Check It Out

Yearlong Reading Challenge

This year I encouraged students to keep track of their reading hours.  The challenge: read 3500 hours during the year. And if they did reach goal? Then what? The winning classroom could dress me up as a character of their choice.

This year the school recorded 2650 hours of reading.  Just shy of the goal. (No dress-up for me.) Three classes recorded over 100 hours, two classes recorded over 200 hours and three classes recorded over 300 hours.  Among those three competition was fierce.

It is interesting to see how individual teachers approach this challenge.  Some with real vigor and encouragement. Others not so much.  Some tie it in with their classroom reading time recording. Others let students take responsibility.

Funny how what looks great on paper doesn’t necessarily translate into practical application.  I get lost in the minutia of writing out individual stars for students who read a certain amount of hours.  I stopped the idea of building a Lego castle based on hours years ago. 

I noticed, however, that students would track their hours just because.  And isn’t that my ultimate goal?  Yesterday when I announced that the winning three classrooms would get popsicles for their efforts, the response was amazing.  One girl’s parents wrote that their daughter had to go to the dentist and hoped would not miss getting a popsicle.  Another boy, a 5th grader, was so excited, his mother emailed the teacher wondering what she had to buy for the class not knowing that MsMac was purchasing.  Sometimes it is the little things.

 I donated $30.00 to the Humane Society as a way to acknowledge their effort.  We have a “Read to the Dog” program.  Lisa, a Humane Society volunteer and her dog, Chance come weekly and listen to kids read. As a thank you to them, we collect food and supplies for the Humane Society.  I am thinking perhaps next year a donation to the Humane Society will be the ”prize” for the reading challenge. 

Returning Library Books

Library books were due June 5.  Yesterday I called almost 90 parents to remind their child that the book needed to be returned or the fine paid.  Fifth grade will suffer the most if fines are not paid.  Imagine next fall, excited to be a middle schoolers. Activities to participate in and then be told, “You have a library fine.” Some fifth graders do not beleive this news. 

As I write this post, a fifth grader is in the library reading and finishhing the last thirty pages of his book.  Another fifth grader told my assistant, “please come back, I have 10 pages left.”  I guess there can be worst things in the world than getting a library book returned.

Then there are the students who do not have the financial means to pay for lost books.  Today two brothers came in with four books from their home libraries.  The books are slightly rag tagged but the pride in the two that they had taken responsibility: priceless. 

That’s the lesson here, take responsibility.  Do the right thing.  Which is exactly what another fifth grader did; paid up on a fine from fourth grade.  Last year her denied losing the book.  This year he went with “I already paid.” (no record).  In the end, he paid and announced to me that he had signed up for the summer reading program at his grandma’s library.  Hooray!

Summer might be hit and miss with Tuesday Tidbits. Have a wonderful summer and read!

MsMac

Three weeks ago, I wrote about our district’s budget woes and its effect on the library program.  It was a horrible week not knowing the district’s budget plans.  So much of the budget is dependent on what our state legislature decides.  The session ended last week but a special session will be called in the next few weeks.  It could mean more cuts to education.

However, a group of library media specialists, the teacher’s union and district officials met recently to discuss cuts to the library program as well as how the library budget is managed.  You see, when the announcement was made that the library budget would be cut by 50% next year, it was also decided that the money would go directly to the building and the building would decide how much the library would get. I felt like the library had heart surgery(more like heart removal surgery).

Wow!  I have read what has happened in other districts in this scenario. It does not favor libraries and actually creates “library haves” and “library have-nots”.  This is clearly illustrated by the current way elementary libraries are budgeted any building money.  I, for example,  am given $75.00 per year of the building budget, another school in the district gets $300.00 and still others do not receive any funds from their building budget.    This is the way it has been for a neighboring district as well; money disseminated to the library based on what the administration deems important or the type of relationship a library media specialist may have the principal.  Should it really be that way?  Should libraries be funded on a whim?  I think not.

Our meeting with the district went well.  I think the group conveyed the importance of having a “baseline budget” that is consistent through out the district configured by a set amount times the number of students in the school.  As someone in the meeting pointed out, “how can you have books for one library and no books for another?”. 

It was an eye opener for me how complex my job is to an outsider. I was asked why library should get a baseline budget when the art department does not.  I found myself talking about how we support the core curriculum of the school: literacy, science, math, social studies and the arts.  We are not an entity that accumulates books and materials that are never used.  It is used by all. (At least if I am doing my job it is.)

In the end, it was decided that for this next year, the budget would be cut 50% but the library media specialist would still maintain the budget.  We will need to be vigilant that the budget continues to be maintained by us.  I think the district would very much like to move to have just one budget, the building budget.  It is our job to communicate our expertise in collection development and our passion to maintian equity throughout the school district.

We still are awaiting the fate of our assistants.  Hopefully, they will be maintained at a full time level and not be reduced to half time status.  It was disturbing to be asked at a school board meeting if I thought that volunteers could do my assistant’s job.  

The library is recuperating from heart surgery. It does need any post surgery complications.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

I modeled the following list poem for students.

Library Books

Whisper to students
“pick me, pick me”
Light up with anticipation
To be the selected one
The one checked out
Library books
Shake the dust off
Each night
Limber spines bend
as they play limbo,
Dance the title tango, or
Trick the
Librarian by
Switching places with
Notable nonfiction
Library books
Recite favorite passages
Written by
favorite author, the
One who brought
then to life first
Library books
Standing still
In the quiet

Happy Reading.

MsMac

This marks my 251 post on the blog! Hooray!

Today my morning begins with a meeting at the district office to discuss the library budget for the coming year. It will not be pretty, The one thing I know now is that the majority of the building administrators are supportive of the need for libraries to be funded. The majority are not interested in using the library money for anything but library books and materials.

Been writing poetry as examples for students.  Last week it was to write list poem about school.  Here is mine:

library books
sit on shelves
speak to
one another
when kids, staff leave
at day’s end
“She dog eared my pages! can you believe that?”
“He cried at the end.”
“I have not been checked out in a long, long, while.”
“I heard that if you sit on the shelf too long, you get discarded.”
“Is it true? Did Charlie really get stolen?”
library books
gossipers in the
night.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

National Poetry Month is a week away. Here’s a sneak peak at what I will be doing as well as some great happenings in the kidlit world for National Poetry Month.

April is our state testing month so it is a great time for me to immerse students in poetry.  I will be sharing a variety of poems throughout the month, encouraging students to carry a poem in their pocket, and having them write, write, write.

Last year I tried a “Poetry Postcard Project“. Lots of fun.  I am holding the second annual “Write a Poem-Send a Postcard” event with my students.  Students will send off an original poem to people who would like to receive a poem. And we may just drop random poems around the school.  If you wish to receive a poetry postcard, contact me. 

I am committed to “30 Days=30 Poems”  This is my third year of setting this goal for myself.

Other Poetry News:

Tricia at The Miss Rumphius Effect has planned a poetry extravaganza. I hope I can keep up.  She is interview thirty plus poets over the month. Incredible!

Greg at Gotta Book is posting a previously unpublished poem from a variety of poets during the month.

Anastasia has created a blog for student poems about school.  You can find that at Pencil Talk.  Hopefully some of my students will write a poem about school so I can share it with Anastasia.

Sylvia at Poetry for Children will be talking up lots of poetry books throughout April.

It is going to be a grand month!

Happy Reading.

MsMac

 We have a short week at my school. Today is the last day and then we get the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving.  Justina Chen Headley writes about what makes her thankful.  It seems good way to go for this week (and actually each day).

I have much to be thankful:

I work in a fabulously supportive school.  I did not become a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) without the staff, students, and parents of Silver Star.  I am thankful for their support.

My dear friend, Barbara (she and I student taught together), was my editor before I sent my portfolios off to be scored.  I am thankful for her editing skills.

Last night I received word about a grant to purchase multiple copies of a variety of gingerbread man stories to share at a Family Library Night.  I am thankful for the Evergreen Foundation for granting me a way to involve parents.

My aunt visited my school yesterday and the students loved showing her the books they were checking out.  One student called her “Miss Mac, grandma!”  Hilarious.  I am thankful that my aunt still travels at 89 years of age.

The “Comment Challenge” has been a challenge but fun. I discovered some great blogs such as Write About Now and Charlotte’s Library.  I am thankful for both Pam and Lee for challenging us to comment. I commented on 104 blogs during the challenge.

I am thankful for the blogging community- such a great way to connect.

I am thankful for the family that loves and cares for me. I am blessed.

What are you thankful for this day?

Happy Reading.

MsMac

*Douglas Florian, author and poet, has a blog, Florian Cafe.

*A fifth grader calls other kids “retarded and dork” because a step parent calls her that at home.  Reminded her to think “cancel” when someone says that because she is smart.

*My tough classes are on Mondays.

*You can check the reading level of your writing if you use Microsoft Word. You can also go herefor a Lexile level.  You need to register to use the Lexile analyzer but it is pretty neat.

*I am keeping up with the Comment Challenge. Yay, me.

*There is an amazing chapter (I believe Chapter 37 or 38, am listening so will need to check) in Little Women which all new parents should read.

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Well, I can hardly believe this day has come: Ten days away: Friday, September 26, I will be at the Sheraton Airport, meeting and greeting people who have driven, flown in, or found some other means of transportation to get to the Second Annual Kidlit Blogging Conference.

Today Laini and I will meet up with the caterer and event manager to put the final details on the food and the event.  We will check out costs to see that we won’t be stuck with some exorbitant bill at the end.   We will decide what food to order that can feed about 70 people and still have a Northwest flair to it.  We will plan the Friday gathering.  We will finalize the schedule so that it can be published.

I am both excited and terrified at the same time. Can you believe that we have almost 60 people coming? Will the sessions spark the interest for all attending?  Will the rooms not be too cold or too hot (I sat in a too cold room on Saturday for an all day meeting. Not fun!) Will everyone be feel that they got value for the money they spend on the conference? Will they want to visit Powell’s and eat out on Friday or sit in a hotel room to watch the first presidential debate?

I am an ideal gal. I have the ideas,  I love the planning and being involved but I am not always good with standing up in front of big groups of people.  I am worry that it has to be perfect.  I do possess my mother’s shy gene.

Put the word out. Visit Portland for the conference. 

Happy Reading.

MsMac

FIRST:  We have reached 50 registered attendees. WooHoo!!

SECOND:  Mark Blevis, Just One More Book, has confirmed that he will be here to talk about podcasting again. WooHoo!

Request:

I am a global kind of gal. I can miss details.  I want to make sure I do not do that. Like should your name be on the list and you are not on the list?  Please let me know!!

Eighteen Days Until Conference…But who is counting?

Happy Reading.

MsMac

Hagerman Library, Idaho, 2008

This little library was named “Library of the Year” in 2006. I just had to show you this sweet library where my friend lives.

I know. You might think, “well, I hope she likes libraries, she works in one!”. But I it is just that I have rediscovered my love of th public library during this last year.  I needed to listen to the Newbery Awards on the way to work.  I knew that my colleagues would soon tire of me asking to borrow their books on tape. So I turned to the public library.

What I love is getting on-line, choosing books and picking them up at the nearby library, Gladstone Public Library. (It is less than 2 miles from my house).  This experience has taken me back to my childhood.  That period of time before is was fashionable to purchase books from the local independent book sellers (did they exist?) or Barnes and Noble or Borders.

I went to the library a lot.  Put the colored dots on the peacock to show I had read a certain amount of books.  Got the certificate for summer reading.  Bugged my parents to drive me to the library and when I was old enough, rode my bike there.  I swear it is what made me choose to become a school library media specialist.

The borrowing of the books on tapes made me rethink my compulsion to run out and buy the latest and newest books available. So now I am borrowing books again.  It seems to line up better with my committment to be a bit more green, a bit less of a consumer, and to lighten the amount of stuff I collect.  And it use to be I could take my books back to Powell’s and get moneyfor them.  That’s is not so much the case anymore with Internet sales.

Do not get me wrong.  I still buy books.  It is just that I don’t need to drop a lot of money on books that I am not sure I will like.  I can borrow them.  Case in point:  I checked out a couple of Allende’s books as potentials for our book club.  I could not get into them so I am glad I didn’t but them.

There is a bond up for our local library.  I am hopeful it will pass, it would mean a new library.  If it does not pass, then some libraries will close.  I feel a need to work to get the bond to pass.

Do you go to the library?

Only 26 days until the Second Kidlit Blogging Conference. Wow!  Are you registered?  Do you have your room reservations?

Happy Reading.

MsMac