Book Reviews: The Demon Haunted World and Other Books on Disciplined Thinking

For the month of October, we sent this out to the community: a list of new titles and recommended books with my reviews.

A recommended title from the list is Carl Sagan's The Demon Haunted World (Ballantine Books, 1996). Sagan encourages the reader to make intelligent and informed decisions by turning to logic, reason and scientific research. His essays reflect his joy of debunking myths and pseudoscience with scientific explanations from years of  disciplined thinking across subject areas. On the one hand, he admits the limitations of scientific thought by saying that "it cannot advocate courses of human action but it can illuminate possible consequences of alternative  courses of action" (page 27). He weighs in scientific thinking with discipline and imagination positioning that both are essential to its successful application in the arts, mathematics, sciences and humanities.

Interestingly, this list of new acquisitions include Michael Michalko's ThinkerToys (Ten Speed Press, 2006) where the reader can access and acquire a host of creative thinking exercises and how it can push him/her to critical analysis; and then, there is the book Little Quick Fix: Research Question (Sage, 2018) by Zina O'Leary, emphasising the decision making skills that can be learned when preparing and identifying sources, reading them, documenting information and how a well crafted research question can lend focus and direction to students working on his/her academic paper.

Visit the blog for more book reviews and my sharing of wonderful titles in our library's collection!

Library Orientation 2018: On Students' Library Experiences

Because our themes for this year are EMPATHY, INCLUSION and DIVERSITY, the library orientation I prepared for my students in grades 9, 10, 11 and 12 focused on their library experiences, past, present and the future. 

For grade 9, since they are new students coming in the Academy, I asked them of their ideas and concepts on what a library is. This is an assessment activity as well as a way of connecting what they know to the current library programs and services we have in the Academy. This was followed by the basic library protocols and guidelines. Circulation services, use of the Online Public Access Catalog, points of access when using the library's online databases and essential agreements in the library. These were all introduced to the new students but will be taken up in-depth in the subject and content areas through library sessions.

The grade 10s looked back at their library experiences from grade 9. Since they will be starting the year with their Personal Project (PP), I gave them a session on the use of our online subscriptions and how it can be of value to their research. It is an introductory session too, since the PP Coordinator and I have identified contact points and engagement activities focusing on research in the coming months.

The grade 11s had a Library Bingo that is very similar to a Library Scavenger Hunt. This is to prepare them for the library session scheduled for them during Foundation Week (more on that in a separate blog). Closing the morning run of orientations, I presented the Reading Without Walls campaign to the grade 12s as well as possible library projects where they can participate in earning them Community, Action and Services hours.

The grade12s will soon leave the Academy to pursue their academic careers. Out there, they will experience libraries that are embedded in the system of community building and knowledge creation. Here's hoping that their last year with me as their Teacher Librarian will be an insightful and fruitful year of inquiry, research and sharing one's time and skills for literacy development.

The Lighthouse Diary Entry 7: Reflecting on Learning Experiences on Research

Sharing some reflections I had on the Extended Essay this year, as one EE journey ends and another begins. More on research, really, because I found myself going back and forth to the writing workshop last August with the year 11 students, the work of the Research Committee that needs to be revisited, the IB workshop I recently completed and previous EE experiences.

How do we define research? Does it need definition since it is, for most part a thinking skill that is made visible through a written output? Or something tangible like a project, a module, an art work. I think what I need is to ground the idea or the concept of research into statements or beliefs.

1. Research is asking questions and finding answers. 

2. Research is a process that entails collaboration - not just cooperation and coordination.

3. Research is a conversation.

4. Research is an invitation for you to stand on the shoulders of giants. And this is both an honor and a privilege.

I wonder how my colleagues see research and, in the practice of teaching ATLs, how would a belief or thesis statement on research factor in effective pedagogy.  

Can we introduce the EE as a rite of passage to the juniors when we meet them again on Feb 7, before DP teachers give sessions on subject specific guidelines?