In this week's "3 Quick Things," I share a lesson plan template I've been finding useful this year, discuss my love/hate relationship with weeding nonfiction, and share my attempts at letting students in on my reading life.
If you are a school librarian at any level, odds are that you know that positive collaboration and co-teaching really make or break you. For my first few years in the library, I was so anxious to prove that the library was a legitimate, important learning space that I ended up doing too much and not leaving room for teachers to enter into truly collaborative relationships with me. Over the course of the past three years, that has led to me feeling overworked, overanxious, and (occasionally) a bit taken advantage of. Since not collaborating was definitely not an option, I tried to start out this year with a clearer path toward true collaboration. Thus, the Library Collaborative Lesson Plan Template was born. Blending the AASL Standards, ISTE Standards, and our Virginia Standards of Learning and revised Portrait of a Graduate requirements, the template aims to be a one-stop-shop for collaborative planning. While forging true collaborative relationships is (and always will be) an ongoing process, it has been really handy to pull out this lesson planning template as teacher and I talk about how we can divide and conquer. Try it out and let me know what you think!
I'll be honest with you, as much as I love books, I think I love weeding books just as much. Having inherited a library that had never been weeded since its opening in the late 1960s, I quickly found my hoarding tendencies had flown out the window in favor of clear shelves that invite students to browse instead of dig. At the same time, though, weeding can be a bit anxiety-inducing; I never feel completely comfortable with a half-empty shelf and a cart full of potential weeding candidates. However, I always press on, and here's why.
The above picture is a view of our current 900s, or history, section. What a wall of books! I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but, really? What student is going to even start to look for information there, much less browse for anything? Now, take a look at the picture below from our newly updated 800s (literature) section, where about 500 books were weeded. It's the difference between breezing through a high-end department store versus digging through racks in a clearance section; you're going to find great stuff either way, it's just the amount of work you're willing to put in. My experience has informed me that students aren't necessarily willing to put in the work in an overly-full section, and my circulation has skyrocketed in each section I've been able to weed so far (fiction, biography, 300s, 500s, and 600s).
Since I am on my own in a library that serves close to 1,000 students, weeding takes a while, as it has to happen when I'm not actively involved in instruction. But, I try to enjoy the process as I go (such as getting my student aides involved in a "guess the copyright year" game--way more fun than you might think!). In addition to helping rid the library of outdated information, the weeding process also helps me stop and notice the great titles we already have, thus making ordering and recommending a whole lot easier. Thanks to the CREW method and Library Girl's FRESH method for inspiring me to keep on weeding; it's really worth the time and effort!
Students need good examples, and reading is no exception to that. They need to see their teachers, peers, principals, parents, and everyone in between practicing the one skill that we know is bound to improve both test scores and life in general. I am a big proponent of never asking students to do something that I myself wouldn't tackle, so when I'm working with our 10th grade students on an all-year read-a-thon (which, by the way, is the COOLEST class set-up, inspired by Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle's 180 Days and brought to life by our amazing Pre-AP 10 English teacher), I know that I need to be reading as well. Every. Single. Day.
But how do I show this to students, especially when they are breezing in and out when I'm with classes? How can I let them know that I'm reading, constantly, and that I'm a "real" reader who has books that she likes and ones that she doesn't? How can I engage with 1,000 students and teachers, sharing and recommending all of the wonderful books I encounter? Well, I haven't found the complete answer yet, but part of it is going as visual as possible.
First, I started with a display near the circulation desk computer where I posted the cover art of each book I just finished; I ended up with a collage of cover art, so when my mind went completely blank as students asked me for recommendations, I had something nearby to fall back on. Then, I started including Flipgrid book talks, eventually deciding to use my Bitmoji to create eye-catching signs that led students to the book talks. Finally, I added an ever-changing display titled "Mrs. Kramer's Reading Life" to the front of my circulation desk; when I'm reading a book that I REALLY love, I add gold stars, hearts, or another Bitmoji to grab students' attention. So far, it's sparked some conversation, and I've even had students call me on having one cover image up too long ("Mrs. Kramer, really? I've read like 5 books since you started that one.")
How do you grab your students' attention and get the interested in what you're reading?
I hope your October is off to great start, and I'll look forward to sharing more library goodness with you soon!
Love,
Your Library
Lesson Plan Template
If you are a school librarian at any level, odds are that you know that positive collaboration and co-teaching really make or break you. For my first few years in the library, I was so anxious to prove that the library was a legitimate, important learning space that I ended up doing too much and not leaving room for teachers to enter into truly collaborative relationships with me. Over the course of the past three years, that has led to me feeling overworked, overanxious, and (occasionally) a bit taken advantage of. Since not collaborating was definitely not an option, I tried to start out this year with a clearer path toward true collaboration. Thus, the Library Collaborative Lesson Plan Template was born. Blending the AASL Standards, ISTE Standards, and our Virginia Standards of Learning and revised Portrait of a Graduate requirements, the template aims to be a one-stop-shop for collaborative planning. While forging true collaborative relationships is (and always will be) an ongoing process, it has been really handy to pull out this lesson planning template as teacher and I talk about how we can divide and conquer. Try it out and let me know what you think!Weeding Nonfiction
I'll be honest with you, as much as I love books, I think I love weeding books just as much. Having inherited a library that had never been weeded since its opening in the late 1960s, I quickly found my hoarding tendencies had flown out the window in favor of clear shelves that invite students to browse instead of dig. At the same time, though, weeding can be a bit anxiety-inducing; I never feel completely comfortable with a half-empty shelf and a cart full of potential weeding candidates. However, I always press on, and here's why.The above picture is a view of our current 900s, or history, section. What a wall of books! I know I'm probably preaching to the choir here, but, really? What student is going to even start to look for information there, much less browse for anything? Now, take a look at the picture below from our newly updated 800s (literature) section, where about 500 books were weeded. It's the difference between breezing through a high-end department store versus digging through racks in a clearance section; you're going to find great stuff either way, it's just the amount of work you're willing to put in. My experience has informed me that students aren't necessarily willing to put in the work in an overly-full section, and my circulation has skyrocketed in each section I've been able to weed so far (fiction, biography, 300s, 500s, and 600s).
Since I am on my own in a library that serves close to 1,000 students, weeding takes a while, as it has to happen when I'm not actively involved in instruction. But, I try to enjoy the process as I go (such as getting my student aides involved in a "guess the copyright year" game--way more fun than you might think!). In addition to helping rid the library of outdated information, the weeding process also helps me stop and notice the great titles we already have, thus making ordering and recommending a whole lot easier. Thanks to the CREW method and Library Girl's FRESH method for inspiring me to keep on weeding; it's really worth the time and effort!
My Literary Life
Students need good examples, and reading is no exception to that. They need to see their teachers, peers, principals, parents, and everyone in between practicing the one skill that we know is bound to improve both test scores and life in general. I am a big proponent of never asking students to do something that I myself wouldn't tackle, so when I'm working with our 10th grade students on an all-year read-a-thon (which, by the way, is the COOLEST class set-up, inspired by Kelly Gallagher and Penny Kittle's 180 Days and brought to life by our amazing Pre-AP 10 English teacher), I know that I need to be reading as well. Every. Single. Day.
But how do I show this to students, especially when they are breezing in and out when I'm with classes? How can I let them know that I'm reading, constantly, and that I'm a "real" reader who has books that she likes and ones that she doesn't? How can I engage with 1,000 students and teachers, sharing and recommending all of the wonderful books I encounter? Well, I haven't found the complete answer yet, but part of it is going as visual as possible.
How do you grab your students' attention and get the interested in what you're reading?
I hope your October is off to great start, and I'll look forward to sharing more library goodness with you soon!
Love,
Your Library
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