Organizing your day at the library- Your Desk

     One way to keep yourself organized and help maintain your focus at your desk is a wire step file. Label several folders  like this: Do, Announcements, staff list, read , file , hold, and monthly report.These are what I have and am planning for the new school year. These are folders I refer to on a daily basis.  Customize what you put on your folders depending on your needs throughout the year.
   
    Other files are kept in one of my other filing areas ( more on that later) . These are items I do not need on a daily/ weekly basis. At the end of the day, each piece of paper ( or printed email if I deem necessary) are placed in one of these folders if I think it is necessary. Otherwise , I 'file' anything I don't need in the wastebasket.

    Each day I take my Do File to work on items  that need action. I usually only have two tasks in there at a time,with notes to myself as needed. Any other pending tasks next on list I put in "hold" file.

    This helps keep me organized  and focused. It keeps my desk neat and I can accomplish what I need to without clutter.

Making things Easier- Technology logging off

  When I am working on a project that requires a lot of computer time , I take frequent log off breaks. If I am working on a large project ( whether  I am  on the computer or using a computer print out) , I work in several eye and exercise breaks.
  When I am doing reports , inventory, searching for websites and activities for teachers ( Just to name a few) I plan on several breaks.   This is important especially if I am about to have long stretches of time on one project.
  I log off ( or just close down)  and gt up out of my seat. Then I do something to rest my eyes and stretch my lets. I grab a drink, do some easy stretches or walks around the library to shelve or straighten some books.
  I do a 5 or 10 minute break. This gives me some time to re energize and be more  focused for accomplishing  the task at hand.
  See "The Organize Librarian" for some more  tips on organizing your day. Follow me for details on  when the print book comes out.

Stay on target- make your day easier!

Stay on Target- 
    When you are working on an activity or task, stay focused and keep your mind on the goal of finishing your task. You could use an app on your phone to track your time  if you are a big techie . ( these you start a timer when you begin and it tells you how long the task took).
    I don't use theses- I just try to stay focused and keep working .When I start a task, I try to keep working until I get to the stopping point.( either the end of the project or the end of my allotted time for the task.
   I also plan on doing something totally different or taking a bathroom break or grabbing a coffee or tea when I complete the task. I also can just take a few moments to stretch my legs, move around , or just do something to signal I am done.
  Since I am at school , most times I work on a bell to bell schedule. I try to beat the bell . Sometines I batch my tasks and get many small tasks done in one time period. ( See The Organized Librarian- very soon it will be out in print edition- watch for the announcement)  That's how I stay on target and get things done!

Promotion Playaways/ Audio Books

    In my library , we have a small collection of audio book playaways. ( Books are read on tape and students  can put in ear plugs to listen). I am trying to figure out how to promote the use of them for the upcoming school year.  In the past years, these have seen a lot of use.  It is one area that I think Middle school students might really get excited about.

   We have a parent letter to be sent home before the student is allowed to check out the playaway for the first time, In the form,it details why the parent signature is required. ( Playaways are not cheap to replace).

     I am also thinking of having a recess playaway club where once a week ,students could come to the library to listen to a specific book. By the end of the month, students would have listened to a complete boo and maybe get the reading bug ( or want to listen to another type of story)

     Does anyone have playaway in their libraries. How to you promote and encourage your students to use them? Please leave your answers or any other comments below. Thanks!
    

Save time on your email

    Reading and replying to email messages can waste tons of time each day.  There are several tips that I have found work well for me.  I have specific times each day that I check  and respond to emails ( even on Slummer Vacation!!) 

    Once I have looked at an email I figure our first-should I read it? If is is important enough to be read  then  I figure out  the next 6 items.

1) Do- I reply if I can do so in 3 minutes or less.

2) Delay- move to a folder on my email to follow up later.

3) Delegate- I forward it to someone who can  act on it or who really needs to see it.( I do this for staff when I find info that staff might use)

4)Place in folder- this is for items that I need to keep to refer to- something from the District Office , or administration , or my Dept Chair.

5&6) My favorite s: delete it right away, or unsubscribe from the email . This gets rid of the stuff you do not want or need.

  As I have slowly adopted these  strategies, I am not a slave to my emails and not overwhelmed by having to many in my mailbox.

Flipgrid is now free for educators!!!

Already planning for the fall??? Note that Flipgrid (which I know many of you used the limited free version of this year) is now offering their “paid” version COMPLETELY FREE for all to use.

Put it on your “to do list” of a cool way to engage your kids next year and see me if you have questions!
 See my earlier post about using Flipgrid- I will probably be doing several more posts as I want to encourage my staff to use it!

Read about it here:

https://blog.flipgrid.com/news/bettertogether

Benefits of Breakout Boxes

  The Breakoutboxes edu have many benefits. Firstly, the games /puzzles are highly adaptive  and can be customized to grade  levels and students  capabilities . At teachers / librarians we can develop games to git in with a novel, unit of study, or standard skills.. We can also use the breakout boxes to introduce , review, or reinforce skills that the students need.

  The games are collaborative so students work in groups They can read the clues or search out the clues hidden in texts, illustrations, poems, ect. There is a group dynamic between the members of each group.This helps build class relationships between classmate they may not be familiar with.  The group work builds confidence, skills,  and the ability to try out new ideas.

   Some students will emerge as leaders, others will be working on clues, some will be  timekeepers or some may be taking notes. All will be encouraged to contribute ideas for solutions. Each will fall into their talents that they may not know they have.  There will be sharing of ideas and talking out of possible ways to open the boxes to gain access to further clues.
   Breakout boxes help students build the skills to tackle problems and work together as a unit.