Looking Back

It was a very good year.

In case you're wondering:

January: New MacBook
February: Daughter & her husband with their new Scion xB
March: Elementary students enjoy books in the LMC
April: Forsythia in bloom
May: Tim & I at a wedding on Dunham's Bay, Lake George, NY
June: En plein air painting in our backyard
July: Tim's pictures on display at the Remington Museum, Odgensburg, NY
August: Morning workout at Saratoga Racetrack
September: The family (except for SIL, who had to work) enjoys Tim's retirement cruise
October: View of Lake George from Prospect Mountain
November: Riding a school bus on a field trip to Warrensburg, NY
December: Mom and her new afghan
Center: NECC Librarians' Panel, San Antonio

The Alamo

"In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone,
There's a fortress all in ruin that the weeds have overgrown.
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a one,
But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun,
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by;
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky:
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more;
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for."
-Marty Robbins, Ballad of the Alamo

One of the most highlights of my trip to NECC this year was a visit to the Alamo.

As a child of the '50s and '60s, I grew up with some TV heroes. Most of them were cowboys, with one shining exception: Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier.



I understand that the Disneyfied version of this real American was occasionally (O.K. mostly) short on historical accuracy, but my further reading and research on David Crockett never dislodged my affection for this icon of my youth.

My husband shares the same generation and the same sentiment. One of the most meaningful moments for him, of our vacation in California a few years ago, was a visit to the Fess Parker Vineyards, where he posed for a picture with the portrait of our childhood idol.

I realize that the story of the Alamo and the Texans' fight for independence from Mexico is a complicated one. But I found myself in tears as I stood in the old mission building that many people regard as a shrine.

To commemorate this visit, my husband created a painting for me. It is one of my chiefest treasures and dearest mementos of San Antonio.

" In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone,
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone.
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before,
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar.
And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow,
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory at the siege of Alamo."
-Marty Robbins, Ballad of the Alamo

"Sunset" by Tim Cordell
"Davy Crockett Poster" from tvparty
"Line in the Sand" by dmcordell

Where in the World? Part 2

I decided to create a companion mosaic to display after the Animoto clip has played. This would allow for discussion of the visual clues to the geographic area that's being spotlighted.

There are infinite variations on the Where in the World? theme. For example, individual students or teams could brainstorm significant landmarks, products, topological features, etc. of a city, state, province, country, continent, or biome, locate appropriate pictures, then challenge their classmates to identify what's being described. A similar project might involve finding images of the 7 wonders of the ancient or modern world.

Partner projects, like Where in Time ? or Where in History? would utilize photos and illustrations of primary source artifacts, buildings, and reenacters.

Upload some vacation photos and give it a try - then use your product to model the activity for a class. And, please, share your masterpieces with the rest of us!

Where in the World?

Since I hope to incorporate "geography literacy" in my Current Events class next year, I decided to make some Animoto clips featuring different parts of the world.

My first one was inspired by NECC. Can you guess Where in the World it is from the images? If anyone else would like to spotlight a city or country via Animoto, Voicethread, or any other tool, please send a link and help me build a data bank.

Troika

People are beginning to reflect on their NECC experiences. For me, there were three distinct but interconnected components.

Workshops and presentations were the marquee attraction. Internationally-known speakers, emerging Voices, and classroom innovators were all well represented. They shared information, explored core concepts, and provided valuable resources. As the member of a Librarians' panel myself, I was able to experience the positive energy such opportunities generated.

Another aspect of the conference is the Exhibition Hall, where vendors demonstrate products, answer questions, and conduct mini-workshops.

I found the official NECC program to be overwhelming, containing such an embarrassment of riches that I ended up only attending a few sessions. There was too much to take in, a sensory and cognitive overload. I'm hoping that many of the presentations have been captured on Ustream, so that I can explore at my leisure, a la K-12 Online.

The Exhibition Hall was similar in its excesses, but it seemed to focus primarily on things rather than thoughts. I dutifully sat through a few mini-workshops, but I was too keyed up to settle for long and ended up leaving many of the giveaways I received there in my hotel room. One quick sweep was enough to convince me that this was not a profitable space for me to spend much time exploring.

My favorite area was, as many of you might guess, the Bloggers' Cafe. Although a number of "getting to know you" chats took place, there was a rich and deep vein running through most of the conversations. People like Dean Shareski, Al Upton, Stephanie Sandifer, Dean Groom, Derrall Garrison, Vinnie Vrotny, and Jo McLeay stopped to say hello and stayed to explore such topics as internet/personal safety, student blogging, the power of f2f connecting, building student "excitement for learning" and teacher burnout.

Australian Dean Groom professed to be puzzled by the recurring "dream" motif in America. He prefers to focus on five achievable goals; when they're accomplished, he moves on to the next set.

Vinnie Vrotny told the story of his daughter's desire for a "fine dining" experience which led to a life lesson in gathering information.

Dean Shareski reminded me that our twitterverse comprises only a tiny percentage of the educational technology world, a fact that I need to keep in mind when interacting with other teachers and information technologists.

Stephanie Sandifer and I shared our distaste for the aggressive, intrusive tactics of some of the vendors.

Most fun for me, as a librarian and reader, was discussing literary genres - and favorite books - with Derrall Garrison.

Carolyn Foote demonstrated the features of her iPhone and Doug Johnson let us examine his Kindle. I reconnected with Joyce Valenza and met my dear friend Cathy Nelson for the first time in "real life."

I know that each of us took something home with us from NECC.

Which part of the troika appealed most to you? More importantly, how have you grown, how will your practices change, as a result of this extraordinary gathering?



"Troika" from Wikipedia

The Name Game

I'm still processing my NECC experiences. I've taken notes about some interesting conversations: there is fodder for at least a dozen postings on my little pad.

The best aspect of NECC for me has been, just as I anticipated, the opportunity to link names with faces, blogs, and Tweets. I've been able to connect with individuals, to examine concepts we hold in common, to expand understanding, to explore new trains of thought. It's random, unpredictable, magical.

Until I'm back home with "worlds enough and time" to do justice to this period of intense sharing and growth, I'll leave you with some images of what matters most to me - my PLN. People.

It's always about the people for me.
















"I have bought golden opinions from all sorts of people." -William Shakespeare

Not All Who Wander are Lost

We arrived safely in San Antonio after a rather tame journey. NECC is exciting and overwhelming.

The best part of the experience has been, as I expected, meeting some of my PLN in person.

There will be oh so much to post about in the future. But for now, Vaya Con Dios.

Leaving on a Jet Plane

Saturday morning, my husband and I will leave for San Antonio. I'll be participating in NECC 2008 (the National Educational Computing Conference); Tim will be visiting art museums and checking out the "Cold Margaritas and Hot Senoritas" (Hmmm).

I've already mentioned in Twitter that we'll only be taking carry-on luggage: a duffel bag for hubby, and a backpack, with laptop compartment, and a small handbag for me. After a few less than successful incidents with airline baggage handling, we're convinced that traveling light is the only way to reach your destination with wardrobe intact.

If you would like to follow our example, you might want to visit One Bag for tips on how to avoid overpacking.

A challenge faced by vacationers hoping to travel light is the restriction on the type and size of liquids and gels that are permitted in carry-ons. The Department of Homeland Security's TSA gives updates on the current regulations on its site. Remember 3-1-1...no more than 3 ounces per container packed in a 1 quart ziploc bag with 1 bag permitted per traveler.

The size of the carry-on is also important. Rules vary by airline, but a general rule of thumb given by the FAA is "the maximum size carry-on bag for most airlines is 45 linear inches (the total of the height, width, and depth of the bag). Anything larger should be checked."

A final tip to make your trip less stressful: go to Expedia and read the guide to whichever airports you connect through. There you will find information about food, shops, activities, even smoking areas. Rather than settle for the limited (or non-existent) food choices on an airplane, purchase a sandwich or regional specialty to munch on. Oh, and be sure to include some extra ziploc bags to contain leftovers - you don't want any drips or leaks to stain your pared-down wardrobe! [I usually tuck in a Tide pen, just in case]

I love to travel and am very excited about exploring San Antonio for the first time. I'm bringing along a small tote bag to contain any tiny treasures we find there. Anything larger can be shipped home.

No checked luggage for this couple - we want to get there and go, not wait at a carousel for cases that have taken an unexpected left at Albuquerque !


This entry is cross-posted on This Mommy Gig.


"Suitcases" by masochismtango

NECC: The posting

My first NECC, and I couldn't be more excited! I'll get to attend Keynotes, check out new technologies on the exhibition floor, and explore a city that is legendary in American history.

As a member of a international panel of librarians, with Joyce Valenza, Carolyn Foote, Cathy Nelson, Anita Beaman, Judy O'Connell, and Kim Cofino (presenting remotely), I will get to experience the conference from both sides.

Not bad at all for someone with these stats:

Feed, Tag, Research: Remixing for School Library 2.5

Date: Wednesday, July 2
Time: 8:30 a.m.
Location: Grand Hyatt San Antonio
Room: Lone Star Ballroom F

Remember: Information fluency isn't just for librarians any more! Please come join us and add your voice to the conversation.