Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts

Okay so I couldn’t decide whether to approach this with modern literature or high school memories.  Alas I finally choose a novel from my high school days.  Why? With the popularity of Star Wars trilogies and paraphernalia, I decided this had to be my book. You see, in the ninth grade I was introduced to a novel called Star Wars, which I thought sounded oddly weird but exciting.  SO I read it. When I returned the book to Dean Roddey, a ninth grade lab partner in science, he informed me that book was coming to the movies.  I had never read that genre of material before, and suddenly began clamouring for science fiction suspense thrillers to excite me as I read.  I read each of the triolgy before they came into theaters. Before that I had only wanted to read trashy romance novels, thought I also enjoyed reading Tess and Wuthering Heights (which were highly unpopular because they were “required” readings in my coming years as a high school English Honors student.) Confession: English was the only high school class I had that was advanced or honors, but it caused me to have to take some of my sciences and maths with the honors track, and I struggled immensely in those classes. While I made A’s in English, I was a solid C student for the sciences and maths, just squeaking by many times.  It really caused me tremendous pressure and pain during assessments, and a lot of worries about how report cards would turn out, and I think damaged my self concept as a student and my ability to succeed in school. Upon graduation, I enrolled in a technical school in the attempt to enter a nursing program (with my sister a year older than me), which had a one year wait (for a two year degree program.) I had many classes with  students already in the nursing program, and upon getting accepted and then faced with the realization that I would indeed stick a needle in someone else, I decided nursing was NOT for me.  But since I enjoyed reading novels so much, perhaps teaching would fill my need to contribute to society. So I finished with all classes that would transfer, took a semester off,  and then transferred from the 2 year school (with 2 years of all credits that would transfer thank goodness), and enrolled in  Winthrop University to strive towards a teaching degree.

I cannot say it was the book Star Wars that led me into the educational field, but it was Star Wars that made me realize I could gain more enjoyment from just reading than I had before ever understood.  It also made me realize that I could enjoy many other genres, and not just the popular genre among my peers in high school. I also garnered new respect among my peers when they saw I was reading Star Wars (before it was a major movie.) When it finally hit the television and media that it was coming to theaters, my friends new I had already read the book–and there were not many among my peers who had done that.  Was I popular for it? I wouldn’t go that far. But I suddenly felt “in the know” compared to my peers and classmates who probably knew and had pegged me as a student who didn’t quite fit in the science and math classes they seemed to not stress about at all, while I struggled on a daily basis for my C, and was relieved to open my report card and see that C.  Of course I felt widely accepted in my English class, making high marks on all tests.

Yes, that book takes me way back to my high school daze in the late 70s. I graduated from high school in 1981 (so now everyone knows I’m a forty-something year old woman.) But what is so funny about this walk down memory lane is that with so many things going retro for teens today, I’ve been able to interest students in this series and their sequals as they are called, even after the kids have seen movies for the “prequals.”  How funny is that? Who knew then I’d eventually be a school teacher-librarian, especially since the only time I graced the school library door was when my teachers took my classes.  Oh but I did LOVE going ot the public library as a teenager, but that’s another blogpost for another day.
Okay, I must tag four others (and I’m targeting library-related bloggers!), so here they are:

Joyce Valenza School Library Journal Blog “Neverending Search”

Heather Loy – Tech Tips and Timley Tidbits

Kathryn Greenhill – Librarians Matter

Diane Cordell – Journeys

And ladies, go here to get a more formal set of directions since I did not necessarily follow them to the fullest. Enjoy! Please let me know (either with a pingback, a comment, ane email, or a twitter) that you have complied with my request.

Image Attribution:
Star Wars

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Star_Wars_Logo.svg#file

Picture title: 21st Century Learning Library-Style

Here is my contribuiton to the ever growing meme of our passion quilt. I could not decide on any one photo, so created a collage of sorts to reflect a few of the things I am passionate about. I am showing what happens in a 21st century library, and how it can serve as a bridge to connect learners to learners in this global environment.

I was tagged by Diane Cordell, Joyce Valenza, Lisa Parisi, and Sharon Seslija. Before I get tagged again, I’m making my contribution. Thanks girls! You people are making me feel terribly guilty!!

Here are the rules:

1. Think about what you are passionate about teaching your students.
2. Post a picture from a source like FlickrCC or Flickr Creative Commons or make/take your own that captures what YOU are most passionate about for kids to learn about…and give your picture a short title.
3. Title your blog post “Meme: Passion Quilt” and link back to this blog entry.
4. Include links to 5 folks in your professional learning network or whom you follow on Twitter/Pownce.

Now I will tag the following friends:
Liz B. Davis
Heather Loy
Robin Ellis
Mary Haddon
Valerie Byrd Fort

Image Attributions:

Image ‘Four heads are better than one‘
www.flickr.com/photos/26406919@N00/279625345

Image ‘Mill Bridge – Tempe, AZ (HDR)‘
www.flickr.com/photos/53264726@N00/355350560

Image: ‘at the library‘
www.flickr.com/photos/35034353562@N01/1035137792

Image: ‘Red iPod Nano‘
www.flickr.com/photos/26572975@N00/268673268

Image: ‘National Library of Ireland 022‘
www.flickr.com/photos/43017881@N00/6822035

Ive been tagged by Diane–thanks. I am to list seven unknown facts about me.

• I am the fifth child of seven. Here we are together this past July–first time we had all been together in about five years.

• I was the first National Board Certified Librarian in my district.

• Every year my family waits until a week before Christmas to shop–what a mistake! But we always manage.

• I was scheduled for braces like two other siblings, and went all the way up to spacers–before begging and pleading NOT to get them and succeeding. Probably a mistake too.

• When I took my driver’s license road test at age 16, my accompanying policeman assessor placed his hand on my thigh, and I didn’t say a word. I passed. Go figure. (I told my Mom years later, and she nearly had a stroke.)

• I locked my keys in the car about an hour from home, only to have my husband bring me another set, and find a back door unlocked. I have never lived that down.

• I accidentally flushed my car keys down the toilet; they fell from my jacket’s pocket when I leaned over to flush. Ugggh. Never got them back.

Pass it on, New Jersey Tech Teacher, The Kneighborhood of Knowledge, Snapshots of Technology Integration, TeacherBytes, Technology in Education…Now What?, Library Goddess, and Martha’s Library Corner

Here are the rules:
- Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
- Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.
- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.
- Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Ms Tina, a new friend from the blogosphere and from SL, tagged me with the 8 Random Things Meme. I don’t think I have interesting facts to share, but here goes.

First, I am to post the rules:

• List 8 random facts about yourself
• At the end of your post, choose (tag) 8 people and list their names, linking to them
• Leave a comment on their blog, letting them know they’ve been tagged

My Facts:

1. I hated the library in all my schooling, from kindergarten through high school, and even college, yet i am a school library media specialist (teacher librarian.)

2. I have three college degrees, and am enrolled for a fourth. But I have not been inspired to try for a doctoral degree—yet.

3. I’ve never taken the SAT (egads!! How did I ever get into college in the first place)

4. I met my husband during college while working at Burger King.

5. I recently wrote an eloquent letter to the editor of our local paper, and they wanted to publish it, but I chickened out and wouldn’t allow it. (job security)

6. I have six brothers and sisters, but I married an only child of an only child. Family “get-together’s” are interesting and my only child husband really has to warm up to it when we are all around.

7. I love my Lord, Jesus Christ.

8. I made more money last year than my husband (but only because of National Board certification,) and we are both educators in the South Carolina public school system.

Now I am tagging the following:

• Kitty Forbus
• Mary Haddon
• Barbara Barreda
• Diane Hammond
• Melinda Miller
• Chris Craft
• Lisa Durff
• Doug Johnson