Showing posts with label school librarians.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label school librarians.. Show all posts

Friday, October 7, 2016

Reading Posters from the library!

   I will be working with my art teacher to produce reading posters. The poster will be a montage of students reading in different locations ( maybe even at their homes with their pets or siblings??) I would like to make a couple for each floor and perhaps even doubles of some of the photos.

  The art teacher is going to mount them on poster board. We will come up with a catchy slogan- perhaps more than one. 

  I am hoping to show how many students like reading and do read.  I am open to students reading newspapers, comics,  or magazines. I will also catch students reading text books, signs, and posters.  This will be a great way to showcase reading at the middle School or on any level/.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Organizing your office - Part 2

    What else can you do to keep your office and workspace organized? Here are a few more ideas to help you keep focused and organized for maximum efficiency. An organized office is very  conducive to getting a lot done.

   Phone Book

      Always keep a 'phone book' of names and numbers of colleagues . Keep this listing close to the phone so you do not have to search for a number when you need to make a quick call.  I keep mine in a listing in a clear plastic page protector. It is pinned on the bulletin board that is where the phone is located.
      I also have this listing on a computer file, so if I need to update some one's number , I can quickly fix the number and print out a new list.
     A similar page I have pinned next to this one, is a listing of teachers and administrators extension numbers. This way I can quickly find a number if I need to call a classroom.
      If you have a speed dial phone, keep your most used numbers on it.  You may also want to keep a printed listing of what numbers you have on speed dial.

    Business Cards

     If you have a collection of business cards from vendors, only keep the ones that you actually do with business with, or hope to do business with.  One way to organize these is in a rotary card file. Other way would be to use a three ring binder, and get a plastic business card holder.  Since I am a big fan of organizing with notebooks this is my favorite way to go.

    You could also scan your cards into a computer file for your desktop.  Just remember to mark it accordingly so that you can find it quickly.

Monday, May 20, 2013

Collaboration - Cooperation ( Level 2)

   You  may be past the first level of collaboration  or you may have begun to press on to the next level.  The cooperation level is an extension of the coordination level because of its not having teachers and librarians truly work and plan together.
  On this level , there are informal and short term tasks , activities, and lessons that librarians and teachers work on at the same time. There is no yet an established mission or defined structure.
    In this level of collaboration, librarians and teachers share information about the current project. Each one has his/her own part of the project that they are working on , but they work is done individually. The out come is a cooperative  event and the learning of skills is given by each partner.  Students will see the benefit if this type of learning. They will learn skills that are needed for the project at hand.

  Here is what a level 2 cooperation collaboration might look like:
 
    A teacher requests that the librarian teach the students certain research skills because    he/she wants the student to do a research project on a certain subject/ topic.  The librarian leads the class to the steps of the research and they do research on their topic along the way of doing the research.
    Then the teacher has them continue their work on the project, possibly bringing the students to the library or computer lab to help them complete  the assignment. The teacher does the final  grading/ assessment of the assignment. The librarian might keep a shelf of resources reserved for the students to use as they complete the project.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Beginning Collaboration

   The first steps of collaboration has a few different names, but the names are not as important as the process.  As a school librarian, how do you begin the first steps towards   teachers seeing  the value of working with you?

   First things first: begin wherever you are!  Here are a few easy ideas to help you get more involved with and working with your staff.

   1.  Attend grade level meetings to see what lessons/units are being done. Take notes!

    2. Offer to pull books and materials for teachers on what they need to supplement their lessons and activities.

   3. Help teachers incorporate various websites and technology that would go along with their units and curriculum.

    4. Volunteer to help the classroom teacher. Give some ideas on how you could help them

    5. Give some ideas on using the library resources that would enhance and extend the curriculum and lessons.

    6.Read the curriculum standards and the state standards or the Common Core  adopted by your state. This way you will know what the teacher is covering. 

    7. Order materials that go along with your schools curriculum.

    8. Use face to face meetings and email to keep in touch with  your teachers.

These are just a few ideas to get you noticed by your teachers. Use these to begin working with your staff.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Organizing your office - Part 2

   What else can you do to keep your office and workspace organized? Here are a few more ideas to help you keep focused and organized for maximum efficiency.

   Phone Book

     Always keep a 'phone book' of names and numbers of colleagues . Keep this listing close to the phone so you do not have to search for a number when you need to make a quick call.  I keep mine in a listing in a clear plastic page protector. It is pinned on the bulletin board that is where the phone is located.
   I also have this listing on a computer file, so if I need to update some one's number , I can quickly fix the number and print out a new list.
   A similar page I have pinned next to this one, is a listing of teachers and administrators extension numbers. This way I can quickly find a number if I need to call a classroom.
    If you have a speed dial phone, keep your most used numbers on it.  You may also want to keep a printed listing of what numbers you have on speed dial.

    Business Cards

     If you have a collection of business cards from vendors, only keep the ones that you actually do with business with, or hope to do business with.  One way to organize these is in a rotary card file. Other way would be to use a three ring binder, and get a plastic business card holder.  Since I am a big fan of organizing with notebooks this is my favorite way to go.

   You could also scan your cards into a computer file for your desktop.  Just remember to mark it accordingly so that you can find it quickly.

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Wired Wednesday- Technology Tools

    Having readers make book trailers  is a great motivator for continued reading among all students. Students promoting books provides skill practice in many areas ( reading, writing, organizing, analyzing, just to name a few).  Book trailers for readers can be in many forms,  many of the sites we have mentioned in this blog can be used to make book trailers, or posts  about favorite books,
  
   One site that is wonderful for this is :  http://www.booktrailersforreaders.com/

   Michelle Harderode, teacher librarian , has developed this  site. On it you can find  book trailers she has produced, and also student produced book trailers.  There are so many great features to this website.  There is a section on readers theater, authors book trailers and tips for making book trailers with students.  You can find trailers on newly released books.

   Under special features there is information on book trailers and the common core, research on the value of making book trailers, battle of the book information, and literacy lessons for school librarians.

  Since the sub title is "Spotlighting Books for Kids and Teens" , you can just start introducing this site to your students to help them find great books that they want to read!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Managing magazines in libraries- part two

      As mentioned in the previous blog, we are discussing how libraries manage magazines.   Many libraries both school and public  libraries circulate magazines . There are a couple ways to do this of course.
     One would be to simply have cards and write the title, month, and year at the top. When the borrower wants the magainie , he/she would just sign  the card. Then file it and when returned cross off the name.
      In our computer world there is also the tech way. If you do not have a large circulating magazine collection, one way would be to place a bar code on a card . When a patron wants a magazine , simply scan the card under the persons name and then add ( on the fly as many circ programs have the capability) the title and month/year of the magazine.   When returned , just scan in and keep the card for the next time a magazine is wanted.
      The other tech way which is more labor intensive but easier in the long run would be to place on each magazine a barcode and put the information into the computer when it arrives. In that way the  person at the circ desk can just scan it and the patron/ student is good to go.  Again on check in- just scan the magazine and return to the magazine shelf.



Thursday, December 13, 2012

Tech Tools - Wired Wednesday- one day late

          I am a day late- We spent yesterday finishing our Christmas shopping and also doing some grocery shopping. We got home late - it was a tiring day!
           I found a great site that I have used in preparing my genre studies and  other lessons. . I have adapted some lessons from each one for the grades that I had taught the genres to. For the upper grades I like to highlight a different genre each month  with mini lessons and posters and displays.   I also encourage students to write down the genre on their  reading book list as they also have to do this for their teachers so why not keep track of ALL their reading.
          One of the best sites for almost any subject area and grade level is READWRITETHINK . This site is amazing when you take some time to look at all it has to offer.  There are classroom resources , lesson plans, interactive  tasks ,  activities based on the month, and printouts available. 
          There are professional development links to a great many tips and hints, and articles on teaching the different topics.  There are also  parent and after school resources.
    When you share this with your staff, they will treat like a rock start because they will LOVE it!