Author Archive
Edmodo is the Key to Online Forum Discussions in Schools
MassCUE opened my eyes to many new ideas and technologies but the tool that seemed like a sure and easy go-to application was the amazingly simple but effective Edmodo.com – a forum-like platform for students to communicate in varied groups and for teachers to manage without stress or confusion.
When I returned to school after the conference, [...]
Tales from and Reviews of YA Authors and the Books They Write
Young Adult (& Kids) Book Central: So many reviews at my fingertips! I like that it’s a companion to a handy Website, too. Overall, a nice resource.
http://yabookscentral.blogspot.com/
Mitali’s Fire Escape: Mitali Perkins came to visit my school a few years ago and her presentations were a big hit. She’s as approachable in real life as she [...]
My Annotated List of 7 to 10 Things
After hating technology’s existence for the majority of last week and this, I have to donate some blog space to technologies I have to admit I wouldn’t want to live without.
As a shout-out to a brilliant English teacher friend, here’s an annotated list of 7 to 10 of those items, in no particular order, mind [...]
Making the Impossible, Possible
Technology is driving me crazy. Sometimes I have to have a pep-talk with my librarian self and remind her that she became a librarian because of literature and as far as anyone can tell, literature is not going anywhere any time soon. However, sometimes I wish that broken SmartBoards and DVD players and VCRs (I [...]
Google: I love you! Except…
I am a huge Google fan. I morphed from dabbling in Google Docs from time to time to having my Calendar, Several Docs, and Reader open on my desktop at work each morning before I even brave the sometimes insurmountable inbox that is my school email. I also used Google accounts last year with students [...]
Mexico, Mr. Darcy, and Me
It’s with delight that I bring Bailey the Library beta fish back to his position on my desk and settle into my middle school Library for the next 10 months. Okay, maybe not delight, but honest excitement and happiness, for sure.
I had a great summer. For three weeks, some friends and I visited Playa del [...]
Waiting for Normal
No, I’m not sitting around waiting for a normal day to happen upon me. Perhaps that’s because I know and love the fact that there really is not such thing as normal.
I do know that I just finished Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor and have a great desire to shout its praises to the [...]
Brokaw Says: Life is Junior High
My parents, my sister Claire, and I woke up in New Rochelle, NY Saturday morning, had a debate about which train to take to Fordham University for its 164th commencement ceremony, gobbled down breakfast, and walked briskly to the train station. Mom wanted to take the 9:00 train, Dad wanted to take the 11:00 train [...]
My Weekend Reading List
The Sox lost. The Celtics lost. And I stayed up until 11:30 only to watch the Bruins end their season. I’m exhausted from a week that included a school committee meeting and open house at my school. But…
I’ve got an excellent weekend reading list smiling at me from my desk!
Waiting for Normal by Leslie Connor
And…
The [...]
Three Cups of Tea
While flying home from Costa Rica with 21 8th graders a few weeks ago, I read the young reader’s version of the book Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin. I have not yet read the adult version of Greg’s story, therefore this was my first formal introduction to the story [...]
