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In just a few short weeks most of us will be gearing up to head back to school. We all know how important it is to teach library rules and expectations during the first few weeks of school. One way I do this is with back to school read alouds. I try to choose read alouds that will naturally bring about a conversation about school and library behavior (including book care). I wanted to share with you a list of my favorite back to school read alouds including some tried and true favorites as well as a few newer titles. A Fine, Fine School by Sharon Creech Summary: When a principal loves his school so much that he wants the children to attend classes every day of the year, it’s up to his students to show him free time is a good thing, too. Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card
What are your plans for back to school night or open house? I have often struggled with this over the years. Most families spend their time meeting their teacher, gathering forms and information and chatting with their friends. For years I was lucky to have 10 families stop in. This was always discouraging because open house is the perfect time to introduce the library to parents and students and begin to showcase all the library has to offer, besides just checking out books. Below are 10 ideas you can implement to help you have a successful open house. 1. Hand out informational bookmarks  Because parents receive so many papers at open house, I like to give out bookmarks instead. The bookmarks can have a variety of information on them. You can include check-out policies, an overview of some of the lessons or standards taught or a few recommended books.
Working as an elementary or middle school librarian is an extremely rewarding job. It can also be stressful and leave you with little time to complete the day-to-day tasks that are required of you. My mega school librarian survival kit bundle provides you with everything you need to successfully meet the demands of a new school year. What is included? School Librarian Planner This is a planner designed specifically for the school librarian! There are over 300 pages to help you keep organized. It includes .pdf pages and customizable PowerPoint pages. You can organize the binder in many different ways. You can create one large binder or several smaller ones. There is one school librarian survival kit that comes with the chevron themed planner and one that comes with the watercolor planner. Book Care Activities and Reminder Notes Teach your students how to take care of their library or classroom
When I first became a school librarian, I bought a teacher planner at a teacher store. I loved the bright colors and cute graphics and thought it would keep me organized all year. Unfortunately, I quickly found out that the planner was not what I needed. It was made for classroom teachers, not librarians. I tried a few others over the years, but nothing worked for my specific needs. I do not need to keep track of student data or their IEP information or their test scores. So that’s when I decided to make my own school library planner. I could customize it any way I wanted and only include pages that would help me. Once I realized how much I loved the planner and how useful it was, I wanted to share it with other librarians. So I added it to my TpT store and it quickly became
Can you believe it’s that time again? The back-to-school hustle is upon us, and if you’re anything like me, you’re feeling a whirlwind of emotions. There’s excitement bubbling up as we gear up for another school year, but there’s also a healthy dose of nerves mixed in there. It’s a rollercoaster ride of anticipation and anxiety, am I right? The neverending back to school checklist for school librarians, you and me, can be overwhelming. As I sit down to think about all the things I need to check off my list before that first bell rings, it’s hard not to feel the pressure mounting. Time suddenly seems to slip through our fingers faster than we can keep track of, especially when it comes to those precious paid hours. If you’re stepping into the library for the first time, those worries and fears can loom pretty large. I’ve been there,
Choosing a book for independent reading is a challenge for many students. They struggle to find a book that they can read and also want to read. Classroom teachers go over this when they teach Reader’s Workshop and the Daily 5, but it is also something I teach in the library. I discuss this concept with all grades throughout the school year. However, at the beginning of second grade is when I introduce the concept of using the 5 Finger Rule and teach a more in-depth lesson about picking just right books.  First I begin by having a discussion with students about what the phrase “just right” means. I provide examples like picking out new clothes to wear. You do not want to pick a pair of pants that are too small and tight. You also don’t want to choose a pair that is falling off and so long you