Professional Learning Resources: here, online, and to come

I hate it when one of you gets up and recommends a book -- and I can't say I already have it in the library.  I really do feel responsible for having the best of everything at our fingertips.  Save me the shame by letting me know ahead of time, so I can at least get it on my order list.  (Better late than never....)

That's the case with Nick Alchin's professional learning talk from last Friday.

I don't have the Daniel Willingham book -- Why Don't Students Like School? -- yet, but it will be in the library within a couple of weeks.  Meanwhile, you can check out Daniel Willingham's website -- with links to his articles, videos, and blog.   I first heard of Willingham when he posted his video, "Teaching Content is Teaching Reading" -- and the connections to the library are obvious.

NB:  This past Monday Willingham had an article in The Atlantic called "What Does Science Tell Us About Teaching Kids to Think?" 


Re the other book -- How People Learn -- I don't have it yet, but -- almost as good -- it's available free online in PDF form and as an MP3 podcast.  Yes, the National Academies Press makes all their publications freely available as long as you register for an account.  What an amazingly generous institution!

Nick is going to organize some reading/discussion groups.  Watch for an email from him.  Meanwhile, get reading or listening.

A reminder as the holiday approaches:  Both our libraries have growing professional learning collections.  Come in and browse.  Here's a link to a list of just some of the Professional Learning books in the Secondary Library.

Register NOW for Hands on Literacy

Register now for Hands on Literacy,  Saturday, November 17th -- a one-day conference run every two years by the international school librarian network here in Singapore.

This November Hands on Literacy will be hosted by the Australian school and two fabulous guest speakers have been lined up:  Dr. Joyce Valenza (USA), winner of an Edublogs Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, and Judy O'Connell (Australia), a course director at Charles Sturt University and educational technology specialist.

Sessions range from Infants to IB Diploma level -- in a number of strands:  Digital Literacy  /  Engaging with Print  /  Visual Literacy & The Arts  /  Research & Inquiry  /   Librarianship

Click here to go to the conference website.

Click here to view all the workshop offerings in a PDF.  (Our own Keri-Lee Beasley & Louise Phinney are offering a session on "Learning Stories".)

Click here to directly access the Registration program.  NB: the Registration Program expects you to create an account (email + password) before you can go back in and actually choose sessions to attend.  Don't hesitate to ask me for help -- the program isn't the most intuitive.

UWCSEA usually pays for everyone who wants to attend Hands on Literacy (and Teach IT).  So when you register, choose the option that says, "Bill my school" or whatever.  Then go to the East Professional Learning site and fill out the application form.

I know you should apply for permission first, but I'm more concerned about you not getting into the workshop of your choice if you wait.  There were some glitches in the registration program so I have waited to push you to sign up -- meanwhile other schools have been pushing their teachers.  Now I worry that some sessions might be filling up.  So hurry!

Last Call! for Hands on Literacy papers - one-day conference at AISS, Sat, Nov 17

You have until August 31st to submit your presentation proposal for Hands on Literacy,  a one-day Saturday conference run every two years by the international school librarian network here in Singapore.   The model is the same as the IT Directors' biennial conference, TeachIT (with which we alternate years) -- where teachers offer workshops for other teachers -- peer-sharing professional development.

This November Hands on Literacy will be hosted by the Australian school and two fabulous guest speakers have been lined up:  Dr. Joyce Valenza (USA), winner of an Edublogs Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011, and Judy O'Connell (Australia), a course director at Charles Sturt University and educational technology specialist.

Sessions range from Infants to IB Diploma level -- in a number of strands:  Digital Literacy  /  Engaging with Print  /  Visual Literacy & The Arts  /  Research & Inquiry  /   Librarianship

The definition of "literacy" is in the broadest sense.... from traditional, Readers/Writers Workshop, to digital storytelling....

Click here to access the Google Form where you can submit your workshop proposal -- or go to the Hands on Literacy website.

To see what the workshop offerings were two years ago, go to the archived 2010 website.

Registration to attend opens September 15th.

The tradition (for both Hands on Lit and Teach IT is that the cost for all teachers and teaching assistants who want to attend is willingly paid for by UWCSEA.  (Nick/Mike/Mary, I'll be in touch....)

To book the secondary library or teacher-librarian...

Simply "invite" libraryeast@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg to a Google Calendar event.

Current bookings for the Kishore Mahbubani Library can be viewed on the "Bookings & Events" page of the library website ( eastlib.uwcsea.edu.sg ).

Please try to indicate what the purpose is (e.g., general book borrowing, textbook checkout,  lesson, presentation) and desired location (e.g., downstairs, upstairs, stage area, Think Tank, The George Orwell Room, The Emily Dickinson Room, The Pablo Neruda Room).

If you say "borrowing" or "checkout", then we know library counter staff need to be available.

To book Katie Day, the secondary teacher-librarian, include her (kda@gapps.uwcsea.edu.sg) in the invitation.

To arrange for any special furniture set-up or catering, use the UWCSEA East Calendar and Venue Booking Form -- after your initial invitation is accepted.

Magazines, Memberships & Digital Subscriptions

Here is an editable (to anyone logged into their UWCSEA Google Apps account) Google Doc spreadsheet which the librarians from both campuses are using as a working document to collect desired:  Magazines, Memberships, & Digital Subscriptions (i.e., databases).

Magazines have been the poor cousins over the past four years, in favor of building up the book collections.  But now we are actively trying to fill those gaps.

Have a look at the tentative magazine list -- and feel free to add any titles -- or to highlight any priorities (using the Insert / Comment function).  We will be investigating the cost/benefits of online digital access and/or print editions.

Professional memberships are another area which needs attention.  Are there professional memberships you (want to) subscribe to which come with online access or print magazines of interest?  Feel free to add any there -- with whatever information you have.

Re databases:  I'm pleased to announce we have recently subscribed to four of the ABC-Clio databases (the ones we were trialing earlier this year):  The World at War, World Geography, World History - Modern, and Issues: Understanding Controversy & Society -- which are well suited to middle/high school students -- as well as Project Muse, which will be more of an IB-DP and teacher resource.  These new ones will be available as of 01-Aug-12.

Do have a look at the databases available FREE via the National Library Board of Singapore.  (The ones most relevant to our students are listed on a separate tab in the spreadsheet -- to see the complete list go to: eResources.nlb.gov.sg .)  Note that there are several geared at educational research -- for those of you pursuing further education.

How can you check what your department owns for resources?

Remember: the library catalogs for both campuses can always be accessed via the URL:

  
library.uwcsea.edu.sg 

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To watch a short video tutorial of how to check what resources your department owns -- and how to login and see who has a particular resource out, click on the link or image below. 

VIDEO:  How to check for department resources
& who has what out?

 

These are the tags currently used to identify secondary school departments (i.e., budgets used to buy resources).  You can combine them with any other keywords in the library catalog Search Box to find specific resources.

ArtDept / ChineseDept / DramaDept / EconDept / EnglishDept / FrenchDept / GeographyDept / GlobalDept / HistoryDept / ICTDept / LSDept / MathDept / MusicDept / PEDept / SciDept / SpanishDept / StudCounsellingDept / UnivCounsellingDept / TOKDept / CurricDept / PsyDept / TechEquip

 

Who is Zarganar? Someone you will meet....

Monday, April 30th, at 3 PM all teachers are invited to the Secondary Library to end our Professional Development Day with refreshments and a short presentation by Zarganar, a famous political comedian from Burma. 

Zarganar is not only a well known in Burma for his satires, but also in the international political and comedian community for his struggle for freedom of expression, e.g., after criticizing the Burmese government's handling of Cyclone Nargis in 2008, he was given a 35-year sentence in prison, though thankfully he was released last October.

Here is a short clip of Liam Neeson introducing him in March 2012 at The Secret Policeman's Ball in the UK, an Amnesty International event:



He chose the name Zarganar, which means "tweezer," because of the Burmese saying:  "If you have any strand of fear, pull it out with zarganar."  As he is also a dentist by training, his pseudonym suggests someone who intends to open the mouth of people shut because of political oppression.

Here is more information about him, sent to me by Thet, the parent who arranged this special visit for us.  (She has two sons in primary -- Justin (3LoW) and Aaron (1GSt).)

He was jailed officially as well as detained unofficially many times and spent a total of 11 years in prison for making jokes about the problems under the military regime.
He fought for freedom of expression and holds the motto of "forgive but don't forget."


In 1991, the Fund for Free Expression, part of the Human Rights Watch organization, awarded him a Lillian Hellman and Dashiell Hammett Grant. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarganar
In 2008, he was awarded the Freedom to Create Prize for Imprisoned Artists. Amnesty International named him a prisoner of conscience and called for his immediate release.
In May 2011, Zarganar was awarded Honorary Life Membership in Equity, the UK performers' union, in recognition of his struggle for artistic freedom in Burma.


People like Hillary Clinton and William Hague called on him to discuss political reforms in Burma during their visits to the country.


You can easily do a Google search about him but for a quick easy reference please visit the links below.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zarganar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IE_jIfut-8k (Zaganar gave speech at a recent Amnesty International's "Secret Policeman Ball")
http://getmoresitetraffic.com/news/Zarganar.html (compilation of articles about him)
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/asia-pacific/thailand/111225/zarganar-burma-comedian-dissident (An article on him by Global Post, written after his recent release)
Zarganar has been featured in This Prison Where I Live, a documentary film by British filmmaker Rex Bloomstein and German comedian Michael Mittermeier, who had traveled secretly to Burma to make the film.
Parts of "This Prison Where I Live"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqgpkTTarPA&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECanPO3EtZQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsu9WznApKY&feature=related

Photo via Equity article on Zarganar's release from political prison in October 2011.