How can I support the inquiry process through the use of technology?
Here is my final vision project in which I used Padlet to document my learning and exploration (It works best in Google Chrome).
MELISSA’S FINAL VISION PROJECT
I have also recorded some audio to walk you through my final vision projects and what all of the aspects are. To check this out, view the video below.
The process of reflecting on how to implement technology into the inquiry process has been a valuable one. Taking the time to explore the vast amount of resources available on the web, allowed me to critically examine just how these many technology tools could work successfully for elementary school students. These digital natives have a natural sense of curiosity with technology. Teaching them these tools and resources excites them and gives them new ways to express themselves and their learning. “Learning in the Information Age is very different from the kind of learning that took place prior to the advent of the computer. Today’s students learn in a dynamic world where information changes and expands as fast as technological innovation” (BCTF: The Points of Inquiry, 2011). When we teach these tools to our students we give them opportunities. The learner becomes an active participant in the process and the creation of their final product. Plus, the stages of inquiry end with the final stage of reflection. This important final step involves considering the entire learning process: What worked? What was challenging? What obstacles became apparent? What would you do differently next time? By reflecting on learning as a process rather than a singular event, students are beginning to understand that although the inquiry process may answer questions, it may also leave you with many more.
Through the exploration process of my final vision, I was able to spend quality time critically evaluating a variety of technology resources. As a teacher in the 21st century and as a teacher librarian, I realize that I need to be an expert in the field of new technology and resources in order to pass this information along to my staff. To become well versed in this field, it requires a time investment and practice with a variety of technology tools. Valenza explains that it is important to look forward into the future and know the direction you will take with the changing 21st century library. “You lead. And you look ahead for what is coming down the road. You continually scan the landscape. As the information and communication landscapes continue to shift, do you know where you are going? You plan for change. Not for yourself, not just for the library, but for the building, for your learners” (2010). We are working in a time where there is a shift in what it means to be a teacher-librarian. Not only are we supporting students with finding books, but now it is about selecting web resources, coordinating classes, collaborating with teachers, teaching technology tools, supporting a change towards a learning commons space and guiding teachers towards a stance of inquiry in their teaching. All of these roles are fulfilled by one person in the school, the teacher librarian, and it can be overwhelming at times. As I have completed this course, reflecting on the various roles we fulfill has allowed me to figure out what my plan for change is. In order to support the change in my library, ultimately I need to have a clear vision of the direction our school wants to take which supports our school goals.
While creating my Padlet for my final vision project, I was surprised by the ease in which I was able to navigate the technology. As I reflected back on the Richardson text, “Why School?” I began to reflect on why it was easy for me to navigate and thus easy for me to teach. The answer was simply that I was being a learner. Richardson argues that, “There should also be no doubt that, to prepare students to be learners, we need adults in classrooms who can serve as outstanding role models for learning. If we’re to develop learners who can make sense of the whole library, we must already be able to do that ourselves. In other words, the adults in the room need to be learners first and teachers second” (2012). If we put forth the stance that as teachers we are constantly learning, we are teaching students that learning is not something that stops when we exit the classroom. Learning is a life-long process that will always continue if we are curious, ask questions and want to learn. Therefore we need to change the way that curriculum is delivered in a rote way and consider our role as simply a “deliverer of information.” Instead we can adopt the approach that, “we must inspire students to pursue their own interests in the context of the subject matter. We need to be great at asking questions and astute at managing the different paths to learning that each child creates” (2012). Certainly this means giving students more time to explore, ask their questions and define what learning means to them. The process of inquiry supports this framework and can be strongly supported by the use of technology.
Throughout the past few months I have explored new technology, reflected on what my role as a new Teacher Librarian is now and will be in the future. I have defined what it means to collaborate and be a part of a larger group of teacher librarians. I have learned what it means to share and be a part of professional development in Personal Learning Networks and I have created a final vision to support my personal and school goals. Throughout this class I have also become more confident in my ability to use and teach new technology tools and to feel comfortable in my role as a new teacher librarian. Although there will be many changes to come in the next few years, I am assured that I have the tools and the support network to move forward and continue to support the learners, staff and teachers in my school community.
Richardson, Will (2012-09-10). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Kindle Single) (Kindle Locations 429-432). TED Conferences. Kindle Edition.
This week I have been focusing on the exploration phase for my final vision. The initial work that I had put into my final vision project led me to a bit of a wall, in that I could not continue to develop my final vision until I had some answers. When I considered how I could support the inquiry process with the use of technology tools, I realized that although I had some initial thoughts, my main goal when I started this class was to learn about new technology tools. I wanted to become sufficient with some new tools so that I could teach these tools to my students and allow them to explore and find new ways to express their learning. So this week, I decided to teach Padlet to a group of grade 2 and 3 students. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go, I was worried about it not working for a large group of students, I worried if it would work properly, if it would be too hard for them to navigate and if the classroom teacher would think I was crazy for trying this with such young students. I suppose these are some of the thoughts I have when trying new things… doubt!
I did a very clear demonstration to the whole class and kept the initial exploration stage very simple. I wanted to ensure that the kids had an easy start so that they didn’t get discouraged. By the end of twenty minutes in the computer lab, all of the kids had successfully posted on to their group wall and were asking questions galore! They wanted to know how to change the background, how to add a picture, a video and even if they could try to make their own wall at home. It was a definite success and it went to show that these kids really are engaged by technology.
After the success with Padlet, I realized that it was time for me to do some exploration on my own. I wanted to know what else was out there, and how I could teach more tech tools to my students. After a good two hours of browsing, trying, creating, and troubleshooting, I felt like I had mixed success. Some mind map tools that were very successful for me included: Text 2 Mind Map and bubbl.us. These tools were easy to use, easy to navigate and I created mind maps, downloaded them and posted them to my final vision padlet within ten minutes. These tools would definitely be something that I could easily teach to elementary students.
My personal Text 2 Mind Map, created in just 5 minutes. Very easy to use.
Created with bubbl.us. Simple to use and quick to learn.
However, I also browsed many other tech tools that were not equally successful. The main challenges that I had were that they were not targeted towards children and even though they were easy to navigate, they were not kid friendly in terms of content. Some of these programs also cost money to use, or you could have free access but only for a limited amount of content. Some of these programs that were unsuccessful were Glogster, Scoopit and infogr.am. On my final vision padlet, I have reviewed and discussed some of the benefits of these programs. Here is my inital draft after the initial exploration I have done.
I hit a bit of a road block after the success with the mind map software. Many of the platforms I tried either required you to pay money to use their service or they were too complicated to use with children ages 7-12. Some of the technology tools I tried included:
Inforgr.am: This program helps you to design infographics and charts on a bright clear poster. This would be an excellent way for students to express their learning, but it seems like it would be more appropriate for middle or high school students.
Glogster: I have heard of this used in schools so I was interested in trying it out. It also requires a fee of approximately $40 per year for a single classroom use, so I wasn’t able to play around with it.
ScoopIt: This technology tool is similar to Pinterest in that it allows you to “Scoop” articles, pictures and videos from the web and then add it to your page that is based on a particular topic. Although this is a great teaching resource, it is not targetted towards kids and would therefore not be a great fit for supporting inquiry with young students.
My next focus for my vision project will be to focus in on kid friendly tech tools that I can explore further, keeping in mind my goal of supporting the inquiry process through the use of technology. If anyone has any in mind, please feel free to share by commenting on my blog. I will also be talking to fellow teacher librarians this week to focus in on exploring some final technology tools before I complete my final vision project and reflection. All in all, the time spent exploring has been very valuable and has forced me to critically evaluate these resources and consider if they could be valuable with elementary school learners.
“We can raise the teaching profession by sharing what works, by taking the best of what we do and hanging it on the virtual wall” (Richardson, 2012).
When I consider sharing my vision, three main groups of people come to mind: The staff at my school, the Teacher Librarian group in my District and the greater group of the web (including discussion forums and groups of teachers found on twitter, web 2.0 and beyond). One thing I know that I will take from this class is the necessity to share. Whether this is through avenues such as twitter or forums like tlnet, if we are just sitting back and browsing the web, we need to consider what we are contributing. I originally thought to myself, “I’m just a new TL, what do I have to share?” However, now I realize that I have many resources, experiences and opinions about being a teacher librarian and our role, and simply browsing will not add to my personal professional development the way that interacting and discussing will.
To reflect on my new understanding of sharing online, I think back to the beginning of our course and when I read the book by Will Richardson, “Why School?” His perspective on sharing helped me to see how I could do it and why it is important.
“When I travel to speak at conferences and schools, I’m always amazed by how relatively few hands go up when I ask, “How many of you can I find online sharing your best practices and best thinking about education?” The reasons for this are many: fear, lack of technology expertise, a culture of competition in schools. Regardless, the reality right now is that we have the ability to reach not just our kids, but kids around the world. We can raise the teaching profession by sharing what works, by taking the best of what we do and hanging it on the virtual wall. Many would argue that it is now the duty of teachers to do so. Sharing comes in many forms. It may be a blog where we reflect on our work, or a video that captures a process. It may even just be a PDF of the paper handout that was the foundation of an outstanding group project. The form almost doesn’t matter (although it must be digital). What matters is putting it out there so others can build on it, make it their own, or just share it in the staff office.”
Richardson, Will (2012-09-10). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Kindle Single) (Kindle Locations 394-395). TED Conferences. Kindle Edition.
This excerpt from his book was the part that stood out to me the most. For some reason, throughout University it seemed competitive. If you have a great idea, keep it to yourself, so you can seem like the best teacher! Really, it is a very strange mentality. If we want to support the most children possible, why not share the idea so more students can benefit from it.
Here is an interesting video about how collaboration between teachers using technology resources really works!
Who is this Vision for?
As I work towards this final vision project and my final inquiry project with my Teacher Librarian District group through our BCTF inquiry group, I find these projects are certainly overlapping. Therefore, this vision project will also guide my final inquiry which will be presented to District administrators, teachers and colleagues. As I explore how technology can support the inquiry process, I find that I am learning more about how my vision can support other teachers. As I was exploring for my last blog post, I came across a great resource for tech tools which I posted on my blog. I then realized it would be helpful to share with my TL group on Twitter. It was so easy to quickly share this and then it was available to me whenever I needed it.
My final vision will ultimately be a part of my presentation to the district staff at our final Teacher Librarian meeting in June and I will also use it to present to my staff at a staff meeting. Each month I get a time slot to share with teachers. Because I will be starting a number of inquiry projects in the spring, this will be relevant and important information for the teachers at my school.
BCTF: The Points of Inquiry
This course has lined up perfectly with the start to my new position as teacher librarian. Throughout the weekly blogs I have been able to reflect on my current position, my choices and my goals for the future. As I begin to consider my vision for the future it circles largely around technology and inquiry. Within my school setting, teachers have begun to ask me about how they can use technology to support their units and how students can use a variety of platforms to find information and represent their findings. We have also begun to look at how we can use inquiry to support student learning and their individual questions. As students begin to take ownership over a topic or idea, they are likely to become more invested in their learning and in turn it becomes more meaningful and memorable. Collaboration has also become an important theme in that as a staff we are working together to explore how I can best be used as a resource for staff and how we can set-up the schedule so that everyone is receiving time in the library and time to collaborate with me on individual inquiry and research units. I will also be considering how this will work well for our staff as a whole, and how I can ensure that I am meeting the needs of the staff while also setting aside time to complete the administration work that needs to happen to keep the library running smoothly.
As I consider using technology to support the inquiry process, I realize that there are many questions that I still need to explore within this topic. I struggle with using technology for the sake of using it and being “current” and with using it for the purpose of creating meaningful learning opportunities. With so many different options for technology platforms, such as prezi, padlet, symbaloo, evernote, QR codes and so many more, I wonder, how do I choose the best and most applicable resource to support a lesson, unit or topic. I came across an excellent article which lists a variety of tech tools that support the inquiry process. Not only does it list and link to the different programs, but it explains which stage of the inquiry process they would be applicable for. I would highly suggest checking out this link if you are unsure about what tech tool to use to present a final product, there are many options here that I have never heard of and look forward to exploring. http://eduwebinar.com.au/web-tools-to-support-inquiry-based-learning
I am also curious about resource selection. Just like when we are selecting resources such as books, DVDs or magazines for our library collection, how do we decide which technology resources are good enough to be a part of our collection? When we choose websites, videos and articles to share, how does the selection process come into play and how can we be selective and have a full understanding of the possibilities of what we are sharing? Because we trust that a certain tech tool will serve a specific purpose, we need to ensure that we have tested that purpose and that we are the expert on what that tool can do. Therefore, when working with students and teachers we can ensure we are making the best use of the technology. Of course, troubleshooting will always be an issue with technology and perhaps depending on the resources in our school, we may not always be able to access the tech tool to its full capability. By speaking with other Teacher Librarians about what they have tried and used successfully helps to ensure that the choices we make in terms of technology selections are appropriate ones that meet our educational needs.
As I look towards the future and how I want to represent my vision, I am considering several sources. However, at this point, I am hoping to present my final project on Padlet. This is a tech tool that I am going to use with two classes in the spring, in order for them to share ideas on their inquiry project. Padlet is an online bulletin board that allows multiple members (a classroom for example) to post on the same page or their own page. You can also use it as a space to collect ideas. I have added a video below that discusses how the program works. It is very user friendly and has been used successfully with kids as young as grade two.
I hope to be able to use Padlet to express my exploration of my vision for the future by posting my thoughts, pictures and videos that I have across and hope that it will allow me to show the journey that I have been on since I’ve started this class and my new position.
Here is also an example of a successful Padlet done by a grade 1/2 class on: Wondering about the Arctic.
This reflection process has been very valuable and it is difficult to identify which topic resonated with me the most. Because I am working in a new position, each topic has such relevance to what I am trying to establish in my library that it only helps me to reflect more on where I want to continue to go in my library. Because I have also been working with my District TL group on an inquiry project surrounding using technology in the learning commons, I am quite focused on how technology supports the inquiry process. As I consider which technology resources support inquiry and research, I am finding that this course and my personal inquiry work hand in hand. Since I have found that these complement each other so well, I would have to say that my post on continuous learning truly resonated with me. I find that sharing with colleagues and listening to their experiences, really influences my next steps. Since this a new role for me, I truly value their advice and input. After spring break, I will be working with 3 teachers on individual inquiry projects in which we are going to implement technology such as Padlet and our library website with a variety of links, for the student’s final projects. I believe that it is important to support teachers with this type of transition as it may not have been something they have tried previously. If we work through the process collaboratively, hopefully they will become more confident and willing to try new types of technology to support their students’ learning.
As I have now settled into my position, my next step will be showing students and teachers new ways of supporting their students through the inquiry process. Below is a video from one of our district middle schools in which they have taken an inquiry approach to learning.
As I consider my key takeaways from my past reflections, I have come up with these key points:
1. Fostering a reading culture and a love of reading in a school takes time and is a process. By giving students multiple opportunities to explore reading in many different ways, helps them to make connections to literature.
2. When students get involved in their learning and create, they are more invested in the learning than if they went and memorized facts from the history textbook. Technology helps with engagement.
3. Making connections with a personal learning network helps me to reflect on my current practices and encourages me to try new things that I may not have thought of on my own. It also helps me to feel connected to other teacher librarians in my District. Connecting with people in similar situations through technology like twitter or our online class also promotes sharing, learning and professional development.
4. Collaboration is established by being supportive, open and willing to help others when needed. Building relationships with staff members creates trust and teachers will be more willing to approach you for collaboration opportunities when this has been established.
As I move forward, I know that the reflection process is a valuable one. In a new position, the opportunity to reflect on what I have done, what I will do and what is done by others has been incredibly valuable. I move forward knowing that I will continue to reflect, collaborate and ensure that I am asking questions when needed. This will help me to become the best I can be for my students and the staff at my school. Even after many years of experience, we need to remember that we are in a profession that is constantly changing and shifting. Ultimately we need to advocate for our role as Teacher Librarians and ensure that we are putting our best forward for our students.
While considering libraries in developing countries, I immediately thought of the weeding process that I am undergoing right now. When we have completed the weeding, the books will be donated to The Compassionate Warehouse, which is a Victoria based company (http://www.crwarehouse.ca/). Some of the Countries that receive donations include: Haiti, Laos, Ghana, Pakistan, Thailand, and Libya.
The CRW is dedicated to helping others by sharing our cast-off abundance and wealth with those not similarly blessed. Our society has a superabundance of stuff that continues to have a useful lifespan. We gather these surplus items from our region and add them to new items crafted and donated by volunteers across Canada. All these goods, which may include quality medical equipment and supplies, clothing, linens, educational materials, tools, sewing machines, toys and bicycles, are carefully loaded into 40-foot containers and shipped. All items shipped are clean, appropriate and in good repair.
When I consider the books that are being shipped to these countries from my own library, I realize that many of these schools have their few books under lock and key and they are ultimately precious to schools. However, I do consider if these are the best resources for the students. Some of the materials are in good condition, but are out of date and would not be relevant for a student in my school. So these thoughts leave me unsure about what a better solution for these schools would be. By looking online, I found that some programs are working towards getting mobile devices to schools in impoverished areas. CODEcan (http://www.codecan.org/) supports literacy around the world by distributing books published in the local language. Some of the challenges they discussed include:
-Internet access can be very slow and minimal
-Phones don’t always work
-Letter mail can be very slow and unreliable
When we consider how this would affect the access of these resources it could certainly be challenging. As a school who does not have access to Wifi, I can understand how this creates challenges. However, some organizations are taking these challenges on. For example: Worldreader (http://www.worldreader.org/what-we-do/) has put over 944,300 e-books into the hands of 13,596 children in 9 African countries. Many of these books are in local languages. This organization has had major success with the use of ereaders for students and has increased their reading comprehension scores by 13%. They have also started a new program in which people in developing countries can also access books on their mobile phones:
For the first time ever, millions of folks in the developing world have access to a library of books using a device they already own: their mobile phone. With its application for feature and android phones, Worldreader is turning on its head the notion that reading e-books requires an e-reader, tablet or smart phone.
To give you an idea of the enormous scope and potential: feature phones are the largest segment of the global mobile market, with over 60% of the global mobile market share with over 5 billion mobile subscribers. In 2013 an average of 334,851 monthly active users completed 657,475 books on Worldreader Mobile. We hope to have 2 million people reading each month by the end of 2014.
This program truly is inspirational as they have found a way to support schools and libraries with information that is relevant to their culture, up to date and in good condition. By shipping used books, we cannot guarantee this and ultimately ereaders are the best way to learners. Watch the video below for more information on this amazing organization.
As I have begun to settle into my new role as Teacher-Librarian, I have also begun to consider how I can support the staff at our school with professional development and technology. Currently, I am working on connecting with the staff and ensuring that they feel comfortable coming to me with questions. Whether it is helping find them a book in the library or helping them to introduce inquiry based learning into their classroom, I want the teachers to feel that I am a good resource for them to use. At each staff meeting I have been presenting to the staff. Two weeks ago, I brought a selection of teacher resources to the staff meeting from another school that I worked at that has an excellent teacher resource section. I showed them some examples and then together we compiled a list of resources that related to our school goals and would relate to professional development. I also led a discussion on adding to our learning resources in which we have a budget to spend by the end of this year. We now have all of the resources that we discussed and are working on cataloguing them this week. I think a main goal when working with staff and supporting them is to have a quick turn-around whenever possible. Teaching is a busy profession, and it is easy to forget and have things pushed to the side. We always have good intentions to use new tools and resources but we are working against the clock it seems! So ensuring that the resources are available to staff when they need them is important.
Our teacher-resource section is very bare, and one of my goals was to add to this throughout this year. As I consider what this resource section should look like, I also consider its circulation. Teachers at my school rarely access the teacher resource section because it was located in a locked room that was out of sight. I consulted with the staff and asked them where would be a better place and they gave me their feedback. Now the resources are located in a central area in the library where teachers can quickly find the books. One teacher librarian told me that being a Teacher Librarian is largely about servicing the client. The client is the teachers, students and parents in the school. We need to ensure that their needs are being met and that means checking in with them regularly. If something isn’t working, we need to come up with a way for it to work for all members. This may mean speaking with teachers individually for feedback or bringing it up for discussion at a staff or staff committee meeting. In our practice, we should constantly be checking circulation rates and ensuring that our clients are making the best possible use of the resources that are available to them. If not, perhaps highlighting certain resources at a staff meeting or displaying some in the staff room would be a good solution.
To ensure that the teacher resource section is relevant and up-to-date, I find that it is no longer relevant to keep a file cabinet full of articles. It simply does not get used. Therefore the District has an ERAC bundle in which teachers can search through a database of articles to support their professional development. This form of resource is available to teachers at any point, from home or work, and they can keep the article on file if needed. The TRC (Teacher Resource Centre) is available through EBSCOhost and is targeted towards teachers. A goal will be to introduce this to my colleagues and show them how this is a good resource to support their professional development.
When I considered what I could do to support staff in our school that I wasn’t doing already, the list seemed endless. I realized however that I do need to be realistic and do a few things very well, rather than many different things done poorly. My goals for the school year include:
1. Use collaboration time to promote technology tools by showing students and teachers how to use a tool to enhance learning (Prezi, Wideo, StoryBird are my goals for this year).
2. Have regular mini conferences with staff to find out what units they are working on or will be working on. This will allow me to provide suggestions for resources that they can access that are in our school or are online.
3. Present regularly at every staff meeting to address staff questions or to present new tech tools they can use in the classroom or new resources to the library.
4. Ensure an open door policy so teachers feel comfortable approaching me whenever they need support.
5. Work on an inquiry project with two teachers and present at the staff meeting to help with buy-in, so more teachers will be willing to try collaborative inquiry projects next year.
As a new Teacher Librarian, I know that I need to work towards becoming a learning and collaborator in my school. This is done by being supportive, open and willing to help others whenever needed. By taking this approach, I hope that I will be able to support staff with their technology needs and encourage them to take risks and try new programs and teaching strategies with their students.
Here is an interesting video about a training program that teaches teachers how to use technology in the classroom. It is a two year program called eMints. It is interesting to hear about how this collaboration works:
In my District we are currently working on a Teacher Librarian inquiry project in which all the TL’s in the District meet once per month to work together on their individual inquiry. Through these meetings we are working on exploration of our own topics but also on the larger question which is how we implement technology into the learning commons. This support network is the best one I can think of because it is made up of all of the Teacher Librarians from all levels (Elementary, Middle and High School) in our District. Therefore, each teacher is bringing forth a different but relevant perspective. Because this team of Teacher Librarians is so cohesive, it is clear that we are committed to our positions and roles in our schools. We also have a District Collaboration Hub where we can post questions, reflections or concerns, which creates a definite sense of community within our profession. Last month was my first meeting, and I left feeling very supported and excited to be a part of this group of Teacher Librarians, and I know that this will certainly be a big part of maintaining my explorations and development.
To connect with other Teacher Librarians, I feel that conferences are an excellent place to do so. Last year, I attended Jean Prevost’s presentation at the Tapestry Conference in Victoria on Teacher Librarian’s and Inquiry. This was an excellent opportunity for me to meet Teacher Librarians from other Districts and to talk to them about their roles which are surprisingly quite different depending on the District. The BCTLA, Teacher Librarian Conference will be held on Oct. 24, 2014 this year. I’ve heard that this is also an excellent place to connect and share learning. Philip Balcaen’s keynote presentation is available here. He spoke on “New Challenges for e-Learning environments: Pitfalls and Possibilities. http://bctf.ca/bctla/conference/2013/PhilipBalcaen.pdf
Through this course, I have been learning about how I can use Tech tools to continue to support my exploration and development. Twitter is an excellent tool to support collaboration with people that may be in a different country. Twitter promotes conversation on a variety of topics that are categorized based on hash tags. By searching relevant hash tags you can join conversations and find new people to follow. This is one avenue that I have started to explore and will continue to do so after this course.
This link gave me some good information on using hash tags and a list of hash tags that are focused on educational conversations.
http://www.teachthought.com/twitter-hashtags-for-teacher/
Some that I may use include:
#ntchat (fornewteachers)
#edchat
#elearning
#EdApps
Another interesting avenue that many educators are exploring are large, free online courses that are offered without credit in which you can do as much or as little as you would like in order to participate. When looking into it, I noticed websites such as https://www.coursera.org/ that offered these as options. One course that I found was called ICT in Education. At the end, you receive a certificate and it appears that the course is very relevant for primary teachers and teacher librarians. This looks fascinating and although I have 2 courses on the go
right now, this may be something I will look to in the future.
Here is a video outlining the ICT course and children using technology:
ICT in Primary Education
Resources:
ICT in Education. Accessed from: https://www.coursera.org/course/ictinprimary
BC Teacher Librarians Conference 2013. Key Note Speaker Presentation. Accessed from: http://bctf.ca/bctla/conference/2013/PhilipBalcaen.pdf
The Complete Guide to Twitter Hashtags in Education. Accessed from: http://www.teachthought.com/twitter-hashtags-for-teacher/
In my mind, fostering a reading culture is a duty of the Teacher-Librarian, the administration and the classroom teachers. To truly foster a reading culture, everyone in the school setting needs to value reading and make it a priority in the school setting. Some of the ways I have done this include:
Family Read-In: Last year when I was working at another school library, we had a family read-in once a month. Parents, grandparents and community members were invited to read with kids all around the school. It was so amazing to see everyone reading for enjoyment. We would have buckets of library books in every room (computer lab, multi-purpose room, hallways) and students would grab a book and read for 20 minutes with a friend or family member. This really worked well and definitely fostered a culture of reading. It also allowed the kids to see teachers, parents, & community members all enjoying reading, un-interrupted.
Author Michael Kusugak storytelling at our library.
Author Visits: In our District we have money set aside from the District and PAC in each school to have author visits. Every year it is a different author but it really excites the kids. They get to talk to real authors about their jobs and begin to understand what a process it can be to publish a book. Students also make connections between reading and writing and are always excited to take out books written by an author they met!
10 Ways to Foster a Love of Reading
This author discusses that it is important to consider specific needs for specific populations. Thinking about school goals, and the themes that relate to the school you work in will help when selecting resources for the library.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/cultivating-love-reading-students-elena-aguilar
Author Ann Walsh talking to the students about her experiences as an author.
Purchasing based on student Interest: I really like to set aside some of the money in the library budget to purchase books that meet student interest. Especially for struggling readers, purchasing books that will engage them is so important to me. As a Teacher-Librarian, I absolutely love seeing the excitement on a child’s face when they find a book they really love. Engaging them and encouraging them to love reading, is ultimately my job. I will often ask students about their interests and then order some books with certain students in mind. This week, I ordered some books on Lego. They were lower level readers, but I know some of the grade 3 boys who will be excited about these books. They are at their level and on a topic they are excited about.
Book Talks: I think part of fostering a love of reading is an excitement about books. When we get new books to the library, I love doing book talks to the classes and really building the excitement around the book. When kids come in to reserve a book, I know that they are excited about when they can get it and many of them come check every day to see if it has been returned!
Tumblebooks: These animated books really engage students and there are many popular titles. I show the kids how to use Tumblebooks from home to encourage them to use this resource. This is one of my favourite programs because it is a tool that kids can use independently regardless of their reading level. The books are read out loud and have animation and bright pictures. You can also access Tumblebooks (for free!) through the Greater Victoria Public Library by clicking on ebooks and more.
http://www.gvpl.ca/digital-content/ebooks-and-more/
Home Reading Program: This is my next goal for our school, setting up a home reading program that is run through the library and is school wide. I have spoken with some other Teacher Librarian’s in my District about what has worked well for them in their schools. There have been some great ideas! I think a home reading program can work really well because it ensures all kids are coming to the library regularly to collect their prize/get their next home reading sheet. It is a great way to engage with the students who aren’t regulars in the library. If anyone has any experience with a home reading program that they’ve seen work well at the whole school level, please share!
Partner with the Public Library: Last year, I had the Children’s librarian from the GVPL come to visit our school in June. She spoke about the program the Public Library offers during the summer and the summer reading program. Having her there definitely created excitement about using the library and encouraged kids to read over the summer.
Fostering a love of reading is a process but is important to focus on. As I start my new position, I am constantly looking for ways to engage my students with books and ensure that they are finding books they love in the library. Hopefully, by showing just how much I love reading, I will be setting a good example as well!