Technology Petting Zoo

This week flew by so quickly.  I feel like I have been on a roller coaster.  I had a crazy week at school, but in the midst of it all, I did have the chance to put together a technology petting zoo on Thursday.


Quite a few teachers were able to stop by.  It is something I have been wanting to do ever since I saw Sarah's example on her blog Page in Training. I shared the NookColors, iPad apps including how to create and store video, some online comic creators that I learned about in my Digital Storytelling for Kids class, our Playaways, how to make google forms, and our computer microscope attachment.  I had fun showcasing these neat tools that we have available to us.

One teacher has already put the google forms to use in a big way by creating a survey today.  Love it!  Others got ideas for what they would do on Digital Learning Day Feb. 1st.  One teacher and I set up a Playaway with her room sound system to use with the whole class.  One teacher used the iPad cart today that hadn't used them yet this school year.  Hopefully I will be able to do some more things like this.  I had a lot of fun and I hope the staff members did too.  Most of all, I hope that learning will be positively affected by these types of events.

New Year - New Goals

I have been reading New Year blog posts all day. So now it is finally time to set some of my own goals.

Reading
1. Read 650 books as part of the Goodreads Reading Challenge 

2. Participate in John Schu's Newbery Challenge (read all Newbery award books by Dec. 2013)

3. Read all of the Caldecott books (including honors) as part of the Caldecott Challenge at LibLaura5 with Laura and Anna at AtoZ Library

4. Finish the last 29 Nerdy Award Nominees that I have not yet read

5. Read at least twice as much non-fiction this year than last (about 50 books)

School Related
1. Arrange for Skype Author visits for every grade level

2. Read more non-fiction with every grade level using some of the info from Passport Nonfiction from Sarah and Amy

3. Have my first Technology Petting Zoo like @pageintraining

4. Collaborate and connect with teachers, librarians, and students beyond our district

Personal
1. Complete a graduate class Library Services for Children and YA

2. Remain calm and at peace as much as possible in spite of son's graduation from High School

Yikes. As I sat here, the list just grew and grew.  This is not a list of resolutions, but a hopeful list of things to accomplish over the next twelve months.  Here we go.  Off on another adventure.  Happy New Year!