Thing 12: Final Reflection

I am just going to go for it and bullet my final thoughts on CoolTools this year:


  • I really enjoyed the topics I blogged about. I noodled around with other topics, but the ones I chose, I felt I would be most useful to me (both professionally and personally) and/or to share with others.
  • I learned I prefer Blogger over WordPress, both because I found it easier to use and because it works with my existing Google account and I don't have to switch platforms.
  • I used Bitmoji to create signage for my library and also to add a personal touch to emails and feedback to students and teachers. I showed several teachers how to Bitmoji and they loved it.
  • Admittedly I still haven't done much with Instagram and I found out it is blocked at my school so I couldn't do the Instagram based Library Scavenger Hunt with students even if they were allowed to have their cellphones.
  • I have used the Snipping Tool ad infinitum to save and/or print items that would not allow me to print portions... such as PDF documents and items that were in "read only" mode.
  • I sent an email to English and Social Studies teachers about doing a lesson on News/Media Literacy. I had one teacher take me up on it this year, and several of the Participation in Government teachers said that they would like me to do a lesson in the beginning of class next year.
  • I shared several of the webpages I found on CoolTools with the ENL teachers and am thinking of doing a workshop on what is available online for them next year. These teachers are always very grateful because they are often expected to differentiate instruction for their students  without being provided any extra materials/resources to do so.
  • Turn Ringer Up to 100% is the best tool I learned about for my personal use and the 5 Minute Librarian website is one that I saved to my Favorites to go to whenever I have downtime in the library. (Sometimes during exams we have testing and I'm caught up on my cataloging and have to be quiet :0)
  • Anything Goes Google gave me the opportunity to spend time working with apps that my students use all the time because we now have Chromebooks in the building. Not only can I help them if they get stuck, but I learned new stuff about Classroom, Slides and Forms that I can use to create lessons.
  • I saved the best for last. I think my favorite topic this year was Social Reading. I love the idea of connecting with other people and bonding over literature. I love being able to get and give suggestions for books. It was also very cool to find websites that promoted love of writing as well as love of reading.
I love CoolTools because it lets me work on Things when I have time, for as long as I want and come back to them if I get interrupted. I have a fear of social commitment and I hate blocking out time for  traditional PD. This way I can work on my Things whenever I don't have something more fabulous to do. Not that I don't enjoy learning new Things, but sometimes life can be time sensitive. For example, right now my husband invited me to go for Icecream. If I were in a workshop, I would have missed out. Because this class is on line, and especially because this is my last Thing, I am going to celebrate with a hot fudge sundae. 

Comments

  1. pollyMay 20, 2018 at 4:45 PM

    Best reason ever for online workshops! Ice cream with your sweetie! :) Hope you enjoyed the hot fudge sundae. Thanks for participating. Enjoyed reading your posts and learning along side you.

    ReplyDelete

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