Carmella Renna
"Students immediately start making real-world connections with video. It turns everyday moments into meaningful learning."
Carmella Renna, District Librarian
Hunter Tannersville CSD
Tannersville, NY
How have you used ClickView within your library?
I’ve used it in a few different ways depending on the age group. For my 3rd through 6th grade students, I have them log in through their Gmail accounts so they can access ClickView independently and explore it on their own. For younger students, like Pre-K through 2nd grade, I project videos on the Promethean board and use them as supplementary material, especially around holidays like Groundhog Day, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween. It’s a great way to bring those topics to life in a way that’s engaging and accessible for them. Since they’re logging in through their Gmail accounts, they’re already familiar with that environment with Google Classroom, Docs, and Sheets, so ClickView fits right into what they’re used to. That makes it really easy for them to find and use.
What has been one of your most engaging lessons or activities this year?
I also teach STEAM, so a lot of what we do is hands-on and interactive. We use things like Google Expeditions and coding tools, including Ozobots and other resources we get through BOCES. After attending a BOCES conference, I was able to find a lot of STEAM-related content in ClickView as well. I’ve built a go-to folder of videos, ideas, and activities in ClickView that makes lesson planning easier while keeping students engaged. It’s been a great way to bring new concepts into the classroom.
How have you seen videos spark curiosity or creativity among your students?
Students immediately start making real-world connections with video. It turns everyday moments into meaningful learning. For example, when we were learning about Groundhog Day, students connected that a groundhog is also a woodchuck and then started talking about seeing woodchucks in their own backyards. Those moments show students that what they’re learning applies to their everyday lives.
How do you help students think critically about the content they consume online?
As a district librarian, I spend a lot of time teaching digital citizenship, online safety, and media literacy. We talk about things like fake news, what it means to be responsible online, and how information can spread. For example, we discuss how even if you delete something, it can still exist if someone has taken a screenshot. I also bring in real-world examples, like historical instances of misinformation, to help students understand the impact. These are conversations I start as early as second grade because it’s never too early to build those skills.
Looking ahead, what are your goals or hopes for your library?
I’ll actually be retiring next year after 20 years of teaching, so my biggest hope is that the next librarian continues the work we’ve started, especially with STEAM programming and making full use of the resources available to students, whether that’s ClickView, databases, or tools in their Google drives. I want to make sure students continue to have access to these opportunities.
What advice would you give to the next librarian stepping into your role?
I’ve been thinking about putting together a guide or list to help them get started, because there’s so much involved in this role. Beyond teaching library skills and STEAM, there are a lot of additional responsibilities such as managing resources, supporting staff, even things like maintaining the website. It’s definitely a position where you wear many hats, so my advice would be to embrace that and take the time to understand all the different pieces.
Lightning Questions
1. What book are you reading now?
Actually I will be reading a poetry book written by my brother. It is his second book and I am anticipating reading it.
2. Who is the ONE person you follow on social media that you always learn something from or who makes you laugh?
I like following a few different people that cook traditional Italian recipes. I learned several different things such as the origin of the recipe, proper pronunciation and great recipes! The 2 main people I follow are Festaincucina, and Cupinapalermo_rita.
3. Favorite tech tool currently?
I use my Promethean board daily, it is so interactive with my students. A technology program would be Code.org, students love anything AI.
4. What is the best part about your role that others might not realize?
I love being the webmaster and creating websites for the district, updating our website and making ideas come to life.
5. What is one piece of advice you've received that has been the most beneficial to your career?
Never stop being a learner.
