment and play: Teachers need time to fool around with resources, just like kids do. We need to explore all the possibilities of the app or website in advance, so we can troubleshoot and use the program to its full advantage. Unfortunately, many teachers skip this step because of time constraints.

2.

2  Back-up plans: Inevitably, something will go wrong, and it will go wrong in front of a group of students (or even during an evaluation!). Know what you will do if your plan won’t work, either using different technology or a lesson without any technology.

3.

3. Inch by inch: It’s overwhelming to get tons of information at once, especially if you’re new to technology use. We can focus on one thing at a time until we’re comfortable with that new learning.

4.

4. Students are often the experts: In many situations, students know as much or more about the technology we use. They have instincts we have to learn (the whole ‘digital native’ thing), and they have much more experience with technology than we do. We need to let go of having full control and let them troubleshoot and come up with new learning possibilities.

5.

5. Create your own professional development: Whether it’s a Twitter discussion or an RSS feed for blogs, we can keep up with changes through discussions with others. Find others who are learning and learn with them.

6. Technology doesn’t improve instruction all by itself: Teachers need to find ways to integrate technology into best teaching practices. Technology is a tool, not a substitute for instruction. With 1:1 devices and BYOD an approaching reality for many school districts, this outlook will be even more important.

7. Change is constant: No matter how up-to-date we think we are, what we are using this year will either be obsolete or replaced soon. In addition to keeping up with professional development (#5), we need to keep exploring the new features of what we are currently using.

8. Students benefit from vetted research sites: Whether through LibGuides, Pathfinders, tabs on school catalogs, or other ways, we can provide our students with accurate, grade-level appropriate research websites. Curating websites for students reduces the chances of them finding inaccurate information, and enhances the time they actually spend comprehending and synthesizing their learning.

9. Using technology at school means being a good digital citizen. Students need to know about plagiarism, citations, fair use, and more if they are creating content. They also should be learning about privacy, safety, and school policies.

10. Social media and gaming can be effective learning tools. In addition to blogs and wikis, schools can use Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. to show student learning and keep families involved with what’s happening at school. There are also ways to incorporate gaming into the classroom, such as using Minecraft to develop math and social studies skills.

My Interview about OPAC systems

For this week's assignment, I talked to S., an elementary school librarian I observed last semester. She's used two OPAC systems before, Winnebago and Destiny. When they decided to replace Winnebago, Destiny was the only system they looked at. We discussed the pros and cons of Dentiny. Here's what she had to say:

Pros of Destiny:

• Simple to catalog new books
• Follett orders can just be uploaded
• The catalog is accessible from anywhere
• Destiny Quest: kids can create profiles, see book covers, share reviews, locate web sources, and put books on hold
• Easy to print out barcodes and labels
• Webpath Express (for extra money)- Internet search filter - gives grade-level appropriate resources
• Patron reports, patron history, patron entry, patron updates are all easy
• Late slips can be generated automatically
• Great access to circulation stats to give to administrators
• New dashboard tab shows daily and monthly circulation
• Titlewave ordering is easy
• Can keep a running list of items to buy
• Great fill records
• Books look great with mylar and barcodes

Cons of Destiny:

• Destiny Quest has to be actively monitored - the kids can get silly
• Catalog is not very forgiving of misspelled words (she thinks there may be an option to improve this, but she doesn't have it right now); better when it shows the book covers for hints
• Can't email overdue notices
• The homepage could be more visually friendly
• When a patron has a message, the Destiny screen freezes. You have to actively watch the screen.
• It doesn't count the items checked in (like Winnebago did)
• Expensive

The Future of Catologing

Chapter seven tackled the question of whether websites should be cataloged. Kaplan and Riedling recommend that you do catalog websites, so that eventually when a student searches in the catalog for a particular subject, websites will appear in the listings along with print material and other formats. I can see their point, but in reality it seems so odd to me. Aren't LibGuides and pathfinders enough? What's more helpful for students? I think LibGuides/pathfinders are more useful for specific assignments. They also curate resources and reduce the overwhelming amount of information online ("the Internet Ocean," 163). Maybe by college, cataloging websites makes sense. Besides, college libraries would have the staff to work on cataloging, without teaching 24 classes a week! At least the rules for cataloging websites seem straightforward.

Chapter eight discussed processing information packages. I felt comfortable reading about barcodes, labels, stamping, spine labels, shelving, etc... the power of background knowledge! I know the subject of interfiling can be controversial. I see both sides. I like to see the graphic novels all filed together at the public library. On the other hand, if they were filed within the regular fiction and nonfiction sections, maybe there'd be more of the joy of discovery.

And then, lo and behold, page 173, Appendix I . Having the whole MARC format on one page really helped me. I almost wonder if it would've been easier for me if they had just written the book in order of the tags, although I understand why they didn't.

It's hard to believe that automation isn't in every library, but I know it's true. When I taught in Springfield, the LMS was slowly working on barcoding/cataloging. Automation seems so necessary! So far I've only seen Follett used in school libraries. I know someone whose library uses Alexandria, but I haven't seen it in action. I wonder if the differences are significant.

The Nitty Gritty

After a half week of work for my other course (Instructional Resource Selection), it was back to the cataloging book. I plunged right into a very long chapter--six--that went into each tag in depth. Once again, it's telling how many pages of notes I took... 11 (*Lowers head in shame.* I learn that way! I swear!) Again, I got bogged down by the sheer amount of detail and the rules about the tags, including punctuation, spacing, and codes. (I got a lot of exercises wrong again...) I'm very glad to have this book to keep for future reference, though.

So much information gets cataloged for each item! And most of the information is useful. Editions, publications, series, award winners, etc. all seem like they could be helpful, especially if it helps trace a material. On the teaching side, summaries, reading level, and interest level are great, although it's important to realize they are just guidelines. Subtitles and alternate names are so useful. Can you imagine if we only had Theodore Geisel in the catalog for some kid who was searching for Dr. Seuss? Sometimes the information seems unnecessary, like the dimensions of certain materials. I guess that information could be necessary if you're checking to see if you have the correct item during inventory? It seems extraneous to me when there's so much else to do.

The topic of cataloging equipment was new to me. The school library where I subbed didn't catalog equipment. I'm picturing barcodes on the laminator and the iPads... but that's a discussion to have with your school/district's tech staff, too.

Dewey! Dewey! Dewey! and an Ironic Day

Chapter 5: The Dewey Decimal System! Finally, something I had background knowledge for. I thought it was really cool how the call numbers could expand as needed and still keep up with changes over time. I was a bit confused about Schedules vs. Tables, though (78-80). My favorite quote: "The process of adding a number as directed is fairly simple as long as the directions are crystal clear (81)". Yep. Crystal.

The folklore, poetry, short stories, etc. section is a great topic for elementary school librarians. The kids have to be taught specifically where poetry is, for example. As long as we have good signage, they find the poetry just fine, but they don't understand why it's in the nonfiction section. The explanation about the change in the view of children's literature made sense, though. I do have to say, I like graphic novels in their own little section; some kids go on a graphic novel binge, and this way they're so easy to find. The last point in chapter 5 (89) was a good one; you can change call numbers on your own, but as we're getting more connected, standardization may be more necessary.

                                          No catalog police!


And then... irony!

Here I was reading (and moaning) about cataloging, and I got a call to substitute for the middle school librarian I observed earlier in the semester. We talked on the phone in the morning, and since she didn't have classes coming in, she wanted to know if I wanted to do some cataloging for her! How perfect is that? The first book must have taken me 25 minutes. The more I did, the quicker I got. I did have three books out of the three shelves that didn't have any information in the system, so it was helpful to know that I could've pulled out our book to help me look for/create the information. And I was the one thinking we'd never need the information in this book. That'll teach me!

Cataloging... Lisa gets confused

Chapter 4 had lots of helpful information in it. The discussion of keywords vs. subject headings was so useful. I'd been around school librarians who have tried to explain it to the kids, but honestly, I didn't really have a handle on it. I liked the idea of controlled vocabulary (42)--made sense.

Once Ch. 4 started into LCSH and Sears, I understood the advantages and disadvantages, but my brain was just screaming for everyone to agree! Just pick something already! I was really in for it once we started on the MARC tags. I could follow the ideas in each section, but it all seemed so very complicated. There was even punctuation from a different system. (I guess I should've tried to get a copy of Sears or LCSH or LC/AC.) I did a poor job with the exercises in this section. It's a good thing they weren't being graded! Hopefully the important part here is for me to know these tags exist and that I can look them up in this book when needed.

I loved the part about curriculum tags (67). It does seem like a lot of work to enter the extra information, but as the classroom teacher, I would love to be able to search by standard, especially for mentor texts that we would actually have on the shelves. Hopefully this tag could come already prepared with CCSS standards in the future.

(how much sense this all made to me at the beginning)

Cataloging, Part 2

Chapter Two made total sense: where to find information for the bibliographic record if it doesn't come with the materials. The Library of Congress has some great tools that I'm sure I'll use (although it doesn't seem as school friendly). The reference to CLEVNET made me happy--all the libraries near me in Stow, OH used CLEVNET.

And then, on to Chapter Three. At this point, my reading rate got super slow, just like we always tell the kids at school it does when we don't understand something (when to skim and scan, when to slow down and read closely). I also produced pages and pages and pages of notes. I always take a lot of notes; it helps me learn. But I've noticed a negative correlation between how much I understand and how many pages of notes I take.

Anyway, on to the content. As soon as the authors started talking about tags, I got completely confused. I understood all the information that you'd need to have on a bibliographic record, but it seemed so bizarre to me that you had to have all this code for each line. It just seems like the $a and the other $ codes and the tag numbers could be simplified so much. Why not just a numbered list? I'm sure there's a good reason, like it wouldn't contain enough spots. I understood the concept of leaders, directories, variable fields, etc. as they were explained, but it was hard to imagine that it all had to be so complicated! And this was just the first application chapter!

Reading About Cataloging

This week we started learning about cataloging, mostly through a book, Catalog It! A Guide to Cataloging School Library Materials by Allison Kaplan and Ann Riedling. I knew very little about cataloging; okay, I'll be honest, I barely knew what it was. Library books have some extra information if you look at their records. That was about all I knew!

In the first chapter of the book, I learned about the history of cataloging. I liked Kaplan and Riedling's definition of cataloging: "the organization of information so that it is easily accessible for anyone who needs it" (1). I also enjoyed hearing about different ways different cultures organized their materials; my favorite was how the ancient Chinese put the materials with the highest literary merit on red glazed rods, and the lesser material on lacquer rods (2). The late 19th into 20th centuries led to logical changes in cataloging, making materials easier to find. I got lost in all the acronyms--AACR, ISBD, IFLA, FRBR, OPAC, MARC, CIP, etc. Once I started reading about the card catalog and the electronic catalog, it got easier to understand. Although I would never want a paper card catalog now, I do have fond memories of using one (probably every library enthusiast does!). Cataloging equals access, in whatever form it may be. Isn't that our whole purpose?

Great Websites About Internet Safety for Parents

1. Netsmartz: This is an informative website designed for parents, educators, and students. For parents, the topics are divided into different kinds of technology and issues: blogging, cell phones, children as victims, cyber-bullying, email/IM/chat rooms, file sharing, gaming, identity theft, inappropriate contact, internet safety, predators, revealing too much, sexting, social networking, and webcams. Although this site was created by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, it goes far beyond predators. Netsmartz also has some great videos, including 15 videos for just for tweens. Check out Six Degrees of Information, where an expert finds out as much as he can on individual teens in six clicks.

2. Although it's from Disney's website, Walt Disney's Internet Safety gives a succinct but helpful overview of Internet safety for parents. The tips emphasize communication with children. I liked the reminders to parents to read up on the parent or privacy sections on websites or social media; there may be options they don't know about. An interesting idea is to print out a contract to use with children.

3. The article Ten Simple Steps for Internet Safety stresses that good internet habits develop young, such as: asking to use the internet, explaining what an ad is, knowing the right "starter websites" for kids, bookmarking sites with high learning potential, and limiting sessions. These habits can carry over to older kids, especially if communication between parent and child is an ongoing conversation.

4. The Family Online Safety Institute is a whole site devoted to parent education about internet safety. There's a great overview video called "What Can Parents Do?" The site posts a family internet contract, and links to hotlines to report inappropriate content

5. Parents should monitor their children's online activities, but what if they don't understand the Internet themselves? This website, Learn the Net, starts with absolute basics like surfing the web, and even has a quiz at the end. Parents who are savvy with their own computer use are better able to monitor their children's use.

6. There are tons of YouTube videos and a few podcasts about internet safety for parents. Some favorites: Internet Safety: A Parent's Guide with Mr. Arturo Trejo (funny overview for parents of elementary school kids, created by PBS); Internet Safety for Middle School Parents, and The Internet Safety Podcast (which has over 50 episodes about various subtopics on internet safety).

7. On a more academic level (perhaps to educate yourself before educating parents), this article advocates a protective stance. Notable points are that the Internet is an opportunity, not a right; that 1/3 of teens and 1/6 of tweens have been victims of cyber bullying; to educate kids about exchanging personal information for "perks" on a game; and that filters may be complicated for parents to understand.

Olagunju, Amos O. "Harmonizing The Interests Of Free Speech, Obscenity And Child Pornography On Cyberspace: The New Roles Of Parents, Technology And Legislation For Internet Safety." Online Submission (2008): ERIC. Web. 28 Mar. 2014.

8. PC Magazine offers an overview of different kinds of filters parents can use to monitor internet use, categorizing filters into hardware-based protection, mobile parental control, social network safety, and "just plain spying."

Professional Development for Teachers Using Web 2.0 Skills

This week in class, we created a Professional Development presentation for teachers. We needed to teach about a tool we'd learned about in class.

I chose to make a PowerPoint on classroom blogs. Now, total disclosure here - I've made about four PowerPoint presentations ever, which has to be a record low for a graduate student. I've used PowerPoint once, Keynote once, and Haiku Deck twice. My children (ages 8 and 11) laughed at me. They'd made more PowerPoints than I had for sure. My husband, a biology professor, has one set for each class. So my challenge with this assignment wasn't content but methods. I was seriously proud of myself for one thing, though. I managed to embed a podcast and a YouTube video within the PowerPoint. It took me about an hour and a half to figure out the video. My husband laughed at me, and said that I had to go from 0 to 60. Well, I'm in my classes to learn, right?

Anyway, like I said, I chose to focus on classroom blogs. In most schools I've been in, the teachers have a link off the school website, and they post homework and maybe a few pictures. But in my own experiences, I've never seen a teacher post collaborations with their students. I went looking for examples online, and I found so many great blogs. Some blogs I liked were Mrs. Yollis' Classroom Blog, Step Into Second Grade, Miss Jordan's Class @ Barwon Heads Elementary School, and Mrs. Duncan's Grade 7/8 Blog. There is so much kids can do on blogs! Just to name a few, there can be parent communication, posting student work, students writing posts and commenting on each other's posts, communication with other students around the world, and pictures from school events.

Here's my PowerPoint:



Wordle and Motivation

I am always a sucker for stickers and badges. Just like a kid getting a sticker on a paper, I love that concrete mark of approval, even as an adult. Motivating? Sad? I'm not sure.

My professor sent us a link to a site called Worlds of Learning @ New Milford High School, created by Laura Fleming. Teachers can earn badges by exploring different web tools. Of course, I needed my badge. I chose Wordle. I've seen it everywhere but I'd never tried it.

Here's my Wordle made from all the text of my writing website. It's a little blurry but otherwise it's impossible to read.

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• And here's my first badge! Color me motivated.