February 26, 2014

Winner of the CPS ReVITAL Grant

Singer Pharrell's song, 'Happy' is the perfect song that expresses my feelings about a recent award I have received.  My students and I are HAPPY about receiving the CPS ReVital Grant for libraries!   Last week, a MacBook Pro and ten iPads were delivered to my Library Media Center and in a couple of weeks, the ChromeBooks will arrive.

There are so many ways this technology can be used at Phillips.  The video below is just a little snippet of how we will be using these digital devices to aide in instruction and help further advance students in the digital age.   Enjoy!


ReVITAL Grant - HAPPY from WPAHS Video Page on Vimeo.

February 24, 2014

Monday Morning Humor

Thanks to my Instagram friend BookNerd for sharing this funny Meme/e-card.  
You just have to laugh because it's true!


February 14, 2014

Happy Valentines Day!

Just sharing a couple of images from Valentines Day and Phillips Affinity Leadership Day  celebrations.  Enjoy! 

February 12, 2014

Black Girls Code

I am really geeked about this organization, Black Girls Code.  Created by Kimberly Bryant, Black Girls Code provides a world wide platform for black girls to demonstrate their abilities to code, and do so much more.  Through community workshops and after school programs, girls are introduced to computer coding lessons in programming languages such as Scratch or Ruby on Rails.  By promoting classes and programs, Bryant hopes to grow the number of women of color working in technology and give underprivileged girls a chance to become the masters of their technological worlds.

The next workshop will be held during the summer of 2014 in Chicago.  Get ready, get set, CODE!

February 4, 2014

iMovie Tutorial


February 5, 2014

Digital Learning Day is about giving every child the opportunity to learn in a robust digital environment everyday, with the goal of success in college and a career.  Read more about this day dedicated to technology at:  www.digitallearningday.org.  Below is the Behind the Paws student news crew's video submission for this year's celebrations.  Junior level students Jordan and Myiah provide viewers with a descriptive hands on demonstration of the powerful app, iMovie.

Enjoy!

Mardi Gras @The Phillips LMC

Celebrating Mardi Gras 2014 at the Phillips Library Media Center
#Repost from @Phillipslmc Instagram Account

#books #book #read #TagsForLikes #reading #reader #page #pages #paper #instagood #kindle #nook #library #author #bestoftheday #bookworm #readinglist #love #photooftheday #imagine #plot #climax #story #literature #literate #stories #words #text #librarians #schoollibrarians 




February 3, 2014

Pinterest and Black History Month

While watching Dr. Henry Louis Gates encore presentation of 'Many Rivers to Cross', I decided to create a new board on my Pinterest account.    The Black History Month Pinterest board highlights the achievements of African-Americans in American history and abroad.  You will find pictures, articles, school lessons and videos on this page that celebrates African-Americans.  There's also a little humor along with little known facts about people and events.

Pinterest is a social website where users can create, share and categorize images found online.   Users 'pin' items that are of 'interest' to them; this is why its named:  Pinterest.   Watch this cool tutorial video about the popular social media application here:  Pinterest Tutorial.    If you are still on the fence about Pinterest, access their Frequently Asked Questions page learn more about this site.  To fully enjoy the website, you must register and join which takes less than three minutes.

Like many, when I first joined Pinterest I merely viewed popular pins.  Eventually I because more comfortable with the site and began to create my own boards and re-pin items that were of interest to me.  Some of my boards are more developed than others, mainly because I'm enjoying other people's pins.  The one thing I enjoy about Pinterest the most is it serves as kind of a online locker for my interests and I can access them at any time.  Here's a screenshot of my board below.  There are over 200 pins about the subject of Black History.  Enjoy!







February 2, 2014

Updated Content - Phillips LMC Website

Sharing:  
Updated content on my Library Media Center website.  
Enjoy!






Providing the Service That Counts

     Three years ago I posted a very personal presentation describing, "Why I Am A Librarian". Three years later with school libraries under attack, I felt it was time to update the presentation.  Often times I'm so busy with my students, books and learning/applying new technologies,  I don't articulate well what I do.  I'm guilty....I do a very poor job describing accurately what I do with print and non-print material.  Along with encouraging the love of reading, my job now consists of using technology to instruct, create and enhance lessons taught in the classroom.
That's me reviewing my students
'Behind the Paws' Twitter Activity
     Honestly, if you were to pass by my Library Media Center doors during the day you will think that all I do is sit behind my desk.  Not true, that glance of me behind the desk is only a snapshot of the numerous tasks that I complete in a day, week and month!   "School Library Media Specialists:  Providing the Service That Counts" accurately describes the work I do every day through technology supporting my fellow Library Media Specialists and serving the students and staff at my school.   If you would like to view the videos from some of the slides, just copy and paste the website address from the presentation into the address bar and the video will load.
     I am a school Library Media Specialist and I love what I do!