My Teaching Experience

Teacher's Palette Diana Helton Rennels KREN20@aol.com I have been a K-12 Library Media Specialist and 7-12 English teacher for the past 33 years and for the past three years selected to be a review panelist for the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C. The panels were: 2007 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program; 2006 Advanced Learning Communities Grant; and 2005 Advanced Learning Communities Grant. K-5th Media Specialist, Cardinal Elementary. Brownsburg School Corporation 1900 South Hornaday, Brownsburg, IN 46122 (August 2007-October 1, 2007 Substitute for Maternity Leave) Photographer for the website, “Online Blue Ribbon Certification” for Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis, School of Library Science, 2005 and 2006. www.eduscapes.com/blueribbon Photographer for the website, “Virtual Information Inquiry Project,” Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis, School of Library Information Science, 2005 and 2006. www.virtualinquiry.com Instructor, “Collaboration in High Tech Learning,” SLIS 595, Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis, School of Library Information Science, Second Summer Session, 2005 K-6th Media Specialist, Brown Elementary. Brownsburg School Corporation 340 S. Stadium Drive, Brownsburg, IN 46112. 1986-June 2005 (Retired) 7th-8th Grade Media Specialist, Cascade Junior High and 9th-12th Grade Media Specialist, Cascade High School. Mill Creek School Corporation, Clayton, IN 46118. 1976-1986. 7th-9th Grade English Teacher, Cascade Junior and Senior High Schools. Mill Creek School Corporation, Clayton, IN 46118. 1976-1986. K-8th Grade Media Specialist and 7th Grade E West Central Regional Media Specialist Conference host school Spring 2005. Presenter: Pre-Service and Student Teachers for Indiana State University. Fall 2004. Presenter: "Teacher's Palette: Collaboration in Creative Expressions." Treasure Mountain Research Institute at the Elms, May 30-June 1, 2002. Invited Guest Lecturer: Graduate Course - L: 553 The School Library Media Specialist Indiana University Purdue University, March 2, 2002. Presenter: "Rembrandt's Legacy…Art and Technology Across the Curriculum." Indiana Computer Educator's Conference 2002 "Changing the Landscape" January 25, 2002. Indianapolis, Indiana Presenter: "Hoosier Artists and Indiana University Purdue University/Institute of Museums and Libraries National Leadership Grant." American Association of School Librarians National Conference. November 15, 2001. Indianapolis, Indiana Current Cites Monthly Publication, Volume 12, no. 5, May 2001 Review of Journal Article: "Teacher's Palette." First Monday. http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/CurrentCites/2001/cc0.1.12.5.html Journal Article (co-author): "Teacher's Palette". First Monday. April 2001. http://www.firstmonday.dk/issues/current_issue/rennels/index.html Co-Presenter: “Training Faculty and Students: To Bridge the Digital Divide”. Web-Wise 2001 Conference, Institute of Museums and Libraries. February 12-14, 2001. Washington, D.C. Presenter: "Integrating Technology Across the Curriculum Through the Media Center". Brownsburg Community Elementary Workshop. Developer: Hoosier Artists Online Instructional Unit: http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/imls/webartist.html Presenter: “Art Across the Curriculum: Collaboration with the Media Center and Emphasis on State Standards”. Dr. Suellen Reed, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction. November 3, 2000. Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis. Presenter: “Best of Rembrandt…Art and Technology Across the Curriculum.” Susan Kovalik's Summer Institute. August 2000. Traverse City, Michigan. Instructor, 3rd grade class project: "From the Emerald Isle to Little Ireland: The Legacy of Farming in Brownsburg, Indiana”. Library of Congress Bicentennial Local Legacy Project 2000. http://lcweb.loc.gov/bicentennial/propage/IN/in-07_h_pease1.html Teacher Mentor: “Virtual Teacher: Online, Standards-Based Reflection and Inquiry - Teacher as Online Guest Speakers to Indiana Teacher Education Students”. Education Indiana Preservice Grant, Indiana State University. 1999-2000. Presenter: “Integrating Technology and Collaboration of Media Center with the Classroom”. 1999 National Association of American School Librarians’ Conference. Birmingham, AL. Presenter: “Technology, Training, Preparing for ISTEP with Art Across the Curriculum”. Indiana Computer Educators 2000 Technology for the Millennium. Presenter: “Partnership with IUPUI, Databases, and Preparation of Instructional Units”. Association for Indiana Media Educators Fall 1999 Conference. Presenter: “From the Emerald Isle to Little Ireland…Legacy of Farming in Brownsburg, Indiana”. Brownsburg Community School Corporation, School Board Meeting. December 2000. Presenter: “Rembrandt's Legacy…Art Across the Curriculum Through the Media Center and Technology”. Elementary Teacher’s In-Service Staff Corporation Meeting, Brownsburg Community School Corporation. January 2000. Presenter: “Interdisciplinary Curriculum and Technology”, Brown Elementary Staff. Developer: Web Page for Educator Toolkit. Technology Associate for Indiana Department of Education. 2000. Presenter: “Art Across the Curriculum”. Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis Summer Workshop. 2000. http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/imls/picasso.html Developer: On-line Instructional Plan, "Portraits". http://www.ulib.iupui.edu/imls/portraits.html Instructor: Inspiration Software Workshop, Plainfield High School. Technology Associate for Indiana Department of Education. 2000. Presenter: “Cooperative Learning”. Association for Indiana Media Educators. 1994. Instructor for Technology Integration. Technology Associate for Indiana Department of Education. 1994. Author: “Picture It – Cooperative Learning Unit of the Caldecott books”.

My Teaching Style

It is my vision and commitment to keep students and staff a step ahead in the new millennium and for them to be so enriched through Informational Literacy that the students can become lifelong learners. In attaining this vision, I have been innovative in developing, writing and implementing numerous lesson plans that range from kindergarten through high school levels which integrates technology and media center resources across all curriculums. With this educational strategy in mind, I collaborate with each and every classroom teacher each week to correlate and write my instructional plans with what is being studied in the classroom. Therefore, students can use the media center resources and technology for real-life application. One such successful integration of technology and the classroom has been my collaboration with a third grade teacher in developing, writing, and implementing instructional units for a whole year with "Art Across the Curriculum". In part due to this collaboration, the Library of Congress selected our project as part of their Local Legacy Project archives in order to preserve our legacies for future generations. As a result of the collaboration between library media specialist and classroom teacher and writing of CDROMS, I was asked to speak in Washington, D.C. at the WEBWISE 2001 Conference. With collaboration and use of all technological platforms, I have been able to reach those "At Risk" students, helped students prepare for ISTEP, and reach children through differentiated learning. A major goal of mine is to teach all students that each individual student is talented and gifted and in this Informational Literacy age of technology there is a need to address the differentiated learning styles of all children.

Honors/Awards/Shining Teaching Moment

Brownsburg Community School Corporation 1993-94 Teacher of the Year. Semi-finalist 1994 Indiana Teacher of the Year. Indiana Exemplary Teacher for the Scholastic Network Award. Review Panelist: “2007 Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program March 22-23, 2007. Review Panelist: “Advanced Learning Communities Grant Review Panel.” Institute of Museums and Library Services, Washington, D.C. March 24-25, 2006. Review Panelist: “Advanced Learning Communities Grant Review Panel.” Institute of Museums and Library Services, Washington D.C. April 28-29, 2005 National Institute of Museums and Libraries Pilot Program Grant Recipient 1999. Library of Congress Bicentennial Local Legacy Project- accepted by the Library of Congress and sponsored by Congressman Ed Pease 2000. IPALCO Golden Apple Nominee for 2000. Brownsburg Educational Foundation Grant 2000.

MY FEATURED PRODUCTS

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