Howard's ISCI 761 Blog

During a meeting with other teachers this week, someone mentioned a new policy change in our school district that she had been informed of via email. Immediately, I jumped on Facebook to see if that information had been posted in our teacher’s Facebook group so I could see it for myself. This was just one example of how often I use social media as a news source, which has been commonplace for most people these days. Even my own students, who are ten years old, tell me about things they learned on social media, especially YouTube and TikTok! While this form of informational diet can be quick and easy, it is not always the most professional. A school librarian should focus his or her information diet around credible and reliable sources. The Framework for 21st Century Learning highlights the importance of information, media, and technology skills and their connection to life skills. This framework is a generalization of all the major literary skills that students, and people, need to b...

  Students in Mrs. Howard's fifth grade class enjoying a Book Tasting in the school media center.             Many teachers and librarians are familiar with hosting a “book tasting” where students get to sample different books across genres to find out what they are interested in. Mary Lou O’Connor, a Massachusetts school librarian, has taken this same approach with digital literacy. She constructs restaurant style menus that combine her lessons with digital resources all aligned to the American Association of School Librarian’s National School Library Standards and the ISTE Standards for Students and Educators. By taking this approach, Ms. O’Connor is able to blend library standards into lessons that are fun and engaging.             By keeping her frame of reference for creating digital lessons that meet standards and are still fun for children, it is easier to see how ...

  Hello everyone! My name is Samantha Howard and I go by Sam. I am located in the Charleston, SC area. More specifically, I live in Goose Creek and work in North Charleston. I am currently a fifth grade ELA teacher for both core and gifted students. This is my sixth year teaching and I work very closely with my school librarian, and I am working on transitioning to become a school media specialist myself. I have always been an avid reader and my first job in high school was even at Barnes and Noble. As far as true library experience, I have none! I started this program this past summer so I have only taken five classes, but I am very excited/ eager to gain experience. My dream job after graduation would be as a school media specialist on any grade level, or at least continuing to work with children/ youth.  On a personal note, I have two children; a  three year old and a one year old, so I keep very busy! My husband works for Barnes and Noble and books are a huge part of ...