Reading Savvy 2.0

It is standardized testing day. Staff and students seem a bit frazzled. Other reasons for stress could be the looming end of the year, plus a continued look at important staff development things like formative assessment. And then there is my disappointment for the day: I got turned down on my request for new library books. 

So on the math standardized test day, here is my equation. 

Old books + reluctant teen readers = my less than successful feelings 

There is only so much that technology can do, 1.0 or 2.0. 

I enjoyed remeeting the word "savvy" about 2 weeks ago. Humans need to be "Reading Savvy" as well as "Tech Savvy". Yes, one can lead to the other, but today is a day that I am questioning where time and effort should be spent for the best bang for the learning buck.

Tech-Savvy

There were 2 articles in this weekend's Minneapolis Star-Tribune that caused me to think this weekend. One was about someone who quit Facebook and the other was about travel help for folks who use their cell phones more than I do. What got me thinking was "Tech-savvy" in the headline.
When it comes to technology, I am not a dinosaur, but not exactly cutting edge either. Most of the "Things" that MILI has covered are either new to me or things I knew about but elected not to use, like Facebook. There is so much to learn. And just when you learn something inside and out, it changes. So I read the article "Travel help for the tech-savvy" very carefully. I expected to run into something from this class. Instead it featured Text messages, GPS, Google Maps, Yelp, iWant, UrbanSpoon, OpenTable, Widitude. All cool. All new. More stuff.
Meanwhile, I decided to see if a friend was available for lunch tomorrow. I had to look up my cell phone number. I don't have texting or photo features.
So I wonder about the things in the article--if I had that kind of phone. Like, do you have to purchase those things or do you just download them? How much money a month do teen need to be "Tech-savvy?" How do you download to a phone?
And how much of all the tech stuff do you have to know about, use and understand to be considered "savvy"? Isn't it enough to just know how to spell it?

A breather

It is after 5PM, the Friday before a week of Spring Break. I stayed at work until I accomplished my goal of going through every piece of paper on my desk and actually filing it. I did it--almost. Went to a meeting about managing the up-coming standardized testing and another meeting about the International Art Festival we will have before hosting MPR's Talking Volumes that will feature Sandra Cisneros. Recorded my grades, did a HUGE amount of changing & updating on the website, and answered staff questions. Busy but comfortable. Although the list is finished, I did not make a decision about a M.I.L.I. question and I am still pondering it. It has made me think about all the things I have been exposed to in our classes. Yes, I have been exposed to SO much that is new. Yes, I feel more "in the know" than I did. But what am I sharing? How am I sharing? How can I do a better job. I'll be mulling this over for a long time. I need a breather.