GoAnimate

GoAnimate is a website that allows students to create animated videos.  2nd graders were the first students at our school to use the GoAnimate4Schools website.  Here's one video created by a 2nd grader.

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate for Schools.

LOVE the Library!

Who doesn't love the month of April?!?  My flowers are blooming and the weather is PERFECT for flip flops and playing outside.  Even more exciting this year is getting to celebrate SCHOOL LIBRARY MONTH.  30 days devoted to school libraries--this is better than Christmas!!  April also brings National Library Week (April 8-14).

I'm proud to call myself a Librarian--or Library Media Specialist--because I have the awesome power of impacting almost 400 students every time they walk into the library.  I love everything about books--the way they smell, how the pictures enhance the story, and how they take me to new places.  I share this passion with students and hope they become voracious readers.

Maybe I'm a little biased, but I think Librarians are some of the coolest people on the planet.  Andy Doerr writes in an article for the Boston Globe, "Books are like drugs, readers like junkies, and...good librarians like drug dealers."  Check out his amazing article, Let us now praise libraries, librarians by following this link.

Author Brad Meltzer shares his love of libraries and librarians in this video.

For more ideas about celebrating National Library Week, click here.  School Library Month ideas can be found here.

Happy Reading!!!

PIE--An amazing book!

I just finished reading PIE by Sarah Weeks.  I first heard about this book at a Peggy Sharp workshop in November.  As a first-year librarian, I didn't know anything about Peggy before attending her workshop, but quickly figured out when she blesses a book, it's a really GOOD book!  PIE just happened to be one of those books, so I bought it at our book fair.

This is the point where it makes sense for me to give you a summary of the book and then tell you why I liked it so much.  But, others have already done that, and I agree with the hype surrounding the book.  So, I decided to include some links for you to explore.

Click here to read Chapter One of PIE.

If you want to read a plot synopsis and reviews from School Library Journal, Kirkus, and more, click here.

Sarah Weeks has a fun blog.  Click here for the blog's home page.  Click here for a fun blog posting by Weeks about PIE.

Scholastic has a great interview of Sarah Weeks.  Click here to read it.  Thanks to John Schu for posting this.  By the way, if you don't follow him on Twitter, you really should.  He's @MrSchuReads

Here's a review from the YA Librarian Tales blog.  Follow Sarah, the author of this blog on Twitter @whtabtpineapple

If you haven't read PIE, you should definitely head to your local library and check it out!!

A Letter to Teachers From Santa

I found this on Twitter and had to share it (thanks for posting, @mrandrewlindsay).  This is Santa's letter to teachers called "10 Reasons Why Teachers Must Be Magic."  Click here to read the article.  Definitely a must-read.  It's witty, fun, and is a great reminder of why I love life as an educator!

more Twitter info

Twitter programs

Computer-Tweet Deck  www.tweetdeck.com

(you CAN download this on school computers)

Smart Phone-Tweet Deck, Hoot Suite

My # recommendations

#edtech

#ISTE11

#tlchat

#QRcodes

Blogs and Twitter

Open publication - Free publishing - More blogs

Lady Gaga & Leadership

I raised a few eyebrows when I ordered Lady Gaga: Singing Sensation by Sarah Tieck for our library a couple months ago.  I didn't order the book to stir up drama, but wanted a book that would hook students.    Actually the book is well written, and provides insight into how Gaga started her career.  It's a hot ticket item in the library, and we can't keep our Lady Gaga book on the shelf!

I recently read an article called 12 Most Overlooked Leadership Nuggets from the Artistry of Lady Gaga by Shawn Murphy.  He actually nails these leadership lessons, which include:

1. Have a cause
2. Passion
3. Know when to ease up
4. Know your craft
5. Befriend competition
6. Surround yourself with talent
7. Encourage
8. Fame is a monster not worth chasing
9. Stay relevant
10. Controversy is exhausting
11. Costumes leave us suspicious
12. Reinvention

Make sure to check out Murphy's explanation for each leadership nugget.  You may be surprised by what you learn!  I also found another short article worth reading called "Lady Gaga and Leadership."  If Gaga's quote in that article doesn't define humility, I don't know what does.

I was pumped when I heard Gaga was going to have a Thanksgiving special on television.  While I loved her interview with Katie Couric, my favorite part of the special had to be her performance of "Hair."  I love how Gaga discusses bullying in the introduction. 

Actually I'm starting to learn just how much Gaga is working to stop bullying.  Here's one article in the Washington Post about Gaga sending an anti-bullying video to a student (via @markbrumley).  Another
Washington Post article discusses Gaga's Born This Way Foundation.  When I went to the foundation's website, I smiled when I read the following:

The Born This Way Foundation’s goal is simple, to foster a world where youth are empowered, humanity is embraced, and individuality is encouraged.

This global effort starts with today’s youth. By empowering and inspiring our young people to promote bravery, tolerance, and acceptance, we can change the way people view those who are different from them.

Not only am I a fan of Gaga's music, but I'm also a fan of the leadership lessons we could all learn from her!