Oct 13

I got to teach my first lesson! It was short, but fun. I had a very brief explanation of learning styles for a 6th grade study skills class of Linda's, and had found a short worksheet to help evaluate one's own learning style. It was low-tech, but still a success. I think the students enjoyed getting an idea of how they can maximize their own study habits. I was able to teach this lesson twice.

Oct 14
Worked on my Promethean Lesson, trying to find a day to go to the K-3 school to talk to the librarian there about what the kids should know. The lesson as I have written it is pretty elementary, but since it has been 6+ months since it was reviewed with them, I think a basic review is needed. It includes the parts of the Sunset Ridge LC, how fiction and non-fiction are arranged, and a Dewey overview. Mrs. Zazove is working on a project with some flex time students, creating book trailers of their favorite books. I even got some book recommendations off the trailers!I started preparing for a historical fiction book talk scheduled for early November, and looked around for some 6th grade appropriate trailers. Scholastic seems to be my best, school-friendly site.

Oct 15
Today Linda and I sat down again with the Dominican packet, as well as Information Power, Linking for Learning. She discussed how to actually make them work within a school library, in the real world. We also went to ISBE's website and went over what she considers the best job description for a school librarian. I had the chance to make a teacher connection today, in the lunchroom, of course. A Spanish teacher mentioned that she was working on Day of the Dead, and I offered to pull materials for her both here at SR, and at the public library for my part-time job. I was able to pull a selection for her in both Spanish and English.

Oct 16
Linda was out sick today, and it was a low-key day in the library. I manned the library while Ashley did the classroom duties.

I had the following exchange with a student.
Student: I need a book.
Me: Great!! what kind of book?
S: a book, any book.
Me: You don't care what kind? fiction? non-fiction? anything?
S: (getting annoyed) Yes.
Me: Light goes off. He needs to show up for choice reading with something. Ok, here's my favorite book right now. I hand him The Hunger Games, and tell him we have the sequel when he's done. I get a middle school eye-roll in response, and off he goes.

Not sure if it's good that I gave the least picky kid in the school the best book in the library. It taught me not to get too psyched to book talk. Sometimes, they just want anything. I find out later from Linda that the boy is a non reader, and has checked out 3 books in 5 years. Oh well.

Also spent time with Mrs. Zazove as she explained book trailers to another group, and moved on with the first group re: book trailers.