Twitter!

I know that I'm behind the times here.  I just started on Twitter on Sunday.  Have posted a couple of times, it's fun, but some people sure post a LOT!!  Like 50 times a day!!  Well today I posted about a book that I was starting because it was in the book fair that we opened up today.  Excitingly enough, that author retweeted my post!!  So excited!  If you haven't read the Cryptid Hunters series by Roland Smith, it is great!  The newest and final book of the series is out, it's called Mutation.  I had to bring it home tonight and start reading!  Exciting!  My "To Read" list is so super long and it gets longer every time we get a book fair or a book order comes in!  My first book order of the year came in this week.  Book fair, new books and retweeted by an author!!  What a week!!  Now if only I could figure out how to link my Twitter feed to my blog and vice versa, oh the technology!  

Have a great week!!

Brandy

The StoryBook Room

So I've been to several different elementary libraries and they are all very different in their make-up.  I love the ones with windows!!!  But I've never worked in one.  Several libraries that I've seen have been open, no walls, in the middle of the school.  And I have to ask, who thought that was a good idea?  I thought the library was supposed to be a quiet place.  A place where students could come to be themselves and get away.

My current library is open in the middle of the school. We have some half walls and so it's not completely open, but it is LOUD!!  Not sure how it is conducive to learning, but we are dealing with it.   It was hard to find a good story time place, not under the stairs-too hot.  Not by the stairs-too loud (sounds like cows are stomping on the stairs).  And people walk through the library all the time, like we're part of the hallway, just because there are no doors.  But this year, I've been allowed to take over a new room and it is fabulous!!  It is a small room off the library that opens to the hallway and to the library.  It is right next to my office, but way across the library from the check out desk.  Here are some pictures.  This is where I do almost all my lessons.


I hope that you enjoy a glance into my library!  I love to see pictures online of other libraries!  I've seen some great ideas!  

Door into the room, where most classes enter. Chair for the teacher to sit in.  If they stay!  

Where I sit to read, with my objectives and scales (This week I read Bugs in My Hair by David Shannon to my littles, as an intro to the book fair, which will be here soon.  Teachers were kind of creeped out!

!

Nonfiction books and The Yellow Brick Road, for retelling.  I got it from The First Grade Parade blog.  

This is a window that covers most of the wall, tried to cover it with trees, it looks out under the stairs.  

A view of the door into the library, I stand at the door with my laptop and check out books to my littles (PK and K).  

Here are the Fiction books for Kindergarten and PK.

Library Schedule

I'm still planning to post pics of my library.  But I haven't taken any yet so I thought I'd share about my schedule.  It's changed a lot this year.  Last year, I was in the Specials Rotation for teachers to get their planning period.  But I was only in the rotation for second grade, so I only taught lessons to 2nd grade and then PK and Kindergarten.  This year, I am teaching lessons to all grades.  PK-1st grade is every week and 2nd-5th grade is every other week. I've seen so many different kinds of library schedules, it's crazy!  Here's my schedule, but it's all about flexibility, so it's changed a couple of times since: 

Nothing too inspiring but just a part of every librarian's job.  What does your library schedule look like?

Brandy

Technology takes over!!

I don't know what it's like at your school, dear librarian, but at mine, the librarian is in charge of getting all the technology and equipment out to the teachers.  Our projectors aren't mounted, we get new teachers every year and for some reason our equipment inventory is just a mess (not my fault).  Every summer, teachers are required to return all equipment back to the library (even though our library is open-no walls).  I'm always wishing for an easier way to do it, but it hasn't worked out yet (this is my 3rd year at this school, so maybe I'll figure it out soon!).  So the first few days, when we are not doing professional development, I am checking out equipment to the teachers and making sure that everyone can print to all printers.  For some reason, that was a big issue this year.  Not sure why!?!  Now that we've started school, I'm still getting people connected, but I should be almost finished.  It takes a while to get 31 or so teachers ready for their kids.  In the meantime, I'm trying to get the library and my classroom ready for students to visit!  We did some rearranging last year and now I have a little classroom to teach in!!  I'm very excited about it and now that I am finished with technology, I can focus on the important stuff, like getting books into the hands of my students!  Yay!!  I will be taking some pictures next week and blogging again soon!!

Until then,

Brandy

INSPIRED!!

There are two weeks left of summer and I'm getting antsy to be in my classroom/library!!  But since we can't get in until after the 10th of August, I am working from home on my TO DO list.  And tonight I am inspired,  I am visiting one of my favorite blogs and have just been inspired to do some new centers in my library.  The only issue is finding space to do them all!!!  The blogger is Cari Young, from Library Learners at the Centered School Library!  I'm still learning to blog, but I'll try to post a link.

Here is the link to her blog: http://librarylearners.com

Besides finding space for each of the centers, I haven't quite figured out how to explain them to 23 classes.  I think I will create a video, or a couple of videos, but we'll see.  I have seen a couple of explanation videos on Library sites, I better get busy!!!  Oh there's so much to do.  (But my 11 year old daughter wants to help, so maybe we'll get lots done!!)

And I still need to finish reading the books on the Sequoyah list, I think I only have three left.

Have you been inspired?  Who has inspired you lately?

Brandy

Summer Planning

Summer!!  As a Library Media Specialist, how do you spend your summer?  Vacations and hanging out, reading by the pool, or the beach!  Do you do any planning?

I've been struggling with my planning, last summer I had centers planned and everything ready to go!  This year, I don't know,  I'm not sure where I'm heading or what I'm doing.  I used to be in specials rotation and next year I won't be, so I've been working on a schedule, but since my wonderful aide is only part time, that makes scheduling classes difficult because I can only have class in the afternoon to keep the library open all day (my aide is in the afternoon).  But I think I have a schedule figured out, only my teachers and principal haven't seen it yet.  But now I'm ready to work on plans, but here in OK, CCSS is benched for the time being, so we're going back to PASS, I think.  It's all so confusing, so what skills do I focus on, where do I go with my planning?  There are the AASL standards, but to me, those are a little confusing and there are so many of them.  Which ones do I focus on?  How can I make my library program stand out?  What skills would benefit my students the most?  So I'm in a quandary!  What do I do?  I hate to wait until school starts to start planning, but I'm just not sure where to begin.  So if you have any great ideas, I'd love to hear them.  

I have decided to skip Orientation this year!  I got my fun little Library Brain box of ideas and one thing was, don't do Orientation, the kids already know it all, just review it.  And do you really want the kids first impression of you to be about RULES?  Read them a book, introduce yourself and tell them that they are welcome in the library.  

I have lots of great ideas for the library, just not my lessons.  Gotta get focused!!!  What is your focus for lessons?

The Mommy/Daughter Challenge

I challenged my daughter at the beginning of the summer (see previous post) to see who could read the most books.  And so far, I'm winning, but just by one book.  Here is a my stack of books, not including the books I've read on my Nook.

I'm working on book #10 and she is on book #9.  I'm very proud of her for taking on this challenge.  I'm hoping that she will start reading bigger books.

We're also watching the Harry Potter movies together as a family and I think she may move on to those next (I hope so!).  She's always shied away, but maybe...

Maybe I'll make a big reader of her yet!!

Brandy

The CHALLENGE!! Sammy vs. Mommy!!

Me:  Okay Sammy, I'm challenging you this summer to a reading challenge.  What should we call it?

Sammy: You're on!!  A Book-Off

Me: So what are the rules?  Because we need some rules.  I kinda think it should be per book, although my books might be bigger than yours. What do you think?  (oh, and I might have less time to read, since I'll be taking care of your brother)

Sammy:  I like per book.  

Mommy:  Okay, anything else?   No, okay, we'll do books!  So I think I've already got a head start.  I've finished two so far.  What about you?

Sammy:  I've only got one.  But I'm  going to win!!!!! 

MOMMY      SAMMY
ll                     l


What do you think?  Have you ever had a challenge with your kiddos before?  I hope I win!  Actually, I hope she wins!!  A love of reading is a goal of mine for both my kids.  What do you do to instill a love of reading?

Brandy

End of Year!!!

Are you excited for the end of the year?!?!  I am, although I'm a little nervous looking ahead to the summer.  My two kids are doing an awful lot of fighting right now and they're going to be home with me all day, everyday.  Now Sam will want to be out doing things, every day, Tate on the other hand is the homebody.  I think they're going to be wanting to do different things, everyday.  I may go crazy!!

But there's still three weeks left until summer, how are you feeling?  Too much to do?  Maybe you're feeling like a chicken-with it's head cut off!!  What does your To Do List look like?  Today, I repaired books and covered and recovered books.  Worked on a little bit of inventory, worked on my end of the year slide show, also been thinking ahead to next year.  What am I going to do differently next year, what am I going to teach?  I've also started working on my plan for next year.  What about you?  

TESTING!!

Long time~no posts!!  So sorry!!  As I'm sure you are, we are in the midst of testing!!  I don't know what this does to your library, but it causes ours to be closed at various times of the day.  I spoke with a friend of mine who is a counselor at a high school and she said that her school library is closed for 40 days because of testing-40 days!!  I cannot imagine!!  

Do you close your library for testing?  Do you close for any other reasons?  What are some reasons to close the library?  

Do you read aloud to your children/students?

When you do read, what do you read? Right now, my five year old likes to listen to the same books over and over, as most kids do (or like his mommy, I love to read books again, it's comfortable).  You might be thinking it's because we only have a few books in his room, but because I am a teacher and a librarian, I have been collecting kids books for over 15 years.

My little one has over 100 books in his room!  But we read the same ones over and over because he enjoys them, I figure eventually we'll read all 100 but until then we'll enjoy our time reading together and being together.

There are so many great reasons to read aloud to your children (your own and your students).
 I like to listen to books on CD and at the end of two different books that I've listened to Jim Dale (visit his website www.jim-dale.com) says, "listening to audiobooks isn't just great entertainment, it's a great way for your family to experience and enjoy books together. Studies have shown that listening to stories read aloud helps children build vocabulary and improve their reading skills.  It's an important step on the road to becoming a good reader and one of the best ways you can help insure a life-long love of literature and reading for the children you care about."

 Jim Dale.  You should hear his Harry Potter voices!!  Awesome!! I just read on his website that he did 134 voices for the Harry Potter books!  And they are distinguishable and he keeps the same voices throughout the series.  

So, in case you missed them, here are some reasons for reading out loud to your children:

1. Being together

2. Builds fluency

3. Builds vocabulary

4. Great entertainment

5. Improves reading skills

6. Builds a lifelong love of literature

If you haven't picked a book to read aloud to the kiddos in your life, DO IT, you will be glad you did!

Brandy

Books To Read!

How long is your list of books to read?  Mine is so long, I will never get them all read!  I have a stack of books from our most recent book fair:

And then I come across some on the shelves and think, oh I'd like to read those, maybe they'll be some I can tell the kids about, here are my most recent finds as I was straightening the shelves.

I'm also reading this series for a teacher friend, to let her know if it's appropriate for her students:

Hoping to have a little bit of time to read this spring break, haven't had any time yet!  Busy, busy with my kiddos!  

Is your pile as tall as mine?  Is everyone's pile/list that tall/long?  

Brandy

Spring Break!!

Woo Hoo!!  I know all my teacher friends and all the kids are celebrating!!  It's also National Pie/Pi Day!  Sounds like a good start to a great week!  Getting ready to tie dye shirts with my daughter and her friend!  Going to be a good time!  I hope that everyone has a great and relaxing break and we return renewed and refreshed and ready for those last 9 weeks of school.  Enjoy!  I'm going to read, read, read! 

Happy Spring!

Pictures!!

One of the things I like best about library and teacher blogs (and Pinterest!) is the pictures of different classrooms!  I love to see how creative and different they are.  My library has very bland walls because they are like 30 feet tall with nothing on them, I long for a mural or something!  So I thought maybe I can show you my library and you can give me some ideas :)!  I've only been at my school for 2 years, so it's a work in progress.

This first picture is from outside the library, in the hallway, and it shows how large the library is,  I've never measured but you could fit 2 or 3 of my first library in it.

Not a great picture but I will take more as I talk about different sections of the library.  I can tell you that I do long for walls all the way around the library.  I have a few walls, but they just don't block the sound at all!  I wish for my library to be a place where kids can come to relax and this library is not that place.  Right now, I can hear all the noise from the cafeteria, which is understandably loud, that's when they get to talk, but I wish that my space was quiet.  Is your library a quiet place?

This one is from the opposite corner.

Welcome to BookLand!

One of my favorite books is Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins.  

I love to read and I want to share that love with others!  I work in an elementary library and I love teaching kiddos and teachers about books!  I'm also learning a lot about technology!  I've learned so much from others and I thought it would be a good way to share what I've learned with others.