Promethean ActivTable - Now, We're Talking!

This  fall will start our second year as a STEM school. When we applied our School Board was supportive in as much as they could be. We have received PD, Science Kits, accommodations and many more things I am sure I don't know about.

What we really need right now is Technology. Grants seeking support for 1:1 tech have been submitted and rejected time and again. The list could go on for a bit here so I am going to skip to the good part: A Promethean ActivTable is coming our way!!!! I am not the person to ask about details so again I will breeze over that part.

I checked out the ActivTable and I am excited, more than excited actually! My first thought was that this would be an Interactive Board with legs and would garner some attention for the first month of school then gather a little dust.

After investigating, I love that Promethean KNEW we would think that and created a Table that is to be used collaboratively and not with six kids waiting their turn.

I don't expect that I will use the Table too much in the Library because of the 6 student limit (unless I incorporate centers, which would be a home run) but I am thrilled to see this technology at our school. As of now it seems like tech that is not a gimmick and will engage students while growing us as a STEM school. As we get rolling in the year I look forward to updating the Table progress.

This makes me say again Thank You, Diane Lauer! You are a MEDIA and STEM hero!

Teacher Librarians to Follow on Twitter

 When Miriam Shook pinned this link: 75 of the Coolest Librarians to Follow on Twitter, it got my attention big time. Even in the July depths of summer. Melissa Steele has compiled quite the list of Librarians to follow and there are about 5 I intend to check out in just a few minutes. 

Opening the list I FULLY intended to find at least three specific Teacher Librarians I follow. I can not express my shock that no where in the 75 I did not find Library Girl, Matthew Winner or Mrs. Lodge.

For what it is worth, here is my addendum to Melissa's list: Teacher Librarians to Follow on twitter. More than anything I can pinpoint, Twitter has enhanced our Library. Daily I am inspired and taught by these impressive Educators. * when I follow someone on twitter they have caught my attention with their view on the tech and media merge happening *

By NO MEANS am I a Twitter expert. I KNOW there are a ton of amazing Elementary Teacher Librarians and Tech Innovators I am missing (main reason I was pumped to read Melissa's article). Who do you follow, who am I missing? Please Share! tweet me @mrs_stembrarian

Library Girl @jenniferlagarde What doesn't she cover? My go to for current Media Snapshot

Mrs. Lodge @MrsLodge Don't miss her blog and apps for tech savvy Library

Matthew C. Winner @MatthewWinner I don't know when he sleeps but glad he doesn't

WES Media Center @WESMediaCenter Love this blog as well, display, centers

Jenny Lussier @jluss Tech forward Librarian

Tammy Massman @TammyMassman Inspirational Skype Across America Enthusiast

Kelly Fischer @DixieLMS She plans "Boys, Books and Blocks" Need I say More?

Mrs. Hurley @hurlechr STEM, Tech, Media, Literacy Threads

Kathy McNeiece @kemcneiece Daily Media AND Tech insights

Michelle Gohagon @mgohagon any time I want a tech booster, I check out her blog

Carolyn Vibbert @carolynvibbert her enthusiasm for Elementary Media keeps me going

While pulling this quick list together I fell in love with the people I follow all over again! Every day I am amazed by the work done in education, and twitter brings this right to me. Real time.