A Baseball Bat, Flames, and a Stack of Books: Inquiry Post 2

   A Baseball Bat, Flames, and a Stack of Books: Inquiry Post 2

"I am on a curiosity voyage, and I need my paddles to travel.  These books...these books are my paddles."

-Stranger Things, Season 2 

    Books were sacred at Seaview Elementary circa 1993, and Mrs. Cripps ruled over the dewy decimal system with such authority that when our school's gym burned down, the talk in our single file escape line was not about lost P.E. equipment. Instead, we joked about Mrs. Cripps standing at the library door, warding off the flames with a baseball bat.  This speaks to the efficacy of her library program; the school burned down, and books ranked highest on our eight year old worry hierarchy.

    Certainly, school libraries have changed since 1993.  They have transitioned from analogue to digital, and although some librarians are still looked at as book collectors, they are simultaneously at the forefront of information technologies. Just like Mrs. Cripps, librarians are still fierce protectors of literacy and imagination, but instead of the dewy decimal system they teach online databases, digital citizenship, and movie making.  Librarians are the heart of the school.  To maintain this position, it is important that librarians embark on a "curiosity voyage," constantly developing new skills, engaging in professional development opportunities, and adapting pedagogy.

Some ideas for constant growth as both a teacher and as a librarian:

• Frequently visit data supported literacy websites like Reading Rockets, and The Balanced Literacy Diet.  Below is an example of the kind of informative video that you will find on Reading Rockets.org:

• Forge connections with other teachers, particularly those who are currently enrolled in university courses and extra education.   I came across both of the above websites by collaborating with a co-teacher who is currently enrolled in the Inclusion Support Teacher Masters at Vancouver Island University. 
• Reach out to SETBC, which is an organization established by the Special Education Branch of the Ministry of Education.  They loan technology to schools, provide training in assistive technology, and often offer grants for the purchase of education technology.  In one of my schools I applied for a SETBC grant and won the money to purchase a class set of Spheros.
• Attend in person learning opportunities.  My district offers a Brain Camp during the last week of the summer, as well as many other afternoon and evening workshops and professional book clubs throughout the school year.  Such events are great ways to connect with other teachers, generate new ideas, expand your knowledge base, and network outside of your school.
• Read vetted blogs.  Here are a few Literacy Blogs recommended by ReadingRockets.org.  They range in topics from special education to equity through literacy.
• Connect with public libraries in your area: "One of the easiest ways to get involved locally is through a partnership with the public library" (Bass, McClintock, p.65).  According to Bass and McClintock your local library likely offers professional development opportunities about databases and resources, and they often offer outreach programs and will visit your school to provide STEM stations (65)
• In Leading from the Library Shannon Miller McClintock and William Bass state that "depending on their ages, the students in your building may already have YouTube channels or other avenues where they share videos they have created, while others may have podcasts or stream their video games on Twitch," so survey your students for the platforms, aps, and social media applications that they use.  If everyone's making Tic Toc's then it might be an idea make a Tic Toc.  You might also want to subscribe to twitch to see what it's all about. If there's one thing I've learned in the last four years, it's that you learn as much from your grade sixes as they learn from you.
• Learn new skills by watching YouTube videos.  It's a great place to learn to screen cast, podcast, or D.I.Y a home painting project.
• Lastly, read voraciously.  Read kids books, instruction manuals, and educational theory texts.

 On staying connected

    Staying connected means making a habit of accessing the resources listed above.  Keep a journal of ideas, names, email addresses, and phone numbers.  Create a solid relationship with your school principal and your Inclusion Support Teacher, because they will be aware of the many opportunities available in your district.  Most importantly, however, greet everyone with a smile and with open arms, because all educators have strengths and something wonderful to share.  All people, kindergartens included, bring with them valuable skills from which you can learn.

Works Cited

“A Framework for Understanding and Teaching Literacy Supporting the                             Development of Gourmet Literacy Chefs!” BALANCEDLITERACYDIET ::                     Balanced Literacy Diet, The Melissa Institute for Violence Prevention and                       Treatment, 2021,                                  https://www.oise.utoronto.ca/balancedliteracydiet/Home/index.html. 

McClintock Miller Shannon; Bass William. Leading from the Library (Digital Age       Librarian's Series). International Society for Technology in Education. Kindle       Edition.

Ministry of Education and Vancouver School Board. (2022). SET-BC. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from https://www.setbc.org/

Netflix. (2017). Stranger Things, Season 2. Stranger Things. Retrieved June 5, 2022.

WETA Public Broadcasting. (2022). Reading rockets: Launching young readers. Reading Rockets | Launching Young Readers. Retrieved June 5, 2022, from https://www.readingrockets.org/