My First Blog

Dear Diary...Ok so I wasn't sure how to get started so I thought I would go with an old standard. I'm really excited because this is my very first post on my very first blog. I have always been a avid journal writer, I feel that it's a great way to clear my thoughts and organize my ideas. But I never got into blogging, probably because I always thought of journal writing as a private way of expressing myself. So this is my first venture into public, or semi-public journal journal writing. I'm also really excited about this class, because I feel as though it's opening up a whole new world of technology to me.

As I began my pre-class reading last week I started thinking about how much there is to learn, and what a great field Information Science is, because it is ever changing. There will always be some new program, or idea that I will be able to bring into my classroom. And that in itself is exciting. As Joyce Valenza said in 30 Years of Information and Educational Change: How should our practice respond? "Retooling was essential for me. It is essential for the survival of the profession" And I am looking forward to that "Retooling", part of the reason why I want to be School Media Specialist is because of the variety. I like that I won't have to do the same thing year after year or even day after day. And even though I am new to teaching, I remember what it was like when I was student, how things have changed. In the article School Library 2.0 by Christopher Harris, he talks about a group of students that are participating in an online discussion group about the book Night by Elie Wiesel. Not only would the students be communicating among their classmates in their own school, but also in other schools, creating a virtual bridge that spans 700 miles. And what a great way to get students excited about reading. I'm sure many of them are already spending a good majority of their time online, why not get some school work done well they're at it? I also think that blogging can be great for students who have a lot to say but have a hard time saying it. Having spent most of the last two years working in a middle school, I know that a lot of students at that age are very insecure, and are not always comfortable speaking in front of their peers. Blogging gives them a new way of staying active in their learning experience.

All of the articles we have read so far have really gotten me excited not only about blogging but also about the future of a School Media Specialist. There is so much out there, and there are so many fun and exciting ways to get students involved. My head is already swirling with ideas of how I can implement all the new things I'm learning, and will be learning, into my lessons.