The AASL (American Association of School Librarians) has come out with NEW standards for school librarians – Standards for the 21st-Century Learner – that we are supposed to be using to educate our students.  If you go to the standards website you can download copies of these standards.  However, before you do so, I recommend you follow the link “Rights and permission on the use of the learning standards.”  When you do, the first paragraph states that you can use the standards for your own personal or educational use; however, if you read down further you find that in order to use these standards you have to request permission and possibly PURCHASE the rights to use them.  WHAT!

In addition,

• we cannot LINK to the documents without obtaining permission, which is why I didn’t link to it above.  If you want to read them, Google AASL and “Standards for the 21st-Century Learner” yourself as I don’t want to be in violation of the copyright.

• we cannot list standards on curriculum maps, lesson plans, or other educational documentation unless we obtain permission – which may have a price tag.

• we cannot train other educators using these standards in training handouts, PowerPoint/SlideShare or other mediums without obtaining permission – which may have a price tag.

Now, I’m not always the brightest bulb in the pack, but what is the point of having taken the time to compile a set of standards and then restrict their implementation by making us have to request permission EVERY TIME WE NEED TO USE THEM!  Bureaucracy in action folks!

Come on AASL.  Get with the program.  Free the Standards by making them available under a Creative Commons license.

To read more about the issue, check out Joyce Valenza’s NeverEndingSearch blog posts “#FreeTheStandards” and “#FreeTheStandards — David’s Take” as they are more eloquent stated than my own ranting.

I’ve been tagged to paricipate in a meme by Cathy Nelson that asks me to look back at my old posts and pick out a rant, resource, reflection, and revelation that were my personal favorites.  The meme was originated by Joyce Valenza and is open to anyone who cares to participate, even if you haven’t been tagged.

Rant: Continuing Education (7-20-2008)

In my seven years in education, it still amazes me that teachers/media specialists who say they want students to be lifelong learners don’t keep up with their own education, especially in the area of technology, unless forced to do so because they need recertification or directed by the principal.  I don’t have anything more to add to what I wrote, other than to say it is still a disappointment to me more educators don’t take advantage of FREE professional development.

Resource: My Favorite Podcasts (4-30-2008)

The original purpose of this blog was (and is) to share resources – hence the Odds & Ends posts!  My Favorite Podcasts wasn’t so much to share resources for education, but to give my readers an insight into my own weird world of things I find interesting.  I still subscribe to all but WebbAlert (which is no longer being produced.)  I’d add:  Pop!Tech (similar to TEDtalks) and NewSpring Church’s video podcast, both available through iTunes.

Image: Podcast Bear by blogefl

Reflections: What! Teens Actually Reading (11-16-2008)

I’m still thrilled with this activity.  I hope Mr. English Teacher, as well as some/all of the other English teachers, will let me visit their classrooms with this activity in the upcoming year.  Oh, as an update, while I did have a drastic increase in late fees due to allowing students to check out more than two books at a time, I still had books on the shelves and happily my circulation statistics went way up!  WhooHoo!  Books in students hands with most of them being read!

Revelations: You’ve Got to Have Faith (5-3-2008)

The revelation for me in this post was that I need to always give students my support and faith.  I still remember my frustration with them that year (and years past) but realized as long as you give them a chance, they will not let you down.  Even at our most exasperated moments with this group, instead of saying lets call it off, we gave them the reins.  I truly missed those kids last year – all but one graduated that May.

Now, here is where I’m supposed to tag others and if you’ve been following me you know that’s not my style.  I love being tagged, but don’t feel comfortable tagging others.  SOOOO, if you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged!

Meme rules:

1. Scan your posts for your own personal favorites.
2. Choose one post in any/each of the four categories:

• Rants
• Resources
• Reflections
• Revelations

I leave it to you folks to define these terms, but my instinct is that we could treat these loosely. You are welcome to suggest new categories if these don’t fit.

3. In a blog post, list those posts and very briefly describe

• why it was important,
• why it had lasting value or impact,
• how you would update it for today.

4. Select five (or so) other bloggers to tap with this meme.

5. Tag all of your post with #postsofthepast

Care to join me in this meme?