The Texas Computer Education Association Annual Conference
San Antonio Texas – February 2019
Thank you to the Central New York Resources Council for allowing me and my fellow librarians to attend a professional conference in San Antonio Texas.
I have worked as a librarian for the past 9 years. I am currently employed as a library media specialist in the Liverpool Central School District. I see about 500 students in two schools in grades k-6.
The TCEA conference allowed me the opportunity to further my professional learning outside of district PD. Being able to engage with other educational professionals from all around the United States offers a vast network of learning and lasting friendship.
We were able to arrive in San Antonio on Sunday, gain access to the conference and learn the lay of the land. We were also able to take in a few of the sites and sounds of San Antonio.
I started learning before we even landed in Texas. My fellow librarian showed me how to use Google Keep, just so happens that TCEA offered a session on Google Keep. Instead of opening a google doc to take notes, Google Keep offers much more to the note taking process. The biggest take away from Google Keep is the Optical Recognition pulls out the text from picture. Click three dots image text, pull into google doc and you have instant notes.
Sink with google calendar/Google Suite
Check things off list
Can create a voice activated list.
Can draw
Pin google keep notes at the top
Searchable
Organization pre made comments. Can put in doc. Can color code
Can set reminder
Take a photo. Click check mark.
Aside from Google Keep, the next best session; I attended was Future Ready Go! How many teachers do you know have students work on book reports? We all understand the importance of students reading. We all want students to have more interaction with the literature that they read, maybe that why we do book reports. Well, how about another way to do a book report. The answer is Bookstagram. Students can create digital book reports. It’s an online space on Instagram where you can post pictures of books. Bookstagrams offers the opportunity for students to work alone or in a group. Students can create hashtags for books, author, genre and symbols on the cover of books. Canva, Word Dream, Typorama. Low key options are also available Google Draw and Google Slides can also be used.
I attended, Get to Know Minecraft. I thought my kids would be super excited that I was going to finally learn Minecraft. My younger students
were excited that I took the time to learn, on the other end my 4-6 graders were like what about Fortnite. Just when I thought I had caught up with them. Our presenter started our session with asking, “What is technology”? “Science of craft.” Game based learning. We’re not trying to turn students into gamers we’re trying to provide opportunity for problem solving and thinking outside the box. I learned that Minecraft is about placing blocks and breaking blocks. Students can express themselves creating an environment. You can play with friends or alone and you have unlimited materials. Minecraft also provides teachers with lesson plans.
Our last take away was exploring the city of San Antonio. We visited the Alamo, ate at many great restaurants and talked with the people of San Antonio. Visited and found a great coffee and pastry shop. We found out that the rodeo was due into San Antonio on Thursday, but could not attend due to the weather.
Thanks, CLRC for opportunity to further my professional development!
Angelic Wright
Library Media Specialist, Nate Perry Elementary/Chestnut Hill Elementary
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