Things to do at a hospital

My mother is in the hospital.  If you have parents of an age, you know all about this.  Some body parts are no longer under warranty and just don't work like they used to.  So we came to the emergency room on a Sunday -- she was taken back immediately then .... we.... waited ..... and .... waited ....  Time moves differently in places like this.  So, during this waiting period I tried to keep myself entertained by:
Reading  - True, mostly by the author of Ida B.; The Throne of Fire by Rick Riordan, and the latest Prevention magazine.
Computing - Mostly window shopping on the Internet; readying my library catalog for inventory, and looking at  high school library websites for ideas.
Television -- have you tried watching daytime TV???
Chocolate -- I consumed more than is healthy!

How do you entertain yourself at places like this?

New job!

Well, it's official, with the failure of our school levy cuts have been made to staffing.  Through some convoluted plan, I have been moved from the elementary setting, which will turn into librarians sharing 2 buildings, to the high school, where I will, for the first time, be working with students taller than me.   Talk about joining me on an adventure in Libraryland, I will be having a lot of talks with myself on this site; and will be looking for suggestions and support!

Books about mothers

On this special Sunday I am thinking of books I love that have a strong mother theme.  These books make me think not only about motherhood, but the way other characters think about mothers. The first book I think of is "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMN."  The lengths that Mrs. Frisby goes to protecting her family are amazing.  She faces every fear she has, all in the name of mother's love.  This next book does not have a mother in the story, but instead demonstrates and the different ways people in  your life can make  you feel loved and cared for.  "Everything on a Waffle" shows the unwavering faith of a little girl, and the town who cares for her each in their own way.  And finally, "One Crazy Summer" which chronicles 3 little girls attempts to connect with their mother, only to discover that mother's love is not a guarantee, but their love for each other can help assuage the pain of finding this out.
I having been trying for years to write a book about my mother's childhood, to keep alive the memories of her idyllic moments, and save the memories for future generations of family.  Do you share books with mother's themes with your students?  If so, do you share the broad spectrum of motherhood books that are available?  Do all of your students have the same type of mothers?  Are these reflected in your book choices?

May day!

The first day of May, a day to surprise your neighbors with flowers or dance around a Maypole.  Not for those of us in education!  Yikes, is my first thought, so much left to do -- where to fit it all in?  My teaching schedule is full of classes trying to finish that one last project and me trying to get ready for an inventory at the same time.  It's an age old conundrum, customer service or library management?  Which do you take care of first?  Usually I fit in every class and worry about things like inventory once the school year is over.  This happens on my own dime, no extended contract here.  But this year, with all of the bad feelings and turmoil about the state of education and the value of teachers, I am giving serious reflection to how I finish out the year.  Does professionalism equate to volunteerism?  Where do my  passion for my career and my love of my students factor in?  Are you having the same qualms?  Do  you have a plan to solve your dilemma?

What a day!

Does your teaching schedule fill up this time of year?  Everyone decides it is time to get in that research project they have been putting off all year?  Today I had classes of kindergarten all day, doing their "research" from their life sciences strand.  It was fun, it was crazy, and it was loud!  I loved it -- most of it anyway.  By the 4th class I finally wised up and asked a fifth grade class, who needed to review life cycles, to come in and help out the Ks.  When everyone arrived, I explained to the Ks that as scientists they were continuing their study of zoo animals (after a visit to the zoo) by using books.  Because scientists had research assistants, I was providing them each a 5th grader to assist them as they searched for answers to their questions.   It was awesome! ( I will upload clips from my flip camera as soon as I figure out how.)  My cozy library space was full of bodies and their was a steady hum of noise, but the productive sounds, not just noisy.  It was a positive learning experience for both groups.
I do love my job.

Small moments make a great day

I love my job!  Some days, though, its hard not to get grumpy when I have to jump through bureaucratic hoops. Amazingly, those seem to be the days my students sense that I need a good vibe and never fail to brighten my day.  The latest was a sweet cherub who came in this morning in a frilly, lacy pink outfit with a purple jacket.  I said, " Don't you look beautiful, just like Purplicious  or Pinkalicious."  She responded with, "My favorite color is orange, but some days you just have to wear purple." LOL.  I think tomorrow will be a day I just have to wear purple, too!  Maybe I will even add some orange.
Hope you get the chance to find the color in your day!

Why not saying no has an up side!

If you know me then you know that I say yes to almost everything, then wonder why I am always running around like a crazy woman.  Sometimes, many times actually, these impulsive acts result in a positive return.  If you are a member of AASL (if not, why not??) you might know that they are about to share a database of exemplary lesson plans that follow the plan format of Standards for the 21st-Century Learner.  I volunteered to be a moderator for this database, which involves checking lesson plans against a rubric and the standards to be sure they teach what they say they will, etc.  Anyway, I couldn't believe I said I would do this, but I pulled out my laptop and AASL standards resources and started.  Reading these lessons has me evaluating my own lessons; do I follow the standards? Do I upgrade my lessons with technology when applicable? Do I include self reflection time for my students?   What I have learned already is worth the time I invest in editing!
How about you?  Do you say yes to new opportunities to grow and evolve?  You won't regret it!

How I spent my weekend

I just spent the weekend reading a new book I got for the library.  It was "No Passengers Beyond This Point" by Gennifer Choldenko, the author of "Al Capone Does My Shirts."  It was intriguing, to say the least.  Three children find out that their family home will be foreclosed by the bank.  Their mother, who is a teacher, is sending them to live with their Uncle Red while she stays behind to finish out her school year.  Everything seems very ordinary, squabbling siblings on a plane, until the plane lands.  Following a person who has their name on a sign they enter a cab, then everything changes.  The fact that the book is told by three points of view, from each of the three children, keeps your attention through this maze of a place they have landed in.  Each child needs to decide whether to stay here or go on, they must depend on each other and ultimately on themselves.  The ending is a real twist, and makes me question whether or not this book is right for many of my students.  I will be curious to see who picks it up and reads it.

Of course, I also went to the Virginia Hamilton Multicultural  Conference, and it was wonderful!  I was so glad to get the chance to hear Nikki Giovanni, not once, but twice!  She is a wonderful speaker, I guess if you are an award winning poet you would have an amazing way with words.  She was funny, charming, and slightly outrageous by turns, and always surprising.  Charles F. Smith, Jr. was also a presenter, a photographer/poet/performer who was a delightful new author to meet.  He is one I can't wait to introduce to my students, especially the boys.  Just wait until they see the Mohammad Ali book he has written.   The third presenter was Chris Raschka, who was as interesting as his illustrations!  All in all, this was a terrific a wonderful conference!

I fell into a bookstore and ...

Took a trip to our local children’s book store, Cover to Cover, and bought some great books. Not all new titles, but still great. In a few weeks I will be attending the Virginia Hamilton Multicultural Conference, held every year at Kent State University. This year’s speakers will be Nikki Giovanni, Chris Raschka, and Charles R. Smith, Jr. and I picked up the following books to get autographed. The Grasshopper’s Song: an Aesop’s fable revisited was written by Nikki and illustrated by Chris, and is an interesting retelling of this famous fable. There is a trial to determine whether the grasshopper deserves a part of the ant’s winter supply of food, which is a new twist! The illustrations are rather subdued for a Raschka book, but the two work together very well. Another exciting purchase was The Mighty 12: Superheroes of Greek Myth told in rhyming form by Charles Smith. I love this book, with comic book-like illustrations by P. Craig Russell, it gives some information about the major gods and goddesses of Olympus, and without telling so much that I can’t put it in an elementary library! My boys will be so excited to examine this book as they continue to devour the Demi god series by Rick Riordin. The other book I picked up for signing that I believe will be very popular with my male readers was 12 Rounds to Glory: the story of Muhammad Ali.  Fantastic illustrations by Bryan Collier helped this title win the Coretta Scott King award, along with Smith’s poetic retelling of important events in the life of Ali.


I also picked up two books about rabbits, although they could not be more different. The Rabbit Problem by Emily Gravatt, really intrigued me as it attempted to explain the Fibonacci problem, a math study I had to read more about after I finished enjoying the book. On a back sale shelf I found a retelling of Snow White by Melinda Copper in which the characters are illustrated as rabbits done in a detailed oil painting method. The evil step mother is a beautiful, but evil white cat.

My last book, Story Time by Edward Bloor, caught my interest as I read the blurb on the back of it. “Welcome to Whittaker Magnet School, where standardized testing truly is the work of the devil.” A middle school tale with reviews like this; “ a dark comedy that skewers the national craze for standardized testing,” and “a no-holds barred, deeply subversive tale about modern education …” This sounds like the kind of book I wish I had written! I’ll report on it once I have read it.

What great titles have you come across during spring break? I would love to hear about them.

Spring break - time to reflect and recharge

This has been a rough couple of months and I am really ready for this break!  The school library world is on a wild roller coaster ride without an end in sight.  I know that many of us will be faced with the fact that our libraries will no longer be maintained by certified media specialists, and am wondering what this will mean for our students and faculty.  Just in case this is my last year in one building, in a functioning program I love, I am going to use this week to decide how I want to finish this school year.  Do I try and cram in all the internet 21st century skills I know they will need for the next few years, or do I go back to the original reason I got into this career and share great children's literature to anyone who comes near?  Do I hide in my media center and wallow in my misery; I can't believe this is happening?  Why are "they" doing this to me?  Or do I continue to be an advocate for the things I know are important in the educational lives of my students?
Honestly, I spent the weekend wallowing -- reading children's books, eating chocolate and generally pining for the "good all days", now I think I am ready for action!  How about you?

True confession time

I am still taking the Newbery course and am now reading books from the 50s and 60s.  I am liking them better, but still ...  so, I did something bad.  My copy of "Moon Over Manifest" came in with a book order, and can you guess what I did?  Yes, I have been sneaking in reading time for this 2011 winner!  I feel like I did when I read with a flashlight under the covers as a child.  Maybe this is how you should feel when you read a great, distinguished book?

BTW, how many of you use the lesson plan template offered by AASL that uses our new standards?  If not, do you at least list these standards when you write your lessons plans?  Or do you at least think about them as you craft lessons?

What are you doing to engage students during these long, gray days before spring's arrival?

Sorry!

I should have known that if I talked about the nice weather, it would change!  I am only getting rain (for now) but I see by the weather map (yes, I am a closet meteorologist) that many states are getting snow.  So, no more talk about weather -- let's talk books!  As I continue with my Newbery course, I realize that I don't really remember reading any Newberys until I was an adult taking literature classes.  Can you remember the first Newbery you read?   Of course, the first book I really remember hearing was "Charlotte's Web", is that the same for you?

On another theme,  as a school librarian do you plan your year (curriculum mapping), what you will teach at each grade level?  Do you wait to see what your teachers are teachers and then combine your instruction with theirs?  Or do you do some kind of combination?

Sunny days!

I hope you  are in a part of the country that has had this gorgeous sunshine!  I can't help but stop at every window to enjoy it.  This weekend I am spending a lot of time reading, because I am taking an online course from ALSC about Newbery's -- the history, misconceptions, and mystique's.  It is great, because I have not read many of them, feeling like they must include at least one chapter with a dead dog!  We are reading through the decades, looking at trends, and reading articles that come from those decades.  I'll let you know if I enjoy more Newberys after this course is finished.
So far I have read: The Voyages of Dr. Dolittle, The Cat Who Went to Heaven, and Rabbit Hill.  Do you see a trend emerging in my reading choices?

BTW, has anyone gone to see "I am Number 4"?  I read the book and am wondering about the movie.  So let me know.

How did you spend your snow days?

I think most of us in the U.S. have had several calamity days this school year.  I had two this past week.  How did I spend them?  Reading books, mostly.  I brought back a whole bag of ARCs from ALA midwinter and I couldn't get out, so what's a girl to do?  (Housework, laundry, writing deadlines, actually all needed done!)  Just a few of the ARCs I enjoyed were: a new book by Kevin Henkes "Junonia," a chapter book for middle grade readers  A gentle, yet realistic story that shows nothing stays the same, but change is good.  "Across the Universe" by Beth Revis is a young adult title that takes place on space ship "Godspeed" transporting selected frozen people to create a new world on a new planet and save the human race.  They will be on this ship for 300 years, asleep -- except for Amy who is mysteriously awakened 50 years too early. This book has teen romance and angst.  The teen book I liked better was "Unearthly" by Cynthia Hand about Clara, who discovers she is one quarter angel, with certain gifts to be developed and a divine purpose to be done.  The characters are likable, the plot different, and the ending hard to predict.  The last book I read (to avoid doing I what needed to do ...) was "The Unseen World of Poppy Malone."  I loved this middle grade reader.  The parents are real life ghost hunters, but not very successful.  Poppy and her brother do NOT believe in ghosts, vampires, or any of the creatures their parents try to hunt, .... until Poppy accidentally finds the Goblin living the the house they just moved into.  Her brother and baby sibling get pulled into the adventure that ensues while the parents are blissfully unaware as they continue to try to contact the presence in the house.  After reading these, guilt set in and I got busy with my deadlines.
I am still struggling with my professional reflection portfolio which I am completing for professional development, which I must go and work on right now .....

Do you have an individual professional development plan?

I do, two actually.  The first is my own professional goals, where I see myself in 5 years, 10 years.  The things I want to accomplish, including articles I want to write, that book idea that is percolating in the back of my brain, roles I want to play in my professional organizations.  I also have my plan for my teaching and learning year with my students, my plan for collection development, and more. 
My other IPDP is the one required by my district.  I'm not complaining, I agree fully that I should have a plan in accordance with district goals.  My issue is with the format for this plan, it is very much like pushing a square block into a round space.  It would be so much easier for me to craft a narrative that describes my ideas and goals. 
Oh well, back to work ... wish me luck!

Update on my Newbery contenders

I want you to know that I did read the books I listed, and be fore any winners are announced I thought I would share my thoughts.  I loved "One Crazy Summer".  Period. The characters were so believable I felt as though I was there in California in the height of the Black Panther movement.  The author did an amazing job of juxtaposing the traditional behavior of the time for African Americans with the attitudes of this "new" group.  Here were 3 sisters swept into the middle of it all.  With this as the setting, the story is actually a quest to connect with the mother who left them right after the youngest sister was born.  This opportunity is ever so slowly developed throughout the summer, leaving the reader to implore the mother to "act like one!"  Excellent book all around, and certainly deserving of the Newbery.
I kept putting "Out of My Mind" to the bottom of the pile.  Hard as it is to believe, I don't always enjoy Sharon Draper's books.Finally it was the last book yet to read, so I picked it up.  Wow! Melody is someone I will continue to think about forever.  She is has Cerebral Palsy, essentially a quadriplegic, and cannot talk.  I know this sounds like a real downer, but talk about amazing character development~I know this girl.  She is in 5th grade, and finally is getting mainstreamed into classes.  This is great because she has a photographic memory and is brilliant.  Melody is also a 10 year old with the concerns and ideas that come with the age.  Definitely not a character to pity, she is feisty, and determined to find a way to have a "voice" to share her thoughts and ideas.  You, the lucky reader are privy to these and so share with her wishes,  dreams, and frustrations.  If this book doesn't win, I will be shocked; but I know that Melody would rise from that disappointment as well, an even stronger character!
Other quick mentions, "The Night Fairy" grew on me.  I really wanted to love it, I'm a sucker for fairies, but initially she was such a self-absorbed creature it was really hard. When disaster strikes, we get the opportunity to see her true character develop.  In much the same way Edward Tulane grows, so does this tiny creature.  A very nice job of describing the setting from the point of view of a tiny protagonist.
More later, and I will share my thoughts about ALA Midwinter .....

Back to school tomorrow!

I believe I am ready.  Clothes chosen, alarm set, attitude ~ great!  My plan of action, to find the joy in little things, and little people. This means sharing books I love, web sites I find interesting, and technology that will spur curiosity.  I do realize this will be difficult as we are so tied to data and testing scores, but I have been thinking, reflecting actually, and I think that making this small difference daily in the lives of my students will enable them to better handle all the content and stress that is present in their school lives. 

This week at school I have offered to teach a quickie picture book evaluation lesson and then have students use that to vote for the book that they think will be the Caldecott winner.  Many teachers have accepted the offer, so my days leading up the the ALA midwinter will be immersed in Caldecott discussions, fun! 

I am also opening at selected recess times for students to learn about websites with great activities.  There is never enough time to share these in a formal setting, so I'm going to try this.  Maybe I'll even bring back the Lunch Bunch book clubs.  Whatever I can to do to bring joy into my teaching day.  I'll bet I will learn more about joy from these activities with students than I can possibly teach them.

Finally ... a day of reading!

It has been a busy break, lots of cleaning and cooking, then cleaning some more!  At last, a day with no obligations but one, to start/continue reading the books that have been on suggested Newbery lists.  I am currently reading, "Keeper" by Kathy Appelt ~ not far enough along to make a judgement but I do like what I have read so far.  I like her descriptive language, I can see those blue crabs with markings on their backs, and the dark swirling waters.  (I still don't know why she is called Keeper, hope there is an answer!)  I am finishing the "Night Fairy" by Laura Amy Schlitz which was very different than I expected.  Usually fairy "tales" (sorry, couldn't resist!) are light hearted, even if the fairies are mean or indifferent; but this one is darker, and yet intriguing in a fairies version of survivor way.  Left in my stack are "One Crazy Summer" by Rita Williams-Garcia and "Out of my Mind" by Sharon Draper.  Other titles I need to at least skim are "Just Like Falling off the World"  (I have it somewhere in an ARC) and "Dreamer" by Pam Munez.  My now lofty goal is to have all of these read completely before I get to the ALA Awards ceremony on Monday, January 10th, but if I can't read them all, to have at least skimmed them so I have an inkling of what they are about.  Of course, I am prepared to be totally surprised if some book comes out of nowhere to win, isn't that the fun this whole thing, but at least I can chat and commiserate with other folks in the awards audience.
So, if you don't hear from me for a while you know I am happily ensconced in front of my fireplace (on or off) indulging myself in my own read-a-thon! 
And if you are in my Librarians Who Read book club, you can probably guess what titles I will be talking about at our next get together!

Basking in the glow, or wallowing in complacency?

I don't make New Year's resolutions.  But I do like to stop, step back, and reassess my goals.  These are both my personal and professional goals, and require some serious reflection on my part.  Over the next few days I will be "talking" through my thinking and welcome your comments. 
For today, Happy Christmas to everyone!  I hope you recieved all the books you wished for!

One week left before winter break!

It is cold and snowing and is expected to be this way all week.  For those of us in education we know this to mean the dreaded " indoor recess!"  I am actually excited for this because I am hosting a pre-Caldecott viewing and voting.  Students will be able to visit during recess to read and evaluate 2010 titles that were chosen by the public library next door and the titles I have in my collection.  I have been working with 3rd grade on an extention of the idea "what makes writing worth reading" to include "how do illustrations tell the story."  We have been looking at past winners in small groups (differentiation) and are critically viewing these to help decide what makes an award winning title.  I am opening up my library to grades 1-5 at recess, and am really curious to see if the 3rd grade vote is any different than the rest of the grades because of this study we have been conducting.  Then in January the library next door will post both the winners from our school and the winners according to the ALSC Caldecott committee.  My students are excited, my question is: will this impact their book selections in the coming months?  Will they take the time to review and analyze a book once they choose it?  Will they think more critically about the choices they make?  Only time will tell.