Posted on September 3, 2015
Posted by Cenee Precure
Life never stops teaching. Be sure to never stop learning. ~ Michael Josephson
As our high school sat on the cusp of all things Google with shiny new Chromebooks and whispers of Google Classroom drifting through the hallways, the school library was at that place once again…dig in our heels and resist another district technology implementation or dive in and embrace the challenge!
As a relatively new librarian, serving high school faculty, staff, and students for the first time, I knew I had to build relationships, be willing to take some risks, and be bold enough to learn from my mistakes along the way. Thankfully, there were brave teachers that were willing to embark on this journey with me.
With cinnamon rolls in tow, I met with the English teachers during their PLC and presented a quick overview of the TexQuest resources and had a representative from Imagine Easy do an online webinar introducing the Scholar Edition (formerly known as the School Edition of EasyBib). I knew if I could get just one teacher to buy into how these two digital platforms could work together, the paperless research project might actually become more than just a seed of an idea.
With assistance from the Gale support staff (Tim Hamlin and Lindsay Smith) and the TexQuest Support Center at Education Service Center Region 20, the digital resources became easier to use and more accessible to our staff and students. In addition, the seamless integration of Google Classroom within the TexQuest resources has given our staff and students limitless possibilities that we are learning more about each day.
The seed was planted and a few teachers jumped in and cared for and watered the idea and before long, the seed had sprouted and paperless research in the Google Classroom was in full bloom. It was far from perfect but a continuous work in progress. Now, CHS teacher and librarian work as a team to promote TexQuest resources and the paperless research project through various professional development opportunities across the school district and recently presented at the Texas Panhandle Google Summit featuring Google in Education.
As educators, every day presents many challenges but it is our reaction to these challenges and our willingness to learn alongside each other that sets us apart. Keep learning and be vulnerable to failure…it is what we ask of our students each and every day so how could we expect anything less than that of ourselves.
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About the Author
Cenee Precure currently serves as the librarian at Canyon High School. She received her BA in Accounting from West Texas A&M University and is a certified teacher through the Panhandle Alternative Certification for Educators program. She taught in an elementary school for ten years while earning her Master’s Degree from Texas Woman’s University in Library Science. She holds certifications in EC-4 Generalist, ESL, GT, and K-12 School Librarian. Cenee is married and has three children. She is an avid sports fan and enjoys both “watching” and “playing” sports. She also loves spending time outdoors, reading, cooking, and being with family.
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