#iisdilearn

It has been awhile since I have blogged over here.  This Busy Bee has been uber busy in libraryland (well.. and 2 master classes.. Destination ImagiNation.. Girl Scouts.. and more) But, today was AWESOME! But... first up.. checkout my amazing new logo! Seriously.. Heck Awesome has taken such good care of me! I finally ordered new business cards and am planning on putting it on a jacket and bag too!

Today our district had a iLearn Digital Learning Day! Now, I won't lie when I woke up at 6am this morning my bright and cheery self was not all in for it! I LOVE learning.. but my brain has been so fried.  I knew it would be great.. but sometimes you still have to pump yourself up. 

IT WAS AMAZING!!! Yes, I am saying that much louder than I usually say things!

Of course there were a ton of people that made this amazing day possible (the whole Irving ISD Instructional Technology and Learning Resources Departments!).. but Carrie and Martiza did a great job making it happen.  there were over 40 sessions that were lead by fellow Irving ISD educators. Each session that I went to was relevant and had great information. I have added lots of Twitter links so you can go follow these awesome people.

I spent the first two sessions in the Collaboration Cafe.  It was participants choice.. sort of EdCampstyle.  I got to hang out with Luli and Dario who are both great ITS.  We talked (oh wait.. I listened and learned) about Doceri, Kahn Academy and Google Classroom.

3rd session that I was able to go to was all about BrainPOP. You guys know that I love BrainPOP! But seriously, have you seen the new updates? The Make a Movie is AMAZING! I can't wait to share this with my own teachers.  Already thinking about how I can implement this in the library!

Always love running into Arturo!

Sketchnotes from the BrainPOP session

I work with an awesome ITS (who I totally failed at getting a picture with!) and she has been using Seesaw and training teachers. I have seen her use it..and have been wanting to learn/use it more.. but you know there are ton of apps out there and there are only so many hours in a day.  I am super excited to finally sit down in a session and require myself to only pay attention to this app.  Angela and Karron had some great ideas how to use Seesaw in every type of classroom.  Y'all if you are a teacher and you are looking for the next great app.. you need to download and use Seesaw!

Ideas I had:

-Karron gave me the idea to use Seesaw during Bookfair to share books with parents.. SERIOUSLY!!!

-Angela gave some great ways to differentiate instruction for all types of learners.

-I would like to use Seesaw as exit tickets... but rather than creating separate classes for each class at school.. making a class for each grade level and the names be the classes university that they have for NEU.  

My brain is still percolating on how I can use this in the library.

My last session of the day was School Libraries: Learning Made Easy.

OMG! I have been in libraryland since August.. and let's face it.. I don't know anything! George and Kristi had so many great tips and tricks. Irving has a plethora of resources.. and I use a ton of them, but of course there are so many more.

Things I learned in this session:

-World Book has Dramatic Learning

-It is super important that when staff and student access the different digital resources.. they are doing so from the school webpage

-Novelist!!!

-Sorting our resources by grade level

-Britannica ImageQuest

-Saving lists

This list could go on.. and on.. and on.  I can't wait to share some of these with my own teachers to make their life easier.

George and Kristi had so many great tips and tricks!

Cool wall where participants could add puzzle pieces with what they learned throughout the day.  (My mentor librarian Renee rocks!)

Where you could add your Twitter handle

 I know I overused amazing.. and there are too many exclamation points, but seriously it was a great day of learning! I was able to connect with other educators and take away so many ideas that I can incorporate in the library.  I love library land, but I feel that my technology has not been as great as it could be, and this gave me a chance to only think tech and collaboration today.. which I haven't had a chance to do in awhile.  Want to see what I have been doing in libraryland.. head on over to Bee In the Bookends.  Thank you to all the people that made today such a successful day or learning.  I know that I walked away brimming with ideas (and I also know that I wasn't the only one.. go check out the #iisdilearn tweets)  Thanks of course to Patricia Alvarado for continually pushing Irving to great technology and digital resource ideas. Of course thanks to Dawn, Keith and Shane for supporting all of Irving!
What a great day!