Skip to main content
Well it is back to school time of year again.  This means a lot of hard work for students and staff.

I have some changes in my library this year. Some are great others made my heart crack. As they say change is good, and I do feel in the end it will all work out for the best.

One of my the most enjoyable parts of my job is reading to the children. This year, or at least for now, I will not be reading aloud in the library.  I know, you are probably thinking what I did...."What the H..."  I was mortified when first told this, and could not make sense of it. 

I am the "Library Lady" as the students affectionately call me. I was able to build relationships with the students last year , by the simple act of reading with great animation and passion to them. They would ask me to read on the playground, in the halls, it was a great feeling knowing they were enjoying my storytelling talents as much as I was.

After reassessing what I at first thought was an unreasonable and sheer joy killing demand , I have come to some terms with my lack of reading aloud this year.  My library is very old and has it's share of different Librarians over the years. This has led to a complete chaotic system. Barcodes on books are not uniform, filing is a miss, it is clear to see many had pack-rat syndrome who lived in the library before me, (and I too have this affliction to a degree).  Inventory has not been done in years and shelving of books had gotten out of control. (I take the blame for this , although when given the library last year I walked into stacks, piles, tucked away books all needed to behshelved from the prior year, talk about the Welcome Wagon)!

I can now see the sense behind NOT taking the time to read aloud and do a mini-lesson with the K-4. The Library at this time needs a good dose of TLC.  Attention I was unable to afford last year due to many factors.

So, with some sadness, yet hope I will not be reading aloud at least until the Library is manageable.  Not reading and discussing books, doing Dewey hunts,  setting-up the projector for e-books, Author discussion and activities of the same will afford me the time needed to finally after many years of neglect at the hands of many, including my own,   allowing me to get my Library in tip-top shape.

So, off I go with dreams of reading aloud, scanner in hand to scan 26,838 titles in a much needed inventory!


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Oh No!

The conference was inspiring as usual, although I did feel some of the sessions only offered "dry" workshops, session 1 & 3 were very regulation bases.  2 & 4 had some great workshops. I have discovered Enrique C. Feldman...OMG what an amazing man! His philosophies are awesome! He uses music in reading, story telling, and redirecting energy for the kiddos.  We, me and my daughter who was recently promoted to Lead for Two's also attended a puppet workshop.  Well , put it this way, I came home and spent a chunk of money on books, music, and puppets....gads..I was in the zone.  Now I cant wait to get my goodies. Great vendors, lots of free stuff and important information. And I purchased 6 raffle tickets , 3 for me and 3 for my daughter.  She won!  A nice Lakeshore bag filled with goodies for her class.  She is doing automobiles now, and she also acquired a cardboard firetruck that is the little ones can get inside , they will love it. We ha...

The Real Challenges of Teaching ESL Online—and How I Can Help

Teaching ESL online can be incredibly rewarding, but it also comes with real challenges. Many teachers find themselves juggling classroom management through a screen, building meaningful connections with learners they’ve never met in person, and adapting lessons to students with varying language levels, cultures, and learning styles. Common struggles include keeping young learners engaged, managing behavior in a virtual space, pacing lessons effectively, and supporting language development without overwhelming students. Add technology issues and limited feedback cues, and even experienced educators can feel stuck or isolated. This is where coaching makes a difference . Through personalized support, I help online ESL teachers strengthen lesson structure, increase student engagement, manage behavior positively, and build confidence in their teaching practice—especially when working with early learners. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or simply want to grow as an online ESL educator, you do...

Social Studies

Social Studies can be challenging , I create a social studies center filled with wonderful things.  The rules for this center is it a 2 person center.  Items are to be looked at and touched gently, they are not toys.  The children love it and are doing great with the new center.  And it is a really interesting focal point.