A Time to Celebrate
This is a blog post about celebrations!
Celebration #1! We are completing our 2nd year of the Bulldog Readers Blog. We have had over 30,000 visitors in the past two years. It’s been a wonderful experience meeting and conversing with people all over the world. These conversations and the things I have learned from my blogging friends have led me down paths I never thought possible. This has led to celebration number 2!
Last Friday I received the notification from Microsoft that my Partners in Learning US Forum application was accepted! I will be attending the US Forum at the end of July to showcase our 4th grade book trailer project. You can read about our project in our Taste of Hollywood post. I first learned about making movies from our blogging friend, Mr. Avery. He is a master at movie making and urged me to give it a try! After making a few book trailer movies, I knew that our students could do this too! At the forum I will have a chance to meet other educators and learn about their projects while also showcasing ours. More professional development is included in the three days so I can start next year with a new set of ideas! This leads to celebration #3!
People often ask me where I get my ideas, and more often than not, I tell them from people I meet on Twitter! Last spring I ventured into the Twitter world because I was curious. I had heard that you can get lots of information and ideas from fellow educators. I wanted to see for myself. Sure enough, they were correct. After watching a webinar from ISTE11 (International Society of Technology Educators) last June, I decided I didn’t want to watch from home anymore, I wanted to go and experience everything this gigantic convention has to offer first hand. So, on the last two days of school, I will be in San Diego absorbing everything I can. I also will have the chance to meet some amazing people who have helped me like Mrs. Yollis in California and Mrs. Morris from Australia!
I will also meet a fellow librarian Miss Tiffany Whitehead, also known as The Mighty Little Librarian in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Her idea of making a year in review for her blog has led me to celebration #4! After reading her Year in Review, I decided that would be a fun project to share with our readers. Many hours later, here it is! I hope you enjoy our celebrations and have many to celebrate yourselves!
<
**************
What has been the best part of your year?
What are you celebrating?
What do you hope to learn this summer or winter?
| Print article | This entry was posted by Mrs. Hembree on June 3, 2012 at 2:55 pm, and is filed under Announcements, Blogging Buddies, Library Lessons, Library News. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
about 11 months ago
Mrs. Hembree,
You are an amazing librarian and a strong motivator for excellence in education!
Have fun absorbing information at your conferences this sumer
Mrs. Flowers
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs. Flowers,
Thank you for your support! I appreciate it more than you know! It will be fun sharing what I learn with the staff in the fall.
I think I’ll have plenty of topics for our Wired Wednesdays!
Mrs. Hembree
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs Hembree,
Thank you for mentioning me in this post. I would like to congratulate you on your achievements this year. You are certainly a role model teacher librarian!
I too can’t wait to attend ISTE and meet you in person. I know we’ll have a great time and learn a lot.
I really enjoyed your slideshow and it was interesting to see what your most popular titles were. Diary of a Wimpy Kid is still incredibly popular in 4KM. The students just can’t get enough of them!
All you do for your children and fellow teachers is just incredible. I can’t wait to see what you get up to during the 2012/2013 school year!
Kathleen Morris
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs. Morris,
I really wish I could remember how I originally found your blog two years ago. However it happened, I’m so glad it did. I have learned so much about blogging from you and Miss Jordan.
I know we’ll have plenty of good laughs in San Diego. Now it’s trying to decide what sessions to go to! I want to see them all!
It’s fun to here to hear that popular titles here in the US are popular there too!
See you in three weeks!
Julie Hembree
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs Hembree,
I too wish I could remember how we came across each other! Mrs Yollis and I remember the first post that we commented on in early 2009 which is lots of fun to look back at.
I am getting no where with choosing ISTE sessions, so I’m glad I’m not the only one. There is so many great sessions!
See you in three weeks,
Mrs Morris
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs. Hembree,
Wow! There is much to celebrate!
I love how you have data on all the student visits and check outs. It really helps tell the story of your library’s life.
Congratulations on your acceptance into the Microsoft Partners in Learning US Forum. I know you’ll have a lot to share with all of us after you attend.
I’m certainly looking forward to meeting you at ISTE in a few weeks. It is a time for friends to come together face to face!
Finally, I love the goals that you have set for yourself and for your library. Goal setting is so important and you are a real role model for all of us!
See you soon!
Your friend,
Mrs. Y♥llis
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs. Yollis,
It’s funny that you mentioned the data I’ve kept this year. I have never kept data on recess visits, but for some reason decided to try it this year. My students know to walk in, sign in and then go about their business. I have had tablets with pages of signatures collecting dust all year!
It’s a really thrill to be able to go to the US Forum and meet all the incredible teachers who will be there! I have a lot to do to get ready! For things first is finishing school and going to ISTE 12. After that, I can concentrate on my next tasks!
I look forward to seeing you and so many others at the conference!
Your Seattle friend,
Mrs. Hembree
about 11 months ago
Congratulations – so much to celebrate indeed! Enjoy your hols and I look forward to seeing what next year has in store for you. Inspiring stuff!
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs Hembree,
Wow what a truly wonderful year. I agree with Mrs Yollis I too loved how you compacted your year into a data format. Great!
I, have to say I truly have found you an amazing teacher/friend. You somehow bring your library with your wonderful students right into me home.
I have learnt so much from you and I know BB has as well. As we would say your awesome Mrs Hembree!
You have encouraged me to read a wide range of books all because your wonderful movie trailers.
My highlight for me was that you we able to skype with Mrs Morris, Miss Jordan and BB!
I wish I took a photo of BB as I am pretty sure she still couldn’t believe it.
Well done been selected to attend both outstanding conferences, one that I know you will enjoy then meeting Mrs Yollis and Mrs Morris wow!
I am so looking forward to another year with you and your blog!
In terms of celebrating at present I have just finished my course and have passed with flying colours so hopefully soon I will be having a little party.
Now enjoy your wonderful vacation and meeting Mrs Yollis and Mrs Morris.
Keep in touch Mrs Hembree.
From your friend down under,
AA
about 11 months ago
Dear AA,
You and BB are our most beloved blog visitors! I appreciate how much time you have shared with us with your generous comments and constant support!
Skyping with Mrs. Morris, Miss Jordan and BB last week was such a highlight! I wasn’t thinking clearly and can’t believe in retrospect that I didn’t have someone take photos! I didn’t know they would bring BB in for our session, although I guessed they might.
I am so glad you have passed our course. What course were you taking? I am doing a congratulations dance for you from here in Seattle!
All the Best,
Mrs. Hembree
about 11 months ago
Mrs. Hembree,
Congratulations on a great year! You have done so much to motivate, teach, and excite the kids this year. Can’t wait to hear about ISTE…
Judy and Josa
about 11 months ago
Dear Judy and Josa,
You have so much that you have shared with us this year! If it wasn’t for you, I might not have read The One and Only Ivan!
Keep Reading!
Julie Hembree
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs Hembree,
I just love your new post it is awesome.
My favourite part of the year was when you put the post up about Katherine Applegate. Also when I got to skype with you !
When I was looking through a book shop I found Katherine Applegate books they appear very interesting.
My family and I are celebrating because I’m doing Acting Musical Theater where my group have to do a production which is very exciting.
This winter I hope to learn more things about Bike Education.
Enjoy your holiday Mrs Hembree I will miss you.
From your pal,
BB.
about 11 months ago
Dear BB,
Wow, you are going to do some acting this winter? How cool is that? What production is your acting group going to put on? Is it a straight play or a musical? I love musicals!
I think it’s great that you found some Katherine Applegate books in your local book shop. She has written so many different kinds of books. The Animorphs series was very popular when my daughter was your age, and we still have quite a few of them in our library here at school.
Seeing you on the Skype call was very exciting! How did Mrs. Morris and Miss Jordan arrange that with you? It was a surprise to me. I am so curious!
We have 3 weeks of school left and then it’s vacation. It looks like I am going to have quite a busy summer too with technology conferences and training. Hopefully I will get a little trip squeezed in sometime!
Keep Reading!
Mrs. Hembree
about 11 months ago
Awesome post! I also love being able to celebrate and reflect on a great year. But most of all, I’m looking forward to ISTE!! It’s going to be amazing — and you are going to love it!!
Tiff Whitehead
@librarian_tiff
about 11 months ago
@ Mrs Hembree,
Thanks for your reply. Great question Mrs Hembree the production that I will be performing in is called ” One thousand and One Arabian Night” it is a musical.
I hope to read the Animorphs Series one day.
Mrs Morris and Miss Jordan asked me that morning if I would like to come to a skype session. I was more than happy to come but I didn’t realize it would be you!
Wow you have three weeks left of school until holidays, they will there before you know it.
Enjoy Mrs Hembree.
From your friend,
BB
PS Say hello to Alex from me!
about 11 months ago
Dear Mrs. Hembree; what a lot to celebrate; I’m so happy you were chosen for the Partners in Learning US Forum. I think the ISTE sounds amazing; in fact, I’m a bit jealous I don’t get to go…stuff like that makes my heart happy!
Thanks for all you’ve done all year; because of you, Irislyn has become an ardent reader of biographies, and an enthusiastic supporter of all things library related.
Enjoy your summer and your learning experiences; you deserve to have a HOOT! sherri
about 6 months ago
After reading your blog, I want to meet you! You seem like an incredible librarian and I dream to be like you someday when I become a librarian. Your blog is definitely one I will continue to follow. I love your year in review presentation. This would be a great resource to share when advocating for your library. I’m sure looking at the circulation statistics is enlightening too. You could definitely tell what your kids are interested in and you can use that information to purchase more books in those areas. It also shows you which areas are underused and maybe encourage students to check them out. Thanks for sharing all you do through your blog.
about 6 months ago
Dear Ms. Gullett,
Thanks again for visiting! I hope you come back again soon!
From,
Mrs. Hembree