Getting Into the Swing Of Things

The second week of Library has rapidly come and gone, it's hard to believe we're already finishing our third week of school and I've now taught each class twice!  This week was a continuation of learning the self-checkout, library procedures, author study and much more.  Read below for more in depth detail about each grade levels experience in our library this week!

4th/5th Grade
Students this week were thrilled to be practicing the self-checkout routine.  I worked with both 4th and 5th grade classes to ensure that students were up to date on the steps for checkout.  Having large color themed check out cards with student ID and bar code, helps students independently checkout. This year I added a second checkout station in hopes that the process would expedite and make the transition smooth.  5th graders are also very excited about a new volunteer leadership opportunity that is happening this year!  I've been reflecting a great deal on how we can make the Library more of an inclusive space and help all students, families and community feel welcome.  This year I'm implementing a new program called "Library Clerks".  This program is completely voluntary for 5th graders who are interested in spending time in the library during one - two recess' per week.  My hope is to encourage students to come together in a leadership capacity, including those who are kiddos that might avoid recess, struggle to fit in or feel part of something.  Applications will be available next week and I'm excited to share our experience.

2nd/3rd Grade
Not wanting to waste any time, I chose to introduce the amazing OTTER Award to my 2nd and 3rd grade friends.  The OTTER Award stands for Our Time To Enjoy Reading, books that are designed for K-5.  These nominations and winners are perfect transitional text for our readers; recognized by the Washington Library Association and voted on by students across the state!  I shared the background of the award, the nominations for 2018 and past titles.  In the Library (and classroom), we've observed that many students in the 1st - 3rd grade range struggle to find just right books that satisfy the need to be reading "a big kid book".  So many of our students are craving the next step but finding appropriate text to satisfy the need was a challenge.  Many of the kids were excited to see a favorite, "The Princess In Black" as well as a few other titles.  I was also proud to share about a great and amazing Librarian and former colleague of mine, who was a part of the very firsts beginnings of creating this (now state recognized) WA Book Award, Arika Dikens!  Thank you Ms. Arika and the other librarians who were so brilliant to dream up this much needed category of awards!

1st Grade:
This week we focused on choosing just right books and practicing our checkout procedures.  For many years I taught a lesson about just right text using the "just right SHOE" analogy.  For running I'd want a good running shoe to help me get through the 13.1 miles of a half marathon, not a pair of slippers I'd wear Sunday morning.  For teaching, I'd want to wear the just right shoe to help me teach, not a sparkly sequining strap sandal that I wore for our wedding day.  Kids love making the connection between just right text and how we each read at a different pace and finding a just right book is very important.  Next week we'll dive deeper in the WCCPBA books!

Kindergarten
This was the second time Kindergarten visited the library and we are continuing to model behaviors and expectations for our young students.  Historically, Kindergartners haven't checked out books until January, however wanting to instill the love of Library, reading and the joy of taking a special book home...I decided to begin our checkout this week.  We touched briefly on our author study of Mo Willems, his many hilarious books and then focused on how to check out books.  The week prior I sent letters home to each grade level sharing objectives for the year, library information and the number of books students will be able to checkout each week.  For Kindergarten I send an additional informational half-sheet home so parents would know that students bring home books from the library and can return the next week.  For September (only one week left now), Kindergartners may checkout 1 book each time, for October, students may check out up to 2 books and beginning in the month of November, students may check out 3 books each Library visit!

Updates:
This week we are hosting the Scholastic Book Fair in our gymnasium on the stage!  Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday during lunch and Thursday after school!  There's a great APP that's fun and easy to utilize to watch book trailers, check it out! -Mrs. Bethel





*Image credit goes to Pinterest, Scholastic, Mo Willems and clipart

First Day Of School

It feels like the entire summer has been building up to this one BIG day...and now we're finally here! First day jitters are out of the way and learning has commenced!  I wanted to share some goals, aspirations and hopes for this year and document as I go.  Keeping up with blogging can be quite a task, especially when teaching, managing a collection and really trying to learn about each class and student (and of course teachers) that you work with.  Here are a few Fall Goals:

1.  Blog every two weeks, every week if possible
2.  Introduce Makerspace by October
3.  Train and welcome family volunteers by end of September
4.  Model and train 5th graders to be Library "Clerks" and open library 2x weekly for lunch recess
5.  Read one new book every week

Phew!  Hopefully I didn't get to ahead of myself with these ideas, as always the first year in a new library always has it's learning moments and challenges!  While this blog entry is short and sweet, I'll leave you with this mantra that I'm striving to weave in and out of each day here at our amazing school:

"Look with kindness and you will always find wonder." - Wonder by RJ Palacio

A Letter To Incoming Students

Today, as an exit task, we were asked to write a letter for the first day of school to read to our new class.  Here's my first draft:

Dear Incoming Students,

As we gather here in our Library, less than a week before school begins...I'm feeling a plethora of emotions.  The beginning of school is always a special time, especially for teachers.  The smell of newly sharpened pencils, lesson plans ready to go and the anticipation of meeting your new class.

For over a decade, I taught in the classroom and at times I miss it.  The first days before school starts looks and sounds a little different as a Librarian.  No name tags, but 20 class lists.  No math folders, but over 150 new books to add to our inventory circulation collection.  However, now in my fourth year as a Librarian I am excited and anxious to meet all of my 540 students.

Although there are some differences in the first week of school as a Librarian, there are some ideals and mantras that will continue on:

BE KIND:  Kindness can never be overrated.  We need more Kindness in this world,

BE FLEXIBLE:  The Specialist schedule was quite challenging to sort out this year as my contract is a .8 (2 half days in the morning and 3 full days).  The virtue of Flexibility will need to be demonstrated often as we embark on a new school year...and it's not always easy :)

HAVE FUN:  I recently listened to a key-note from the higher-ups in our district, and this idea of we "get" to work with kids every day.  Let's start having FUN!  Sometimes there are not so fun things about this crazy job as a teacher, but overall, while we have a huge important responsibility...we can and should have fun!!  If we're not having fun, then why are we here?  (BTW, this applies to students AND teachers)

I hope this first week is a great week for you all, thank you for the honor of being your Librarian!

In Gratitude,

Erin G. Bethel

I haven't decided if I'll read this to kiddos ... and maybe I'll come back to revise.  I'll definitely try to look back at this when we get to June.

May the 4th Be With You!

I love this day.  I love Star Wars.  I also love books.  What better way to combine two of my students' interests then celebrating this fun day!  Here are some of my favorite titles to reread on May 4th!

My own children love to read these books as well, did you know that Golden Books even got in on the action?  They have all seven texts, or you can purchase a condensed version of all stories in one book!  Another favorite, is the "Vader and Little Princess" book by Jeffery Brown.  A darling sort of remake of all the favorite scenes but with Leia and Luke as small children growing up.

If your kiddo is in Elementary school and enjoys graphic novels, this text (also written by Jeffery Brown) is a hilarious version of a Jedi's experience in middle school!

Enjoy this day and...

May the 4th Be With You!

-Mrs. Bethel

Become a Super Digital Citizen "Toolbox"

Safe! Kind! Responsible!

All of these are what we want our kids to demonstrate when using technology and online! Please take a few moments to sit down with your family and learn about what it looks like and sounds like to become a .... SUPER DIGITAL CITIZEN! 

As we fondly remember from one of our favorite superhero's Spiderman...

Over the next few weeks in the Library, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students will be learning how to become a responsible citizen while using online tools, apps and website.  One of the first lessons students will access to jump start their journey will be "Super Digital Citizen" Common Sense Media - Digital Citizenship(common sense media - digital citizenship).  In this lesson, students will explore what it means to be respectful and responsible while online and offline.  Your student will create their very own superhero identity as "digital heroes" who solve issues online responsibly.  

Families, check out this follow up video about Super Digital Citizens! 

Many school districts across the nation (including ours) have adopted this new philosophy and take on digital citizenship.  Inclusion of families and parents WITH teaching students the concepts is vital to a successful learning moment.  As this (independent) school in Texas reflects, "... means helping students, teachers, and parents to understand what is involved in being a responsible digital citizen, from promoting personal safety online to adhering to the district's acceptable use policies, from providing cyber-security training for district personnel to including cyber-security lessons for all students within the curriculum."  For more on this topic and learning about how this school creates an inclusion program regarding digital citizenship, click here:  Teaching Parents Digital Citizenship at Katy ISD

By now, your child should be fairly familiar with many terms and language used when discussing digital citizenship.  This might be a good opportunity to discuss your views on screen time at school and at home, any expectations you have and a conversation about online safety.  As a parent of two school aged children myself, I often find the online resources overwhelming and a little difficult to navigate.  If you're looking to learn some strategies of how to create parental controls on your iPad, useful digital citizenship websites for parents or just a 'walk-me-through-it" type of tutorial, check out this video:

As we continue with our skill building and education of safe, responsible and respectful digital citizenship your student will learn why it's vital to create a safe and strong password, how to manage and use strategies dealing with online bullying and much more.  If you're still curious and wanting to become more involved with the power of digital citizenship, take a look below at several helpful resources:

Empowering Parents

Become Involved Online

50 Apps ALL Kids Should Play

Schools Out For the Summer!

Congratulations everyone!  It's officially Summer!!!  (Well, at the end of this school day, it's really official).  It's hard to believe that we have arrived at the last day of school.  Where did the year go?  Today is bitter sweet as I close one chapter and open the next.  After twelve, yes 12 years of teaching (in the classroom and Library), I've decided to stay home with my young children full time.

As I look back and reflect on all the amazing learning and growth over the past year (and years past), I'm reminded that its not always about the end destination, but the journey.

Thank you to the students and families that have walked through the Library doors throughout the past two years.  Thank you to the parent volunteers who helped check in (and out) hundreds and thousands of books.  Thank you to my colleague who shared her love of literacy and learning and inspired me to strive for new challenges.  Thank you to the staff and teachers who supported the Library and helped kiddos return books.  Thank you to my family for putting up with my "addiction" of buying books.

I'm excited for this new adventure and wish everyone a happy and safe Summer!

-Mrs. Bethel

Teacher Appreciation

WOW!  How amazing it was to walk into a room full of beautiful fragrant flowers in our Library!  Teacher Appreciation week takes on an entirely new meaning when you have kiddos of your own...here's a SHOUT OUT to all the teachers this week who spend tireless hours helping our children succeed!  THANK YOU for what you do!  And THANK YOU to all the students who brought little treats and flowers this week!  We feel loved!

Library this week was full of inquiry and STEAM!  First graders listened to NOT A BOX by Antoinette Portis and created their own two dimensional (some three) box!  Creativity flowed as the students connected Reading to Art and continued the STEAM theme.

Third and Fourth graders dug deep to determine whether or not "Mighty Jackie" was fact or fiction.  Students were introduced to the amazing KCLS website where as BSD students they have access to thousands of ebooks, videos and databases.  Due to technical difficulties today (Flexibility was the virtue demonstrated here), we created one of a kind baseball cards of Jackie Mitchell.  Each card was full of "stats", her position and even who she played for.  Illustrations of the baseball cards were a hit!

Six weeks + 1 day and counting...it's crazy and wild to think we are already in the month of May!  Wishing a happy Teacher Appreciation week and Happy Mother's day to all you mama's out there!

-Mrs. Bethel