Searching the Catalog

For the next few weeks, I will introduce the automated catalog to the second grade classes. They are eager to learn about finding books in the library. We will begin with an overview for each whole class. This will be followed by "private lessons." Each child will have a turn to sit at the search station and look something up, under my supervision. This is using a computer for a real, grown-up task. In the past, the students have been so excited about this that they want to do a lot of searching on the computer and forget to go and get the books. Practicing this skill during second grade makes the students much better library users when they get to Prairieview.

Something important.

This week at Elizabeth Ide, we took a break between orientation and other pressing topics. We stopped to read. This is actually as important or even more important than nearly anything we can do. Reading to children stimulates their desire to read. Reading in front of them is also important. If they see that you value reading, then they begin to value it too. So, parents, read to your children, read in front of them, and, yes, listen to them read. This will certainly enrich their lives and perhaps even yours.

Illinois State Book Awards

Prairieview students are being invited to participate in Illinois Book Awards: Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award (grades 4-8) and brand new this year the Bluestem Award (grades 3-5). To be eligible to vote for the Caudills, students must have read 3 of the twenty nominees. The voting will take place in February. To be eligible to vote of the Bluestems, students must have read 4 of the twenty nominees. The voting will take place in March. Both of these programs give students great power. The nominees are bought by most libraries throughout the state and the winning authors will sell many, many copies of their books in Illinois and, well, around the world. We ask that students who are fortunate enough to have public library cards borrow these books at the public libraries. This will leave the copies in the school library availble for students who do not have public library cards.

I.M.C. Orientation

At the beginning of each year, we remind the students about staying safe in the I.M.C., taking good care of the materials, and circulation conventions. Please help us and your students by taking good care of our materials. They need to be returned as soon as you have finished reading them. If they get lost or are damaged too much to use, you will have to pay for them.

Thank you for your consideration.