This letter by well-known US reading researcher Stephen Krashen responds to an article in The Detroit News paper by promoting libraries as the key to student literacy achievement...
"Detroit is looking in all the wrong places to explain its low reading scores and is ignoring the most obvious ("Detroit parents want DPS teachers, officials jailed over low test scores," Dec. 13). Jailing teachers, new reading initiatives and volunteer tutors are not the answer. The answer is improved school libraries staffed by certified librarians.
Study after study has confirmed the common-sense idea that reading itself is the best way to develop reading ability: Children who read more do better on all tests of literacy, including the fourth grade National Assessment of Educational Progress reading test, the test Detroit children did so poorly on. But to read, children need access to books. For children of low-income families, the only source is the school library.
Research done by me, as well as Jeff McQuillan, has confirmed that access to books is strongly related to performance on the NAEP exam for fourth-graders, even when we control for the effects of poverty. A study done by Keith Lance and colleagues in 2003 confirmed that the presence of credentialed librarians in Michigan is related to higher reading test scores. I suggest that the investigative reporters of The Detroit News check on the quality of school libraries in Detroit as well as library staffing.
Stephen Krashen , Professor Emeritus, Rossier School of Education,University of Southern California, Los Angeles USA
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
Curious expeditions
Curious Expeditions is a wonderful website with the motto "Travelling and exhuming the extraordinary past" http://curiousexpeditions.org/
One of their best known posts is the "love letter" to libraries - gorgeous photos of wonderful libraries - http://curiousexpeditions.org/?p=78
One of their best known posts is the "love letter" to libraries - gorgeous photos of wonderful libraries - http://curiousexpeditions.org/?p=78
"Everyone has some kind of place that makes them feel transported to a magical realm. For some people it’s castles with their noble history and crumbling towers. For others it’s abandoned factories, ivy choked, a sense of foreboding around every corner. For us here at Curious Expeditions, there has always been something about libraries. Row after row, shelf after shelf, there is nothing more magical than a beautiful old library."
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Visualisation, The Magician's Elephant and Reading Rockets
You can subscribe to the useful Reading Rockets free online newsletter with links to various blogs... http://tiny.cc/subscribeReadingRockets
From the website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
The latest newsletter has a piece by Joanne Meier about the importance of visualisation as a comprehension strategy. "The National Reading Panel includes mental imagery as one of their "top 7" comprehension strategies, citing research that suggests imagery can improve memory, comprehension, and an appreciation for text. "
The Magician's Elephant, a wonderful story by Kate di Camillo is a great resource to practice this strategy - see here for the post : http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/34040
The book's website has a resource kit to go with the book - all sorts of magic tricks and and other activities...
http://themagicianselephant.com/images/resources/ME_ActivityKit.pdf
From the website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
The latest newsletter has a piece by Joanne Meier about the importance of visualisation as a comprehension strategy. "The National Reading Panel includes mental imagery as one of their "top 7" comprehension strategies, citing research that suggests imagery can improve memory, comprehension, and an appreciation for text. "
The Magician's Elephant, a wonderful story by Kate di Camillo is a great resource to practice this strategy - see here for the post : http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/34040
The book's website has a resource kit to go with the book - all sorts of magic tricks and and other activities...
http://themagicianselephant.com/images/resources/ME_ActivityKit.pdf
Friday, November 27, 2009
Danah Boyd and social media
I've mentioned Danah Boyd before on this blog, after reading a Ross Todd "tweet" about her - here is a video interview with her...
Danah Boyd, "high priestess" of networked social media, interview
After presenting the keynote address at the American Association of School Libraries National Conference, Danah Boyd, the "high priestess" of networked social media, discussed the role that school librarians should be playing in their students' social networking activities, how to cut through the red tape that may be preventing them from filling this role, and how Wikipedia can and should be used to teach students about information.
http://alfocus.ala.org/videos/danah-boyd-interview
SOURCE: Peter Scott's Library Blog, 18 November 2009
Danah Boyd, "high priestess" of networked social media, interview
After presenting the keynote address at the American Association of School Libraries National Conference, Danah Boyd, the "high priestess" of networked social media, discussed the role that school librarians should be playing in their students' social networking activities, how to cut through the red tape that may be preventing them from filling this role, and how Wikipedia can and should be used to teach students about information.
http://alfocus.ala.org/videos/danah-boyd-interview
SOURCE: Peter Scott's Library Blog, 18 November 2009
UK resources on involving fathers in children's reading
Though very UK focussed eg role of football/ soccer, Dad's Clubs etc, these resources may be of interest to spark ideas / discussion...
Getting the Blokes on Board
A downloadable resource from the UK Literacy Trust about involving fathers and male carers in reading with their children, aimed at professionals who work with parents rather than the parents themselves.
Father's impact on their children's education and achievement
Children, both boys and girls, benefit enormously from their fathers' involvement in their learning and education. And what matters most is not how much time fathers spend with their children, but the quality of what they do when they are together.
http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=12&cID=583
Britain's children want not expensive holidays, computers or bikes from their dads, but shared time playing football, chatting at bedtime, being helped with homework, "messing about", being cooked for, attending the mosque, going shopping.
Think Fathers "Dad test"
The free downloadable Think Fathers Dad Test is designed to help managers and practitioners start to assess how father-inclusive their service is, with ideas for small changes that can help meet the needs of mums, dads and children more effectively.
http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=3&cID=922
Getting the Blokes on Board
A downloadable resource from the UK Literacy Trust about involving fathers and male carers in reading with their children, aimed at professionals who work with parents rather than the parents themselves.
Father's impact on their children's education and achievement
Children, both boys and girls, benefit enormously from their fathers' involvement in their learning and education. And what matters most is not how much time fathers spend with their children, but the quality of what they do when they are together.
http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=12&cID=583
Children want "ordinary activities" with their dads
Britain's children want not expensive holidays, computers or bikes from their dads, but shared time playing football, chatting at bedtime, being helped with homework, "messing about", being cooked for, attending the mosque, going shopping.
Think Fathers "Dad test"
The free downloadable Think Fathers Dad Test is designed to help managers and practitioners start to assess how father-inclusive their service is, with ideas for small changes that can help meet the needs of mums, dads and children more effectively.
http://www.fatherhoodinstitute.org/index.php?id=3&cID=922
Monday, November 23, 2009
Awful Library Books blog
Here is a link to an article about two librarians, Mary Kelly and Holly Hibner, who started the blog Awful Library Books in April to add some zing to an industry convention speech on the quality of collections in public libraries
http://www.freep.com/article/20091113/NEWS03/911130364/1001/News/Blog-names-worlds-worst-books
Check out the The Betty Betz Party Book: The Teen-Age Guide to Social Success from 1947 - good grief - these examples should inspire some vigorous weeding !
http://www.freep.com/article/20091113/NEWS03/911130364/1001/News/Blog-names-worlds-worst-books
Check out the The Betty Betz Party Book: The Teen-Age Guide to Social Success from 1947 - good grief - these examples should inspire some vigorous weeding !
Publishing student writing
Here are some opportunities for publishing students' writing on the web, shared on the list serve...
- The Book Council has a creative writing gallery on their website... With the buy-in of teachers, we will soon have this to the stage that it will be a privilege to be published there – choosing the 3 top at each of primary and secondary school levels to publish online.
http://www.bookcouncil.org.nz/Education//Writers_Gallery/Creative_Writers_Gallery.htm
- Here is a list of online publishing opportunities for young writers http://www.noodletools.com/debbie/literacies/basic/yngwrite.html
- We'd be happy to publish it on The Pulse - alongside other young poets:
http://thepulse.org.nz/Read/Poetry/Your-Poetry/ Christchurch City Libraries, Central Library http://christchurchcitylibraries.com
- At the School for Young Writers we have the twice-yearly Write On magazine which is open at very low cost to subscribing individuals and schools and free to those who join our programme or whose schools do. It's a great resource for teachers and students and we can do with more subscriptions to keep it going. It is generally easy to get published on a website and harder in a 'real' publication where the standards of selection provide a better guide to students' achievements. The next edition will be launched on 12th December and available to schools either then or early in 2010. We welcome support for this magazine. It can be viewed in library collections around the country and samples are posted on our website. If anyone wants a complimentary copy of the last issue, send a stamped-addressed A4 sized envelope to me at the address below Dr Glyn StrangeDirector The School for Young WritersPO Box 21-120Christchurch 8143 ph/fax 03 355 3588 young.writers@xtra.co.nzwww.schoolforyoungwriters.org
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Citing sources
Here is some information on citing soures (shared on the list serv by Janet McFadden from the Wellington EdLib group), as well as a couple of other websites which may be of interest...
- Catherine Doughty of Whitireia Community Polytechnic has shared information about citing of sources and the approach they use to teach this (contact Jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz if you would like to be sent a pdf copy of this.)
- This guide (thanks to Barbara Garriock) comes from MIT, and Sue Roylance who developed them is happy to share them.
http://library.manukau.ac.nz/pdfs/apa2008.pdf (this is the long version) http://library.manukau.ac.nz/pdfs/miniapa2008.pdf (the brief version) - This guide is from the University of Auckland - it seems very clear and uses a student-friendly approach http://cite.auckland.ac.nz/
- Check out the Tool Box on various EPIC databases eg Discovering collection, where there is information on using information including citing sources....
Fleur Beale on writing
Award-winning NZ author Fleur Beale wrote the guest introduction in the latest edition of the New Zealand Library and Information Management Journal (Vol 51, Issue no 3, Oct 2009)
"It’s 8 on a Wednesday morning and most people are heading off to work or school. I’m sitting at my computer trying to work out how the last third of the current book will sort itself out.
I have friends who get their stories almost as a dream from the mysterious repository of story. I live in hope of one day receiving such a gift but until that happens I scrabble around, grab the thread of a story and follow it until it wanders off. When I come to recognise that it’s wandering I take a long bath because that’s where ideas drift and float. I’ve learnt that I can’t let the story toddle off on its own because when it does it meanders, burbles and mucks about indulging itself.
There seems to be a balance between leaving enough rope for a story to unfold and surprise me, and keeping it heading in a forward direction along the lines I’ve envisaged for it. Sometimes writing a story feels like hacking a sculpture out of marble. It’s a process of discovery; chipping away at the rough rock until you find the shape lurking inside. Other times writing feels much more ephemeral, insights come when I’m not looking for them, a what if possibility wings in out of nowhere and makes me see a character, scene or plot from a different perspective.
Sometimes a sentence will appear on the computer screen, I’ll look at it and say, ‘Damn! Didn’t know that was going to happen.’ Such sentences are gifts with prickles – usually pointing to something that the story needs, but which is also going to mean going back and weaving in the implications.
Those books aren’t comfortable to write – they are the walking-on-ice books where I slip and slide, and where at any second the ice could break. Those are the stories whose wanderings fill up the Bits Bin on my desktop. The Bits Bin is where the out-of-control passages get sent. It’s comforting to know they’re there just in case I was having a bad day and banished a scene when it didn’t deserve it.
Writing is a strange sort of job, it’s the thrill of living in another world, of creating your own movie in your head. It’s also probably something of an addiction, for which if we’re lucky, there is no cure. "
"It’s 8 on a Wednesday morning and most people are heading off to work or school. I’m sitting at my computer trying to work out how the last third of the current book will sort itself out.
I have friends who get their stories almost as a dream from the mysterious repository of story. I live in hope of one day receiving such a gift but until that happens I scrabble around, grab the thread of a story and follow it until it wanders off. When I come to recognise that it’s wandering I take a long bath because that’s where ideas drift and float. I’ve learnt that I can’t let the story toddle off on its own because when it does it meanders, burbles and mucks about indulging itself.
There seems to be a balance between leaving enough rope for a story to unfold and surprise me, and keeping it heading in a forward direction along the lines I’ve envisaged for it. Sometimes writing a story feels like hacking a sculpture out of marble. It’s a process of discovery; chipping away at the rough rock until you find the shape lurking inside. Other times writing feels much more ephemeral, insights come when I’m not looking for them, a what if possibility wings in out of nowhere and makes me see a character, scene or plot from a different perspective.
Sometimes a sentence will appear on the computer screen, I’ll look at it and say, ‘Damn! Didn’t know that was going to happen.’ Such sentences are gifts with prickles – usually pointing to something that the story needs, but which is also going to mean going back and weaving in the implications.
Those books aren’t comfortable to write – they are the walking-on-ice books where I slip and slide, and where at any second the ice could break. Those are the stories whose wanderings fill up the Bits Bin on my desktop. The Bits Bin is where the out-of-control passages get sent. It’s comforting to know they’re there just in case I was having a bad day and banished a scene when it didn’t deserve it.
Writing is a strange sort of job, it’s the thrill of living in another world, of creating your own movie in your head. It’s also probably something of an addiction, for which if we’re lucky, there is no cure. "
Weeding
Received this fabulous article on weeding, and it has appeared on the Listserv too, but if you haven't seen it, it is really worth reading:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6705360.html
Now it is on Jeannie's blog you'll be able to access it anytime you need a reminder!
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6705360.html
Now it is on Jeannie's blog you'll be able to access it anytime you need a reminder!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Books for Keeps and "teachers as readers" research
I've mentioned this UK research in a previous post - here is the Books for Keeps article about it... http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/179/childrens-books/articles/other-articles/developing-teachers%E2%80%99-knowledge-of-children%E2%80%99s
It quotes the wonderful Aidan Chambers who was saying, 30 years ago, :
‘Unless a school is staffed by people who enjoy books and enjoy talking to children about what they read then it is unlikely that they will be very successful in helping children to become readers.’
Introducing books to children, 1973
Books for Keeps is a UK children's literature journal, available online, full of great information, reviews, articles and editorials - check it out.
It quotes the wonderful Aidan Chambers who was saying, 30 years ago, :
‘Unless a school is staffed by people who enjoy books and enjoy talking to children about what they read then it is unlikely that they will be very successful in helping children to become readers.’
Introducing books to children, 1973
Books for Keeps is a UK children's literature journal, available online, full of great information, reviews, articles and editorials - check it out.
Friday, November 13, 2009
School book clubs - and EPIC
There has been a bit of discussion about book clubs on the school library listserv recently - if you have missed it, email me jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz and I can send you a collation of the various suggestions shared by people.
I checked out EPIC and came across this article too - if you haven't been into EPIC, here is a good pretext to have a go - log in through TKI http://www.tki.org.nz/r/epic/ and your school password (give me a call if you are stuck at this stage !) then go to Masterfile Premier and search for this article - full text, from Teacher Librarian... "Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use."
How I learned to run a really popular book club (and what I learned about its effect on students' reading skills and attitude).
EPIC is a great resource - use it or lose it !
I checked out EPIC and came across this article too - if you haven't been into EPIC, here is a good pretext to have a go - log in through TKI http://www.tki.org.nz/r/epic/ and your school password (give me a call if you are stuck at this stage !) then go to Masterfile Premier and search for this article - full text, from Teacher Librarian... "Users may print, download, or email articles for individual use."
How I learned to run a really popular book club (and what I learned about its effect on students' reading skills and attitude).
- Authors:Hall, Suzanne
- Source:Teacher Librarian; Oct 2007, Vol. 35 Issue 1, p32-36, 5p, 2 color
- Document Type:Article
- Subject Terms:BOOK clubs (Discussion groups)
- GROUP reading
CLUBS
READING
STUDENTS
BOOKS & reading
EPIC is a great resource - use it or lose it !
The Literature Base
I've just received the October 2009 issue of The Literature Base - what a great journal for inspiring ways to use literature in the classroom and library...
The focus on of this issue is "around the world in 80 books" - travelling the world through literature, with suggestions for extension work, displays and lists of books - it would make a great book week theme... classics, multiculturalism, passports, hot air balloons, continents, mapping...
This issue also has a great article on "fractured fairytales in the classroom" - traditional literature re-interpreted - with activities for middle and upper primary classes - analysis, character autobiography, reward poster for folktale villain, poetry, plays, picture books, diorama, trial by jury...
A good item to include in your library budget for 2010 :
Literature Base ($46 - 4 issues pa) Magpies ($53 - 5 issues pa)
http://www.magpies.net.au/magpies/public/?MIval=m_pages&pagename=SAOI
Around the Bookshops ($36.50 - 4 issues pa)
http://www.marigold.co.nz/publications.html
The focus on of this issue is "around the world in 80 books" - travelling the world through literature, with suggestions for extension work, displays and lists of books - it would make a great book week theme... classics, multiculturalism, passports, hot air balloons, continents, mapping...
This issue also has a great article on "fractured fairytales in the classroom" - traditional literature re-interpreted - with activities for middle and upper primary classes - analysis, character autobiography, reward poster for folktale villain, poetry, plays, picture books, diorama, trial by jury...
A good item to include in your library budget for 2010 :
Literature Base ($46 - 4 issues pa) Magpies ($53 - 5 issues pa)
http://www.magpies.net.au/magpies/public/?MIval=m_pages&pagename=SAOI
Around the Bookshops ($36.50 - 4 issues pa)
http://www.marigold.co.nz/publications.html
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Danah Boyd and social media
Here is an interesting person - Danah Boyd - her blog is at http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/ "Buzzwords in my world include: public/private, identity, context, youth culture, social network sites, social media."
and here is her self-selected "best of" her blog http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/bestof.html
"Over the years, i have written numerous posts about social media, social software, social networks and other industry-relevant topics. Colleagues often remark that it is difficult to sift through my personal blog to find relevant material. For that reason, i decided to put together a "best of" to highlight the essays that are most interesting to newcomers interested in social media. Right now, these are just recent essays and blog posts that deal with particular issues in depth. If you think that a particular entry should be listed here, please let me know! Better yet, add it to del.icio.us or to digg - i'm watching these sites to see what entries are particularly popular or useful. "
and here is her self-selected "best of" her blog http://www.zephoria.org/thoughts/bestof.html
"Over the years, i have written numerous posts about social media, social software, social networks and other industry-relevant topics. Colleagues often remark that it is difficult to sift through my personal blog to find relevant material. For that reason, i decided to put together a "best of" to highlight the essays that are most interesting to newcomers interested in social media. Right now, these are just recent essays and blog posts that deal with particular issues in depth. If you think that a particular entry should be listed here, please let me know! Better yet, add it to del.icio.us or to digg - i'm watching these sites to see what entries are particularly popular or useful. "
Reading series books
A couple of columns from Amy Goldsmith writing in Knowledge Quest about the importance of series reading "examining why series books are useful, why they are subtly challenging to support, and how to overcome support obstacles to launch more lifelong readers... "
Series books can give the newly independent reader what they need and want: "the exact same book again, but different" (Rosen, 2000, p. 39).
Why kids need series books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/361/361goldsmith_.cfm
Why kids don't have series books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/363/363goldsmith.cfm
Series books can give the newly independent reader what they need and want: "the exact same book again, but different" (Rosen, 2000, p. 39).
Why kids need series books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/361/361goldsmith_.cfm
Why kids don't have series books
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/363/363goldsmith.cfm
Read to feed - and changing the world
A wonderful account of one school's reading promotion tied into raising money to donate animals in places where it will change lives, and providing students with opportunities to apply what they learn to real life situations where they can respond in a socially just and humane ways...
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/364/364rabbat.cfm
This is from Knowledge Quest, the journal of the American Association of School Librarians.
KQWeb is the online component of this journal, and the archive of articles is here
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/kqwebarchives.cfm
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/v36/364/364rabbat.cfm
This is from Knowledge Quest, the journal of the American Association of School Librarians.
KQWeb is the online component of this journal, and the archive of articles is here
http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/knowledgequest/kqwebarchives/kqwebarchives.cfm
Writing for the web and blogs
I've just completed an online course provided by Contented about writing for the web and blogs developed by Rachel McAlpine. I found it clear, useful and inspirational and highly recommend it.
Here is the link to the blog http://www.contented.com/contented/
and website http://www.contented.com/index.php
Here is the link to the blog http://www.contented.com/contented/
and website http://www.contented.com/index.php
Monday, November 9, 2009
Imaginary geographies of childhood
From the School Library Monthly blog is a post about "secret spaces" in school libraries -
http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/category/library-as-place/ - those secret little corners and nooks in libraries where children feel in a place of their own...
Here is a real little nook at Kerikeri Primary !
The writer quotes Brian W. Sturm’s article in the Maps issue of Knowledge Quest... Here’s the abstract (from Worldcat) for his article “Imaginary ‘Geographies’ of Childhood: School Library Media Centers as Secret Spaces”:
Secret spaces serve as mirrors in which children can explore themselves and play with identities, while at the same time they act as windows to the real world through which children develop an understanding of social interactions and societal norms and expectations. The understanding of secret spaces has important implications for the physical design of school library media centers (SLMCs). What more creative space exists than the room in the school that is filled with the world’s knowledge and the endless possibilities that knowledge creates. However, libraries tend to be built with close attention to easy sightlines to avoid blind spots where children can cause mischief. In this article, the author contends that if SLMCs are to function as secret spaces, designers should reconsider this practice and allow children some spaces to hide. Children need small spaces, nooks and crannies, and areas not in the direct sightlines of adults if they are to feel sheltered enough to imagine freely.
Here is a link to open the pdf of the article from Knowledge Quest, Vol 36, No 4, March/ April 2008 http://tiny.cc/ImaginarygeographiesofchildhoodSturm
Library Link of the Day
If you would like to be sent a library related article in the news each day, you can subscribe here :
Library Link of the Day http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/
Library Link of the Day http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/
Ralph Fletcher and boys' writing...
Ralph Fletcher has written about the particular needs of boys in becoming writers...
"In general, we have sanitized the writing classroom (no weapons, no war, no blood, no farts) to such an extent that there’s not much left for boy writers to sink their teeth into. It’s boring! I hoped to widen the circle for boy writers. We need to get them engaged if we want them to become stronger writers."
Here is his website http://www.ralphfletcher.com/index.html
Have a look at the Teacher handouts for some good quotes http://www.ralphfletcher.com/teacher.html
and also the Tips for young writers http://www.ralphfletcher.com/tips.html
He has written a book Boy writers : Reclaiming their voices http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9033&r=n157w&REFERER= and you can read the first chapter online
or more at Google books http://tiny.cc/BoyWriters
"At the heart of Ralph Fletcher's Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices lies the provocative notion that writing instruction isn't about teaching writing; it's about teaching writers, and upon this central premise Fletcher bases all of his ideas about how to nurture boys in the "dangerous, supervised sport" (p. 49) of writing. "
Teachers have submitted examples of boys' writing which Ralph has commented on at the Stenhouse blog http://blog.stenhouse.com/index.php?s=Fletcher&searchbutton=Go !
National Library CIS collections have books by him on writing autobiography and poetry.
"In general, we have sanitized the writing classroom (no weapons, no war, no blood, no farts) to such an extent that there’s not much left for boy writers to sink their teeth into. It’s boring! I hoped to widen the circle for boy writers. We need to get them engaged if we want them to become stronger writers."
Here is his website http://www.ralphfletcher.com/index.html
Have a look at the Teacher handouts for some good quotes http://www.ralphfletcher.com/teacher.html
and also the Tips for young writers http://www.ralphfletcher.com/tips.html
He has written a book Boy writers : Reclaiming their voices http://www.stenhouse.com/shop/pc/viewprd.asp?idProduct=9033&r=n157w&REFERER= and you can read the first chapter online
or more at Google books http://tiny.cc/BoyWriters
"At the heart of Ralph Fletcher's Boy Writers: Reclaiming Their Voices lies the provocative notion that writing instruction isn't about teaching writing; it's about teaching writers, and upon this central premise Fletcher bases all of his ideas about how to nurture boys in the "dangerous, supervised sport" (p. 49) of writing. "
Teachers have submitted examples of boys' writing which Ralph has commented on at the Stenhouse blog http://blog.stenhouse.com/
National Library CIS collections have books by him on writing autobiography and poetry.
There is an inverview with Ralph Fletcher on a good website called "Getting boys to read"
http://www.gettingboystoread.com/content/interview-ralph-fletcher
Reading and writing non-fiction
From the School Library Monthly blog :
http://blog.schoollibrarymedia.com/index.php/2009/10/27/inquiry-and-choice/
"I’ve just finished skimming the Stenhouse title A Place for Wonder: Reading and Writing Nonfiction in the Primary Grades, which you can read in full-text online here. It is full of great ideas that we could extrapolate from classroom-only environments and into classroom-and-library environments.
Among my key takeaways:
- Consider starting a wonder center where kids can write wonderings on Post-Its and others can answer them.
- Have a place where kids can deposit wonder items for others to enjoy.
- When planning a non-fiction piece of writing, have kids use a table of contents page as a way to organize the order of their thoughts.
- Distinguish between heart questions that can be answered with your inner knowledge (e.g., “What makes a great friend?”) and research questions (e.g., “How do whales breathe?”).
WebTools4U2Use - a wiki of the latest online technologies
If you would like to learn more and stay current with the latest online technologies, take advantage of WebTools4U2Use http://webtools4u2use.wikispaces.com/
It is an appealing "wiki for school library media specialists to learn about cool new web tools, see how they can be used in school library media programs, and share ideas and success stories."
It is an appealing "wiki for school library media specialists to learn about cool new web tools, see how they can be used in school library media programs, and share ideas and success stories."
More research on the benefits of reading comics
Various papers have reported on some more research from the US about the benefits of reading comics - for vocabulary, reading motivation, mileage, visual literacy...
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Academic+pushes+comics+classroom/2198006/story.html
The reports say that the research was published by Professor Carol Tilley in School Library Monthly though it hasn't appeared on their website yet.
You may find School Library Monthly an interesting website to explore... http://schoollibrarymonthly.com/
"School Library Monthly magazine supports K-12 school librarians as they plan instruction collaboratively with teachers. It helps strengthen information literacy skills, inquiry and the research process and encourages the use of a variety of resources. It promotes the integration of technology and provides links to a vast array of literature. The articles in each issue are written by school library professionals, helping others stay abreast of current issues and trends."
http://www.thestarphoenix.com/news/Academic+pushes+comics+classroom/2198006/story.html
The reports say that the research was published by Professor Carol Tilley in School Library Monthly though it hasn't appeared on their website yet.
You may find School Library Monthly an interesting website to explore... http://schoollibrarymonthly.com/
"School Library Monthly magazine supports K-12 school librarians as they plan instruction collaboratively with teachers. It helps strengthen information literacy skills, inquiry and the research process and encourages the use of a variety of resources. It promotes the integration of technology and provides links to a vast array of literature. The articles in each issue are written by school library professionals, helping others stay abreast of current issues and trends."
Friday, November 6, 2009
Maori "word of the day" by email
You can sign up for a Māori word of the day email from He Kupu o te Rā.
Just go to http://kupu.maori.nz
Just go to http://kupu.maori.nz
Library 101
Bridget Schaumann from Kings College Dunedin shared this link on the list serv :
"You might like to go and have a look at this cool project. http://www.libraryman.com/library101/
A wee groovy thing for the (nearly) end of your week. Play till the end when they crack up with laughter. "
The video is fun and lively, but check out the essays as well - about what is changing in "libraryland" and what skills and aptitudes are needed for libraries to stay relevant as technology and society evolve... http://www.libraryman.com/blog/essays-on-101/
"You might like to go and have a look at this cool project. http://www.libraryman.com/library101/
A wee groovy thing for the (nearly) end of your week. Play till the end when they crack up with laughter. "
The video is fun and lively, but check out the essays as well - about what is changing in "libraryland" and what skills and aptitudes are needed for libraries to stay relevant as technology and society evolve... http://www.libraryman.com/blog/essays-on-101/
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Chris Cleave The Other Hand
WOW! The most startling book I have come across in years - run don't walk to your bookshop (you will want to keep this one). Funny, tragic, thrilling and his writing is glorious. And have a look at his website - www.chriscleave.com (or similar)...
From Jill Hatherly
From Jill Hatherly
PhotoStory free software
PhotoStory is wonderful free software which enables you to turn a collection of digital photos into a "video" complete with your own narration, text and music background. It is lots of fun and very easy to use... It could be a great tool for the classroom with students of all ages for a variety of purposes, and in the library maybe for doing book reviews ? It could be a good resource to promote to families in the school newsletter too perhaps ?
Here is the website http://tiny.cc/Photostory610
There is a guide to making a video using a single photo which is also very effective, if a bit more complex ! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/tips/create.mspx
Here is the website http://tiny.cc/Photostory610
There is a guide to making a video using a single photo which is also very effective, if a bit more complex ! http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/tips/create.mspx
My "not to be missed books" for Term 4
Here are a few recent favourites :
- Isabella's garden by Glenda Millard illus by Rebecca Cool, Walker - cumulative rhyme a la the house that Jack built - This is the soil, all dark and deep, in Isabella's garden... Gorgeous bold colour naive illustrations, wonderful language These are the flowers that waltz with the wind that ruffles the buds, all velvety-skinned... http://www.walkerbooks.com.au/Books/Isabellas-Garden-9781921150333
- A book by Mordecai Gerstein, Roaring Brook Press - a clever picture book about a family that live in the pages of a book and wake up when the book is opened - ah, but what is their story - each character tells a different one and it includes the reader - wonderful. Sorry, no NZ edition, you'll have to borrow it from NLNZ http://www.natlib.govt.nz/cis-online-request or get it through Amazon.
- The rabbit problem by Emily Gravett, Macmillan Children's Books - another brilliant, inventive picture book by Emily Gravett - no two are the same - this is as a calendar, telling the story month by month - the book even hangs vertically from a hole like a calendar, of one lonely rabbit, joined by another and then nature takes it's course with a rabbit explosion neatly illustrating the Fibonacci sequence. Each month includes an element of "ephemera" - an invitation, a knitting pattern, a ration book.. and an amazing pop-up at the end. http://www.emilygravett.com/
- The magician's elephant by Kate Di Camillo, Candlewick Press - another classic in the making from Kate with this magical, old-fashioned tale with a very Eastern European feeling about love, hope and magic- quirky and heartfelt, amazing language, with all the impossible, remarkable chain of events and characters coming together at the end - would be a good read aloud. http://www.katedicamillo.com/ There is a teacher's kitetc available at http://www.candlewick.com/authill.asp?b=Author&pg=1&m=actlist&a=&id=0&pix=n&dlisbn=0763644102
- Grace by Morris Gleitzman, Viking (Penguin) - a story told in the first person by Grace, a Australian girl whose family belongs to a religious sect which is becoming increasingly strict and controlling. When Grace's father starts to rebel he is separated from his family, and Grace has to find a way to bring everyone back together. She is a redoubtable character, speaking in the language of her religious upbringing, trying to make sense of what she has been taught. The book opens "In the beginning there was me and Mum and Dad and the twins. And good luck was upon us adn things were great and talk about happy families, we were bountiful. But it came to pass that I started doing sins. And lo, that's when all our problems began." Read more here http://www.morrisgleitzman.com/books/fst_grace.html
- The hunger games by Suzanne Collins - intermediate up, un-put-downable novel based on the desperate premise of teenagers fighting for their lives in "televised games" in a future world - I didn't think this was a book for me from the sound of it but is great - strong characters, fast moving plot - I can't wait to read the second in this trilogy. http://www.suzannecollinsbooks.com/the_hunger_games_69765.htm
- The disreputable history of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, Hyperion - strong female character who resents the "old boys club" at her boarding school and cleverly infiltrates and undermines it, risking relationships in order to assert her own individuality - clever, funny, readable. I've done posts about this book earlier in this blog. E. Lockhart has a great website http://www.e-lockhart.com/ and here is a link to a video of her acceptance speech for the Michael Printz award http://blog.booklistonline.com/2009/10/20/e-lockharts-2009-printz-speech/
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Library reading challenge at Mangonui School
At the network meeting today Carole Archibald from Mangonui Schoool shared an activity she does with her class in the library - We call it the reading challenge (new one each term ) divided into three parts.
- The class challenge where they pick out( as a class ) challenges pretty wide eg A book where a rodent is the central character, a sporty theme, one featuring grandparents etc We started off with eight categories / genre. Just read and record on a fun sheet in reading book. NO OTHER WORK! Just read and enjoy.
- The teacher challenge: Each student presents by the end of term the best............... book they've read. Teacher picks category.
- Own challenge: Number of books, finish a long novel, 10 picture books all sorts of things.
Whangarei Libraries summer reading programme
At a meeting in Whangarei, Sue Scott promoted the Whangarei Libraries summer reading programme - Great Summer Read Library Pride (with lions motif).
Students come to the library and with a librarian set up a "contract" with their own goals eg total number of books read, or number of hours, along with number of reviews or activity sheets...
One element was the "Wild Card" which was simply a card with a letter of the alphabet and students then had to choose a book from that section - limiting choice...
The students got prizes at the end of the programme if they met their goals. It would be easy to adapt this programme for schools...
Students come to the library and with a librarian set up a "contract" with their own goals eg total number of books read, or number of hours, along with number of reviews or activity sheets...
One element was the "Wild Card" which was simply a card with a letter of the alphabet and students then had to choose a book from that section - limiting choice...
The students got prizes at the end of the programme if they met their goals. It would be easy to adapt this programme for schools...
Summer slide - 3 - ideas from teachers
A couple of NLNZ sessions this term with teachers explored the importance of maintaining the progress made by students during the year by setting up strategies to keep reading and writing happening over the school holidays - avoiding the "summer slump".
Here are some links to articles about the summer slump :
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c41/ Summary of articles...
Summer Reading Loss by Maryann Mraz and Timothy V. Rasinski (2007) http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/15218
These are some suggestions from the a group of teachers about what they plan to do:
Here are some links to articles about the summer slump :
http://www.readingrockets.org/article/c41/ Summary of articles...
Summer Reading Loss by Maryann Mraz and Timothy V. Rasinski (2007) http://www.readingrockets.org/articles/15218
These are some suggestions from the a group of teachers about what they plan to do:
- Intend to set up school LibraryThing for students to record summer reading
- Promote the library in newsletters and the need to read.
- School newsletter item about summer slide
- LibraryThing class site - link up with other classes as "friends"
- I will be better prepared to set up a focus group to monitor over summer.
- Will try and inspire community to make this work
- Look forward to bringing it up at staff meeting to discuss
- Good ideas for making books. Will follow through with newsletter
- Will make class slogan for summer holiday reading.
- Had not really thought about this issue deeply and now I realise we can make a difference.·
- Share at syndicate meeting.
- Discuss with librarian about holiday borrowing.
- Liaise with public library about their summer reading programme.
Summer slide - 2 - messages to parents
Here are some notes you may wish to use as a starting point for communicating with parents… Put them onto your school letterhead or in a newsletter, and edit them as you wish…
3 important messages for parents / caregivers / whanau
We know you want the best for your children.
Here are three things you can do which will really help them :
1. Encourage your children to read.
3 important messages for parents / caregivers / whanau
We know you want the best for your children.
Here are three things you can do which will really help them :
1. Encourage your children to read.
- If your children spend 15 minutes each day reading or being read to, it will help them become excellent readers, writers and thinkers and do well at school and life.
- 15 minutes is only 1 % of each day. It could be in 3 lots of 5 minutes. It isn’t much time but it makes a HUGE difference.
- If you would like some help getting books to read and share, then please ask us, we’d be happy to help.
- Many children, especially struggling readers, forget some of what they've learned or slip out of practice during the summer holidays. If you keep reading to your child and encouraging them to read and write, then they won’t lose ground they have made over the year and “slide” back.
- Keep it fun – read anything, write anything – lists, recipes, stories, postcards, comics… Ask your child’s teacher for ideas.
- The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.
- Reading aloud to children stimulates their interest, their emotional development, their imagination, and their language.
- Reading aloud to your children every day will help them become great readers and listeners, but most of all they will love you for doing it with them and they will remember the times you read to them all their lives !
Summer slump / slide...
Overcoming the “summer slide” : students and reading mileage, summer holidays and the school library…
It would be also be productive to gather evidence of the impact of any initiative you take.
Perhaps the discussion at your school could also include an invitation / challenge to teachers to extend their own summer reading of children’s books – getting to know children’s books that they can promote to their students next year, read aloud, incorporate into their teaching programme…
For more information, discussion or workshops at your school on this topic, please contact me jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
1 An investigation of the effectiveness of a summer school reading intervention in a low decile school as a way of preventing the summer slide in reading, Shanthi Tiruchittampalam, University of Auckland, MEd thesis 2006
2 Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap Karl L. Alexander, Doris R. Entwisle, Linda Steffel Olson, John Hopkins University, Baltimore in American Sociological Review, 2007, Vol. 72 (April:167–180)
- The “summer slump” or “summer slide” is the decline in reading achievement children suffer just from being away from school and formal literacy instruction.
- Often it is the students who can least afford to lose the reading gains they've achieved during the school year who fall the furthest behind when they return to school after a summer break.
- A New Zealand masters thesis[1] showed a 5.8 month summer reading slide for pupils in a Decile 1 school who were reading at below-average levels. · In a key Baltimore study[2] it was found that low-income children fell further behind than their classmates – characterised as the “the Harry Potter divide”, and that the effects are cumulative and long-term.
- Term 4 is the time to consider how your school can prevent any “summer slide” and what strategies you can implement before the end of term for the coming holiday...
- getting parents on board, informing / reminding them of the powerful benefits for children of reading and being read to, and that even just 10 minutes reading a day by or to children will maintain / develop their child’s reading skills, habit and enthusiasm…
- looking at ways to get books in hands / homes during the holidays and what role the school library or the resource room might play in this, as well as liaison with the public library to encourage membership and use…
It would be also be productive to gather evidence of the impact of any initiative you take.
Perhaps the discussion at your school could also include an invitation / challenge to teachers to extend their own summer reading of children’s books – getting to know children’s books that they can promote to their students next year, read aloud, incorporate into their teaching programme…
For more information, discussion or workshops at your school on this topic, please contact me jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
1 An investigation of the effectiveness of a summer school reading intervention in a low decile school as a way of preventing the summer slide in reading, Shanthi Tiruchittampalam, University of Auckland, MEd thesis 2006
2 Lasting Consequences of the Summer Learning Gap Karl L. Alexander, Doris R. Entwisle, Linda Steffel Olson, John Hopkins University, Baltimore in American Sociological Review, 2007, Vol. 72 (April:167–180)
Digital NZ / A-tihi o Aotearoa
DigitalNZ is an initiative that aims to make New Zealand digital content easy to find, share and use. This includes content from government departments, publicly funded organisations, the private sector, and community groups.
Here is a link to an introductory video on Youtube about DigitalNZhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXLDS5JLyR4
One thing you can do is to create your own customised search tool http://www.digitalnz.org/customise, selecting which websites you want to browse - this might be of interest to teachers who want to direct their students to certain resources / results... I have guide to doing this - contact me if you would like a copy jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
LibraryThing
Have you checked out LibraryThing yet ? www.librarything.com
A couple of accounts I've set up are PukapukaMaori (Maori books) and JulsFarNorth (for the Junior Literacy MOE cluster).
Fiona Mackie, the librarian at St Cuthbert's College has a great account fabfic-terrificteens - go here for her profile http://www.librarything.com/profile/fabfic-terrificteens
or here for her library http://www.librarything.com/catalog/fabfic-terrificteens/yourlibrary
Have a go - it is easy, fun and free, and could be a great way for individuals, classes, teachers, book clubs etc to record their reading...
A couple of accounts I've set up are PukapukaMaori (Maori books) and JulsFarNorth (for the Junior Literacy MOE cluster).
Fiona Mackie, the librarian at St Cuthbert's College has a great account fabfic-terrificteens - go here for her profile http://www.librarything.com/profile/fabfic-terrificteens
or here for her library http://www.librarything.com/catalog/fabfic-terrificteens/yourlibrary
Have a go - it is easy, fun and free, and could be a great way for individuals, classes, teachers, book clubs etc to record their reading...
New NLNZ Library advice 0800 service
If you need advice on school library matters you can now call our new 0800 service = 0800 LibLine (0800 542 5463). It is a telephone advisory service just for school libraries, for help, support, advice... Monday - Friday 8am to 5pm and slightly reduced hours during the holidays.
You can call the free number and if the phone is engaged you can leave a voice message. You can also send an email and you will be contacted the same day - schoollibraryadvice@natlib.govt.nz
If a school has questions about CIS resources, then they still use the CIS 0800 number which is 0800 356 000 or free fax 0800 356 001 and there is the online-request form to order resources at
http://www.natlib.govt.nz/cis-online-request
You can call the free number and if the phone is engaged you can leave a voice message. You can also send an email and you will be contacted the same day - schoollibraryadvice@natlib.govt.nz
If a school has questions about CIS resources, then they still use the CIS 0800 number which is 0800 356 000 or free fax 0800 356 001 and there is the online-request form to order resources at
http://www.natlib.govt.nz/cis-online-request
Reading at the beach
National Library Auckland runs a summer reading development programme for teachers called "Reading at the beach", designed to give teachers some great reading material over the summer holidays.
It's aims are to provide a supportive and enjoyable community in which to explore the pleasures of children's literature and to help increase teachers' awareness of literature for children and young people...
You need to enroll by the 13th November, completing a survey around reading preferences, and you will be sent a bag of books and instructions on how to participate in the blog.
There is a free introduction session held at National Library Auckland on the 1st December at 4.30 but that might not be suitable for those in the Far North, and it isn't compulsory...
Contact Jeannie to be sent a copy of the enrollment and profile form jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
As Donnalyn Miller says, her "summer slump" is lying happily prone, deeply engrossed in her book !
It's aims are to provide a supportive and enjoyable community in which to explore the pleasures of children's literature and to help increase teachers' awareness of literature for children and young people...
You need to enroll by the 13th November, completing a survey around reading preferences, and you will be sent a bag of books and instructions on how to participate in the blog.
There is a free introduction session held at National Library Auckland on the 1st December at 4.30 but that might not be suitable for those in the Far North, and it isn't compulsory...
Contact Jeannie to be sent a copy of the enrollment and profile form jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
As Donnalyn Miller says, her "summer slump" is lying happily prone, deeply engrossed in her book !
Storyteller Terry Sleator
Some schools have been recommending the following storyteller on the school library list serv :
Terry Sleator A.K.A Mr Bushman
Phone 073124302 mob 0274921720 fax 073124306
Email terrysleator@terrysleator.com
Website http://www.terrysleator.com
Wendy Ballard from Greenpark School asked this question and the responses from others were very favourable...
"Hi there - Terry Sleator - alias bushman, poet, balladeer, storyteller from Opotiki area dropped in to introduce himself to me and I really liked his enthusiasm and bush/fishing/NZ theme - he is looking for bookings next year - he sets up a campsite with props like fire, axe and chopping block and launches into tales and poems - has anyone had him to their school and how did it go? - I am keen to book him for next year but at $2.50 a head I'd like to know other people's experiences first..."
Terry Sleator A.K.A Mr Bushman
Phone 073124302 mob 0274921720 fax 073124306
Email terrysleator@terrysleator.com
Website http://www.terrysleator.com
Wendy Ballard from Greenpark School asked this question and the responses from others were very favourable...
"Hi there - Terry Sleator - alias bushman, poet, balladeer, storyteller from Opotiki area dropped in to introduce himself to me and I really liked his enthusiasm and bush/fishing/NZ theme - he is looking for bookings next year - he sets up a campsite with props like fire, axe and chopping block and launches into tales and poems - has anyone had him to their school and how did it go? - I am keen to book him for next year but at $2.50 a head I'd like to know other people's experiences first..."
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Maori blessing
kia hora te marino,
kia tere te karohirohi,
kia papapounamu te moana
may peace and calmness surround you,
may you reside in the warmth of a summer's haze,
may the ocean of your travels be as smooth as the polished greenstone
From the website of NZ Digital Library http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/cgi-bin/library
kia tere te karohirohi,
kia papapounamu te moana
may peace and calmness surround you,
may you reside in the warmth of a summer's haze,
may the ocean of your travels be as smooth as the polished greenstone
From the website of NZ Digital Library http://nzdl.sadl.uleth.ca/cgi-bin/library
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Useful web 2.0 wikispace
http://educationalsoftware.wikispaces.com/
"On this wiki you will find resources for different educational applications, Web 2.0 and digital image and video resources. My name is Suzie Vesper and as you can see from my WeeWorld picture, I am a lover of chocolate and Mac computers. However, PC users will see that I haven't neglected them on this site.
I work as an ICT Facilitator in Wellington, New Zealand. Feel free to add your own ideas and resources to this site as I have now lifted the protection on the site so that anyone can add to it. If you do add some content, please add some information about yourself to my contributors page."
There is a companion wiki on web 2.0 blogs and wikis at http://learningweb2.wikispaces.com/
"On this wiki you will find resources for different educational applications, Web 2.0 and digital image and video resources. My name is Suzie Vesper and as you can see from my WeeWorld picture, I am a lover of chocolate and Mac computers. However, PC users will see that I haven't neglected them on this site.
I work as an ICT Facilitator in Wellington, New Zealand. Feel free to add your own ideas and resources to this site as I have now lifted the protection on the site so that anyone can add to it. If you do add some content, please add some information about yourself to my contributors page."
There is a companion wiki on web 2.0 blogs and wikis at http://learningweb2.wikispaces.com/
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Print books versus e-book debate
I would like to share this interesting article on an American boarding school library getting rid of their book collection and replacing with it with kindles and databases: http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2009-10-26-kindle-school-library_N.htm
I had the opportunity while down at the SLANZA conference to put the question to a panel of eight high-achieving, keen-reading students whether they prefer to use print resources or e-books - the answer was 100% in favour of print books. I would tend to question the library environment and culture within the school that books weren't being borrowed in the first place. Ongoing data on the students' literacy and achievement standards will be essential now that they have these millions of e-books but only 65 kindles to distribute them on, and 13 databases but what computer access . . .
I find it a fascinating topic - would love to hear other peoples comments.
I had the opportunity while down at the SLANZA conference to put the question to a panel of eight high-achieving, keen-reading students whether they prefer to use print resources or e-books - the answer was 100% in favour of print books. I would tend to question the library environment and culture within the school that books weren't being borrowed in the first place. Ongoing data on the students' literacy and achievement standards will be essential now that they have these millions of e-books but only 65 kindles to distribute them on, and 13 databases but what computer access . . .
I find it a fascinating topic - would love to hear other peoples comments.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Library Research Service reports
The (USA) Library Research Service http://www.lrs.org/impact.php generates library statistics and research for library and education professionals, public officials, and the media.
One of the topics of continuing interest to the LRS and its clients is the impact of school librarians on student achievement.
From this site you can download articles, research findings, powerpoints and pdf planning sheets with information about libraries and student achievement, the key roles of library staff, library advocacy, the need for evidence based practice, next steps for research etc...
Here is one example of advice on increasing the school librarians' profile :
10 easy leadership ideas to help school librarians become leaders on their campuses :
One of the topics of continuing interest to the LRS and its clients is the impact of school librarians on student achievement.
From this site you can download articles, research findings, powerpoints and pdf planning sheets with information about libraries and student achievement, the key roles of library staff, library advocacy, the need for evidence based practice, next steps for research etc...
Here is one example of advice on increasing the school librarians' profile :
10 easy leadership ideas to help school librarians become leaders on their campuses :
- Meet regularly with your principal.
- Attend all faculty meetings.
- Serve on curriculum and standards committees.
- Present professional development for teachers and librarians.
- Engage in collaboration with teachers and the technology staff.
- Meet with school library colleagues.
- Visit other school libraries.
- Link to initiatives that are implemented on your campus or in the district.
- Give recognition to others for their successes.
- Attend and participate in district, state, and national associations and conferences.
The Horizon Report 2009 - ICT and learning
The annual Horizon Report describes the continuing work of the NMC’s Horizon Project, a long-running qualitative research project that seeks to identify and describe emerging technologies likely to have a large impact on teaching, learning, research, or creative expression within learning-focused organizations.
Here is a link to the Horizon Report on the web, http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/
You can download an Australian / New Zealand edition PDF
http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2008-Horizon-Report-ANZ.pdf
This report talks about key trends, critical challenges, and technologies to watch. It discusses technologies in terms of "time to adoption" ie one year or less, two to three years, four to five years, and for each it gives an overview, explores relevance for teaching / learning / creative expression, gives examples and identifies further reading. In three words the technology is personal, portable and social.
The five research questions that are at the core of the Horizon Project are :
Here is a link to the Horizon Report on the web, http://wp.nmc.org/horizon2009/
You can download an Australian / New Zealand edition PDF
http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2008-Horizon-Report-ANZ.pdf
This report talks about key trends, critical challenges, and technologies to watch. It discusses technologies in terms of "time to adoption" ie one year or less, two to three years, four to five years, and for each it gives an overview, explores relevance for teaching / learning / creative expression, gives examples and identifies further reading. In three words the technology is personal, portable and social.
The five research questions that are at the core of the Horizon Project are :
- What would you list among the established technologies that learning-focused institutions should all be using broadly today to support or enhance teaching, learning, or creative expression?
- What technologies that have a solid user base in consumer, entertainment, or other industries should learning-focused institutions be actively looking for ways to apply?
- What are the key emerging technologies you see developing to the point that learning-focused institutions should begin to take notice during the next 3 to 5 years? What organizations or companies are the leaders in these technologies?
- What do you see as the key challenges related to teaching, learning, or creative expression that learning-focused institutions will face during the next 5 years?
- What trends do you expect to have a significant impact on the ways in which learning-focused institutions approach our core missions of teaching, research, and service?
SLANZA study grants for 2010
SLANZA is offering study grants for 2010 to those working in a school library including library assistants, librarians, library managers, teacher aides, and teachers with library responsibility.
Conditions of application :
- Each Study Grant will cover the cost (up to $550.00), of a paper, course or module offered by an approved library education provider such as The Open Polytechnic or University of Auckland.
- Applications are to be supported by a covering letter from the school principal.
- Applicants must have been SLANZA members prior to 31 March 2009
- Applicants should state in writing:- the potential benefits of undertaking this professional development how it will contribute to your role as part of the library team your relevant library experience whether you have completed any other papers
- Supply the name of one referee
- Applications close on 6 November 2009
Enquiries to Di Eastwood at deastwood@kerikerihigh.ac.nz
Sunday, October 25, 2009
EnglishTeaching Online (UK) and poetry
The Frank Cottrell Boyce article mentioned in the previous post was originally published in English Teaching Online - a UK resource for English teachers, in the Spring 09 newsletter.
You can browse other newsletters - helpfully called "the one with all the novels", "the one with all the plays", "the one with all the organisation"... which gives the theme of each.
I enjoyed "the one with all the poetry", including a great activity using the clever one-page book (with instructions)
http://www.teachit.co.uk/custom_content/newsletters/newsletter_sep07.asp
You can browse other newsletters - helpfully called "the one with all the novels", "the one with all the plays", "the one with all the organisation"... which gives the theme of each.
I enjoyed "the one with all the poetry", including a great activity using the clever one-page book (with instructions)
http://www.teachit.co.uk/custom_content/newsletters/newsletter_sep07.asp
"Libraries - the best of us" Frank Cottrell Boyce
What a wonderful article by Frank Cottrell Boyce (author of Millions, Framed, Cosmic - all great funny wonderful novels - would be good read-alouds) reprinted in the latest SCIS Connections newsletter : Are schools killing off the library ?
http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/are_schools_killing_off_the_library.html
In this paean to libraries, Frank Cottrell Boyce talks about the importance of reading for pleasure and makes a plea to avoid changing libraries into "Learning Resource Centres" full of computers.
He ends : "The year I won the Carnegie, my MP was among the first to congratulate me. Part of the prize was a bequest to a library of my choosing. I was thinking about my local library. She said no. She told me that Waterloo – the Liverpool suburb – was twinned with Waterloo in Sierra Leone – a small African town devastated by the civil war. She had just met the local mayor and had asked him what she could do for him, thinking he would ask for a health centre, a school or cash. He said, ‘What we’d really like is a library.’ So often when people ask for help, they ask for the worst of us. They ask for weapons or dodgy large-scale engineering projects. This man asked for the best of us. And where is the best of us? It’s in the library."
Check out this article, and have a look at the whole Connections issue - lots of useful and interesting information - websites, Twitter, table arrangements in libraries, web filtering...
http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/are_schools_killing_off_the_library.html
In this paean to libraries, Frank Cottrell Boyce talks about the importance of reading for pleasure and makes a plea to avoid changing libraries into "Learning Resource Centres" full of computers.
He ends : "The year I won the Carnegie, my MP was among the first to congratulate me. Part of the prize was a bequest to a library of my choosing. I was thinking about my local library. She said no. She told me that Waterloo – the Liverpool suburb – was twinned with Waterloo in Sierra Leone – a small African town devastated by the civil war. She had just met the local mayor and had asked him what she could do for him, thinking he would ask for a health centre, a school or cash. He said, ‘What we’d really like is a library.’ So often when people ask for help, they ask for the worst of us. They ask for weapons or dodgy large-scale engineering projects. This man asked for the best of us. And where is the best of us? It’s in the library."
Check out this article, and have a look at the whole Connections issue - lots of useful and interesting information - websites, Twitter, table arrangements in libraries, web filtering...
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Reading to a dog
For those who love dogs, you'll completely understand this great story about a programme for learner readers to read to a dog...http://www.cnn.com/2009/LIVING/10/22/dogs.irpt/index.html
Learning to read? Try talking to a dog [CNN]
I saw this happen at Russell School quite a few years ago - a young boy was out on the verandah, sitting cross legged with a lovely dog (the Principal Keith Dowdle's dog) resting its chin on the boy's knee while the boy read - it really looked as if the dog was listening and looking at the pictures - if only I'd had my camera !
Friday, October 23, 2009
Bright Ideas SLAV blog
Here is an Australian school library blog run by SLAV (School Library Association of Victoria) : Bright Ideas http://slav.globalteacher.org.au/
Lots of interesting posts and links to various things for a trans-Tasman perspective - school library blogs, school library wikis, web 2.0 tools, game based learning...
Lots of interesting posts and links to various things for a trans-Tasman perspective - school library blogs, school library wikis, web 2.0 tools, game based learning...
Boy readers and the Book Whisperer
Donalyn Miller, "the book whisperer", writes a blog I enjoy - her latest post is about the boy readers in her class http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/book_whisperer/
She mentions some titles her boys (and many girls) love to read this year:
She mentions some titles her boys (and many girls) love to read this year:
- The Hunger Games and Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
- Found and Sent by Margaret Peterson Haddix
- Alex Rider series by Anthony Horowitz
- The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney
- Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan
- Bone graphic novels by Jeff Smith
- Peak by Roland Smith (all of Smith's books are perennial favorites)
- Killer Pizza by Greg Taylor
- The Heir Chronicles by Cinda Williams Chima
For more information on supporting boy readers, check out author and boy reading advocate, Jon Scieszka's retooled Guys Read website.
Have you had a look at Twitter ? www.twitter.com
Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
Now, depending on the calibre of the "tweets" it can be a useful way to quickly be informed about a wide range of links and opportunities - or it can be inane and trivial... All depends on who you follow !
Bridget Schaumann, Librarian at Kings College Dunedin. promoted it on the school library list serv last week...
"If you think Twitter is just about ‘what I’m having for dinner tonight’ then you are sadly misinformed. This article http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/twitter_for_libraries__(and_librarians).html
http://www.teachersourcebook.org/tsb/articles/2009/10/01/01twitter.h03.html
If you join up to Twitter and want a manual about how to get the most out of it -here is a link
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-complete-guide-to-twitter-pdf/
Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch with people through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?
Now, depending on the calibre of the "tweets" it can be a useful way to quickly be informed about a wide range of links and opportunities - or it can be inane and trivial... All depends on who you follow !
Bridget Schaumann, Librarian at Kings College Dunedin. promoted it on the school library list serv last week...
"If you think Twitter is just about ‘what I’m having for dinner tonight’ then you are sadly misinformed. This article http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/twitter_for_libraries__(and_librarians).html
For many people, the word ‘twitter‘ brings to mind birds rather than humans. But information professionals know that Twitter (http://www.twitter.com) is a fast-growing, free messaging service for people, and it’s one that libraries (and librarians) can make good use of – without spending much time or effort.
http://www.teachersourcebook.org/tsb/articles/2009/10/01/01twitter.h03.html
If you join up to Twitter and want a manual about how to get the most out of it -here is a link
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-complete-guide-to-twitter-pdf/
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Converting documents to PDFs
This is a handy tool for converting documents - I was sent some documents in Microsoft Publisher which I couldn't open - didn't have the right version - but you upload them to this website and they are converted into PDFs and emailed back to you... http://www.pdfonline.com/convert-pdf/
Here are a couple of other sites shared on the list serv : http://www.convertpdftotext.net/Default.aspx
but I think it will depend on whether the original file is locked or not. There are tools to help unlock pdf files too though! http://www.pdfunlock.com/
Here are a couple of other sites shared on the list serv : http://www.convertpdftotext.net/Default.aspx
but I think it will depend on whether the original file is locked or not. There are tools to help unlock pdf files too though! http://www.pdfunlock.com/
Library displays
Here are some links / resources around school library displays...
- Blog by Elaine Pearson, Librarian at Horowhenua College, Levin NZ http://schoollibrarydisplays.blogspot.com/
- Blog by Ruth Buchanan, an Australian Teacher Librarian about what she's up to in her school library, http://skerricks.blogspot.com/ including display ideas, here http://skerricks.blogspot.com/search/label/display .
- Website by Anita Vandeburge at St Kentigern College Library http://www.creativelibrarydisplays.com/
- The International Reading Association website http://www.readwritethink.org/calendar/ has a good calendar, organised by each month, with author birthdays etc. If you click on the link it will take you to more resources, websites, lesson plans etc. More US focused.
- Marigold Enterprises produces a list of "Happenings" with its Around the Bookshops publication. Happenings 2009 came out with the November 2008 Around the Bookshops. Go here to subscribe.
- Remember what Ross Todd said about the need for book promotion to be more active than passive - displays are great and make the library look colourful etc but instead of heaps of time making elaborate displays which stay up for ages, I'd suggest more effort into active book promotion such as book discussions, web 2.0 initiatives such as a blog or LibraryThing, and displays which change regularly !
- A neat idea with wordle www.wordle.net is to make one with an author's name prominent and their titles, or a genre eg Fantasy and suggested authors / titles...
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Reading motivation
From the IRA (International Reading Association) August 2009 newsletter :
Help your students succeed as readers in today's high-stakes testing environment with Inspiring Reading Success: Interest and Motivation in an Age of High-Stakes Testing . This provocative text addresses this gap with a new perspective on reading instruction that goes beyond the realms of teacher content knowledge and methodology. You'll learn how motivation and interest can enhance reading instruction for all students—and you'll get strategies to increase reading success.
To learn teaching approaches that will spur progress for all types of readers, download Chapter 2 of Inspiring Reading Success : High–Interest Reading Leaves No Child Behind
The main message, which we know, is that if a reader is passionately interested in a subject they will perservere with reading - the 5 year old who knows all the names of dinosaurs is a classic example... So, access to relevant books, free choice, along with plenty of reading time...
Help your students succeed as readers in today's high-stakes testing environment with Inspiring Reading Success: Interest and Motivation in an Age of High-Stakes Testing . This provocative text addresses this gap with a new perspective on reading instruction that goes beyond the realms of teacher content knowledge and methodology. You'll learn how motivation and interest can enhance reading instruction for all students—and you'll get strategies to increase reading success.
To learn teaching approaches that will spur progress for all types of readers, download Chapter 2 of Inspiring Reading Success : High–Interest Reading Leaves No Child Behind
I'd skim read the first half of this document about her research with "striving readers" and how they overcame their difficulties, and go to page 20 where she discusses getting reading matching children's interests and outlines some strategies eg inventory questionnaire, bio-poems, rhythm walks, readers theatre... Possibly of interest ?
The main message, which we know, is that if a reader is passionately interested in a subject they will perservere with reading - the 5 year old who knows all the names of dinosaurs is a classic example... So, access to relevant books, free choice, along with plenty of reading time...
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Term 4 school library events
- School library network meetings are in week 4 - Wednesday 4th November at REAP for the Far North meeting and Thursday 5th November at Kerikeri High School Library for the Mid North meeting. Usual time - 3.3o ish for afternoon tea - starting by 4 at latest. Various things to talk about, including National Library' services to schools eg 0800 number, new federated searching websites - Digital NZ and FIND, plans for next year, and anything you'd like to bring along to share...
- Maori resources- print and electronic, one day workshop at Northland College Computer Suite on Tuesday 3rd November from 9 - 3 - exploring resources for your collection and websites for you and your students which provide so many great opportunities to access, use, create, share information... Contact Jeannie for more information jeannie.skinner@natlib.govt.nz
- SLANZA Bookshop evening at Take Note Bookshop Kerikeri, free event, Thursday 12th November 6.00 to 7.30 - drinks and nibbles, lots of book chat, extra discount 25%, farewell for Dyane from Northland...
E. Lockhart : The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
In his speech mentioned in the previous post, MT Anderson mentions a book by E. Lockhart The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks which I just finished this week and loved... The story of a clever and independent girl who delights in language, equality - and as MT Anderson spoke about - thinking...
Here is a link to a review of this book in the New York Times by Donna Freitas... http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/17/books/review/Freitas-t.html which ends " A homage to girl-power, the novel offers biting social commentary throughout — not the kind that deadens a story but the kind that gives it punch — and a protagonist who is independent and fearless, even contemptuous of others’ expectations. For girls who have experienced a double standard but lacked the precise words to name it, there will surely be many moments of recognition in Frankie’s story. She will challenge girls’ images of themselves, who they are in relation to boys and why. Frankie faces a generous helping of disappointment, certainly. No princessy happy ending awaits her. But the novel holds out the hope that a girl like Frankie — who has above all an unwillingness to settle —could grow up to change the world. “The Disreputable History” not only delivers the line, but somehow makes you believe it is true.
Here is a link to E. Lockhart's website http://e-lockhart.com/main/ and from there you can go to her lively blog or Twitter... she is an author in touch with her teen audience for sure.
Amongst the various pieces of information on her blog sidebar is a list of sites that review YA novels :
Octavian Nothing, MT Anderson
From the Booklist online newsletter (book reviews from the American Library Association) here is an item about the author MT Anderson who wrote the challenging Octavian Nothing duet - the second volume of which won the Michael L Printz Award.
http://booklistonline.com/default.aspx?page=show_product&pid=3835395
http://booklistonline.com/default.aspx?page=show_product&pid=3835395
"There’s no question that the Printz Honor–winning Octavian Nothing duet presents readers with an intellectual challenge. In his National Book Award acceptance speech for The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v.1: The Pox Party, Anderson himself described the books as a “900-page two-volume historical epic for teens, written in a kind of unintelligible 18th-century Johnsonian Augustan prose.” Here, in his impassioned acceptance speech for The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation; v.2: The Kingdom on the Waves at the 2009 Michael L. Printz Awards (administered by ALA’s Young Adult Library Services Association and sponsored by Booklist), Anderson speaks right to adults about the importance of providing rich reading challenges for kids. Here are some memorable lines that earned some loud applause:
“No child naturally hates knowledge. No toddler comes into the world saying, ‘Don’t tell me about how stuff works. I don’t give a shit. Everything about the world sucks.’ . . . It takes an adult to make a child hate knowing things. The fact is that kids don’t believe that thinking isn’t fun until we tell them so.”
Just as in his books, Anderson shows in his speech how the unsettled complexities of Octavian’s time flow right into today. And he reminds us that thinking deeply about things is what makes life “vivid and full.” And fun. What, according to Anderson, is the “one remaining taboo left in YA literature”? Click here to listen to his speech to find out.
Reading and comprehension strategies
Here is a link to an interesting book Independent Reading Inside the Box by Lisa Donohue aimed at primary school teachers about strategies to enhance students' comprehension, language and thinking skills while they are reading.
The box refers to a one page template with 8 boxes in a table, each with a useful strategy to "dig deeper" into reading.
You can read the whole book online for free, or download each chapter and the templates as PDFs. Preview the entire book
These sort of activities do not take the place of pure reading for pleasure, the FVR (Free Voluntary Reading) which Stephen Krashen talks about, and there is a risk when a book is too analysed that it loses all spontaneity, but we know that the key to becoming a life-long reader is beyond decoding to make meaning, and with comprehension come the rewards of reading...
Independent reading inside the box by Lisa Donohue, Pembroke 2008 ISBN: 978-155138-225-8
The box refers to a one page template with 8 boxes in a table, each with a useful strategy to "dig deeper" into reading.
You can read the whole book online for free, or download each chapter and the templates as PDFs. Preview the entire book
These sort of activities do not take the place of pure reading for pleasure, the FVR (Free Voluntary Reading) which Stephen Krashen talks about, and there is a risk when a book is too analysed that it loses all spontaneity, but we know that the key to becoming a life-long reader is beyond decoding to make meaning, and with comprehension come the rewards of reading...
Independent reading inside the box by Lisa Donohue, Pembroke 2008 ISBN: 978-155138-225-8
What to read next website
From Senga Watson, James Hargest College :
Many of you may already have come across this cool “what to read next” website but I’ve only just recently discovered it. I think it’s great! http://bookseer.com/
Copyright information
DigitalNZ have a great little piece about copyright on their website http://makeit.digitalnz.org/guidelines/enabling-use-reuse/
The Copyright Council of NZ have a whole page for Educators with loads of resources, including a very straight forward information sheet
http://www.copyright.org.nz/viewUserCat.php?category=217
The Copyright Council of NZ have a whole page for Educators with loads of resources, including a very straight forward information sheet
http://www.copyright.org.nz/viewUserCat.php?category=217
wickED at TKI
A message from Anne Mason, Community facilitator at TKI :
wickED is a quality-assured online environment for 7-12 year olds (years 3-8), developed to complement the Ministry of Education’s study support centres initiative. wickED provides engaging curriculum-based learning activities in English and te reo Māori, many of which have been developed to reflect a literacy, numeracy and ESOL focus. The activities are intended to support facilitated or independent use by students.
Have you visited the wickED site ? From the home page :
Explore the wickEDly cool things on this site! Quizzes, crosswords, interactives and games in English and te reo Māori, a gallery of student artworks, profiles of inspirational New Zealanders, an information station, and activities and games based around topics – it’s all here – on wickED!
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Mo Willems blog
I came across Mo Willems' blog - http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/ the other day - he is one of my favourite picture book author/illustrators, creator of the inimitable Knuffle bunny, Edwina, Pigeon...
I loved the idea of his family dining room being decorated with chalkboard - the latest version are portraits in frames - have a look http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/2009/10/weve-been-framed-chalkboard-walls2.html
There are links from this blog to other Mo Willems information - websites, interviews and the great teacher resources too - http://www.pigeonpresents.com/grownup.aspx
I loved the idea of his family dining room being decorated with chalkboard - the latest version are portraits in frames - have a look http://mowillemsdoodles.blogspot.com/2009/10/weve-been-framed-chalkboard-walls2.html
There are links from this blog to other Mo Willems information - websites, interviews and the great teacher resources too - http://www.pigeonpresents.com/grownup.aspx
Friday, October 9, 2009
Voicethread - from the Reading Rockets website
VoiceThread: Online Storytelling Made Easier
VoiceThread : Online storytelling made easier
VoiceThread is a storytelling platform gives students an independent voice in sharing what they've learned. An easy way to capture student voices, combined with flexible editing tools like image doodling and voice-over narration, allow students to produce meaningful content and learn digital skills as well. Video, audio, and photo content can all be uploaded to the site.
See how teacher and PBS Media Infusion blogger Janet English uses VoiceThread and the new PBS series The National Parks in her classroom to help students develop personal narratives.
The Exquisite Corpse
In a blog by Joanne Meier http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/33402 accessed through Reading Rockets, is a post about an online reading writing promotion event run through the Centre for the Book at the US Library of Congress.
It is like a game of what we call "consequences" where installments of a story are continued by the next person... and what a collection of authors is taking part in this collaboration : Jon Scieszka has started it off, followed by Katherine Paterson and to come luminaries such as MT Anderson, Natalie Babbitt, Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), Shannon Hale, Susan Cooper, Kate Di Camillo, Calef Brown, Nikki Grimes, Steven Kellog, Linda Sue Park,Patricia and Fredrick McKissack, Timothy Basil Ering, Gregory Maguire, Chris Van Dusen, Megan McDonald, James Ransome...
Here is part of Joanne Meier's post...
"Ever heard of an Exquisite Corpse? It's not what you might think. An Exquisite Corpse is an old game in which people write a phrase on a sheet of paper, fold it over to conceal part of it and pass it on to the next player to do the same. The game ends when someone finishes the story, which is then read aloud.
Our "Exquisite Corpse Adventure" works this way: Jon Scieszka, the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, has written the first episode, which is "pieced together out of so many parts that it is not possible to describe them all here, so go ahead and just start reading!" He has passed it on to a cast of celebrated writers and illustrators, who must eventually bring the story to an end.
Every two weeks, there will be a new episode and a new illustration. The story will conclude a year from now. To get bi-weekly updates with new Exquisite Corpse Adventure chapters, click on the subscribe link at the top of the page. "This story starts with a train rushing through the night...." No one knows where or how it will end!
http://read.gov/exquisite-corpse/
Themed literacy bags for younger students
I recommend checking out the Reading Rockets website http://www.readingrockets.org/
it is full of interesting links and useful resources. I've subscribed to the free monthly newsletter.
From their website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
In the latest newsletter from Reading Rockets there is a new "literacy bag" based on the "Where the wild things are" by Maurice Sendak. Browse their full library of Family Literacy Bags. And for additional information about Family Literacy Bags, you might want to read this article.
it is full of interesting links and useful resources. I've subscribed to the free monthly newsletter.
From their website : Reading Rockets offers a wealth of reading strategies, lessons, and activities designed to help young children learn how to read and read better. Our reading resources assist parents, teachers, and other educators in working with struggling readers who require additional help in reading fundamentals and comprehension skills development.
In the latest newsletter from Reading Rockets there is a new "literacy bag" based on the "Where the wild things are" by Maurice Sendak. Browse their full library of Family Literacy Bags. And for additional information about Family Literacy Bags, you might want to read this article.
I could imagine these literacy bags being a great resource for Parent Mentoring Programmes or in junior classrooms.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Dewey, signage and non-fiction
Here is an interesting article about the future of Dewey to classify non-fiction in public libraries.
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6698264.html
A key aspect I take from this discussion is the importance of having good signage, and I think shelf guides with words on them do add a useful element for library users browsing for information...
Here are subject shelf guides in the non-fiction at Paihia School (click on the picture to enlarge it).
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6698264.html
A key aspect I take from this discussion is the importance of having good signage, and I think shelf guides with words on them do add a useful element for library users browsing for information...Here are subject shelf guides in the non-fiction at Paihia School (click on the picture to enlarge it).
Teen Read Week USA
Teen Read Week is a national literacy initiative of the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), a division of the American Library Association. It is aimed at teens, their parents, librarians, educators, booksellers, and other concerned adults. The 2009 theme, Read Beyond Reality @ your library, encourages teens to read something out of this world, just for the fun of it, including sci-fi, fantasy, virtual realities, and much more.
For more information on Teen Read Week, please visit www.ala.org/teenread
There are suggestions for activities, top teen reading picks, and a "sample proclamation" !
- Whereas, the ability to read and process information is a basic survival skill in our global information society; and
- Whereas, the reading proficiency of teens has remained stagnant over the last thirty years; and
- Whereas, the number of students who can read but choose not to do so is increasing; and
- Whereas, the most effective way to improve reading skills is to read regularly and often; and
- Whereas, too few teens think reading is a valuable tool for enjoyment and relaxation as well as for schoolwork; and
- Whereas, regular daily reading for the fun of it creates the reading habit for life; and
- Whereas, parents, teachers, librarians, and all concerned adults can serve as role models by reading for fun themselves;
- Therefore, be it resolved that I (name, title of official) proclaim October 18-24, 2009, Teen Read Week(TM) in (name of city, state) and encourage teens to read for the fun of it.
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