BFTP: Lessons from the mouse

A weekend Blue Skunk "feature" will be a revision of an old post. I'm calling this BFTP: Blast from the Past.   Original post October 16, 2007.

Recovering from a few days spent at the Disney parks in Orlando with my two adult kids and oldest grandson. We had a wonderful time. We got along well, the weather was great, we got to all the parks and rode on everything we wanted to ride, saw a bunch of shows and fireworks and parades, and just enjoyed each other's company. The hotel had nice enough rooms, a great swimming pool and easy access to the efficient Disney bus system. The FAME conference sessions went pretty well, too. 

I was feeling really good about the whole trip until I got on the car park shuttle at the Minneapolis airport. During the 10 minute ride back to my truck, two couples discussed their week in "the Magic Kingdom." It was hot. The rides were lame. The crowds were impossible. The food was inedible. All the kids wanted to do was play in the hotel pool. They dropped a bundle. On and on they complained - with their elementary-school-age kids right beside them learning just how terrible a vacation they'd just had.

How could we have had such a great experience and these folks such a poor one - at the same place at the same time? Am I just too dumb to know when I've had a bad time? Are my expectations too low? 

I starting thinking about how these families and mine approached the experience in quite different ways... 

1. We read about where we were going. The Unofficial Guide to DisneyWorld is about the best $20 a person can spend to make one's trip a better one. It describes and rates everything you find in the parks including restaurants, hotels, shows, transportation systems and the rides. It gives lots of advice on how to manage your visit when the parks are busy. And it is spot-on accurate. I even bought my grandson Paul his own kids' guide which was nearly in pieces by the time we got there. He about had it memorized and knew just what things he really wanted to do. He's my kind of 6-year-old! (My bus companions seemed to be surprised that some of the rides were old, some were too scary for young kids, etc. They went in clueless.)

2. We got a jump on the day. We were at each park by the time it opened at 9AM. We went on the most popular rides first, grabbed and used FastPasses when possible, and tried to eat a bit before standard dining times. We followed a touring plan and the longest we had to stand in line was 15 minutes and for most attractions is was less than 10 minutes. We had fun at the less glamorous attractions. Mid-afternoon when it got really hot and crowded we headed back to the hotel for a nap and a swim and then sometimes went back out again in the evening. We snacked often! (For my shuttle companions, it wasn't a vacation unless they could sleep in until at least 11.)

3. We knew the reason for going. At least I knew my reason - to spend some time with my kids - to get a chance to talk to my busy daughter, to watch my son shop for gifts to take home to his first girlfriend, to see the excitement in Paul's eyes and voice when he talked about being chosen for Jedi training and tell his dad about it on the phone. Yeah, the rides and shows are fun, but not as much fun as seeing the whole experience through the eyes of kid who adores Star Wars, dinosaurs, and pirates. And who probably did like the hotel pool and playground as much as the parks. (My shuttle group seemed to go for the adults rather than for the kids in the group. The vacation was all about them.)

It sounds trite but the visit was a wonderful reminder of that happiness is less a matter of circumstance and more a matter of attitude. I chuckled the entire flight back home about my daughter's response when I asked if she wanted my upgraded first class seat or to sit back in coach with Paul. "Is this a trick question?" just popped out!

I sincerely hope my shuttle bus folks next year just find a hotel with a nice pool close to home where they can sleep in, let the kids play, and come home happy. 

A thank you from my kids. I guess they don't realize it was their inheritance I was spending ;-) 

Are report cards really necessary?

After attending a 3-day workshop on standards-based report cards, I have been left with a single over-riding question:

Why do we still have report cards at all?

There are certain kinds of summary documents I have simply stopped looking at. I no longer view my bank statements. I no longer look at my credit card statements. I don't view my investment account statements or retirement fund statements. Why look at summaries when you can track changes in real time online? I don't remember the last time I reconciled a checkbook. (But then again, I only use about 10 checks a year.)

So, as a parent, why do I need an "educational progress" statement when, if so used, I can track my child's progress in real-time using a parent portal to the teacher grade book. If a teacher is tracking not just behavior, assignment completion and scores on tests but reporting the meeting/mastery of specific standards, I don't need a summary. 

Summary documents, both statements and report cards, were created in a time of scarcity. Compiling, printing, and mailing information on a daily basis is cost-prohibitive. Providing digital access is not. 

Instead of improving report cards, lets spend the time making our grade books records more meaningful.

What spaces do libraries need?

Could you please provide some ideas about the different spots a school library should have? At this moment we only have an AV area that is the reading area as well. We have the computers and in front we have the tables to work and the shelves are distributed around the library. I also have some independent spots with a computer and a table. 

My library school teacher, Dr. Mildred Laughlin, suggested that when it comes to school library facility planning that we create bubble diagrams to submit to architects instead of complete floor plans. The bubble diagrams, accompanied by a description of the activities in each area, show spacial relationships. Such diagrams are a great approach since they inform, but do not limit, the architect, Dr. Laughlin argued. 

Given the changing nature of tasks and roles of physical libraries today, do bubble diagrams still make sense? I think so - perhaps even more so today, as libraries are designed not to meet some external standard but designed to meet the specific needs of individual programs and building needs and as the "learning commons" idea becomes more popular.

In answering the question above, I would certainly include the following areas in any new or redesigned school library.... 

1. Entrance: access point to library, some seating, display areas, book return (if this can be through a wall to the hallway is best).
2. Circulation: Near entrance. Circulation desk, materials checkout, librarian's desk (I do not like librarian offices, preferring the librarian's desk be on the floor of his/her "classroom.") Circulation desk should include electric needed for recharging laptops, netbooks or tablets for check out. Libraries have been adding "Genius Bars" where students can get tech help from either professional tech staff or student techs.
3. Stacks: Sufficient (48" or lower) shelving for current, well-weeded print and AV resources. Best if moveable and removable when necessary for re-purposing of floor space as/if materials become available electronically.)
4. Computer workstations for short time use: stand up workstations near librarian's desk/circulation desk to be used for short time access - accessing library catalog, quick reference searches, etc.
5. Computer lab/production space: Space visually accessible from circulation desk for housing computers for production of media - movie editing, blogging, podcasting, photograph editing, desktop publishing, etc. One computer at a small table with 3-4 chairs to be used by team. 30 station lab(s) unnecessary if devices are available for check out or the school is BYOD or 1:1.
6. Large group seating/work area(s): Seating adequate for the largest class in the school. Place for large group meetings. Tables with four chairs each. One area minimum; two ideal so one can be designated quiet and the other social.
7. Presentation space/story area: Seating or floor space for largest class, or ideally, for two classes. Stage with podium, lecturn, puppet theater, etc. Projection equipment, sound amplification, response systems, document cameras, IWB available for teacher and student presentations.
8. Small group spaces/conference rooms: Rooms or spaces capable of holding 6-8 persons for collaborative work. If conference rooms, consider making them adjoining with fold-back walls. Visual access into rooms critical. May serve as temporary office space.
9. Areas for "learning commons" services: Offices and spaces for student services such as career planning, ELL services, student technology support, etc. Think "one-stop-shop" for students needing help.
10. Technology staff room: Space for technicians to work and offices for technology integration specialists. Controlled (lockable) space for file servers and equipment racks, patch panels, etc.
11. Storage/workroom: Small area for materials processing and shared equipment storage. Near doorway to hallway.
12. Staff lounge/workroom: Adjoining library.
13. Individual workspaces: Seating as allowed for individuals to read, research, write and compute. Away from, when possible, the busier, more social areas of the library.

OK, what areas am I forgetting Blue Skunk readers? Coffee shop? Before the bubble diagram can be put together, the areas do need to be defined.