I Loved the Online Conferences!!!!

This week has proved to be a busy one. I admit that I am in panic mode right now...everything seems to be overwhelming. Many projects are due at or about the same time. It just doesn't seem possible to get it all done! So...I am feeling some anxiety. It is generally impossible to do all the reading that have been assigned to me between the different classes I am taking. I am forced to let some of it go. I plan on coming back to it once the semester is at a close. There are so many interesting things to look at or read. So that is my complaining for this blog. Sorry. It is just where my mind and heart is. I wouldn't be honest if I were pretending that everything is easy.

I loved all the content and information this week in class. I watched about 9 presentations. I was only supposed to watch 6, but some others looked too interesting to pass up. (as if I had time to watch the extras) I think one of my favorite presentations was "Geo-caching
Across the Curriculum." My son and his friends are into geo-caching. I got really excited about it. I love history and I love geography. I just think it would be such a fun project to get involved with. I passed on some of the information to a friend of mine who is a Global teacher here in town. He loves all the interesting ideas...but the reality is that he does not have time to do anything like this. The "No Child Left Behind" education act has done none of them any favors.

I also watched "Living History" presentation about a class of 5th graders in Indonesia. It made me want a job at their school. My daughter is in 5th grade and I don't see any of this sort of things being done. Her education is very traditional so far...although she did do a PowerPoint presentation with a group of students on a book that they read. She is learning and she seems to enjoy school. Anyway, the kids in the presentation created their own virtual tours of some local museums. They also have been communicating with a woman who lived in the Dutch Indies as a child during WWII. This experience has enabled these children to put a living face on some of the events that took place in their country over 60 years ago.

I have been working on my Power Point presentation. I have to admit that I am a bit nervous about it, having never made a PP before and also...not being sure of the best way to organize the information of my topic. Talking with a couple of students from last semester's class has helped. They have both said, "Oh...you'll do fine. It all comes together. You'll see."

I just loved the article "School Libraries Renewed" by Ann M. Martin. I bookmarked it to be able to easily refer back to it. One of the librarians at a local primary school retired last year. The school board opted to NOT hire a certified librarian. The position has been filled by an aid. To be honest with you, the aid probably can do the same job that the previous librarian was doing, as she was not exactly the most creative or innovative librarian that I have seen. I have talked to many people who are surprised that I need a Master's Degree to become a librarian. They still think that librarians simply sit behind desks and check in and out books or only read stories to children who come to the library. This article is really great. I'm not always good at articulating arguments for libraries...something I am happily getting better at as time goes on!

Once my workload settles down (hehehe...I'm laughing at myself! Does my workload EVER settle down?), I am going to go to many more online conferences. I just loved them!