Someone Special

I know it takes someone special to be a librarian or a school media specialist. I know this because when people ask what my studies are in, many times they turn up their nose like it's the last thing they would want to do. A long time ago, when I was a little girl (and that really wasn't very long ago), librarians left a lot to be desired. The ones I knew were grouchy old ladies who had glasses perched on the end of their noses which were attached to chains around their necks. These old ladies made it their mission to go around hushing people in the library. But, librarianship has taken on a whole different perspective in the last several years. They are now people to be respected. Now, librarians are the people with the answers.

Technology Turf

Isn't it wonderful to have all the latest technology for our students to learn on? I'm amazed every day at the different hardware and software that today's students have access to. I remember being in elementary school and have a total of three computers for the whole school!!! Then, on the rare chance that I got to use one, the crazy thing took so long to start up and load, I really never got to do anything on the computer after all. Now, most schools have at least 3 computers for each classroom, and most probably have more than that. Then, you can go to the media center and there is a whole class set of computers. What a great thing for teachers too. To be able to teach a technology lesson and have each student experience that lesson for themselves. Our students today are so technologically savvy that even my own 7 year olds can teach me things. It's wonderful!

A Child-Friendly Place

Looking ahead, I'm trying to think of what I will need to do to make a school media center a child-friendly place. As I look around at various school libraries, I see many things that contribute to making libraries easy for young students to navigate. It is so important that the books and other materials be on a level where the students can easily find them. It's also a great idea to have good signage so they won't be "lost". Also, it never hurts to have familiar characters around! :-) In our school library, students can see Arthur and D.W., Curious George, Dobi (from Harry Potter), Franklin, Junie B. Jones, Miss Frizzle (from The Magic School Bus series), and many more!!!

The Place to Be

As a teacher and a future school media specialist, I love the fact that my students LOVE to go to the library. They will practically maul each other to get to the library passes first. At one time, I thought they were just looking for an excuse to get out of the classroom. But now, as I spend more and more time in the library, I see that they truly love the atmosphere the library provides. I understand that the library is a place where everyone is welcome and that there is something that will appeal to each student. When the students walk through the doors of the library, they feel ownership. They feel that they have the power to make choices for themselves. They know that the materials they find in the library are theirs. What a wonderful place to be!!!

Reading Spots

While I was at work today, I went on a little "scavenger hunt" to see in what types of places I could catch children reading . I found some very interesting reading spots. The older kids (4th, 5th, and 6th graders) were reading in pretty usual places, such as desks and tables. But in the primary grades, I saw some pretty cozy creatures. In kindergarten, a few children were holded up in a tent. In first grade, children were snuggled into cushy bean bags. In second grade, I found children in several different places such as camp chairs, bean bags, and rocking chairs. I found a few third graders who had plopped down by the Christmas tree in the school library. All of them seemed to be totally engrossed in the books they had chosen.

My School Library

I am really looking forward to being a elementary school Library Media Specialist. The opportunity presented itself to me this past school year and I passed it up. I wasn't sure that I was ready to leave the classroom quite yet so I opted out of the school library pursuit. However, now that I have a few graduate courses under my belt, I almost wish I had taken advantage of the chance to run my school library. I have so many ideas that I want to try out. I can think of numerous ways to "brighten" up the library and make it a place where the students want to be. (Not that they dislike it now!) Actually, the library is exactly where my students want to be. Every chance they get, they high-tail it right out of my classroom. What a wonderful place to spend your time!