School Library Portfolio Jen Van Ness
Blog/Reflections
April 26, 2023
How to Best Liaise with Your Principal
According to Lupin (2016), there are several ways for school librarians to inform the principal of the activities in the library. One method is to regularly communicate with the principal, sharing updates on library programs, events, and initiatives. I believe the best way to communicate these updates is to provide a monthly report showing collaborative lessons that have taken place in the library.
School librarians can provide the principal with data on library usage and student achievement, demonstrating the library's impact on student learning and success every month. Additionally, librarians can highlight the library's role in supporting the school's curriculum and goals, showing how the library is an integral part of the school community. It is also equally as important for librarians to seek the principal's input and feedback, inviting them to visit the library and participate in library activities. By establishing a positive and professional relationship with the principal and regularly communicating with them, school librarians can effectively inform the principal of the activities going on in the library.
The monthly report should highlight any collaboration with teachers or other school staff, as well as any resources or materials used. Additionally, the report should especially include any student outcomes or achievements related to the lesson or activity. This report can also be saved and shared with other stakeholders. It is important for the report to be concise, highlighting the library's role in supporting the school's curriculum and goals.
Lupton, M. (2016). Adding Value: Principals’ Perceptions of the Role of the Teacher-Librarian. School Libraries Worldwide, 22(1), 49–59.
What criteria do you use to evaluate the relevance and quality of materials in the collection?
How do you balance the need to preserve materials with the need to make space for new materials in the collection?
Maintaining an up-to-date library collection can be a challenging task, but there are several best practices that can help ensure the collection remains current and relevant. School librarians should conduct regular collection assessments to get a handle on the inventory of their collection in order to identify outdated materials, missing items, and gaps in the collection. These data, along with collaboration with teachers and their lesson plans/units of inquiry (response A) can be used to make informed decisions about future purchases.
Muthu (2013) describes the CREW method as an effective way to weed in school libraries and stresses the importance of including weeding in the library’s collection development policy. I use the CREW method to evaluate the relevancy and quality of materials in the collection. The CREW method of weeding is a technique used in library and information science to help librarians and information professionals manage their collections. CREW stands for Continuous Review, Evaluation, and Weeding, and it involves regularly evaluating materials in a library's collection and removing those that are no longer relevant or useful.
The process of CREW involves several steps. First, librarians must assess the collection's needs and goals, as well as the needs of their users. Then, they must review each item in the collection to determine its relevance, accuracy, and usefulness. Items that are outdated, inaccurate, or no longer relevant to the collection's needs may be weeded out.
It is important to note that the CREW method is not simply about removing items from a collection. Rather, it is a process of continuous evaluation and improvement, ensuring that a library's collection remains current, relevant, and useful to its users. This can help to ensure that a library's resources are being used effectively and efficiently, and that users have access to the most up-to-date and relevant information available.
Overall, the CREW method of weeding is an important tool for librarians and information professionals to manage their collections and provide the best possible service to their users.
Source:
Muthu, M. (2013). Weeding library collections: An overview. Information Studies, 19(4), 223-246.
The art of making, and the utilization of makerspaces (both physical and virtual) are the next chapter in the progression of the modern library. Makerspaces are “leading edge” and are at the forefront of STEM, STEAM, and technological development and creation. The educational benefits of makerspaces are manifold; they can be used for tinkering, thinking, experimenting, sharing, creating and producing. Students learn how to upcycle, explore new digital technologies and media, code, play with textiles and problem solve. They learn by trial and error, and failure can inform their decision making and the final product of their project creations or inventions. Additionally, makerspaces appeal to multiple learning styles and can be used across the curriculum. They allow for flexible, tactile, and spontaneous learning and invention and they appeal to both formal and informal learning.
Housing a makerspace within a school library is a natural extension of learning; this way all students have access to resources. Makerspaces enhance library programs by drawing more students into the library. New foot traffic leads to peeking at book displays, browsing the collection, and investigating and checking out books related to their maker-projects. Makerspaces, in fact, increase library circulation! (Redina, 2018). Makerspaces in libraries promote a student-centered learning approach and a vibrant environment for students to thrive and collaborate. Library makerspaces encourage creativity and connect students with technology, new resources, and interests in a completely new way. Library makerspaces cultivate a culture of creativity and curiosity. By placing a makerspace in the hub of a school, students develop critical thinking skills. Makerspaces as an extension of the library promote the discovery of new technologies and interests. Implementing a makerspace in a school library centralizes access to resources for all students. Many students are not enrolled in STEM or STEAM lab classes, and the availability of the makerspace in a centralized location opens up opportunities for all to take advantage.
References:
Rendina, D. (2018, July 18). 5 Reasons Makerspaces Belong in School Libraries. Ideas and Inspiration from Demco.
January 28, 2022
Goal setting can establish a clear vision for what you are trying to accomplish and can help you assess your progress along the way. In addition, goal writing can:
•add value to your existing work
• help you figure out how to move forward if you encounter setbacks
• manage your time more effectively
• reduce burn out
• reduce work redundancies
• feel fulfillment in your career
• clarify the definition of success/ your definition of what it means to be successful
• establish exactly what you are trying to accomplish
• develop clear purpose
• help recruit of volunteers and community partners
• shape development of a budget
• identify of resources
Clearly defined goals will help you show stakeholders that your makerspace is making an impact. They will also help you measure whether you’re on the right track to achieving your vision.
References:
Doran, G. T. (1981). There’s a S.M.A.R.T. Way to Write Management’s Goals and Objectives. Management Review, 70, 35-36. - References - Scientific Research Publishing. (2015). Scirp.org. https://www.scirp.org/(S(czeh2tfqyw2orz553k1w0r45))/reference/ReferencesPapers.aspx?ReferenceID=1459599
GOAL # 1: Accessibility
Makerspaces should be created in a way such that they are accessible to all users. Some questions for librarians to think about are: is all of the equipment accessible at wheelchair height? Is there adequate room to maneuver around equipment in the room? What about psychosocial/emotional disabilities? Can students on the autism spectrum, for example, work with other students or staff member assistance? It is critical to look at makerspaces with the lens of creating and offering accessible activities to students. A well-designed makerspace must be accessible.
GOAL # 2: Community Involvement
Makerspaces benefit from involvement from the greater community at large. Friends, neighbors, parents/caregivers and teachers can all participate by way of volunteering time, skills, and donated items for making. Marketing a makerspace helps to promote the library by extension, and stakeholders can see what resources are being used and what kinds of funds are needed for new projects.
GOAL # 3: Cultivate a Maker Mindset
A maker mindset should cultivate a creative confidence and instill a sense of agency within students. Students can develop the skills to solve problems creatively on their own and in collaboration with their peers. Maker-centered learning teaches important life skills including opportunities for service learning, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication. A maker mindset embodies permission for students to play and the availability of free time to do so. Not only do students need permission to engage in play, but they also need permission to fail. All too often successes are lauded and failures have a negative connotation. However, a maker mindset must also make room to embrace failure, and not just successes. One fantastic idea as a way to celebrate failure “can also happen simply through quick reflections put up on an “our favorite fail wall” or through verbal share-outs” (Pierrat, 2016).
References:
Pierrat, J. (2016, June 6). 6 Must-Haves for Developing a Maker Mindset. EdSurge; EdSurge. https://www.edsurge.com/news/2016-06-06-6-must-haves-for-developing-a-maker-mindset
January 28, 2022
BOOK and BUILD: Making a Monster!
The Book & Build Activity Chosen
The Not so Quiet Library by by Zachariah Ohora
Book Summary:
Oskar and Theodore take their weekly trip to the library with their dad but first they stop for donuts. Hooray for Saturdays! Oskar and Theodore can’t wait to delve into the stories at their library. But wait…..what’s that?! On this particular Saturday, Oskar (and his Teddy) are shocked to meet a five-headed monster in their library. And this monster is both angry AND hungry. He’s hangry! The monster wants to eat the books! Read The Not so Quiet Library by Zachariah Ohora to find out if the beast can be tamed and the books saved.
I created a "digital monster" (see above for process) using the Daily Monster App (free on iTunes) on my iPhone. I love the idea of using the Daily Monster App with elementary students using our school iPads. Students can unleash their creativity to make their own monster and give it a personality all their own. Digital drawing is great for hand to eye coordination, and using a screen and digital tools instead of a pencil and paper can allow for more opportunities or trial and error in the making.
Please take a look at my presentation and finished product!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFv244kD2RM
What are 20 free items you would collect FIRST to include in your makerspace and why?
Donated Materials List:
1. Toilet paper rolls: Can be used for marble runs, kazoo-making, binoculars and more!
2. Paper towel rolls: Cardboard bridges, robots, marble runs, shaker instruments.
3. Newspaper (recycled): paper flowers, hats, wall art, gift bags, envelopes, wallet, beads, woven basket
4. Recycled printer paper/paper: paper beads, necklace/bracelet making, papier-mâché, memo pads
5. Glass jars: Tiny terrariums, seed planting
6. Cardboard: napkin rings, planter boxes, games and game pieces, storage boxes, a cat scratcher, maze, artist's palate, bird feeder, wall art
7. Shoe boxes: dioramas, storage for little odds and ends, cable and cord organizer, charging station
8. Aluminum cans (empty, washed, no jagged edges): storing paint brushes, markers, pens and pencils; planters
9. Cereal boxes/oatmeal canisters: make a flashlight, mail organizer, drawer organizer, miniature notebooks, thread spools, gift boxes and bags, a cool wallet, pencil holder, and more!
10. Corks: make ornaments, pegboard, wreath, bowls, keychains, birdhouse
11. Egg cartons: jewelry organizer, making a caterpillar, dragon, jellyfish, octopus, flowers, baby chicks, goggles, painters palate
12. PET bottles: If your makerspace has an Ekocycle Cube, this 3D printer can printer with recycled bottled. PET bottles can also be used for automatic watering of plants in a garden or makerspace.
13. Heavy cardboard (like Amazon boxes and other boxes): can be used with makedo tools and connectors. Creating board games, making robots.
14. Soil: seed planting: for planting and storage for tall, cylindrical items,
15. Buttons: magnets, picture frames, bookmarks, decorate greeting cards, wreaths, ornaments, headbands, earrings
16. Bubble wrap: lunch bag, large wall calendar (with the big bubble wrap), 3D animals, magnet maze, making a tic-tac-toe board, travel games
17. Bottle caps: ornaments, baskets, wreath, birdhouse, table top,
18. Tissue boxes: make a monster candy dish, drawer organizers, use for small diorama or doll house, tissue box guitar
19. Old cds/dvd: build a suncatcher, a clock, spinners, mobile
Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash
What are 20 items that you would need to purchase to include in your makerspace and why would you want to include those items?
Purchasing List:
1. littleBits: littleBits are color coded electronic building blocks that connect together with magnets. I would purchase these for my makerspace because they make room for invention while engaging in hands-on learning for STEM/STEAM. There are many different ‘bits’ or modules that allow for experiments. These are electronic building blocks that connect using magnets. These blocks allow you to create inventions large and small. Each bit is color-coded and has a distinct function. littleBits are great for developing critical thinking and fostering teamwork.
2. Makey Makey: Makey Makey toutes itself as “an invention kit for the 21st century”. This product allows students to turn everyday objects into touchpads and link to the internet. I would purchase Makey Makey for my makerspace because It’s a simple invention kit for beginners and experts alike and has many uses.
3. Circuit Stickers (Chibitronics): Chibitronics: allow users to create the magic of circuits without having to solder. I like the idea of circuitry play without soldering and would use the circuit stickers in my makerspace. Chibitronics are reusable LED stickers that allow you to create paper circuits with any material that is conductive like copper tape or electric paint. Cool!
4. Squishy Circuits: Squishy circuits are a fun way to make circuits safely and easily by using conductive and insulating play dough. I’d use these circuits for my makerspaces because they are a fun way to teach the basics of electrical circuits.
5. LEGOs: Lego blocks can be integrated in a variety of subjects and are great hands-on learning tools and are an integral part of any makerspace. Additionally, Lego Education has a curriculum for all ages and they are ideal for engineering units.
6. Dot & Dash: Dot & Dash are real robots that teach kids programming while they play. I would purchase this product for my makerspace because they make learning to code fun and easy. Students can make the robots sing, dance and navigate obstacles using the free apps by tablet or smartphone. I could also see using these robots in my makerspace for robotics competitions.
7. Strawbees: are a fantastic straw-based construction kit that fosters creativity, engineering and design principles using straws and connectors. I would use Strawbees in my makerspace with the addition of micro bits for students to code.
8. VEX Robotics: I would use this classroom robotics platform for middle school and high school students to incorporate game-based engineering education and to spark students interest in computer science. It’s versatile and can be used in robotics competitions, and students can design and build a robot to play against other teams.
9. Hummingbird Robotics allow you to turn anything into a light-up, moving, sensing robot! I would purchase kits with LEDs, motors, servos and sensors. The Hummingbird Robotics Kit is an easy-to-use, creative robotics tool which allows students to design, build, and program a personally meaningful robot out of any materials, with any device, in multiple programming languages.
10. Makedo are super fun creative tools to facilitate cardboard construction, making and play. I would purchase Makedo tools and connectors because they are simple to use and they’re great for repurposing cardboard into everything from costumes to vehicles.
11. Kinetic Sand is a great medium for creating and molding incredible sand art. I love how Kinetic Sand sticks to itself and not to your hands and is easily cleaned up. I’d procure kinetic sand for my makerspace because it really helps to stimulate creative skills as it gives makers carte blanche to create anything they think of. Additionally, it’s reusable and doesn’t dry out.
12. Electric Paint – Bare Conductive is electrically conductive paint and sensor hardware that allows makers to create circuits on almost any material including paper, wood, plastic and glass. I would purchase electric paint because it’s ideal for small scale projects, prototyping, and various forms of interactive art.
13. Oculus Quest2: VR headsets I would use with cospaces.edu platform for students to make 3-dimensions simulations and creations
14. Rigamajig: A building kit for hands-on free play and learning. I would buy this collection of solid wooden planks, wheels, pulleys, nuts, bolts and rope to engage play in my students.
15. Soldering Irons with tips: I would make sure to purchase soldering irons with tips because learning how to solder using proper soldering techniques is a fundamental skill every maker should master. Soldering is the process of joining two or more electronic parts together by melting solder around the connection. Solder is a metal alloy and when it cools it creates a strong electrical bond between the parts.
16. Peg boards and hooks to store tools in an aesthetically pleasing manner on a wall and for easy access and retrieval.
17. PVC pipe cutter and PVC pipe for water play, marble runs, storytelling, voice lessons and bubbles.
18. Power strips and extension cords: I would be sure to have many 6-Outlet Power Strip extension cords 25-ft 10 Gauge Extension Cords available for use in my makerspace for a myriad of electric tools and activities.
19. Sewing machine: for sewing, fabric projects, and all manner of crafting.
20. Fire extinguisher: A must-have for any makerspace. Always put safety first!
January 28, 2022
What 5 digital tools could you see yourself using for making with students and why?
Although the importance of tactile learning cannot be underscored enough, many makerspace activities take place in blended learning environments using digital tools. The following are five examples of digital tools that I could envision using for making activities with students:
1. Everything Machine The Everything Machine is an app that can be used for building almost anything. Kids begin by selecting an icon and adding a name. Start screens open with five already made machine examples with some components laid out and a coordinating step-by-step video. You can create what's modeled for you or choose to go in your own direction. I'd use Everything Machine because it's an application that is intuitive even to younger users. Tinkering is a drag-and-drop process, and the pieces are easily linked and separated.
2. Code.org Not only does this site provides encouragement and feedback to students after they complete their work, but code.org has excellent resources and professional development for instructors making computer science easy and fun. I'd use this in my makerspace along with Scratch for young students learning to code.
3. Unruly Splats allows learners to design, write rules for, and create physical games by programming “Splats” with a coding app. They tell the “Splats” when to light up and make sounds once stomped on. I'd love to use Unruly Splats in my makerspace to allow students to get creative: here they can design races, dance games, and obstacle courses. It touts itself as the only K-8 STEM platform that combines coding and physically active play for kids.
4. Raspberry Pi is a low-cost single circuit computer. I would use this tiny machine (it's only about the size of a credit card) in my makerspace for students to choose if they want to make games, a website, music, a robot, or digital art projects.
5. Tinkercad Tinkercad is an online 3D modeling program that runs in a web browser. I would use Tinkercad to create specific designs based on a scientific concept or for a unit on 3D design and printing. For example, in a challenge-based lesson, students could design a solution to an authentic problem from their community and then be given a couple of weeks to design and test their solutions. There are tons of sample videos out there that teachers can show to inspire kids to think of the possibilities and see other kids in action.
Digital citizenship is a complex, diverse, and integrative field. It is a broad term which entails the responsible and ethical use of technology. A school librarian can serve as a leader in promoting digital citizenship by teaching students to engage respectfully with technology. This level of engagement encompasses everything from obtaining access to digital resources to learning how to delineate fact versus fiction in the digital sphere. A librarian must be able to teach students news and media literacy and how to check the validity of their sources online as well as be able to educate about digital footprints and online security and safety. Since digital citizenship exists under a large umbrella, school administrators or districts may not have defined the term, therefore leaving it open to interpretation, or it remains overly broad in scope.
There are several additional challenges a school librarian may face when it comes to teaching digital citizenship. School administrators may not have made clear just whose job it is to teach digital citizenship. Does the responsibility fall on the classroom teacher, tech specialist, or school librarian or some combination? How are educators and librarians informed about this responsibility? Additionally, different rules and norms at home with respect to engaging with tech can make it more challenging to teach digital citizenship at school. There is also the added challenge that many quality resources, such as using Common Sense Education, may be geared towards use in the classroom by a teacher and not the school librarian (Phillips & Lee, 2019).
A digital citizenship-based curriculum can be implemented in schools by having buy-in from all stakeholders. This means parents, students, teachers, librarians, administrators, school board, and school district all are on the same page when it comes to what digital citizenship entails and how it will be implemented into the curriculum. Collaboration between teachers and librarians is paramount. In addition, the school librarian must know if the existing digital citizenship instruction needs to be tweaked, or if an entirely new curriculum must be created (Phillips & Lee, 2019). Mike Ribble, in his blog for ISTE entitled, Essential Elements of Digital Citizenship breaks down digital citizenship into nine themes: digital access, digital commerce, digital communication, digital literacy, digital etiquette, digital law, digital rights and responsibilities, digital health and wellness, and digital security.
Ultimately, the role of a school librarian is to liaise with stakeholders in order to support children in navigating digital challenges through education and empowerment. Collaboration with teachers and administrators, access to contemporary resources, and a clearly defined role all aid in cultivating a positive experience for librarians as they engage in digital citizenship education.
Common Sense Media Webinar: “Digital Media and Your Brain”
This webinar focuses on the use of digital media by teens in middle and high school years. I work primarily in a secondary library and so learning more about this audience is of interest to me. Common forms of digital media used by teens include social media, video games, you tube, Netflix, Instagram, snapchat and TikTok. Common Sense Media asks educators to inquire about what students are using their devices for? Creating an inviting, open and non-judgmental environment in the classroom can help draw out and engage students in honest dialogue about how they use their devices. One of the topics to examine with students is to ascertain whether or not your media habits serve as distractions. It’s important to impart to students that adults struggle with finding balance, too! We are all human and sometimes it’s difficult to resist the siren song of social media. Most interestingly, Common Sense Media explored the difference between humane and addictive design with respect to online applications. The litmus test is simple: does it add value, or does it take value away? Students unilaterally responded that Instagram has an addictive design because it sustains your attention through an automatically refreshed feed. Students also reflected that they studied better and were better able to complete their homework turning the phone off or giving it to someone for safekeeping. This type of keen observation shows an inherent awareness about achieving balance in their lives.
Digital Respons-Ability Webinar: Cyberbullying and Tweens: Research and Strategies to Help Keep Tweens Safe
Cyberbullying and Tweens: Research and Strategies to Help Keep Tweens Safe examines the peer influences of technology for ages 10 through 14 and focuses specifically on cyberbullying. Cyberbullying includes sending, posting, or sharing negative, harmful, false, or cruel content about someone else. It can take the form of physical threats, gossip, or sharing screenshots or recordings of private chats in a public forum. It is important to note that children in the tween age range have varying degrees of digital literacy skills. For example, some kids will have their own cell phones and others will not. Different rules and norms at home can make it more challenging to teach digital citizenship at school. Tweens consume media differently than teens; these students are in late elementary into middle school and are just learning how to self-regulate and identify their emotions. Social skills vary, and students need to learn effective coping skills and strategies to manage their stress. Educators can talk about positive peer interactions both in school and online. Teachers, parents, and librarians can model good tech behavior and demonstrate positive habits and routines when it comes to the use of technology.
Whose Responsibility Is It? A Statewide Survey of School Librarians on Responsibilities and Resources for Teaching Digital Citizenship.
In their article, Whose Responsibility Is It? A Statewide Survey of School Librarians on Responsibilities and Resources for Teaching Digital Citizenship, Phillips and Lee contend that “digital citizenship instruction is more than simply providing prepackaged lesson plans, handouts, and worksheets about digital etiquette, Internet safety, and cyberbullying” (2019). New competencies must be developed and curated with contemporary just-in-time resources for appropriate online communication. There is sometimes an expectation that the school librarian will spearhead digital instructional because they are already educating in the realm of information literacy skills. In addition, many school librarians are already working as technology specialists in their schools. Phillips and Lee maintain that school librarians must seek support in the form of collaboration with classroom teachers, tech specialists, instructional coaches and administrators in order to incorporate digital citizenship into the curriculum: “for many of the school librarians, support from a number of groups plays a key role in successful digital citizenship instruction (Phillips & Lee, 2019)”. In order for school librarians to become a successful part of the instructional process, their part must be clearly defined and the role of digital citizenship within the curriculum must also be clarified by administrators and school districts.
References
Common Sense Media. (2020). Teaching Digital Citizenship: Digital Media and Your Brain [Video].
Common Sense Education. https://www.commonsense.org/education/videos/teaching-digital-citizenship-digital-media-and-your-brain.
Phillips, A. L., & Lee, V. R. (2019). Whose Responsibility Is It? A Statewide Survey of School Librarians on
Responsibilities and Resources for Teaching Digital Citizenship. School Library Research, 22, 1–20.
Rogers-Whitehead, C., & Patchin, J. (2021). Cyberbullying and Tweens: Research and Strategies to Help Keep Tweens Safe [Webinar]. edWeb. Digital Respons-Ability. https://home.edweb.net/webinar/positive20210713/.
One aspect of going for that PhD that cannot be overstated is the financial burden. Dr. Green covers everything from student loans to the price of your mental health in her presentation. While addressing the money aspect, Green encourages prospective doctoral candidates to avoid student loans as much as possible. Once you’re really taken a long, hard look at the tuition situation, do you have the appropriate tech tools
Equally as important as the dollars and cents is the relationship you will have with your supervisor. This relationship is critical, one which will provide you with many opportunities for success in your program, career, and life. Drs. Branch Muller and Oberg encourage prospective candidates to find out right away when your potential supervisor can meet. Be flexible! Not all advisors can meet only on weekends. Next, find out how your supervisor likes to mentor. Can she/he help you to make critical campus connections? Will you be networking together, attending conferences, and writing and publishing together? Will you have opportunities to teach and serve on committees? Another critical component is to find out what the average completion time is for doctoral programs. Take a good, hard look and examine whether or not finishing in this time frame is feasible for you. Dr. Schultz-Jones encourages students to ask themselves: are you going to be able to pursue the doctorate full time? Are you working part time or full time while going for that degree? Know that it will take you much, much longer than the average of 4.5 years. Find out what is required in terms of coursework and how many credit hours you will need. Take a serious look at how long you will need to complete your research. Schultz-Jones emphasizes that you should not underestimate how much time you need to answer your research question. Faced with life needs and challenges, try to objectively examine your stress level. Manage your work load accordingly and know when to reach out for help from your mentors, doctoral committee, and other doctoral students. Build up your network of support.
As librarians, ideally we want a wide variety of representations in our library in order to support diverse collections. These collections exist to represent any need. In their IASL 2021 presentation, Passport to Multicultural Literature, three professors from UNC Greensboro (Sands, Dawkins, and Gruer) work collaboratively to tear down barriers to diversity in literature. Specifically, these experts examine how to evaluate sources for quality, and they address common barriers for developing diverse collections in school libraries. Unfortunately, more often than not, librarians may face some barriers to developing a diverse collection. I’ve outlined here some potential issues and their corresponding solutions for tackling challenges.
1) Problem: Lack of sustained funding.
Solution: Need to tell your admin that a one-time purchase of materials is not enough.
Solution: Perform a diversity audit to build awareness about your own collection.
2) Problem: Lack of availability of materials from vendors.
Solution: Examine smaller presses and independent publishers.
Look outside of traditional review sources.
Purchase award winners from the ALA ethnic affiliate partners
3) Problem: Lack of buy-in from your administration. Oftentimes, admin will shy away from things that are perceived as different or controversial.
Solution: Get stakeholders and parents involved.
4) Problem: Potential for active resistance to building a diverse collection, which is in reality, a form of censorship!
Solution: Educate about and advocate for Intellectual Freedom with all stakeholders: teachers, administrators, parents, the board, etc.
A common mantra among stakeholders in schools with homogenous populations might be something like this: “Why do we need diverse books if the population of my school is not diverse?” Based on my own experience in school libraries and incorporating the expertise scholars such as Sands, Dawkins, and Gruer, I would advocate for students to see what life is like everywhere, not just in their school or hometown. One of the qualities of a school library is not only to increase engagement in reading, but to remain culturally connected and relevant.
go.uncg.edu/diversityresources
Photo by BP Miller on Unsplash
A major barrier librarians face implementing graphic novels into school curriculum is that visual literacy pedagogy is not commonly taught in pre-service library programs. Gavigan and Garrison stress that this
knowledge gap limits the understanding and use of graphic novels as educational tools, specifically focusing on social justice issues. Making meaning from the information gleaned from an image helps students to reflect, analyze and evaluate, much like with a written or printed text. To fill some of the gaps in visual literacy education, Gavigan and Garrison parlayed a Carnegie Whitney Grant to build a toolkit to aid librarians to implement graphic novels into the curriculum. They created an excellent resource in the form of a streamlined, user-friendly website: sjgn.uofsccreate.org which includes discreet lesson plans for each of the social justice topics below:
· Racism & civil rights
· Immigration and displaced people (refugees)
· LGBTQIA and Gender & sexuality
· Mental illness, addiction, eating disorders & disabilities
· Environmental & sustainability issues
· Intellectual freedom
Finally, the presenters provide resources for librarians looking to incorporate graphic novels in the classroom and the curriculum:
YALSA: Young Adult Library Services Association---Great Graphic Novels for Teens
TLA: Texas Library Association has the Maverick Graphic Novel List
ALA: Association for Library Services for Children—Graphic Novels Reading Lists
I am looking forward to working with both my secondary and elementary librarian to hone our collection development to include some of these resources. In addition, I would like to work on introducing these resources into the classroom in a co-teaching unit.
Manga! Mania!
I was thrilled to listen to Julian Ehlers present on Manga in School Libraries: Authentic Learning from America to Japan for IASL 2021. Working in at an English-speaking international school in Japan, I couldn't wait to hear about how Ehlers built up her program at an experiential learning school in New York City. Ehlers shows just how she built her collection (and program!) from the ground up over the span of seven years. She demonstrates that her process was more of a marathon long-distance run than a sprint, and encourages librarians to be patient as they cultivate a program and grow interest.
I am always looking for ways to develop a more dynamic, engaging, age-appropriate manga collection for my own library. At my school library, I’ve created a separate Libib catalog of all of the English manga titles. Our manga are housed in the secondary library and are accessible to all students in middle and high school grades 6 through 12. These manga support a broad range of topics including, but not limited to: robots, high school romance, food culture, zombies, superpowers, sports, vampires, adoption, gangs, corruption, samurai, yuri (lesbian), exploring sexuality (and LGBTQ+) and historical stories. Our students are voracious consumers of manga and like to search by genre and series.
For Ehlers, what started as a middle school club over lunch time became an after-school activity with support of the administration. Middle school interest soon branched out to high school students. Her school utilizes student volunteers and they are invested in the process: everything from opening boxes of books to shelving and assisting clubs. During club meeting time, students watched anime and read manga and created original art and stories and celebrated Japanese culture. Ehlers is transparent about the resources she used to build her program—everything from using an AASL grant to displaying tapestries and posters from VIZ Media (the largest distributor of manga in the US) in her library. Her resource lists are exhaustive and she shares them openly with the IASL 2021 audience.
Since my library has a vast collection of non-fiction books on Japanese culture (as a school library located in Japan), I am considering shifting these non-fiction books closer to the manga collection, as Ehlers has done, to create a “Japanese Culture and Manga” collection in order to enhance the reading and learning experiences for my students. While Ehlers has ten bookcases of manga and my library has two, I now have sufficient inspiration to begin to grow my collection (and my Sora!) with assorted resources and suggestions from Ehlers on her LibGuides and padlets. Ehlers and one of her high school classes will be traveling to Japan this coming Spring and she is interested in touring school libraries in Japan. I've connected with her and invited her to tour my library in Kobe along with her students. I'm excited to meet her and share in her students enthusiasm for Japanese culture and manga!
Dr. Harper's research is informed by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, a psychiatrist, educator, and expert in the field of post-traumatic stress. I had the privilege of attending one of Bessel Van der Kolk’s certificate-based training sessions in Trauma Informed Yoga at his Trauma Center in Boston, Massachusttes. Trauma Sensitive Yoga is based in trauma and attachment theory as well as neuroscience and hatha yoga. It is a practice which emphasizes mindful movement and breathing. In my previous library in Shanghai, China, we reserved the first 15 minutes of everyday for silent meditation. Anyone, students and faculty alike, could drop-in at any time during these 15 minutes. In addition, I held bi-weekly yoga classes for middle school students grades 6-8. I asked my principal for a small budget to purchase 20 yoga mats. We practiced mindfulness meditation along with yoga postures. If the weather was nice, we'd bring out mats outside. After listening to Dr. Harper's research, I am now motivated more than ever to bring some of these stress reduction activities into my library here in Japan.
I've learned about several ways I can implement trauma informed care into my school library:
- Pay attention to your collection development and curation of resources.
- Collaborate with community partners and social service agencies.
- Examine the vision, mission, and goals of the library. Do they support trauma informed care?
- Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies and procedures.
- Remove stigma from checking out mental health related resources. Instead, put information on a website to open access for students and faculty to review in privacy.
- Cultivate a warm, inviting, calm physical space.
September 18, 2020
Community Reading Project: Virtual Program Observations during COVID-19
New York Public Library (NYPL), New York, New York
Storytime #1: https://vimeo.com/channels/1553611
NYPL features live story-times every weekday at 10:00am. In this online story time/read-aloud, children’s librarian Katelynn Lawson begins by singing a welcome song: “The More We Get Together”. She explains to the viewer that singing slows down language which helps children to hear individual words. Ms. Lawson uses a flannel board by way of demonstration and sings another song about fish swimming in the ocean. She introduces the topic of ocean animals to begin her read-aloud of ‘A House for Hermit Crab’ by Eric Carle. This story time was posted on Vimeo, a video streaming site and video-hosting platform. The entire program is 18min47sec in duration. Ms. Lawson’s effectiveness manifested itself in her intentional pauses where she gives space for children to react and respond, both in song, and to the stories themselves. She asks open-ended questions. She also brings movement into her story time by inviting children to move by wiggling, waggling, and swaying as the ocean animals do. She includes educational tips and pointers for caregivers for reading stories out loud.
NYPL Online Summer Reading Program for Teens: https://www.nypl.org/education/teens/videos
The program I selected focused on Graffiti Art Styles: An Introduction to Graffiti Lettering.
The video is recording on the Vimeo platform and is 37min53sec in duration, and posted on the NYPL website. Mr. Spazecraft leads the tutorial and he gives an education on the history of graffiti and its popular styles.
Mr. Spazecraft starts with: What is graffiti? Graffiti is illustrating a world of urban style.
He focuses on the artform of lettering with references that draw from popular culture. Graffiti is public art: art in the streets. He describes self-publicizing with your name as your calling card, just like a signature. This is called a “tag”. Your tag is like a nickname; something that empowers you! I was so engaged in this demonstration that I created my own tag: JJ for “Jazzy Jen” and I sketched out my own letters. Spazecraft shows photography books as resources you could find in your library or online. This online class demonstrates different fonts and shows drop shadow to give lettering dimension. This was an excellent and engaging presentation perfectly geared towards teens.
Spazecraft provides us with his IG handle and encourages participants to upload their work and tag: #graffitartremix_nypl in order to be featured on Instagram. Finally, Spazecraft makes connection to “real world” applications for graffiti by demonstrating a variety of careers graffiti hobbyists can explore, including: graphic design, animator, fashion design, logo design, muralist, motion graphics and character art, toy design, animation and work in motion pictures.
NYPL Online Programming for Children:
NYPL has links to afterschool activities and resources. These include read-alouds for beginning and middle-readers, database help, and STEAM projects.
Linked through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nypl
Steam Project of the Week: Decorating Your Workspace and School Supplies
This video was posted on Facebook and is on the Vimeo video streaming platform. It is 5min13sec in length. The theme of the STEAM project is Reflect and the librarian encourages children to decorate in a way that best reflects them and inspires them. Fun and productivity can coexist! What are you decorating? What is its function? Do you need to store passwords for school portals? Can you decorate post-it notes for your space? Our presenter shows free and super cheap resources for decorations including recycling and decorating coffee cans to hold pens and pencils and making notebook covers. This is a fun, quick video that would hold the attention span of an elementary school student. I especially liked that at the beginning of the video, the presenter offered an interactive aspect where children can submit their own work (with the help of a caregiver/parent) to the virtual after-school gallery.
Fayetteville Public Library, Fayetteville, Arkansas
Storytime #1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U-zi424OoU This video is 19min33sec in duration and the platform is You Tube.
Ms. Stacey does a good job of showing the opening pages of the books before the stories begin with the images that are depicted therein. So often these pages are neglected and just skipped over in favor of beginning to read the text. The theme of this story time is Dinosaurs! Roar! and there are three books(‘Am I Yours’ by Alex Latimer; ‘Dinosaurs in Disguise’ by Stephen Krensky; ‘Dinosaurs vs. Bedtime’ by Bob Shea) read with song and finger-play in between each of the books. While I noticed she didn’t ask open-ending questions, she was very theatrical in ways which would engage a younger reader. For example, Ms. Stacey uses different voices for each of the dinosaurs in ‘Am I Yours’ by Alex Latimer and really draws the viewer into the tale. She also makes good use of both reading the story and then bringing the book in close to the camera for the viewer to see the images unlike the readers from NYPL.
Storytime #2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faWVR8tk-XE
You Tube is the platform and the video is 17min05sec in duration. Mr. Jim from the Youth Services department welcomes us and introduces the theme of weather and reads from two books about rain. He talks about wearing special clothes when you go outside in the rain and dons a rain-jacket (in a Mr. Rodgers-esque moment) to read the stories. First, he reads ‘Split Splat’ by Amy Gibson. Mr. Jim asks lots of open-ended questions and engages the reader in the theme before even starting the book. He does an exercise to help young children “turn their voices off”, use their ears, and sit on their bottoms to use their eyes to see the book. He does a good job describing the imagery in the book instead of just reading verbatim what’s on the page and moving on to the next page. This book is about a young girl who goes outside to play in the rain and mud with her dog. In between stories he demonstrates an umbrella and asks the children what it might be. He teaches his viewers the ASL hand signs for umbrella. Next he reads from Sam Usher’s ‘Rain’, about a child who has to stay inside during a rainstorm. I really loved how Mr. Jim played a thunderstorm soundtrack as his backing track when he read this story. Such a clever idea! As the sky clears up, the rain sounds stop. The images in this book are gorgeous. Then the rain starts up again in the book and in the backing track while Mr. Jim reads. This story time was by far my favorite of all the ones I watched for this project. After reading, he sings a rain song with finger movements where the children snap to make the pitter patter of the rain and hands clap to mimic thunder. I loved everything about this story time.
Online Programming for Children: Kids Create
DIY Stress Ball: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKnLcMrgZLM&fbclid=IwAR1CrCk-gtySn4T5bDcp9TzkJRfnoMkZ3saOpjQAdbFABU8ob1e4_JEopq4
The video is 5min53sec in duration and the platform is You Tube. The presenter was so expressive and made this activity both easy and fun! All you need are two sandwich baggies, two balloons and cup of flour and you’re in business. This activity, with the supervision of a caregiver, is suitable for all elementary aged children and is a great activity while at home, especially if the child is distance-learning at his or her school. Taking a break to make something easy and fun and to be able to use it when feeling stressed is a great idea.
Online Programming for Teens: Teens Create:
Repurposing Old Shirts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXKp3tw6Mls
Fayetteville Public Library’s Teens Create is a series which focus on specifically on crafts and making things. Ms. Stacey leads us through a fun and engaging tutorial on how to make a scarf and a tote bag using repurposed t-shirts. All you need are two large t-shirts and a pair of scissors. These are no-sew crafts so they really appeal to even the most challenged crafter such as myself! The video is 9min52sec in duration and the platform of the video is You Tube. I found this video so informative and fun it inspired me to pull out some of my husband’s old t-shirts for crafting time and I am not a crafty person at all. The video was well-made and easy to see the steps you take in creating the end-products. They made great use of fast-motion technology for more laborious steps to keep the video engaging.
September 17, 2020
#OwnVoices: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Children’s Literature
#OwnVoices is a hashtag that started in world of children’s literature by Corinne Duyvis. In 2015, Duyvis tweeted: “#ownvoices, to recommend kid lit about diverse characters written by authors from that same diverse group”. For this Community Reading Project I have chosen #ownvoices books in which the protagonist and the author share the same marginalized identity. It’s important for all children to see themselves reflected in the literature they read.
I selected the following books from the three categories below to feature for the #OwnVoices: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Community Reading Project.
I. Children’s Literature (Picture Book): ‘The Day You Begin’ by Jaqueline Woodson
Professional review: Martin, M. H. (2018). The Day You Begin. Horn Book Magazine, 94(5), 72–73.
A young African American girl starts school and feels unlike the other children. The theme of this book is about fitting in, even when you feel different. There are other children who feel different, too, a young boy from Venezuela, a boy not picked on to play at recess, and a young girl teased about her lunch. The focus returns to Angelina, the young African American protagonist as she finds her voice and tells her class about her summer she spent reading and caring for her younger sister. Sharing her story helps open her up to her classmates and make some new friends. This book focuses on the central themes of diversity, friendship, and self-esteem. Recommended audience: Ages 4-8 years
Questions for Reflection:
1. Have you ever felt different in school? How did you feel?
2. Why do you think Angelina was nervous to share about her summer in school?
3. Why did Rigoberto feel different from the other children?
4. What are some things you can do at school to help other kids feel more welcome and supported?
5. Why are differences important in our community (like in our school)?
Three ‘read alikes’ are:
1. ‘All Are Welcome’ by Alexandra Penfold
This charming picture book is based on a real neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York. Children are all welcomed in their school no matter their race, religion, background, or ability. This book is about celebrating kindness, inclusivity and diversity. The images reflect children who are blind, wheelchair-bound, Muslim, Asian, African-American and Sikh just for starters. It has a beautiful message and would be great to read at the beginning of a school day for younger audiences.
2. ‘Hair Love’ by Matthew Cherry
I am obsessed with this book and can’t get enough of it. It features a loving father and his daughter Zuri. Zuri needs a new look for school and after a bunch of foibles and mis-steps, and a little help from You Tube, Dad finds a hairstyle that makes her feel confident like a superhero. Themes are self-esteem, family, paternal figure.
3. ‘I am Enough’ by Grace Byers
The star of this book is a young African-American girl who celebrates herself by seeing her reflection in beautiful things in the world around her and celebrating people who look different from her. Themes revolves around self-esteem, friendship, confidence and empowerment.
II. Elementary aged Children: ‘Meet Yasmine!’ by Saadia Faruqi
Professional review of ‘Meet Yasmin!’
Moore, C. (2018). Meet Yasmin! School Library Journal, 64(7), 59.
This book was selected for elementary early readers featuring a creative young second grader named Yasmin. Yasmin is spunky and very imaginative and she gets in lots of adventures and even gets lost in a market. This book deals with themes of self-esteem, confidence and diversity as our Pakistani-American protagonist navigates the life of second grade and bonds with her family. Recommended age level: 5-8 years.
Book Club Discussion Questions:
1. What do you think is the theme of this story? Could there be more than one theme?
2. What words would you use to describe Yasmin’s personality?
3. Where do you think Yasmin’s family from?
4. Why does Yasmin think she is not a very good artist? Have you ever felt this way about something in school?
5. What does Baba mean?
Three ‘read-alikes’ are:
1. ‘Jasmine Toguchi Mochi Queen’ by Debbie Michiko Florence
A touching story about a young Japanese-American girl who wants to participate in an ages old New year’s family tradition of mochi-making. Mochi is a traditional Japanese rice cake made of glutinous rice and sweetened. However, Jasmine is only eight and she’s too young to make mochi with the women of her family. She gets a great idea----she’ll become strong so she can help the men pound the mochi. This book deals with families, and themes of belonging and self-esteem. It is written by a Japanese-American author.
2. ‘Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things’ by Lenore Look
A hilarious story of a Chinese-American boy, Alvin, and his adventures in anxiety. A normally talkative kid outside of school, Alvin clams up in the classroom (he’s headed into second grade) and struggles to participate. This book deals with themes of self-esteem, fitting-in, and social anxiety in a humorous way that fosters connection with the reader.
3. ‘Stella Diaz Has Something to Say’ by Angela Dominguez
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say is about a young Mexican-American girl who loves spending time with her older brother and mother and her beta fish. However, Stella is a shy kid outside of her home (much like Alvin Ho) and is having trouble making friends. She wishes for a Spanish-speaking friend when a new kid is scheduled to arrive at school and she sometimes says Spanish words when she is speaking English. (Known as “code-switching”). She also takes speech classes. So much of this book is imbued with language; the language of love, Stella’s love of Spanish, and her use of ‘Spanglish’. This is a charming book about fitting-in, growing up, and finding your voice written by a second-generation Mexican-American author.
III. YA Fiction: ‘New Kid’ by Jerry Craft
A graphic novel and Newberry Medal award-winner, New Kid explores themes of friendship, race, class and bullying. New Kid is an honest, oftentimes humorous depiction of what it is like for seventh-grader Jordan Banks as a person of color attending school in a predominately white private school. Jerry Craft explores themes of belonging, self-esteem, identity and staying true to oneself. Recommended audience: 12+ and up.
Professional review: Yorio, K. (2020). “New Kid” Makes History. School Library Journal, 66(3), 14–15.
Book Club Discussion Questions:
1. Does Jordan have a good relationship with his family? Give some examples of why you think so or think not.
2. How does Jordan handle the impact of race on his friendships?
3. Who do you identify with most in the book and why?
4. How would you handle having a new kid at your school? How would you treat them?
5. How does Jordan’s observations and artwork in his sketchbook give us a window into his perspective and experience?
Three ‘read-alikes’ are:
1. ‘Be Prepared’ by Vera Brogsol
I chose this graphic novel/memoir by Russian author Vera Brogsol as one of my read aikes. It’s a great and oftentimes hilarious depiction of what it’s like for Vera to find friendship and a place to belong at a middle-grades Russian summer camp after immigrating to America. Themes deal with inclusion, ethnicity, and struggling to fit in.
2. ‘El Deafo’ by Cece Bell
Another graphic novel pick, El Deafo is a semi-autobiographical story of Cece, a deaf girl, written by deaf author Cece Bell. There are fantastical elements to the story as Cece and all of the characters are depicted as rabbits, however Cece’s experiences as a deaf person in a hearing world are based on Ms. Bell’s own life. This book deals with themes of struggling for acceptance, self-esteem, and empowerment and is in keeping with the #OwnVoices theme for our Community Reading Project.
3. ‘Guts’ by Raina Telgemeier
Guts is another well-written semi-autobiographical graphic novel about Raina, a middle-grades student who suffers from severe anxiety resulting in gastric distress. Raina ends up seeing a therapist who helps her to regulate her emotions and gives her breathing exercises that Raina ends up teaching her class. This graphic novel deals with themes of mental health, acceptance, inclusion, and fitting in and is written by an author who suffers from anxiety and gastric distress herself.