Podcasting

I have been thinking about how I could use podcasts for my elementary media center. I finally had the idea that I could use them to record myself reading stories or doing book talks. I can also record students doing book talks. Book talks are a great way to encourage other students to read. When a child recommends the book other kids are more likely to be interested and read the book.

I had my daughter use her Itouch to record me reading a story for St. Patrick's Day. I put it on my website. Kids love to be read to. One of their favorite sites is one of celebrities reading stories. So I thought I would try one of me reading to them.

I am trying to find ways to get the students in my school to use the website more often. I thought this would be a great way to get them to do that.

The other idea I had to use podcasts was to film new things in the media center. We just had a mural painted on our wall and this is a great way to share it. I thought using podcasts to share new books that have just arrived would be a great use for podcasting.

This is all new to me so I am excited about trying out some new ideas!

Blog Set-up and Frustration

Well, I seem to have managed to get this blog up and running but it is pretty basic. I took my instructor's advice and went to blogger to set up an account since I have never done this before. I didn't have any idea where to go. My blog is very simple. I honestly haven't figured out yet how to add pictures. I did manage to get my profile posted and chose the design of the pink. There weren't a lot of choices and this one seemed a little more appealing. I will continue to play with it and see if I can make it more interesting to people reading it.

I had to link my blog so that my instructor and classmates could click on it and come to it. Well, I am pretty good at doing basic things like that but for the life of me have never been able to get it to link. So my instructor told me not to worry about it. That was probably the most frustrating part of this whole blog experience! I am going to go to the list of 23 things in media and decide what to try out next and add to my blog. See you again this weekend!

Blogging About Reading

I saw a great idea on one of my fellow media specialist's webpages today. She is blogging about her reading to her students. It is a similar idea to using Good Reads to show students what you are reading. But by blogging about her reading she is reaching out to her students in an updated fun techy way to share what she is reading.

I have also seen media specialists blog about what they are doing in their media centers on a weekly basis. I have even found some great ideas for different grade levels by reading some of their blogs. This is a great way to reach out to parents to let them know what is happening in the media center.

I have never thought about having a blog for my library. But I am beginning to think I need to get with the times. This is a great way for students and parents to interact with the media specialist. It is also a wonderful way to share the media center with the public and that goes beyond just the school. Other people can look at it just as I have to get new ideas.

I am beginning to enjoy the idea of blogging! Who would have ever guessed! :)

Good Reads

I have not posted in a while. I have been down with flu for the last week. I keep feeling like I need to work on this class but haven't been up to it. So now I am sitting in bed trying to get over the flu and blogging! I signed up for goodreads.com. I was really excited about this website because as a Media Specialist it is a way for me to share my own reading with my students. My fourth grade students are required to read "Battle Books" which are Sunshine State readers. I am reading them too. I decided to use goodreads to keep my students informed about what I am reading.

I had the idea to get my 4th grade students each an account so they could post their reading and respond to my reading. I emailed goodreads.com and they told me that students had to be at least 14 to participate on this website. So sadly, my fourth grade students can't participate. However, they can read my postings. I added it to my webpage on the school's website for my students to see.

I have enjoyed posting comments about my reading. I think it would be great for middle and high school media specialists because their students can respond to their reading with their own accounts. It is a great website.

My Day of Blogging!

Well, today is my first day of blogging. I have never done this before. I have a lot of friends that have. A couple of my friends I followed on their cancer journies as they blogged. I have never really had a reason to do this so it is all new to me. I have a feeling it is going to be as addictive as Facebook!