Last week was 0 to 60. All the planning I fit in during the low-key first week of school paid off as I have begun introducing myself to teachers and students, as well as "orienting" everyone.
Library orientation is an exciting time for me, and so important during my first year in the school. It gives me a chance to get everyone on the same page, and to make sure every student at least knows who their new librarian is. (Whether I'll remember who they are is a different matter--how do you remember 900 kiddos in two weeks, or even a year? That's a mystery I'll still have to figure out.) Orientations are also a chance to show the students how exciting the library can be...which is why my lessons have been a little chaotic for my normal taste. But I'd like to break the SHHHHH library stereotype of last century and help be a part--not just a bystander--of the 21st century.
A very quick rundown of library orientations. For 7th and 8th graders, I rolled around to my Language and Literature teachers (who signed up for a time during my spiel at their Monday grade-level meetings) to do a mini-orientation. After a quick plug for the public library and handing out library card applications, we spent around 15 minutes doing a Kahoot quiz over our library policies. I discovered Kahoot during our new teacher trainings, and it has served me well for this activity. I just made up 9 questions covering policies ahead of time, then gave the teams iPads and let 'em go! The most difficult part of this turned out to be wi-fi issues; otherwise, the quiz format--with only the social pressure to get it "right"--was perfect for my common sense and conversation-starter questions.
Link to my library orientation Kahoot: https://play.kahoot.it/#/k/f1bc00f8-8fa7-44d4-bfe0-8e3ef209eb16
For the 6th grade classes, I requested they come to the library for a half-block of time (around 45 minutes). We did the same exact Kahoot quiz at the end, but to start off I did a 10-minute split and switch--one group doing a scavenger hunt of the library spaces while I walked the other group through the Library Catalog and accessing our eBooks. The scavenger hunt was the most fun to plan, because I drew from the Pokémon Go craze that hit the digital universe less than a month ago. Thanks, Karissa Fast and Pinterest, for the great idea! (https://karissamlis.wordpress.com/2016/07/14/pokemon-scavenger-hunt-in-the-library/) Best idea to go along with these activities--setting up a 10-minute timer on the screen. Otherwise I'd go way over time, for sure!
As I said, it's been 0 to 60--I was bouncing around to all four grade-level meetings on Monday and finally met all the teachers (just as important as letting all the kids know who you are), and I did ten 7th and 8th grade orientations plus eight 6th grade orientations. I also had the pleasure of starting some collaboration with a teaching team of Language and Literature/Individuals and Society on an interdisciplinary project they're doing. I'll be beginning that the next week, and starting to plan a lesson on finding good photos and citing them properly.
I'm loving being busy--this is what I feel my job is all about! I still have a lot to learn, though, especially getting the boring processes of the library (circulation, displays, etc.) down pat. But I can't say enough how positive an environment this is and how blessed I am to be here.
What I'm NERDing right now: Information Literacy lessons. Get those 21st century skills, man!
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