Plugged-In

New officers for next year are:

President-Mary Christmas-

Chair Elect-Mary Woodard Secretary/Treasurer-Jeanne Martinez

Secretary, Treasurer-Jeanne Martinez

consultant from Region one spoke about the Texas Star Book Award , a bilingual book award. The purpose of the program is to:

• promote reading
• for readers to discover the cognitive and economic benefits of bilingualism and multilingualism in a global community

ELL students are concentrated in Houson, Edinburg, Ft.Worth, Dallas and El Paso.

Why?

• books are portals to the universe as well as reflections of character and soul
• children engage in literature and read more when they see themselves positively portrayed in stories

Of the over 4 million students in Texas 46% are Hispanic, 14% African American, 36% White, 4% other.

Selection criteria:

• positive representation of Latino/Hispanic culture with authentic portrayal of characters
• must have been originally published in Spanish or Spanish/English bilingual format
• content must be appropriate for grades K-6
• must be of high literary quality
• must have received a positive review in one of the major reviewing sources or the Tejas Star committee
• Must be of interest to children in Texas schools
• must have a publication date between 2004-2008

See link above for complete list of books on the 2008-09 list.

Time for break provided by Heinemann

from TLA spoke about advocacy for school libraries. The study between TEA and the State Library is due in December. The hope is that the report will convey a plan of action. Beyond the local district, most respondants taking the survey sent by the agencies felt that TEA should be the agency to cover school libraries.

The dinner Thursday evening was so enjoyable! Jim Roberts was surprised with a cake and picture signed by TASLA members for his birthday. It was unclear which birthday it was but I think that’s how Jim wanted it. We ate at the remodeled Oasis that overlooks Lake Travis and claims to have the best sunset in Austin. Judge for yourself! It was truly beautiful!! Dinner provided by BTSB, Discovery Education, Britannica, and EBSCO.

Barry Bishop, Vaughn Branom and Liz Phillipe presented what they are doing with the 23 Things in Spring Branch.  Can’t blog on this one due to wireless access constraints. Here’s the website for the wiki to follow along. They are offering this workshop for teachers and have about 300 participants this summer.

and dinner tonight provided by BTSB, Discovery Education, Britannica and EBSCO.  Thanks again to all vendors for keeping us well fed and happy!!

talked briefly about the Strong Libraries, Strong Scores. It has been thorugh all major cities in Texas. It will be April 1, 2009 in Houston. He wants input as to whether to change the format. Suggestions:

• changing time due to TAKS; not possible.
• see more dynamic librarians with their administrators doing a good job
• Ketih Curry Lance-needs to stay; stats speak to administrators
• perhaps a locally recognized person to speak
• divide up by grade level for part of presentation; elem vs sec
• present research component especially with new eng/LA TEKS
• include TEA; Karen Kahan
• keep librarians or not??
• pinpoint specific sessions admin may attend afterwards (principals guide to TLA)
• possible video conference for those who can’t attend; maybe districts could host their own mini conference using the video

TEA update. She is in new position, promoted as unit manager for Educational Technology.

School libraries are leading the way for technology use in schools. School libraries inspire literacy. School libraries don’ t matter without certified librarians. School library programs affect achivement when collaboration occurs.

Setting the course for we can go-

• Long range plan for technology–databases were funded
• Rider 88-huge success that provided funding for databases; this should continue.
• Progress report on the long-range plan for technology-this is our opportunity to let legislators know our successes.

Please email responses to karen.kahan@tea.state.tx.us to the following questions:

1. What strategies have you used to spread the word and get your schools using databases?
2. How have the databases made a difference in student achievement: Do you have success stories?
3. How have you met the recommendations in the LRPT?

TEA Curriculum–hottest news are the new LA and Reading curriculum standards approved;

Differences in 1997 TEKS and2008 TEKS–new area is RESEARCH!!

Fall 2009 required implementation of the new ELA/Reading TEK

Fall 2010 -reading ELA/reading literature tetbooks in the classroom

See new reporting requirements for Instructional Technology here. See correspondence to districts and then the additional reporting requirements for NCLB.

Librarians should be filling out the Star Chart. If librarians have not filled it out they need to do it now.gy

Goal for database activation is 100%

Statewide TETN videoconferencing through ESC’s set tentatively for August 20th. 1:30-4:00 They will try to reschedule due to back to school staff dev.

TEA will get a new website that will be easier to navigate. YEA!!

Get on the admin lists from TEA. You will be informed as soon as administrators get the news

SIDE NOTE–Karen is going so fast; I have missed many things…sorry if you don’t see something here she talked about. My fingers are burning from typing so fast!

Karen will send everything to David with the links we need. (thank goodness)

P

High school librarian, Northwest High School, presents, “Engaging young Adults–Making high school library programs work”.

Even though our students are digital natives, they are literary immigrants therefore our job is to help them with literacy. We need to use their technological formats to reach them. For example book talks need to be amped up ; instead of just talking use a slide show. Create videos or mini commercial’s for books to engage students. Naomi shared many of her great book talks that she uses with students. Animoto is one free program that she uses to create videos. It has a great hip MTV style to the videos. She shared many of her “book talks” and podcasts with the group.

Shelfari is a program she is using with student to review and keep up with books read. The students have to review a book before they can add it to their shelf.

How does she find time to do it all?

1. 5 minute commute so she can get there a little earlier and stay a little longer
2. Library assistants
3. other librarians
4. conferences (her motto is to take something back to use)
5. Mentors and heroes–hers are Terri Lesene, Cherry Fuller, her principal,
6. workshops attended and presented
7. Listservs-TLC, LM-NET, YALSA-BK

Library Commandments:

• accessible in time and relationships
• be a colleague in collaboration
• get snuggly with YA fiction–never break up with it
• understands teens today not the teens of your youth
• know and use thy technology and continually work at it

She ended with a movie from  Simple Truths

GREAT job Naomi!

Time to eat again!! Break provided by Worldbook

Great breakfast of eggs, bacon, sausage and biscuits and gravy provided by Gale and Baker and Taylor. As you can see, David’s shirt is a nice blue today that will surely wake us up should we get sleepy! Door prizes given this morning so we are off to a terrific start!