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I will never forget the overwhelming feeling I had when I started my first job and realized I had no idea what to teach my students. The librarian I replaced left nothing behind—no lesson plans, no curriculum maps, not even a single worksheet. The office was completely empty, and I felt out of my depth. That first school year was filled with a lot of trial and error. Over the next few years, I developed a plan. I learned the curriculum for all grade levels and subjects, understanding what was being taught in the classrooms and identifying areas where students often struggled. I integrated this with the skills I wanted my students to learn. Eventually, I created a document that combined elements of a curriculum map and a scope and sequence. It wasn’t a formal document, nor was I required to submit anything to the administration. Although I wrote
As librarians, we might not give grades for our class, but we do teach valuable skills that help our students with their core subjects. After a class, it is always nice to have feedback to know whether our students understood the lesson, what questions they have, or how they can apply what they learned. Using exit tickets in the school library is a great way to do this and it has been a game-changer for me. Keep reading to find out how exit tickets can benefit you as a school librarian. Purposes of Exit Tickets in the School Library One of the easiest ways I have found to do informal assessments and checks for understanding is through exit tickets. These little slips of paper focus on just one skill or concept at a time. Quite often, it is one question that relates to our lesson. This makes them quick
In just a few short weeks, most of us will be gearing up to head back to school. We all know how crucial it is to teach library rules and expectations during those first few weeks. One way I love to do this is with back to school read-alouds. I try to choose stories that naturally spark conversations about school and library behavior (including how to care for books). So, today, I’m sharing a list of my favorite back to school read-alouds with you, featuring some tried and true favorites as well as a few newer titles. 20 Back to School Read Alouds First Day Critter Jitters by Jory John This is a brand new back to school book from Jory John. All the animals are nervous about the first day of school. Sloth is worried he will be late and snake can’t keep his backpack on. And bunny
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 can be overwhelming. But after years of experience, I have learned that it doesn’t have to be. 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. But then I remember that I have prepared a checklist that will guide me through all.the.things that must be done. So, stick with me as I lay out my ultimate back-to-school checklist for school
As we prepare to wrap up another school year we are faced with one of our biggest challenges: getting all those library books returned! I have tried many strategies over the years with varying results. In this post, I am going to share with you some different tricks and ideas that will (hopefully) help get those books turned in before the last day of school. Award Prizes Award some kind of class prize or award for the first class in each grade level that returns all their books. Suggestions: Get Teachers Involved A fun way to get library books returned is to give a prize not only to the classes that have returned all of their books but to the teacher as well. Offer to cover their recess or lunch duty, provide an extra planning time or a gift certificate to Starbucks or Target. You might be surprised how
The holiday season is upon us! Do you decorate your library or classroom for Christmas? I decorate for every season and Christmas is my favorite. I always put up a tree and string lights around the door. (Don’t tell the fire marshal!) A few years ago I started having the students make ornaments to put on the tree: Christmas ornament book recommendations! This is such a fun and engaging activity. You can use it with students in any grade level, the kids love to make them and they make your library look so festive! What could be better? Making the Christmas Ornament Book Recommendation This is a simple activity to prepare, which is always a bonus during this hectic and chaotic time. All you need are copies of the Christmas ornament book recommendation template, scissors, pencils, and crayons. If possible print them out on card stock or a thicker