They say I must be one of the Wonders...

(From SchoolLibraryJournal.com)

I felt it necessary to start this blog post in the same way that R.J. Palacio started her novel, "Wonder", which is with a lyric from Natalie Merchant's song of the same name.  From the time I started reading this amazing book, that song was in my head non-stop.  It was one of my favorite songs when I was in middle school, which I also thought was appropriate for this book as the story chronicles Auggie's journey into middle school.  I realized when I finished reading the book that the song is extremely fitting for the story. Auggie truly is a wonder, as is this story.

I read it at the end of the last school year, and immediately wanted to share it with my outgoing fifth graders. Because there was only about a week of school left, we weren't able to fit it in.  So I decided to ask the two fifth grade language arts teachers to read it, and to consider using it with this year's fifth grade class.  I thought they could possibly read it aloud and discuss it with the students.  I wasn't necessarily expecting a large project to come with it (though I encouraged that, as is my job as a Media Coordinator).  I just wanted the students to hear this story.

What actually happened is that my fifth grade teachers LOVED the book, and felt the same way I did: our students need to hear this story and they need to hear it now!  So they decided to use it as the first read-aloud for this school year.  As the fifth grade team teaches, each teacher has two language arts classes per day, which means reading it aloud twice every day.  No worries there!  Both teachers love this story so much, and recognize the importance of it that they are enjoying having the opportunity to read it multiple times.

And the kids?  I'm not sure I have the adequate words to describe how much they are loving this book!  It's so cool to see each class with different opinions and thoughts and reactions about Auggie's story.  They agree on a few things: Julian is a jerk, as is his mom.  They're recognizing the learned behavior in that connection, which is also interesting.  They all think Auggie is hilarious, but they're also recognizing his negative qualities - crankiness, selfishness, and rudeness at times.  We're talking through all of these emotions, and why he's experiencing these things as well as why his reactions may be different from ours at times.  Our students have fully embraced this book, and we couldn't be more excited!

We've decided to use this book in a number of ways.  Once the teachers finish reading, which should be pretty soon, the students will be asked to create written responses to the story in which they will choose a character and discuss the story from their point of view.  Point of view is a big part of their LA standards this year and they're still figuring out what it means to "walk in someone else's shoes".  Our school is a STEM school, so we are also going to tie in their Science curriculum.  They happen to be studying the human body and genetics this quarter, so we are going to have them think about Auggie's deformations in the physical, genetic way.  They will research a few different genetic disorders (Down Syndrome, Tay Sachs, colorblindness, etc.) to see how they appear in humans and what the effects are for the people who have them.  We can then tie that back to Auggie and discuss how his disorders would have been carried by his parents and then showed up in him.

Once the three of us read the story, we knew we wanted to get our Guidance Counselor involved as well.  So we gave her the book and asked her to read it too.  She loved it just as much as we did!  In her words... "I love the book because it touched on several topics that I discuss such as Bullying, Self-Esteem, All the Character Traits on Wake County's list, the 7 Habits of Happy Kids book I'm using this year, and dealing with feelings."  She's planning to use the book with the 5th graders this year to tie the story into her curriculum and activities.  She's also thinking about using the story as a focus for February's Pennies for Patients coin drive, discussing with students how Auggie's medical needs would be similar and different from the students for whom we raise money.

Lastly, what have we done with it in Media?  We spent this week using Wordle to create word clouds that describe the story and Auggie.  I was so impressed with the words that the students wanted to use, and their feelings about Wonder and Auggie.  Here's our collection of Wordles...

They are now posted on the wall outside of their classrooms.  Here's one of the word clouds for Wonder...

We discussed how even though the plot summary of the story sounds like it would be a really sad book, most of the words that the kids used to describe the story were positive words: funny, happy, emotional, cool, awesome.  And here's one of the Auggie examples...

The students wanted to know if it was okay to use the word deformed, and I told them they could because that is part of who Auggie is.  He wouldn't be the same wonderful kid without that part too.  But I loved the words they used to describe him the most: smart, happy, good friend, awesome, cool, inspiring.  Many kids also listed words like brave, rare, distinct, unusual, courageous, and, of course, Star Wars fan!

As you can already tell with this LONG blog post, we LOVE this book!!  We're so happy that our kids have latched on to it as much as we did.  I really believe that our love for the story translates to the kids, and that their recognition of that makes them love it that much too.  One of our teachers was talking about how she cried as she read the same part in both classes, and how silly she felt doing it, but I think it's moments like that that help our students know that it's okay to be moved by a story.  Many of my students have asked me where they can buy the book, and if a movie is going to be made from it.  Their excitement for this story makes me realize again why I love my job so much - I get to help connect kids with stories that change their lives.  It's the most wonderful thing I get to do!

We'd like to issue a big thank you to R.J. Palacio for writing this story that is changing the way a lot of us think and act in our daily lives.  Stories like Wonder help us to understand each other a little better, and everyone benefits from that. We're so proud to be a #WONDERschool !!

Somebody gets it!!

The editorial at the link below was featured in the Houston Chronicle:

http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl?id=2011_4958826

Thank goodness there are people out there who understand how important and relevant librarians still are!

*The editorial mentions librarians teaching high schoolers how to use Wikipedia correctly.  For the record, I teach my elementary students that too.  :)

Digital Media and Education

Though I may be a little behind, I finally watched the PBS special "Digital Media" that aired last month.  If you haven't watched it, especially if you're an educator, I encourage you to do so immediately.  It can be viewed through the link below:

http://www.pbs.org/parents/digital-media/

Watching this special gave me a couple of different reactions.  First, I was greatly inspired.  While the schools and programs featured in this show are undoubtedly special when it comes to the tools with which they work, the message and ideas are universal.  Digital media is here to stay, and kids need to be equipped with the skills necessary for using it to their advantage.  I immediately started thinking about how I can use the technology that I have with my students to enhance their learning and allow them to create to their full ability.  We don't have as many technology tools in my library as I would like, but I have more than a lot of programs and I have been guilty of not using it as I should.  That will change.

The fact is technology isn't going anywhere.  As much as some of us would like to stick to the traditional methods of learning with which we were educated, we can't.  It may be scary, and it may be intimidating, but it's reality.  Our kids are going to be using these technologies for the rest of their lives and they need to be taught how to use it ethically and responsibly.  This leads to my second reaction.

We need librarians and media specialists now more than ever before.  In case you didn't hear that, let me repeat.  WE NEED LIBRARIANS!!  I can't count the number of times I've been questioned about what I actually do anymore.  The general public seems to be convinced that because we have the Internet and e-Readers (Kindles, Nooks, iPads, etc.) that librarians are becoming careers of the past.  They couldn't be more wrong.

Librarians are necessary to the future generation's ability to learn and understand the technology with which they are working.  Yes, kids have the Internet for information.  No, they don't necessarily need print encyclopedias anymore.  But how many kids understand that Wikipedia doesn't always present accurate information because anyone can edit it?  How many adults understand it for that matter?  Not many.  They need people who do understand that, and who can explain that to them.  Like librarians.

Does it sound like I'm fighting for my job?  Yes, because I am.  Librarians all over the country are in the middle of fighting for their jobs.  School districts are cutting them left and right because they are "non-essential teaching positions" or "non-teaching positions".  There are many things wrong with our education system, and this is a big one.  The kids are the ones who are suffering by these cuts.  They need their librarians to be there to teach them how to use technology to better themselves and others.  This includes being taught ethics and responsibility.  It means being taught that bullying on the Internet is the same as bullying in person, if not worse.  That the ideas that are presented to the public on the web are still someone's ideas that are protected and should not be stolen to use as your own.

Many school districts are saying that classroom teachers can take over that part of education.  To them, I say that's not fair.  It's not fair to add yet another responsibility to teachers who are overworked and underappreciated as it is.  It's not fair to expect them to be experts in yet another huge field that is constantly growing and changing.  I work on this full time, and it's hard enough for me to keep up with all of this.  I couldn't imagine having the ability to be an expert in digital media and technology (and all that goes with it), as well as an expert in every other area of education, as we ask our teachers to be.  They need someone who is an expert in media (again, librarians) to work with to present the opportunity for a full education to our students.

If we value our children and the opportunities for societal growth that they are, we need to take a serious look at how we handle our ever-changing technological landscape.  Giving a computer to every child is pointless if we don't provide the education on how to use it well.  The students on the "Digital Media" special were using technological tools to create amazing things...music, movies, games...all incredible tools for learning and incredible tools for communication and personal growth.

Parents and educators often worry about what our children are doing with technology.  How are they abusing it?  How is it hurting themselves and others?  We often forbid cell phones and iPods in schools.  What if we actually get involved with what they are already using?  What if we take the things in which they are already interested, like movies, music, and games, and turn them into educational opportunities?  What if we actually have conversations with our kids about all of this?  How would that change the American educational picture?  How would it affect our students' ability to be competitive with students from other countries?

Please don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we need to completely abandon all of the work we have been doing thus far, or that we need to replace everything with technology.  I'm not saying that at all.  We just need to tweak it.  Integrate what we are already doing with what we COULD be doing.  One teacher in "Digital Media" used a great example...without art, kids wouldn't know colors and shapes.  Without colors and shapes, they can't expect to become the graphic designers they want to be.  Integration.  (Now, art teachers are being cut all over as well...but that's another topic.)

It's important to understand that this is a new direction, and we are going to have to be flexible in our learning as well.  We are not going to have all of the answers.  Problems are going to arise that we don't anticipate.  We're going to have to solve them as we go, and not let those issues slow us down.  It's going to take work to change some of what we've been doing, but we don't have to change everything at once.  It's very easy to get overwhelmed by all of this, but pretending it doesn't exist or that we don't have to use it is not going to help anyone.  Baby steps are okay.

At the end of the day, we have to ask ourselves a few questions.  As one of the principals in "Digital Media" stated, "What do we want our schools to be?  What do we dream for our schools and for our children?  What are the most important things that schools can teach kids?  And wouldn't it be wonderful to have a national conversation around that?  And at least start to figure that out.  And then, from there, start the process of maybe trying to reinvent what education looks like in this country."