Caitlin Seguin
High School English Teacher & Instructional Designer
Bachelors Degree
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Secondary English Education- Butler University
Masters Degree
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Learning, Technology and Design- Central Michigan University
Email: caitgenord@gmail.com
ED 385 Information Literacy Practicum
I completed my Information Literacy Practicum at Arsenal Technical High School in the C.L.McClintock Media Center with Librarian and Media Specialist Gregg Nowling. This course allowed me to learn and implement strategies needed in an information literacy setting. I am excited to apply the many insights I've gained while working in the Media Center at Arsenal Tech! I believe my experience benefits me as an English teacher because I have been a part of an active school library staff.
I have decided to reflect on my experiences in ED 385 in the form of a blog. Please follow along with me as I share my time at Arsenal Technical High School with you!
9/11 Library Science
A Changing Profession
9/10 FIRST DAY
An Introduction to Arsenal Tech
Today's Experience:
Today was my first experience at Arsenal Technical High School. I was excited and nervous to begin working in the library of an IPS school downtown Indianapolis. Upon ariving I was shocked at the school's size and beauty. I have never seen such a spread out high school campus. I eventually found my way to the Media Center (after an extensive search and a couple of phone calls). Gregg Nowling greeted me as I took a look around the HUGE media center. Then Gregg offered to take me on a campus tour! He was very entertaining and was sure to inform me of Arsenal's rich historical background.
What I Took Away:
Arsenal Tech's library has a section brimming with free (& brand spanking new) books! I scrouged through the stacks for a few books to take home myself!
Beyond the tangible things, I learned that school history can be important! Especially for a librarian. This gives us a better understanding of the changes that have occured and allows educator's to move forward!
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can students benefit from school history?
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How do librarians make use of all the space in a large library?
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Allowing student choice reading is important!!
9/18 Do Books Become Outdated?
9/17 Planetarium Visit
Technology Across the Cirricculum
9/24 Effective Sorting
Organization meets student needs
9/25 Free Books
Today's Experience:
After taking several books off the shelves last weeks, Gregg and I discussed the idea of creating a section dedicated to African American History. There are several books in the reference section that are written about black history. These books would be more useful and accesible if they were given their own section of the library! This would increase student interest in the reference books and encourage them to make use of the plentiful research materials avialable in the media center. Today I went through the reference section and took books about African American History off the shelves. I ended up with close to 100 books! We are excited to start a new sub-section in the reference section.
What I Took Away:
It is important to highlight certain books or topics in your library. This will increase student interest! The reference section is not often used by students and may even seem rather scary to some. If the section were sorted into sub-sections I think students would be more apt to use the books available to them in the section.
This would also present a useful tool for teachers who are teaching a certain topic. To be able to direct students to a certain section of the library to find resources would be extremely helpful. We are hoping this new section at Arsenal Tech will be especially useful during African American History Month in Feburary.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can you sort your libraries materials to meet the needs of specific teachers? Or specific projects?
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What is the best way to organize your libraries materials?
Today's Experience:
This morning was my first normal day of observation in the school library. We started doing some of the 'normal' school library things. I learned how to help students check out books, what Arsenal students read most, and how the books are organized in our library.
Remember the walkman? music tapes? the razor flip phone? Today Gregg, Mrs. Butler and I had an important conversation about how library science is constantly changing. With new technology developing on a daily basis, technology can be very difficult to implement in a classroom setting. This is why many school's shy away from new innovative technology. Technology is quickly outdated.
What I Took Away:
It is important despite the constant changes in technology to familiarize your students with different resources. That is our job as librarians right? The library is no longer just paper resources but has opened up to the vast world of technology. We must prepare students to be indenpendent learners. There are some pretty awesome things that can be done!
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How do we stay on top of innovative technology?
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How can we apply this technology in classroom's across contents?
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How do we help teacher's implement these resources in their lessons?
Today's Experience:
Arsenal Tech receieved grant money to build a planetarium in their old auditorium. I was lucky enough to preview the new addition to the school before any of Arsenal's students. The technology to run a planetarium is very complex. However, they have made the software very easy to use for educators. Gregg was even able to play a video on the planetarium from his smart phone!
When observing I began to think about how the planetarium could be used across the cirricculum? Plantariums are most often associated with astronomy and science. How awesome would it be if you could use the planetarium to study the geography of Asia, to do a writing activity about constellations for an English class, or for an interactive math activity?
What I Took Away:
The planetarium is an awseome resource for teachers and students to visualize the world and things beyond our world. As educators it is in our best interest to use the technology available to us. This would be an awesome opportunity for coteaching between a teacher and the Arsenal Tech Librarian!
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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What are some ways to use the planetarium in an English content classroom?
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What kind of activities can the school librarian develop with the planetarium that would interest teachers?
Today's Experience:
Today I helped Gregg and Mrs. Butler clean out the reference section of the library. Since Arsenal Tech has been around for so long many books on their shelves are very old. We even found a few books dating back to the 1930s! We spent the morning going through the section and weeding out books that have become "outdated."
We ended up taking about 300 books out of the collection. Many of the books we decided to take off of the shelves had not been useful to students and any of the information could have been found online. "Modern Authors" is not so modern when it's dated 1940... Gregg has not yet decided what they plan to do with the old books but they will most likely donate them or give them away.
Do books really become outdated? If books have not been used in a long time are they worth keeping? How do you decide when books become irrelevant? Are reference books becoming outdated because of the internet?
What I Took Away:
Books do become outdated. Reference books that is! These books have to be replaced often because the information is constantly changing.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How do you determine when a reference book has become outdated?
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Are books that students don't often use worthwhile or just taking up space?
Today's Experience:
Today I want to highlight a very special part of Arsenal Tech's library! When Mr. Nowling moved to Arsenal Tech this year one of his main goals was to create a space for video shooting and editing. When he began to set up for the school year, he came across a room stocked full of unused books. He wants to convert the room into an editing bay so he had to find a new space for the unwanted materials. He decided to give the books away freely to high school students who may not many books to call their own. There are hundreds of books of all different genres and topics. This is a great opportunity to encourage students to read on their own by providing them with the materials to do so!
What I Took Away:
I was lucky enough to be offered to take any free books that I was interested in. I took about five books to read for an ED 420 assignment. It is also a great resource to help me start building up my classroom library!
I have been watching students observe the free books section all semester. Although some students showed interest in it at the beginning of the year I think a lot of students do not know about it. Student often ask: "Are these books really free?" I think with a little more promotion students would make better use out of this section. Students at Arsenal have a great learning resource with all of the free books!
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can we encourage students to use the resources which are available for them?
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In what ways can we help students realize the importance of reading? How can we influence students to read for fun?
10/1 Personal Favorites
A Librarian's View
10/9 The Green Room
Where the Magic Happens
Today's Experience:
Each of the librarian's at Arsenal Technical high school have created a selection of books that they suggest to students. Mr. Nowling's selection includes several books with different genres, messages, and plots. Some of the books in Mr. Nowling's collection include: The Hunger Games, Paper Town, Slaughter House 5, The Tommy Knockers, and Rocket Boys. I wanted to highlight this small portion of the Arsenal Tech library to show how the little organizational tactics in the library make a difference. This section allows Mr. Nowling to direct students to a certain section of books when they ask for suggestions. He is ready to discuss these books and is passionate about them! It is a great way to enourage students to read on their own.
What I Took Away:
Creating a personal section in the library can help your students to understand more about you. This opens up the floor for discussion between the librarian and student. When people become involved with a novel of their choice they often want someone to discuss it with. As a librarian you should read the books you often see students checking out so you can help start these conversations with your students. I think it is important as a future teacher to make connections with your students. What better way to build a relationship then over a good book?
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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In what ways can we create personal relationships with students using books?
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How can teacher use choice literature in their classroom? How can we choose novels that interest a lot of students?
Today's Experience:
As I was checking books in today I realized that there are certain books that are very popular amongst Arsenal Tech students. The most popular books that Arsenal Tech students check out are manga books. I had never heard of manga until this year. However, I was interested in what these books were about. I have scanned several of the books at the Arsenal Tech library and plan to read one for my ED420 assignment. After a little bit of research I found out Manga is:
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Japanese-influenced comics or graphic novels.
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graphic illustrations that are easily identifiable.
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Manga is translated to "humorous pictures."
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Manga writers are highly respected in Japan
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It has began to spread to TV
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Manga is read from right to left
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The characters have large eyes, small mouths, and colored hair
What I Took Away:
Students are interested in an assortment of different books. It is important to know what students are reading for fun. There are ways where comics could be used in the English classroom and students who enjoy Manga would likely enjoy the assignment. Some students enjoy illustrations and pictures over text-heavy books. As teachers we must ask students about what books they like to read and try to implement them in the classroom.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can we use comics in the English classroom?
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What different genres of literature are there for students?
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Can illustration-based books provide as much content as a text-based book?
10/2 Arsenal's
Most Popular
10/29 Multi-Media Resources
10/10 Arsenal's Campus
Media Center Location
Today's Experience:
Today I want to highlight a special part of the library that Mr. Nowling has been working on. The Green Room located in the back of the library in a small room is available for students use. Arsenal Tech High School recieved grant money for their media center. Mr. Nowling wanted to create a space where students could have access to video recording equipment. The room has already been put to use this year by a class who spent a few weeks working on filming and editing a Town Hall meeting. Although there are a few things that Mr. Nowling still hopes to improve in the green room it is a great opportunity for students to become involved with technology. Eventually students may even create a morning news for Arsenal Tech.
What I Took Away:
Students who have a creative drive should be provided with opportunity to put their skills to use. It is our job as teachers and librarians to expose our students to the different technologies that are available to us. I could not stop thinking about all of the cool English projects that students could complete using the Green Room. I think if Arsenal Tech teacher's were more aware of the technologies available to them they would be more open to using them!
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can we allow students to use film in the classroom?
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How do you monitor a room like this one to be sure that students are using the equipment properly?
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What kind of classes could benefit from use of the Green Room?
Today's Experience:
Today I learned a lot about the magnet programs that are offered at Arsenal Tech High School. There are seperate buildings on the campus for the different magnet schools. The Magnet schools include Math/Science, Career Technology, Star Academy, and New Tech High.
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Math Science: Focused on math, science, information literacy, computer science, and medicine. Seniors get to experience an internship position. These students have a rigorous cirriculum and must maintain a high GPA.
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Career Technology: This program prepares students for a particular carreer covering anything from manufacturing to culinary arts.
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Star Academy: This program is focused on plant and animal sciences especially agriculture and environment. They offer a hands-on learning experience with many college scholarships.
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New Tech High: Provides students with the skills needed for success in the 21st century. This program is a project-based approach where students work together. It is focused on character building.
What I Took Away:
These different programs offered at Arsenal Tech is what makes it such a diverse learning environment. Students and Teachers from across the curriculum use the Media Center. It is important as a librarian to have resources readily available for all of Arsenal's learners. It is interesting to learn about the different opportunities students are given to succeed at Arsenal.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can the library provide different resources for all the magnets?
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How can the librarians encourage the magnets to visit the library?
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What kind of projects could be developed for co-teaching with the magnet learners?
Today's Experience:
I spent the afternoon today helping Gregg sort out the multi-media closet in the Media Center. There are hundreds of materials avialible for students and teacher that aren't books. With today's advancing technology the library is expected to have more resources then just books. The multi-media resources have to be updated often because technology is constantly changing. We decided to reorganize the room by separating DVDs, VHSs and audio tapes. This would make it much easier for teachers to find what they are looking for. Also teachers can look in certain areas depending on the device they have available to display the video.
What I Took Away:
Teachers are often looking for fast easy ways to access materials. There are so many video resouces available at the Arsenal Tech library. It is important that the librarians are focused on staying up to date with their video materials. Videos are becoming more and more popular in the classroom as a way to encorporate current events, pop culture, and technology. The library should provide many resources for teachers in the video form. It is important to be knowledgable about all of the resources your school library has to offer. Teachers should be able to request certain movies or videos to be purchased by the library. This would mean that the resources available are valuable.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can teachers and students be encouraged to use the video materials at the library?
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What kind of system can be implemented for teachers to make requests about resources the library purchases?
10/30 How Many Students?
Keeping Track of Media Center Users
Today's Experience:
Today Gregg told me how he wants to keep track of which students are coming to the library. It is difficult to make students sign a sheet every time they come so he decided to scan their IDs. This way he knows roughly how many students are visiting the media center each period. As with every high school media center, Arsenal Tech struggles with keeping the library a place where students are on task. Students often use the library as an escape. The students at Arsenal are required to have a pass before entering the library during the school day. It is a librarians job to monitor students who are using the library to be sure they are staying on task.
What I Took Away:
The overall success of the media center relies on its proper usage. Students should be coming to work and to use the resources available tot hem. It is important as librarians to stay focused and aware of the students who are in the library. As a teacher, we must make sure students have a legitimate task to accomplish in the library before filling out a pass for them. Communication between teachers and librarians are essential for a successful media center.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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What is the most efficient way to keep track of students who enter the library?
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How do you make sure students stay task-oriented in the libarary?
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How do you keep students from goofing off?
Today's Experience:
Today was a special day for Arsenal Tech High School. Basketball player, Trey Lyles, a top 20 national ranked recruit selected which college he chose to attend. I was lucky enough to watch Lyles make the big reveal. We headed over to Arsenal Tech gym right after I arrived today. The gym was full of the ESPN crew who was present to film the big debut. It was awesome to see such an influential student make an important decision. Lyles is a role-model for many students. He is known for his responsibility and dedication to school and basketball. It was cool to watch the filming of his college choice of Kentucky. There was a lot of excitement at Arsenal this day. Here is a link to the video from ESPN
What I Took Away:
It is important to be excited about positive publicity for your school. Trey Lyles is a good role model for all student-athletes. He is following his dreams and will play professional basketball some day. Librarians should encourage and promote positive publicity for the school.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can students in the news who are positive role models be promoted in a school setting?
11/5 Trey Lyles
Students and the News
Today's Experience:
Today in the library we talked about John Green, a local author famous for his novel, The Fault in Our Stars. This book is being made into a movie that is coming out in theatres very soon. I actually read the book this summer and would reccommend it to all. The book is about teenagers who are dealing with terminal illnesses. Their friendship and love defy the confines of their cancer to create a sad but hopeful story. The book even mentions Butler! I think it is important to engage in conversations about literature with your co-workers and studnets. This encourages each other to keep reading and to broaden our horizons. I am interesting in reading Looking for Alaska, another one of his novels after talking about it with Gregg.
What I Took Away:
Conversations about literature are important. We must challenge readers by providing book suggestions for them. We also should read books that are popular amongst our students. Teachers could spark student interest in certain books by highlighting them in the library. Just by making a small poster or a special section can draw student attention to novels they might not otherwise notice.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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What are some ways you could highlight a certain book in the library?
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How can we encourage students to talk about literature amongst themselves and with librarians/teachers?
11/6 Project-Based Learning
A Great Opportunity for Co-Teaching
11/1 Local Authors
Spotlight: John Green
11/12 Library Debt Forgiveness
Supporting Students Who Use the Library
Today's Experience:
Many classrooms across the country are making the transistion to a project-based learning approach. This week at Arsenal, a Health teacher has brought her class to the Media Center each day to work on a project. Her students were doing research on drugs and addiction. This required students to understand the research process to find valuable and appropriate sources. The students were expected to prepare a persuasive arguement defending or protesting their chosen topic. The students seemed to enjoy the freedom they had to explore their topic. It was interesting to watch a health class take this approach to learning in action! Students were working on their own and were expected to teach their class about the topic they chose. I think it was an awesome opportunity for student choice and voice!
What I Took Away:
I value project based learning as a teacher. I think students are motivated to learn when they are given a little more freedom to explore what interests them. Project-based learning provides a great opportunity for teachers to cooperate with their media specialists to maximize a studenst access to resources and technology. Media Specialists should encourage teachers to create projects focused around big ideas. It is important to have varied assessment in the classroom so a project-based approach can be a great way to implement variety in any classroom.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How could I use project-based learning in an English classroom?
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What kind of materials could I ask a Media Specialist to provide for my students?
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What are some big ideas or questions that I could ask students to answer in a project assessment?
Today's Experience:
Students at Arsenal Tech are required to return all of thier library books before the end of the semester. Every semester there are students who have misplaced library materials and are forced to pay to replace them. This semester, Arsenal decided to promote the school's Food Drive instead of requiring the students to pay for misplace materials. The students are required to bring 5 canned goods for every book they cannot find. This is a great opportunity to encourage students to give to the less fortunate. It is a reasonable request of students instead of forcing them to pay for any materials they have not returned. This is a great idea during the holiday season to encourage students to give to others.
What I Took Away:
I think this is an awesome little project and way for the media center to promote the schools charity effort. I heard some students express interest in donating. It is important to encourage students to use the library. By allowing students to donate to charity rather then pay fees for missing books, I think students are more likely to continue using the library and checking out books.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can teachers also implement charity in the classroom?
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How can the library continue this idea throughout the school year?
Today's Experience:
Arsenal Tech applied for a grant for their Media Center for this school year. The Library Fund Grant that Arsenal qualified for wil provide the media center with 5 iPads with accessories. Two of the iPads are for the librarians use and the other 3 will be used a video cameras in the green room. This will allow many project opportunites for students and teachers. The cameras are easy to use and will create clear and effective video footage. This grant is an awesome opportunity for Arsenal to purchase new technological resourcs for thier library. Although the iPads have still not come, the librarians are thinking about different uses for them.
What I Took Away:
It is important to stay on top of technology in a school library. Students should be exposed to technology in school and should have the opportunity to use it in their learning. The grant that Arsenal applied for will allow the school to advance in its technology. As teacher's we should be aware of the updates in the media center and should be willing to try out the new technologies with our classes. This advancing technology is a step towards making a more modern classroom environment for 21st century students. I look forward to hearing about the different projects that students complete once the iPads are delivered.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How could I use iPads in an English Classroom?
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How can the librarians encourage teachers to step out of their comfort zone and try new things?
Today's Experience:
After observing a conversation between a classroom teacher and librarian today I realized how conversations about literature are important for co-workers. An English teacher expressed her issue with finding a novel for her AP students that was fitting for all of her diverse student needs. Ms. Butler and this English teacher identified alternative books that dealt witht he same theme or subject as the book she was planning on teaching. Together they found 3 different books that her students could choose from. This would allow all students to be successful in the classroom and would promote students choice.
What I Took Away:
We must engage in conversations about literature with our co-workers. Together Ms. Butler and this English teacher were able to identify three great novels for students to choose from in her classroom. This would allow students who are stronger readers to push themselves while other students could read novels of a different difficulty level. The school librarian can be a great resource for assistance with lesson planning. Ms. Butler knows a lot about literature and has read countless books. She is a great resource for Arsenal Tech teachers who need help finding good books that are aligned with their cirriculum.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How can conversations about literature be useful in the school setting?
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What are some ways you could encourage these conversations to happen?
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How does offering students choice in classroom literature positively affect students?
11/19 Class Specific Books
Providing Options for Diverse Students
11/20 Library Grant
How will Arsenal Use Grant Money?
12/3 Co-Teaching
Reading Class Uses Green Room
12/4 Final Reflection
A Semester at Arsenal Tech High School
Today's Experience:
Today I had the opportunity to watch Gregg coteach with a Reading teacher. The teacher had developed a project for her students that required them to use the green room. The students really enjoyed this interactive project and enjoyed the creative aspect. After reading a novel, students were grouped together and had to come up with an alternate ending to the novel. There were several different conclusions the students came up with. It was really fun to see the students work together and use technology during class time.
What I Took Away:
It is important as teachers to use the resources that are available to use. If I was a teacher at Aresnal Tech I would try to use the technology that is present. Gregg has a background in Television and knows a lot about video recording. As a teacher, I would take advantage of his skills and ask him to assist me in creating a interactive lesson for my students. Co-teaching is an important part of overall success of a library. Teachers must be active in asking for help from the library professionals.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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How could I use the Green Room in my English classroom?
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What are some other ways I could co-teach at Arsenal Tech?
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How can a school encourage more co-teaching to occur?
Today's Experience:
Today is one of my last visits at Arsenal Tech. I have spent the day reflecting on what I have learned this semester. I have watched countless interactions of the librarians with teachers, students, and other school personnel. These interactions are a key part of the success of the library at Arsenal. The librarian should always be willing to positively interact with classroom teachers. A school librarian should be an open resource for teachers to access. As a future classroom teacher, I will seek to build a relationship with my school librarian so I am aware of the resources available to me. This will make my job much easier and will make my classroom a place where information literacy skills are encouraged and required.
What I Took Away:
After working in the Arsenal Tech library this semester, I have a more thorough understanding of what it means to implement these information literacy skills. I now understand that information literacy can be taught to students in small ways. To develop information literacy skills is a necessity for today’s students. Research is a major part of student life, it promotes students to become independent learners for a lifetime.
Culminating Project Insights/Questions to Ponder:
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In what ways can librarians at Arsenal help teachers implement information literacy skills?
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How can the librarians be more active?