Looking Like a Library

When we first opened the library, it was a little ... empty. 

We had a huge space, but not enough furniture, decorations, and other needed things to fill it. As we approach our two-year library anniversary next month, I am pleased to say we look a lot more like a library. 

Little by little, we are filling up the space. Thanks to generous church members, family, and friends, we have new shelves and new books to put on them. New stuffed animals are loved on all day thanks to my thoughtful mom. And the talented maintenance team at my school made a fantastic new seating area for the kids. Take a look: 

Thank you to everyone who donated and gave. You've made this librarian (and many students) very happy. 

Snow Snow Snow

One second it's Christmas and I'm freezing in Omaha, the next I'm taking a ferry to a huge volcano in Nicaragua, and the next I'm teaching my students about snow in this land where it definitely doesn't snow.

Soaking in every minute of Christmas with my family and friends in Omaha. 

Nicaragua's claim on being the "Land of Lakes and Volcanoes" is most certainly true.

It's weird thinking that I can be shivering in the 5 degree weather one day, and sweating near a volcano the next, but that's just this crazy life I'm living.

It's mid - January now, and school is back in session. At least half of my students have never experienced snow in real life, so I enjoy decorating the library with snowflakes and snowmen and doing a few weeks of snow-themed lessons to help them "experience" the joy (or misery) of snow.

Two highlights:

My good friend, Sho, lives in Oregon and has been experiencing some crazy amounts of snowfall lately. She made a little video of the snow scenes outside her house and sent it to me for my students to watch. Let's just say there was a lot of "ooohing", "ahhhing", and clapping from my students. They were amazed at a snow pile that was taller than Sho and cars that looked like white blobs hiding under piles of white fluff.

My students watching Sho's snow video. 

The grandparents of one of my kindergarten students came to visit last week. They brought with them some pretty realistic feeling snowballs and we had our first ever snowball fight in the library. One little student told me afterward, "This was the best day ever!". I don't have any pictures of the event, but just imagine lot of smiling, giggling, and screaming from the little ones.

Letters from a Guinea Pig

I ordered some new Gerald and Piggie books for the library a couple of months ago. 

I was excited about sharing the books with my students, and I knew the Kindergartners were my perfect audience. I planned on spreading the books out over a couple of weeks as we focused on our skill of learning what titles, authors, and illustrators were. What started out as a multi-week lesson turned into week after week after week after week of reading Gerald and Piggie books. The Kindergartners couldn't get enough of the hilarious adventures of these two characters, and I didn't have the heart to read them anything else. 

When the Kindergartners got two pet guinea pigs a little while back, guess what they named them? You got it, Gerald and Piggie. One of them died a couple of weeks ago, but Gerald is still around, putting smiles on the students' faces. Then the wonderful Kinder teacher, Kelly, got a brilliant idea, and shared it with me. I loved what happened in the library next:

During library story time, after reading a book about the adventures of a class guinea pig, the students and I talked about Gerald the guinea pig, and wondered what kind of adventures he might go on after school, over the weekend, and when the students weren't looking. We figured the only way we would know about Gerald's secret life was to ask him. So the students spread out at the tables and asked Gerald using words and pictures. 

We put the letters in envelopes and sent them to Gerald the guinea pig. The following week, this package randomly got delivered to the library, conveniently at the same time the Kindergartners we sitting down for story time. 

I had no idea who it was from, but the students knew immediately that it must be from Gerald! We opened it up, and inside were letters from Gerald. He even sent them bookmarks! The students squealed with excitement. 

We split up into groups, and the helpers read Gerald's letters to each individual student. They beamed and giggled when they heard their letters, and rushed over to tell me what they learned about Gerald. It turns out he likes to play soccer after school, and he even sneaks out of his cage to read books in the reading loft!

Students gathered around Miss Speigle to hear their letters being read aloud

Sabina waited patiently for her letter 

Showing off his new bookmark and letter

Lots of smiles in the library lately. I'm thankful for fictional characters and pet guinea pigs that spark imaginations and fill students with wonder.

Waiting for the Next Book

In the land of school libraries, book series are both the best and the worst thing.

When you finish a book you love and immediately get to pick up the next book in the same series, they are the best thing. The book characters, who have of course become your new best friends, get to continue their adventures right where they left them off, and you get to join in for the ride once again. Cliffhangers are resolved, and you can rest knowing that all your questions from the previous book will soon be revealed.

When you finish a book you love, and realize the next book in the series is checked out from the library, series are the worst thing. Your heart is broken as you are left in book limbo. You turn into an obsessive library stalker. You pretend to casually walk into the library, innocently browsing the shelves. What started as a "casual visit" turns into a desperate questioning session with the librarian.

"Is MY book here yet?" 

"Who has it checked out? Haven't they gone over the due date yet?"

"Are you sure the book isn't here? When was the last time you saw it?"

I admit that as the librarian, I find these scenarios slightly funny, as well as a little heartbreaking. I love that my students can be so passionate about books. I love their reactions and the way they try (and fail) to play it cool when their book isn't available.

A little while back I had a high school student come in every single day for three weeks, desperately looking for the fourth and final book in one of his favorite book series. Every day I turned him away, empty-handed. Finally, finally, I handed him The Book when he walked in. He fell to his knees, shook his fists in the air in victory, and then happily took the book from me.

A few days later a younger student came into the library after about a week of rejection. I handed him the book he was waiting for, and he took it without a smile. As soon as I checked out the book for him, he sprinted toward the door of the library, jumped in the air, clicked his heels together, and let out a little yes! I still laugh thinking back on it.

If only my students knew how I reacted when I finally get the book I am waiting impatiently for ...

Research

It's officially fall, or more accurately, "It's fall back home so let's pretend it's fall in Nicaragua even though it's 95 degrees outside and the leaves don't change colors".

Little things, like autumn bulletin boards and pumpkin desserts make the charade a little more believable.

Either way, we are passed the "beginning of the school year routine learning phase" and deep into some learning.

In the library, we've used print and online resources to help us learn more about some classroom content.

The first graders have been researching community helpers. Popular topics included librarian, mail carrier, and taekwondo instructor.

The third graders are now officially penguin experts! After learning about plagiarism and how to find good resources, they hit the books and internet to learn interesting facts about the different types of penguins. Over the course of a week, they researched, worked on a graphic organizer, drafted and reworked paragraphs, and finally presented their findings to their classmates.

One of my favorite parts about helping students research is that I get to learn new things as well. Need a random penguin fact? Just ask and I'll gladly share some with you.

Reading Faces

This past week I've heard gasps, giggles, and exclamations in the library. I've seen a solitary tear, a head buried under a pillow, and a two hands clasped over a heart.

All because of a story. 

I love watching my students as they read. The younger ones love to pour over books together. That's when the giggling and pointing and exclaiming gets intense (and when it's easiest for me to sneak in and snap a picture). It's usually a crazy fact from a nonfiction book, or a hilarious illustration from a fiction book that really gets them going. 

My older students sit near their friends, but get lost in their own books and their own worlds. Usually they are so lost they forget about those around them, until the involuntary gasp slips out, or the single tear falls down their face and they look around to see if anyone notices. These are the moments where I don't have my camera to capture the magic, but believe me, the magic is there.

Let the Reading Begin!

We are kicking things off in the library with an Olympic theme!

Meet the library crew: Sierra, my new library assistant, and Jackie, the best full-time volunteer anyone could ask for. 

Upper elementary teachers, ELL teachers, and the librarian

The newest edition in the library -- magazines! 

New books! This is just a VERY small portion of the new books in our library this year, thanks to many donors from my church, Emmanuel Fellowship. 

And the best part of Open House? Seeing my students with new books in their hands :)

Let the reading begin!