This year has definitely had challenges and frustrations. We redid our schedule to where 2nd and 3rd grades are combined and 5th and 6th grade are combined in the classrooms and for activities. It has not been easy trying to find activities and lessons for multiple grade levels at one time. My budget is small and does not stretch very far. I am over the elementary ACSIP plan, on both the elementary and high school leadership teams, am in charge of AR and our AR incentive program that is new this year, have K-6 and 9-10 scheduled weekly in the library, and so much more. It feels like a whirlwind of activity all of the time, and sometimes feels like I am getting nothing accomplished. I also have felt like I have not been able to plan some of the awesome activities and lessons this year like we did last year, or hardly had a chance to catch my breath. However, seeing students' eyes light up when they find a book they love and get to participate in things they never did before and are just so stinking excited it is "liberry" day makes it all worth it.
This year we have been able to Skype with a wonderful teacher in Egypt, Dave Burgess (author of Teach Like a Pirate), teachers in Nigeria, and a teacher in Argentina. We have Skype sessions coming up for the Joshua Tree National Park, the NC Natural Museum of Science, Peter Raymundo, Jean Pennycook at the Penguin Breeding Zone in Antarctica, the NC Aquarium, Fire Safety Dogs, and more. The opportunities and experiences Skype in the Classroom provides are absolutely amazing! Though they are not new, we have added 15 Chromebooks and 12 iPads. We have also added a projector screen, a green screen, 30 VR viewers, a tinker room, and flexible seating to the library this year. Students of all grade levels enjoy the comfy seating that is now available, as well as still enjoy getting to use our VR system. I am hoping to plan some activities for our high school students that include making their own VR and AR materials. Looking back, I can see a lot more has happened in the library this year than what I realized, and I cannot wait to see what all the future brings!
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Kimee ReedI am a Teacher Librarian that believes in out of the box experiences to make learning fun, inspire, encourage, excite, and empower students. Archives
June 2018
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