Library as a Seed of Experiment!!

 Last week, Ms. Daley's AP Psych classes were in the library conducting research for their social psychology experiments. Aside from providing the classes resources to gather the background information on topics such as conformity and persuasion, the library has always been a partner in the implementation of the experiments! Students use the library and the library teachers to help them conduct their various experiments. It is always interesting for us to watch the unsuspecting students and staff attempt to figure out what is going on in the library.


The following article clearly supports not only the benefit but the NEED for a strong library program at the high school level for our students. It is so important for students to learn HOW to research effectively and not just rely on the instant gratification from Google. In today's world yes the information is there but it is not so much about finding the information but rather analyzing information and how one uses' it for new knowledge. That is a skill Google can not teach alone.
http://www.thedigitalshift.com/2014/09/k-12/good-research-habits-pay-study-ties-college-success-librarian-teacher-research-training-high-school/


Book of the Week: A Volcano Beneath The Snow: John Brown's War Against Slavery / Albert Marrin
For history buffs and those interested in a fascinating character, this biography on John Brown traces his life from childhood through his times as a staunch abolitionist. The author paints him as the "father of American terrorism" as his ferocious means to eradicate slavery was by any means necessary. He did however raise questions regarding the treatment of humans that are as pertinent today as they were during his time. This is a fascinating read and one not to be missed!

PreSchool Rockin in the Library!!!

Preschoolers have arrived in full force this week! Nine classes are scheduled in the library for story time and book sharing! The smiling faces of the preschoolers were eager to begin their weekly trips to the library! Returning students did a great job showing the new students what "whole body listening" looks like and all participated with enthusiasm and excitement!!






To kick off the year we read two books, Oopsy Teacher / Stephanie Calemenson and Row Row Row Your Boat / Jane Cabrera. Oopsy Teacher follows Mr. Bungles the loveable teacher who sometimes runs into mishaps throughout his day. Row Row Row Your Boat is a take on the classic song. Students were able to sing along and show off their animal sounds! I am looking forward to the weekly time with my little guys!!

Book of the Week:

New books are arriving in the library and they are flying off the shelves! I am going to try and highlight a book here each week to promote our collection. This week it is

This Star Won't Go Out / Ester Earl with Lori and Wayne Earl

John Green's The Fault in our Stars is a gigantic best seller about a girl who battles terminal cancer. It was made into a blockbuster movie and John Green has a legion of fans around the world. The book is best loosely on Ester Pearl. An amazing individual who was diagnosed with thyroid cancer at age 12, Ester was a positive, generous and "normal" teenager. She died at 16 but touched the lives of thousands through her online journal, including John Green who connected with Ester and was able to meet her and get to know her before her untimely death. This memoir is a collection of Ester's journals, fiction, letters and sketches. It is a way to tell her story through her her words and thoughts. She is truly an inspiration!

Celbrate Your Freedom To Read!

Every year for a week in September, The American Library Association (ALA) celebrates Banned Book Week. The week unites everyone in the reading world from librarians, and booksellers to publishers and teachers. Every year, hundreds of challenges are recorded against books for various reasons. The ALA believes all books have a right to be on the shelf and it should be an individual's right to determine whether or not the book is appropriate for them. It is amazing how many books have faced a challenge and the reasoning behind them. For more information check out this website from "The Office of Intellectual Freedom" a division of ALA.
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/bannedbooksweek

You Can Always Take Time To Read......

The fall is such a busy time of the year for students and teachers! With the start of school, sports, band and drama, after school jobs, homework and friends who has time for much else? But there is always time to read and it seems as if the school community feels that way as well! We have had one of our best starts to the year in regards to book checkouts. Students are eager to read and checking out books left and right! I love to see the excitement on a student's face when they have finished a book and want to discuss it. We have wait lists and requests in at other schools for books students are eager to get their hands on. With the long weekend coming up we are excited to see how many books kids and staff will take out!!

Create by Mr. Wong, all books used are in the library!

Research, Reading and Relaxation......

RESEARCH

Now that the school year is fully under way, the research/teaching collaboration has begun! Teachers are booking library time for their classes for lessons connected to a writing and/or research project. I love to see the library calendar fill up with a variety of classes from different disciplines. Teaching students to make connections between what they know, what they learn and what they can now newly create with research is so exciting for me as a teacher. I want them to know research is so much more than just "Googling" information and rearranging the information in their own words. A big shout out goes to Mr. Rufo who was the first teacher to sign up for the library, his students are researching different regions of France and sharing the information on a wiki!! Your prize is on its way!!!

http://regionsdefrance.wikispaces.com/

READING

STUDENTS AS READERS Begins!!
The first meeting of Students As Readers was this past Wednesday (Sept 10th). Ms. Carrick and I welcomed back many familiar faces while getting to know a whole bunch of new ones! The lively group discussed some great reads from over the summer and were given the title of the book for October's meeting.  All students are welcomed!!

We will be reading: Out of the Easy / Ruta Sepetys

Josie, the seventeen-year-old daughter of a French Quarter prostitute, is striving to escape 1950 New Orleans and enroll at prestigious Smith College when she becomes entangled in a murder investigation.  

RELAXATION

The library has been overflowing with students signing in for studies. Whether it is first block where 70 students are studying or last block where they are all relaxing waiting for the end of the day, the library is typically packed. We love seeing all the students using the library as a place to be. We also want to remind students that when you sign in for study you are here for the full study. Please remember to sign out if you are going the bathroom or to your locker and remember most students who are here are here to study and work on projects.

Students Are Not The Only Ones Summer Reading!!!

It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.

–Oscar Wilde

While summer is definitely a time to relax, have fun and enjoy some down time, students are also required to do their summer reading. While I always hope that everyone reads because they WANT to, I know this is not always the case! Hopefully most students found some good books they enjoyed this summer. We want to let students know they are not the only ones who were reading this summer. Thus, the annual Staff Summer Reading Display is up in the library! Each year we ask staff members to share what they have read over the summer. We include the complete list of books from each teacher, along with the books displayed if we own them. Many teachers like to include a few lines about the book. This is one of our most popular displays as it sparks a lot of conversation not just from the students but between staff members as well. It is a great way to get to know each other when you can talk about a book you have both read. In addition the students love to see what their teachers have read and will often choose a book because a teacher they admire has read it.

Welcome Back Display to Greet Students and Staff in the Library!

There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all.

–Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

WELCOME BACK!!!

"The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives." ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

Summer is over and we are back into the swing of school as if we never left! While the summer for me was filled with trips to the beach, parties with friends and watching my children simply enjoy being kids, it is time to move back to school life. It was truly wonderful!! 

The library is already a hub of activity! It is great to see the new seniors embrace their position at the top of the pack. They are all working hard and filled with enthusiasm, excitement and determination as they prepare for this important year. The freshmen are finding their way around, eager to learn the ropes of their new school, meet their teachers and enjoy being a high school student! 

The favorite part of coming back to school is seeing the students we have missed, having them come into visit and tell us about their summer adventures! It amazes us to see how they have grown and what they have done over the summer! It means a lot to us to have these bonds with the students.

And on that note, I wanted to share something that was given to us by a graduating student. Francesca was one of my Com Sem students, an incredibly talented and intelligent student as well as being an amazing artist. She was a constant visitor to the library. She presented us with one of her original artworks and we are proud to have it hanging in the library!


"Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself."  ~John Dewey