How to Make Someone Feel Special...

...by the kindergartners. 

Me: We are having a very special visitor next month, Henry Cole.  He is an author and illustrator.  What should we do to get ready for his visit?

Kindergartner: Balloons?

LOL.  I think Henry would like that.  I wasn't quite expecting that answer, but we kept going with this line of thought.  After balloons came ice cream cake, dressing up, writing notes, making a big book he can rip through as he enters (!), and singing happy birthday.

I'm not sure when Henry's birthday is, but he might like all those things when he visits us next month. 

And I was just thinking we'd read his books. 

Just Sayin'...

Do NOT make your boss look bad in an email.  Especially an email that was cc'd to all the librarians, their assistants, and their PRINCIPALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stupid, stupid, stupid.

(And no, it wasn't me.  But I got to read the back-and-forth.  Not pretty.)

Laugh Out Loud Funny Kindergartners Keep Me Sane

One of my favorite things about being an elementary teacher is that I totally enjoy these age groups.  Not a day goes by that I do not laugh with the children (sometimes at them, but mostly with them...).
Yesterday, my kindergarten class and I were reviewing the Readers' Choice program books for our state, as we'd finished reading all of them and it was time to vote.  I asked a little boy who was particularly excited when I picked up I'm the Biggest Thing in the Ocean to hold it for the class and tell us about it. 
I tried handing him the books, but he put his hand out to give me something.  I could see that he didn't have anything in his hand, but I put my hand out.  He put his teeny little fingers in my palm and in his cute little voice, "Here's a flower for you."  And then, before I could even say thank you, he added, "It's your favorite color."  Tee hee.  Totally imaginary--there was no flower there.  But I loved it anyway.  I took it out of my palm and very gently set it on the bookshelf next to me. 
When I told one of my friends the story, she said, "What?!?! You didn't put it in a glass of water?!?!"  Even funnier.

The Most Important Need: The Need to Learn | Edutopia

The Most Important Need: The Need to Learn Edutopia I love this article. So what I needed to read, especially after I heard about two brothers at my school (different last names) who are moving out of their grandparents' home and into a house with their aunt, who will now be a single parent to seven--S.E.V.E.N.--children. If all I did for those sweet little boys was offer them a place of solace and a place to explore their interests, then my job is done. My heart is breaking. We have another student, a first grade girl, whose mother moved out right after Christmas. Just up and left the family--did not even tell them she was leaving. That poor little girl, coming to school with hair that her father desperately tried to brush and style and outfits that *almost* matched...I hope that she had a few moments of peace in my library where she was able to forget about her problems at home and get lost in a good story.

2nd Video Attempt: Better

Seriously?!?! Who is the fat lady with no neck in the rocking chair?!?!?! OMG.  It is not any fun to watch yourself teach.  Oh, my.  The videotaping itself was pretty good--we have to adjust the angle to show more of the students' faces, and I think the lesson is good, so we're going to try again next week.

I successfully closed the library for 1/2 hour to tape the class, and that worked out much better than when I tried it without doing that.  Realistically, though, I can't keep closing the library whenever I get the whim to videotape.

The members of the cohort watched each other's videos this morning, and we critiqued them.  It was really interesting watching other people teach.  I can't say I loved the other lessons--I know the lessons aren't supposed to be dog-and-pony shows, but a few were just plain boring, and one was really practically out of control! The teacher said 'Shhhhhh' at least 25 times!  Really?

I also know that National Boards is not a competition, and that I will not be judged based on anyone else but me.  That's a good motivator to get my butt in gear and keep writing!!

Videotaping--First Attempt

Let's just say it did not go well.  Thank goodness this was just a practice practice session--I just wanted to see what my lesson looked like before asking someone to film the official practice video.  In the first class, I had a kid who simply could NOT stop waving at the camera.  Really?!!?! Second grade!  Ugh.

In the second class, which I was hoping could possibly go a little better than the first, I had to stop teaching and fuss at a group of kids (and their teacher) who were SO DAMN LOUD at the computers that I couldn't even think. 

Then, in anger, I emailed said teacher to thank her for ruining my videotape.  I haven't heard back from her yet.  I know that I'm not supposed to email in anger.  It just happened.  I couldn't help it, and I would've screamed out loud if I could have. 

I almost forgot the best part--as I was FILMING my second graders constructing a grid with this huge floor puzzle-grid thing, one of the staff members came cutting through the library with two guys who were there to fix the clocks.  THEY WALKED RIGHT THROUGH THE DAMN GRID!!!!!! DURING MY LESSON!!!! F-ing go AROUND!  AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUGHGHGHGHGHGHGHGH!

Then my third grade class had to leave 15 minutes early to go to lunch, and the teacher asked me if I'd be taking them.  Um, no.  If you can't stay for library, then my time is up and my job is done.  I am just not in such a giving mood these days. 

Then our librarians meeting was held at my school today.  So I had to sit through four hours of mastery objectives and evaluation models.  OMG.  Seriously.  Just. shoot. me. now.

Thank God and Thank the Veterans that I have tomorrow off.

Natural Presenter

So that's what I was told! I am a natural presenter.  Woo-hoo.  I did have fun presenting at our state librarians' conference yesterday, although I was a sweaty mess at the end of each presentation.  There were lots of attendees at the sessions, and I gave away all 150 CDs that I made.  Yikes.  The evaluations from the attendees were very positive, so that was good. I suppose it was worth all that work.  For the past three weeks, I've been working for several hours a night and all weekend long preparing for it.  AND I had to send my regular computer off for repair, so I was doing it all on one of those teeny-tiny netbooks. 

I did not win School Librarian of the Year for our state.  The woman who won is a dear friend, and truthfully, she is the only one I was willing to lose to.  Does that make sense?  Sure, it's disappointing that I didn't win, but I am happy for the winner.  She is a wonderful person and truly deserving of the honor.

Author Visit Time!

So excited!!! We are hosting Kim Norman, an author from here in Virginia.  She has written several books, and I'm enjoying reading them to our students.  Jack of All Tails is quirky and the kids love it! We incorporate brainstorming animals characteristics and also a little writing--what could be better than that?

We are also reading Crocodaddy and Ten on the Sled.  The little ones love the rhythm of these stories!

This is our fourth or fifth author visit at my school, and they are also so exciting for the students.  The students leave the assemblies ready to WRITE with renewed energy! The visits energize me, too, and remind me of how special it is for our students to meet an author--AND how it doesn't matter if the author is someone they're familiar with or not--after we read their books and study their lives, the authors are like rock stars to us!!
Next week--October 14 is the big day!

Reading Year!

Friday is the kick-off assembly for Reading Year at my school.  Our theme this year is, "Virginia is for Readers."  I thought that was so fun and original, and then one of my new kids said that her school did that last year.  Oh, well.  So much for originality!

Our students will be placed on teams that are named after the regions of Virginia--did you know there are five?  It was my job to write a skit for the teachers to perform at the kick-off assembly.  I was wracking my brain trying to think of something fun, but quite frankly, I don't think that Virginia's regions are that much fun.

Then one day, a student said something that sparked an idea in my brain.  I can't even remember what he said, (but I do remember the student!), but it made me think of the book The Scrambled States of America  by Laurie Keller.  So I grabbed both copies off the library shelf, found my own copy somewhere on my bookshelf, and read it a few times.  I wrote a play in the style of her book, and it's called "The Scrambled Regions of Virginia." The Piedmont region decides that he doesn't like being in his place in the state, and he throws a party and gets all the other regions to switch places, too.  It's not quite as much fun as the book because we had to throw in some learnin' to tie it into the state standards.  But to get the kids ready, I read Scrambled States to every class (grades 1-5).  That would be 30 classes.  Thirty times I said, "Hi, I'm New Jersey.  I'm not new, and I'm not wearing a jersey.  Go figure!" in my best Sopranos accent.  Thirty times I said, "My friend switched places with California and all I got was this stupid t-shirt."  Oh, it was FUN!!!  "This is Illinois, and I need to buy an airplane ticket to, um, well, Illinois."  Oh, we laughed hard!! Thank you Laurie Keller.  It was so nice to rediscover this gem with my students.

It is a rare book that can be enjoyed by students all the way from first grade to fifth grade, and this is definitely one of them! AND, the movie is so cute, too!! I believe we watched a Weston Woods production.  The animation and voice-overs really brought the personalities of the states out.

    

"I like your blonded hair!"

Those were the words uttered to me by a first grader this morning. 

So I'm going gray.  So I gave up the hair-color fight.  So I got some highlights to blend the gray.

Blonded?!?! Really?!?!

I guess we'll see if blondes really have more fun.  :)
And no, there will be no photo.

Completely, utterly, totally exhausted

I am done.  Stick-a-fork-in-me done.
This week has been so hectic in the library! I know that we had meetings only three mornings: Monday, Wednesday, and today, Friday.  But the week flew by! I worked until after 6 pm and still will have to go in on Sunday to at least resemble being ready to open on Tuesday.  Oh, my.
The library was used for meetings this week, and we were cleaned up for the Open House, but all the tables and chairs were still set up for this morning's meeting.  As soon as it was over, my assistant and several other teachers took everything down while I met with the specialists (again).  Then I doled out PTA t-shirts to the new people and anyone else who wanted to buy one.  Then we had our PTA lunch.  Then, I got a call from a librarian needing help importing her student data.  While I was on the phone with her, one of my library cohort students (who got a librarian job!!) came in to look through my files and so we could chat. 
My assistant, who is just so fabulous as usual, left around 4 feeling guilty for it (!), and I was able to get a few other things done before just packing in it at 6.  Sigh...

Hopefully, Sunday will be enough time to get things ready for the kids.  If I have stuff ready for them, the rest can wait.  I don't know when exactly it'll get done, but it can definitely wait!
Today at our faculty meeting, our principal asked me to read Thank You, Mr. Falker to the staff. I was doing great until I started crying!  Then I heard the teachers all teary and it just got worse.  The whole time I was reading the sappy parts, the feel-good parts about being a great teacher and making connections with kids, I was talking to myself in my head--just read the words, don't listen to what you're saying...think about your horrible schedule this year...think about how you have to eat lunch at 10:30...think about your AP leaving next week...--but it didn't work!! That Patricia Polacco does it to me every time!!

Sunday Night Dread

It's my last Sunday of freedom. My last Sunday without the Sunday Night Dread.  Actually, I have a little dread since it's the last Sunday without it.  I know it makes no sense. 

I love my job, I love my students, I love my administrators and colleagues.  Yet every Sunday, I dread the thought of another week of work. 

I love summer so much.

When life throws the book at you...

Today, I met with a librarian who is new to the elementary school setting.  She's been a librarian for several years, but this summer got de-staffed from her high school.  The only other job in her district was at an elementary school.  Oh, my. 
Let me just say, as an aside, that if the tables were turned and this happened to me, there would be tears.  Copious amounts of tears.  I do not heart high schoolers.  They have facial hair!  They are taller than me!  They show flesh that should not see the light of day! My attitude about this major career change would not be half as good as the person's I met with today is.
So basically, we talked about what elementary school librarianship is.  It's a lot more teaching than she is used to.  It's a lot more fixed (as in schedule) than what she's used to.  And she's going to be all alone (which is mostly a good thing) instead of working with other librarians. 
I put all of my lessons on a flash drive, and made copies of other important documents that might be helpful.  We talked alot about collaborating with teachers (when is there time for that?!?!), Dewey Decimal System, the importance of routines, and about loving the children.  Most of all, I hope she loves them. If she loves them, the rest will come.

New Stuff All Around

So many new things happening this summer at Summer Library!  I got TWO hermit crabs!  The visitors who came today voted for their favorite names for them, but I didn't have time to read the votes, so I will report on that next week and post pictures of our two new critters.

I got a new Beta fish today.  His name is Booker the Third.  We've already had Booker and Booker, Jr.  This one is red.  We'll see if he has a good life next to the hermit crabs.

So I started painting the puppet theater today.  I got a couple of coats on the front, and the color is a little lighter than what I'd pictured, but it's not bad. 

Then, and this is the most fun thing I've done in a long time...

I learned to WELD today!!!

I think this has opened a whole new world of home improvement projects for me...

Puppet Theater!

I am so very excited about my almost-finished addition to the library: a puppet theater! (or should I spell it theatre?)
My student library aide built it for me today after we found the instructions last week online and I picked up the materials at Home Depot this weekend.  Here's how it looks so far:

Here's the person who built the puppet theater posing behind his creation:

I think it will be awesome for the kids.  It's very cute with a shelf in front of the stage (for props?) and windows on the sides that open on hinges.  I am hoping to re-vamp my whole library program this year to incorporate literacy stations, and puppet theater would be one of our stations.  There's lots more to this in my mind, but I'm still working through it and not ready to write about it yet.
So now I have to decide what color to paint it.  Any suggestions?  I am thinking dark purple with yellow stars on it.  Maybe a black velvet curtain to hang behind the stage?  I will have to look at some pictures online for inspiration.

Skippyjon Jones

I have been reading Skippyjon Jones books to the kindergarten students for the past two weeks.  We have laughed pretty hard, especially when we listened to Judy Schachner read her books aloud, although I have to say that my Antonio Banderas-inspired accent has definitely improved of late!
The kids L-O-V-E these books and really did well with them.  They especially love how he bounces on his bed and how his mother always calls him by nicknames, and how his closet holds all his adventures.  They were shocked by Skippyjon when he talked back to his mother, "You aren't the boss of me!"--oh to see their little faces when Skippy said that! Out loud some kids said, "Yes she is!" and others said, "I got in trouble for saying that!".  One said, "That's backtalk."  (You know he's heard THAT before!)
So I've had Skippy on the brain lately, and the other day, I took my  dog Cosmo to the vet because he had an ear infection.  The vet was looking at him and said, "Cosmo, your ears are too big for your head." Now, those of you who know Skippito Friskito like I do know exactly what I said, in my very best Spanish accent: "Your ears are too beeg for your head; your head is too beeg for your body.  You are not a Black Lab, you are a chihuahua." 

The vet, not having children herself, has not yet met Skippyjon Jones, and had no idea what I was saying.  It was a very funny moment to me; probably not so much to her.  The kindergartners like my story, too, and they totally get the joke!

Just Going through the Motions

It's been a rough month, this month of May (and here I thought April was the cruelest month).  My mom passed away last Sunday, rather unexpectedly, but certainly not outside the realm of possibility for someone living with Alzheimer's for over 10 years.
I was with family for six days, and came back to work last Friday.  I definitely felt like I was just going through the motions of teaching, but if felt good to get back to the normalcy (if it can be called that) of the elementary school day, if not the routine. My colleagues were so, so kind, and I felt like I needed a sign on my chest reading, "I'm on the edge!  Do not hug me or smile sadly at me or welcome me back to school."  I did end up saying that to a few friends, and it was good for a a little laugh.
As if there has not been enough change in my household and life this month, I've also decided to apply for National Board certification.  I think it will be a good reflective process, which is always a good thing.  Now that I have a new administrator (one who values me and what I do), it seems like a good time to improve myself professionally. All I did so far was read over the timeline and apply online.  I will owe them (I don't even know who them is!) several thousand dollars within the next year, and hopefully gain a lot more than that back.  I think it will be an exciting thing to do, although I'm not feeling passionate abou it yet. Just going through the motions...

A Bad Name

At the end of each day, I sit in a little TV studio off of the library, typing in the bus numbers as the buses arrive to pick up the kids.  One of our third graders passes through the library on the way to his mother's classroom, and he always yells out hello.  Some days, he brings me snacks.  He usually has a story to tell.

Today, he said, "So I have a song stuck in my head.  My brother taught it to me and I can't stop singing it."  I asked, "What's the song?"

SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, AND YOU'RE TO BLAME; DARLIN', YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME!

Seriously, for a million dollars I wouldn't have guessed Bon Jovi. 
Love that kid.

Not Drowning

My principal gave all the specialists a professional day today.  I used it to my full advantage.  Of course, I had a patrillion things on my to-do list but didn't get nearly as much accomplished as I'd hoped.  Sigh...
I thinked my principal for the day today and told him that I didn't get ahead, but at least I felt like I wasn't drowning anymore.  And the sad part is that I take solace in that!
The specialists met for over an hour today and got a lot of preliminary planning done for the end of the year craziness.  It will still be crazy, but I feel like we're not behind the eight ball like we have been in years past. 
I didn't do much planning for the rest of the year, but I have a vague idea of what will be happening.  Oh, I think I forgot to mention that the library will be closed for almost three weeks in May/June for our state-mandated testing.  I am sick over it, but it's the way it has to be and other teachers and librarians are in the same boat as me.  At least for two of the three weeks, it would be after the time when we are done checking out books for the year.  And certainly, I can teach in the classrooms instead of the library, although I will miss my home!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

that's what my sister would say about my recent award.  It's one of her favorite sayings.

On Friday, I was named Regional School Librarian of the Year.  Now, I am not much into bragging about myself, and certainly there were other librarians nominated who are doing the same kinds of things I do, but it feels really good to be recognized for all my hard work.

My principal (the one I heart) nominated me, and I had fabulous letters of support from my reading specialist and two members of the PTA board.  I worked really hard on my application packet and tried to address all the elements the judges would be looking for.

Wow.  I am just on cloud nine!