One of the first things I saw in the early morning dark was the orange bag containing my neighbor’s Sunday paper. I wish I’d pick up a subscription for these few weeks of vacation! I’d love to smell that crisp cold newsprint and leisurely read articles I know I miss on the ‘net. I settled for Twitter, email and GoogleReader.

Tayari’s tweets about her quilting remind me of the quilt project I began years ago when my children were little kids sledding down the slight hill at the house next door. Each year after Christmas, I woudl create three identical squares with the intention of putting them into quilts for my children as they moved into their own homes. I didn’t know that I’d pretty much give up quilting when I went to library school and I certainly had no idea they’d leave so quickly, and pretty much at the same time! So, I still have the quilt squares, and the plans!

I also have a Time article I’ve been holding onto since last May in “The Future of Work”. I think this is the kind of thing educators need to read, sooner more so than later 🙂  I have a few other real life reads. I’d been planning to put blogging and YA aside for a while, but I can always find one more that I’ve gotta read! I just finish Fire from the rock and Graffiti girl reviews are coming!) and the plan was to read adult for a nice Christmas break, but then I saw Unsigned Hype.  I’m currently on a mission to find some urban fic appropriate for 7th grade boys in a school library, so I have to read this. I find boys are my strongest readers, but the edgy stuff that will keep them reading is missing in my media center. I’ve found L. Divine and NiNi Simone for the girls, now I need the same caliber of lit for boys!

I’m trying to get ready for a New Year by replacing my missing business cards. Bookmark business cards? What would be more appropriate for a librarian?!

It’s tragic more educators don’t get what librarians do. Having gone to library school makes me a better educator.  Maybe one day I’ll go back to the classroom, or invent the perfect library classroom. I was directed to this article in an Australian newspaper via Twitter. It’s about a school that is has been developed around adolescent brain development. and makes so much more sense than something as senseless as 90 minute class periods for adolescents.

The teen brain develops the ability to think in abstract terms and figure out how systems work. The brain develops the ability to set complex goals and follow them. Teens must learn both broadly and deeply. The biological urge to master a topic they care about is intense.

As well, the very structure of their growing brains demands that they launch themselves on a passionate quest for meaning and identity – in their own lives, in their social setting and in the world at large. Social interaction is key. (Think of the teen interest in instant messaging, Facebook and other ways of staying in touch.)

Teens are on the road to becoming fully human.

To many educators and neuroscientists, the traditional high school represents a tragic waste of the powerful adolescent brain.

The traditional school struggles to box in the vast adolescent energy and bend it to function on adult terms for adult goals. In traditional high schools, kids are getting factory schooling and their big brains are being treated as storage reservoirs rather than dizzyingly creative machines.

It’s the opposite of what the teen brain is geared for.

Returning to a new year, this becomes a difficult question: when does routine become a rut? Routine is where we are most able to teach the uplanned, unintended and most powerful lessons, and when they become ruts there too is an unintended lesson.

One of my most interesting reads this week came via and email listserv on teaching with technology. Someone was asking for Smartboard lesson plans and a respondant very professionally transformed the request into a lesson on teaching with technology as opposed to 21st century teaching. Certainly we should be incorporating the interactive whiteboards, movie clips, distance learning, blogs and wikis however, as is often quipped, ‘technology is just a tool’. 21st century teaching, with these tools, becomes collaborative with fewer boundaries. It compels students to create their own knowledge products, involves students AND teachers in the planning process, has real world implications and seeks answers that are not know prior to the research. It empowers students as they are actually allowed to share what they know and can dol This type of work can be be done offline, on paper and in person; its a new form of approach.

I made the mistake of watching CNN for background noise while composing this post. Yep, I”ve found another book! Fareed Zakaria is just  introducing  In other rooms other wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin. The book gives a “window into Pakistani daily life beyond policy, war and Taliban”.  Zakaria’s recommendation of a book that offers a slice of life seems like a must read to me!

Holidays! Not much new there! It’s often about the tradition. I wish each of you a very merry, and joyous season as you and your family celebrate as your faith and your ancestors have taught you. I wish you peace… and a very good book!