NANOWRIMO day 21

I read this morning that I should be up to 36,000 words by the end of tomorrow to be on track! Oh my. Well, I pumped out a little more than 1,000 words after reading that, so I’m up to 19,000 words now. I’ve been to Starbuck’s and I am caffeinated and ready to get to work.

I know some people hold to the idea that you shouldn’t go back and read. The idea is to just get it all on paper. I am at the point, however, when I need to go back and see the whole so I can understand where I am going. I have to find the places which need filling out. This is my task today. I don’t know if it will help me pump out word count today, but I find that I can produce a decent amount of work if I know where to start. It is very similar to cooking. If I have a menu plan, I have little difficulty in coming home and preparing it. If, however, I have to root around the kitchen hoping an idea will pop out and grab me, that is when I find it difficult to succeed.

I have a plan. Now I hope for inspiration and concentration.

NANOWRIMO Day 13

NANOWRIMO has been a truly awe inspiring experience. For some time I have thought that it would be interesting to try my hand at writing a novel. Those thoughts stayed up in my head. Occasionally there would be someone with whom I could share those unexplored thoughts. Did I ever sit down and test the dream? Not really. I found I enjoyed writing for publication and the research process had a grip on me, but actually working on a novel, it just never happened.

NANOWRIMO has changed everything about this dream. I started out with an idea. I came up with the idea on my morning commute. It was an idea born of duress. The commitment had been made to the process...I had to find something to write about. That evening I came home and started pounding the keys. It was shocking to find that the characters were recalcitrant. They did not stay in the boxes I had created for them. They became living, breathing entities with minds of their own. I cannot imagine where they came from. That this book could be written is something I do not doubt. That it is being written by me is nothing less than astounding.

I find that as I have embraced this process I feel more lively and alive. I get more excited about things. I'm having fun.

More than that, I find the way I approach teaching students about the books we read in the library has dramatically changed. I have always stressed that they may some day write a book which will be in our library, the committment to viewing ourselves as authors and illustrators has deepened. I find that students seem to be connecting more deeply with the material and I do too. This process has enhanced my library program in unexpected ways.

I am using my SONY IC Recorder to take snapshots of my ideas on my commute. Least you think I'm holding it while driving, let me tell you my technique. I do not talk on my cell phone while driving, so I had to find a technique for this. I either pull over and make the recording before resuming driving or, I tuck the recorder into my safety belt near my neck. I reach out and touch the red button and can talk for quite a while. Then I press the button again. If I miss, it's no big deal. I know I have succeeded when I hear the beep. Upon arriving home it is easy to replay the tape player and type it into my work.

All in all, NANOWRIMO is an event I would highly recommend to anyone who has an interest in writing a novel. It's not easy to keep at it, but it is a transformation experience which I am glad I embraced.

Digital Native Reality Check

Today I witnessed a scene which I will not find easy to forget. Three boys who looked to be around ten years old, exiting a digital art class exclaimed "Oh, since Internet Explorer 7 came out I can't get any of it to display correctly." The others chimed in about their thoughts regarding an array of software technicalities which I could just follow. Ten years old and talking like software designers in their twenties!

What does that say about what we must do to keep these boys engaged in the arena of mandatory education? They are already solving problems, using 21st Century Skills, applying what they learn to create products. When they are now asked to create power point slide shows of something they have already learned in class over the course of several years, how excited will they be? How excited would we be in the same set of circumstances?

I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking back on my youth and feeling that adding a bit of technology would make a project more interesting. Students today are more saavy than that. Dangling the opportunity to incorporate simple technology into their lessons is hardly that motivating to them. We really need to ramp it up a bit if we are to capture their interest.

Where I really see the role of the School Library Media Specialist really making an impact is in helping youth in putting the package together. Making sure that the medium is not stealing the spot light from the message.

Regardless, I feel new pressure to keep up with technology, to find new ways to harness not just the technology for the wow effect, but also as a seamless vessel for the message.

NANOWRIMO 2009

Reading Paula Yoo's blog a couple of days ago I found out about NANOWRIMO. Short for National Novel Writing Month, NANOWRIMO encourages folks to write a novel in the month of November. The focus is not on perfection or editing, rather the point is to write intensively. Despite all the other things I am doing and the fact that I really don't have time, I decided to sign up and give it a go. I may not meet the goal of completing a 50,000word novel, but I'm pretty sure that I will write more than I would otherwise.

Rhode Island Festival of Children's Books and Authors

My bag of books

Yesterday I had the great pleasure of attending the Rhode Island Festival of Children's Books and Authors. It was held at the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island. What a wonderful gathering of authors, illustrators and people who love books! The school itself is a beautiful building - certainly one which inspires excitement and awe. The people assembled inside were what made the day special.

Unable to attend the morning events I missed some great author talks. Lucky for me, I was still able to meet people when I had books signed.

The people I met and the books I bought:

Paul Zelinsky made you feel like you were doing him a favor. He is a truly gracious man. I got Swamp Angel and the last copy of Rumplestiltskin. We cannot keep his books on the shelves in our school library.

Jerry Pinkney made you feel like you were coming home. I loved watching him as I stood in line. He was relaxed, enjoyed people and smiled a smile which made my worries fade away. I was so happy to purchase for a dear friend a copy of The Moon Over Star, winner of the Coretta Scott King Award this year and the book Barack and Michelle Obama read to second graders. For myself I bought Goin' Somewhere Special a book which is special to me as a librarian. I had to have Jerry Pinkney's Little Red Riding Hood because it was the book which made me stop 10 months of research to change my focus. It was a pivotal book in my thought process about fairy tales and equal access.

Next was a talk given by Christopher Paul Curtis. There are no words to describe just what a delight his talk was. His easy manner, his sense of humor, his sense of timing - all impeccable. Later when I had him sign a copy of Bud, Not Buddy for a relative who is from Flint, Michigan, it turns out he knows another relative of mine. The world is a small place.

Brian Selznik was a delight. The Invention of Hugo Cabret was my pick this time. When meeting him by accident before his signing, we asked if he could sign the book. He replied that he didn't have time to sign the book, that he would be happy to do so later if only we would be able to come to his table, he would want to sign it properly. All the time he was giving this monologue he was signing the book with a wicked smile on his face!

Padma Venkatraman was there signing an intriguing book called Climbing the Stairs, among other titles. I can't wait to read this book. She was charming and had materials for teachers and librarians to use with her books.

I was intending to get a copy of Lois Lowry's Number the Stars, but it was sold out by the time I got there. So I ended up getting a copy of Gossamer, which I have not read yet. Her talk was humorous, delightful and intellectually stimulating. I am so glad I heard the talk as I became acquainted with some of her work for an earlier age group which I was unaware of. Oh, I have a lot of reading to do.

One of the great things about the day was seeing the people who were there to sign their books being excited to be able to sit in on the talks given by the others. To see people you admire showing admiration for other people you admire makes you admire them all the more.

It was a wonderful day.

MSLA 2009

I’ve been attending the MSLA annual conference this weekend. I always look forward to this conference. There is so much to see, learn and ponder over. I never leave without ideas for implementing in our school. Sometimes it is overwhelming and I wonder how I will rise to the challenge. Sometimes it takes months before I even really comprehend some of the things the speakers and trainers share with us. I wonder how many things I never get. Every year I come back and find something new to stretch me and make me go farther than I thought I could go. I’m so grateful that I live in a place with so many great role models.

Yesterday morning I had the great pleasure to hear one of my favorite authors, Mitali Perkins, in a session on Books Between Cultures. I’ve read all her books, I follow her website, her blogs and yet seeing her presenting I saw a whole new facet of what she offers. Those of you who have her come visit your schools are truly fortunate.

Two great days of great inspiration, sharing of knowledge, and considering future. I have been inspired, affirmed, renewed, challenged, stretched and invigorated. Thanks MSLA.

Old Dog, New Tricks

It’s been a while since I got this fancy cell phone with all kinds of bells and whistles. It seemed great to have all these capabilities, but as it is with so much of technological life today, I didn’t use a minute portion of what I had available to me. I suspect I am not alone in under-utilizing my possibilities. It seems that before we can really master using one thing, the next thing comes along. I feel like a string of unfinished learning opportunities.

Well, this summer I decided to really become more friendly with my cell phone. Photos were the first thing. Then it was using the MP3 capabilities. I’ve been trying to get used to putting my appointments into my cell phone rather than carrying a separate calendar. Along with that is putting all those telephone numbers in there. I’ve even taken to using the note area to make my shopping list. Next on my list is recording things and downloading them to my computer.

As I use my cell phone more, I notice the interconnectedness that is developing between my cell phone and my computer. Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks?