Winter Break

As we approach winter break, I have been sharing winter holiday books with the classes at Prairieview and Elizabeth Ide. I have also been encouraging the students to check out new books so they will have good things to read while they have some time to enjoy it.
I really hope the children will have opportunities to play outside. Wouldn't it be nice if they had a little snow to play in?

Conference Week

We finished our computer lessons at Prairieview this week. Third graders took the information they got from World Book Online for Kids and typed a short text document using Open Office. They enjoyed changing the font and size of their work. Fourth graders reviewed using Google Image to get a picture and save it. They imported their pictures into a text document and added a few sentences based on the information they got from World Book Online for Students. Fifth graders had a chance to develop an inspiration document. They particularly enjoyed using the large library of symbols and pictures in the program.

Math-A-Thon donations have been coming in at Ide. I haven't added up the results because I expect some more to come in. It looks pretty good. The folks at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital will be well pleased.

When I arrived at Ide this week, there was a box of new books sitting on the desk. This completes one of our large fall orders. New books are always a great pleasure. Mrs. Drope set right to work on the processing. I will be working on the cataloging and they should be on the shelf soon.

Fifth Graders and More

Fifth graders are ready to find information, organize it, and write reports. Most of us outlined the information we found after taking notes. Then, we composed our reports. Our students are using a fun, appealing program to help them with outlining.The program helps a lot with organization. It also offers the chance to be very creative. The students will be introduced to the program and then they will do a short research project and use it on their own.

Third and fourth graders are learning and reviewing the use of our World Book online. This is available to all the students in our district. It is a very useful, age appropriate, and accurate resource. It is divided into three main levels: kids, students, and advanced. It also has a Spanish language version.

At Elizabeth Ide, there have been a few early returns of money collected for Math-A-Thon. Many thanks to all the partcipants. We will accept and forward funds at any time, but would appreciate having everything in by Friday, December 2. That way we can order the prizes more easily.

Math-A-Thon, 2011

This week at Elizabeth Ide, we have been introducing the Math-A-Thon for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The hospital, founded by Danny Thomas, is an internationally recognized biomedical research hospital dedicated to finding cures for the catastrophic diseases of childhood. The hospital's work is supported through funds raised by events such as the Math-A-Thon. All patients are treated regardless of their ability to pay. The hospital covers all costs of treatment beyond those reimbursed by third party insurers and total costs for families who have no insurance.

This the twentieth time our kindergarten through second grade students have participated. The students benefit in several ways. With the permission and backing of their parents, they recruit their relatives, friends, and neighbors to be sponsors. They do the appropriately leveled math funbook either on paper or online. They collect checks from their sponsors and turn them in at school. All participants receive a certificate thanking them for their participation. There are various prizes for different amounts of donation.The presentation we have done for each class this week includes a brother and sister who love each other, love music, and appreciate the donations which provide for their treatments. There is also an animated segment of the Numerators which explains the process of the Math-A-Thon.

Encouraging Children to Read via Displays

We have a selection of books on display at both schools. The selection changes every few weeks, with the season, a holiday, a special celebration, student interest detected by my assistants, or any special topic we want to promote. We are trying to catch a reluctant reader's eye or steer students to new ideas to them. It is possible, or even likely, that they don't know many classics and that makes a very good display. Another idea is to display award winners. We have many thousands of good choices in both libraries.

Currently, there is a display of Halloween books in both libraries. The students are most definitely interested in them. We get many requests every day and it is very convenient to point toward the book displays. Kudos to Mrs. Drope and Mr. Mandru for the hard work they do to make these displays.

Illinois Bluestem Award at Prairieview

This week at Prairieview, I introduced the books nominated for the Bluestem award to every class. This award is determined by third, fourth, and fifth grade voters all over the state of Illinois. It is a very good match for Prairieview. The books are nominated by a teacher/librarian committee which pays close attention to suggestions from participants. They select a wide variety of books, subject and reading level-wise. However, all the books are appropriated for the participating grade levels. One might think I would grow bored introducing the eighteen titles we have available in our collection to sixteen different groups, but I did not. The list is very interesting and appealing this year and I intend to read every single one of the books on it. Our students need to have read at least four of the nominees to participate in the voting, which will occur in February. We encourage them to read or listen to as many as possible and teachers help out by reading one or two to their classes. We also ask all the students who can to get the books at the public libraries. All of the librairies participate and have multiple copies of the books. We cannot afford to spend the majority of our budget, just on this, no matter how fun it is.

At Ide, we do the Monarch Award program, which is intended for grades K through 3. At Lakeview, they do the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers Book Award. This is for grades 4 through 8. We do have many of the nominees for this one available at Prarieview, as well, but we do not emphasize it. These books tend to more for the older students. Students who have read three of these nominees will be able to vote at school in February.

Processing books at Elizabeth Ide

Mrs. Drope and I have to go through many steps to get new books on our shelves.

First we have to select and purchase them. I read reviews, consider teacher and student requests, consider our curriculum, and try to keep the collection in balance with up-to-date, appealing books. After the books arrive there are many steps to processing including, but not limited to, checking in the order, property stamping, pasting pockets, and filling out some basic information about each book. Mrs. Drope handles this. Then, I do the cataloging. It is important to get proper information into our automated catalog about each book. This helps the patrons to find what they are looking for. When the cataloging is complete, I print the barcodes and pocket labels. Mrs. Drope finishes the processing by placing the labels on the books, adding spine labels for arranging the books on the shelves, and putting spine protecting tape or plastic covers on each book. In the end, we have a well-organized, easily used library. Both the students and the staff are pretty specific about what they want most of the time. We strive to meet their needs.

Automated Catalog at Ide

After an introduction for whole classes last week, our second graders are now having "private" lessons on our automated library catalog. Groups of four meet with me and each one gets a turn to search for whatever he or she wants to look for. The others watch and they all learn from each other how to take advantage of our catalog. It will take me a few weeks to get through all the small groups in each class. With their confidence built, the children are eager to search more and more. The intent is to have them be competant users when they move on to third grade at Prairieview. It is wonderful to enable the students to take advantage of our well-rounded and comparatively large collections. They read more when they can find what they like. They learn more when they can find what they are curious about.

This catalog can be examined at home, as well. From our district website (http://www.ccsd66.org/), click on the appropriate building photo. When that page opens, scroll down to the boxed menu and click on library. Then the library page opens, scroll down to IPAC (Internet Public Access Catalog) and click on one of the boxes right underneath that. Then, you will be looking at the catalog page, just as it looks at that school. Have fun!

Keyboarding at Prairieview

We have begun our keyboarding program in all three grades at Prairieview. I cannot see the future, but unless there is some magical change, our students will have to do lots of keyboarding throughout their years in school and, most likely, in their jobs. It is important to learn to do it correctly.

Many students have told me it is like learning to play an instrument. They are right. It needs to be done the right way and it takes lots of practice. The launching pad is learning the home row position. Each finger has a home key and several other keys it is responsible for. Thumbs are dumb and they both live on the space bar. That is their only job.

Ideally, the students will practice enough and internalize the keyboarding so they can watch the screen while they are typing. We can't afford enough time to practice this skill adequately at school. It would help if parents would remind the students to use the home row position and to keep their eyes up on the screen as much as possible.

Sharing Books at Elizabeth Ide

Through the great generosity of the Elizabeth Ide P.T.O., we were

able to add seven new hard back books to our I.M.C. collection. This happened the morning after the book fair/ice cream social. Mrs. Drope gave these new gift books priority and we will soon have them processed, cataloged, and on the shelf. Thank you, P.T.O.

In my I.M.C. classes at Ide this week, I have been able to start one of our regular and most beneficial activities--reading to the children. They like it as much as I do. We love the books. The children are exposed to titles they might otherwise overlook. It is especially important to read to children, even after they have started reading for themselves. Please read to them and let them read to you. This will improve their reading skills enormously and you will both enjoy it.

Six sections of R.T.I. (Response to Intervention) have been added to my schedule this week. I meet with small groups of first and second graders. We do activities to help them with their reading.

The Computer Lab at Prairieview

This week we began our computer lab classes. We reviewed the rules which are most important in the lab. There are several, but one interesting one is that students are not allowed to go near the network printers anywhere in the district. Occasionally a staff member might make a mistake and send a confidential document to a network printer. Only adults are allowed to unload network printers.

We also assigned seats in the lab for homerooms. The students will also be assigned seats in their math classes. Finally, we explained and practiced using usernames and passwords. Every student has an account on the network. The passwords need to be kept secret. It might be a great temptation for another student or angry sibling to go into an account and change a file or two. We will meet in the computer lab for many weeks. I will report on what we have done in future blogs.

What a Week at Elizabeth Ide!

We have been very busy.  In our regular classes, we are working on the second section of the three-week orientation process.  The first section is about keeping the children safe in the library.  The second section is about taking good care of the materials.  The third section, which we plan to cover next week is about circulation rules and other things that don't fit into the first two sections.  We will send home flyers for the parents which give a bird's eye view of all of this next week.  Parents need to know what is expected.

In addition to my own lessons, I have had thirteen PBIS sessions this week.  The PBIS sessions in the I.M.C. are really just a snapshot of my regular orientation.  A few of the rules are highlighted.  These highlighted rules usually are the same in other areas of the school.  In the end, the children should be well indoctrinated on how they need to behave.  This afternoon, we will be celebrating PBIS with popsicles and extra recess.

Orientation at Prairieview

Our classes this week included a cool tool from PBIS-some important ideas for staying respectful, responsible, and safe. We also went over the basic I.M.C. rules. They cover the same topics, but in reverse order. Keeping the students safe comes first, taking good care of the materials comes second, and finally caring about the needs of others by returning things on time and sharing specific types of things. I sent home a note for the parents with each child. The note covered each point we shared in our classes. The parents need to know what is expected. I have had one mother report that she reread the information. She is now guiding her youngest child through Prairieview. I also heard from an assistant who was glad to be in the I.M.C. with a class to hear what was said. Thanks to all who care enough to get familiar with what is going on.

Welcome to Mr. Mandru!

We are very pleased to have a new assistant in the Prairieview I.M.C. He has had to hit the ground running and has done a very good job getting started. A 2011 Western Illinois University graduate, Mr. Mandru majored in elementary education and is a certified teacher. He has had a great variety of classroom experience. At an especially busy time of year in the I.M.C., he has also had the responsibility of proctoring MAPS testing. He will also be assisting with fourth grade math on a daily basis. His flexibility and good attitude will be great assets. I also want to thank Mrs. Drope for her assistance in helping Mr. Mandru get started. There is a lot to learn. I have always said it takes a full year to learn all there is to do as a school library assistant.
Welcome aboard, Steve!

Summer Reading Programs

Librarians from Woodridge Public Library and Indian Prairie Public Library came to both Elizabeth Ide and Prairieview this week to tell our students about the summer reading programs available to them. Both libraries are using the "One World, Many Stories" program for children from birth through those entering 6th grade in the fall. They offer a wide variety of prizes for reading, such as coupons for fun places and free books, as well as many special programs. The programs include such things as tie dying, crafts from around the world, and visits from service dogs. Our students were very excited when they heard about all of this. So, come on parents and help your children to participate in the opportunity to read, learn, and have lots of fun. Get in touch with the public libraries.

Prairieview Book Fair

The book fair went well at Prairieview and we were able to add eight new books to our collection as a result. It is always fun to look through the selections at the fair. Not all the books available are appropriate for our collection, but it is fun to see them anyway. It is also fun to see the children all excited about the books they bought.

This week we have been doing post-assessments for the I-Safe program in the computer lab. The children have been learning about intellectual property and copyright laws. They have also been introduced to keeping their personal information off the internet. They should be using non-identifying nicknames on those "kid" sites. It is very important to remind them that people they don't know in real life are strangers.

Elizabeth Ide Book Fair

We were very fortunate to be able to add to our collection through the proceeds of the book fair. Here are just a few of the books we are adding to our collection.

This week, we have been doing the I-Safe post assessment with the kindergarteners and first graders. It is very interesting to note how much more these children know about and use computers than the children just a few years ago. They are still children, however, and we strongly urge parents to pay attention to what they are up to on the computer.

Internet Safety

We have begun our internet safety unit at both Elizabeth Ide and Prairieview. Depending on the grade level, we will learn about appropriate topics. These include: Computer Viruses, E-mail, Cyber Bullying, Internet Predators, Appropriate websites, Personal Information, Text messaging, and Intellectual Property.

The students at Elizabeth Ide will participate in a written post-assessment which we will report to I-Safe, the publisher of the program we use. These are done anonymously. I-Safe is interested in how their lessons are working and what needs to be updated.

At Prairieview, the students have started with an online pre-assessment and will finish with an online post assessment. Again, this is done anonymously. We are looking for trends.

Undoubtedly, the most important element is parent monitoring of what the children are doing online!

Please read!

Spring Break is a perfect opportunity to read. If you are staying in town, the weather is far from perfect. How about reading when you can't play outside?

If you are travelling, read on the way. Take turns. Older kids can read to everyone else in the car. It is a great way to make the plane ride go by faster.

It is particularly important for children to see Dad reading. I have had many boys who don't think reading is important because they have never seen their father reading.

Reference BOOKS

Until the internet gets a lot more organized and user friendly, people looking for information, especially children, will need to look for information in books a good deal of the time. The internet has almost everything. That is the problem. Young students do not have the experience or the wisdom to discern what information is likely be accurate or, more importantly, appropriate. Therefore, we have been practicing getting information from traditional reference materials. The skills of locating information, reading, digesting what has been read, and choosing appropriate information will be necessary even when using the internet, at least until they get a wire to tape on your forehead and just transfer the information into your brain.

Third graders have been working on the arrangement of materials in the library. They will be working on using guide words.
Fourth graders have been practicing with encyclopedia articles, dictionaries, and atlases.
Fifth graders have been using almanacs. They are filled with information. The trick is finding what you want to know. Practice with almanacs develops skills for using many other resources.

Prairieview Results for the 2011 Bluestem and Rebecca Caudill Awards

We have the Bluestem Award for students in third through fifth grades. Participants have to have read or listened to at least 4 of the 20 nominees. We voted at Prairieview last week and the results are as follows in first, second and third place:

We also participte in the Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award at Prairieview. This is for Illinois students in 4th through 8th grades. The Prairieview results are as follows in first place and tied for second place:

Local results for 2011 Monarch Award

Last week, the students at Elizabeth Ide voted for their favorites from the list of Monarch award nominees. Only students in grades K-3 across the state of Illinois are eligible to vote. They have to read or have read to them at least 5 of the 20 nominees. Over the last several weeks, I read at least 5 nominees to every class at Ide. The results from within our school follow. I have reported them to the state and will report the statewide results as soon as I have them.

First Place

Second Place

Third Place

What's happening in the library?

This week at Prairieview, the classes worked on library skills. In third grade, we continued practicing using the online catalog. This week it was about subjects. The fourth and fifth graders both did lessons that required dictionary practice.

At Elizabeth Ide, I read one more Monarch Award nominee to each class and then showed them all the ones they had heard over the last several weeks. Then we held an election for the favorite title in each class. The overall school results will be reported to the state and, before too long, we will hear the overall state results.

The I.M.C. staff has been working away on cataloging and processing new books. We have recently received several preview boxes in each building and have been lucky enough to buy a bunch of new titles. In order to make the books hold up as long as possible and have our catalogs as useful as possible, we try to do a good, careful job. I have been working on keeping the collection in each building up-to-date and well rounded. My assistants have been very helpful in letting me know what teachers and students are asking for.

Orange Tape

At Elizabeth Ide, we have an orange tape section. That means the spine labels are made of orange tape. It is a section where we put our easy-to-read books. They have words which our beginning readers can recognize or figure out. There are very few words on the pages and there is lots of repetition.

It is very satisfying at this time of year because more and more kindergarteners are looking for this type of book. First graders have been guided to them since the beginning of the year by the I.M.C. staff and by their wise teachers. Many of these books are of interest to second graders and they still read them. Unfortunately, some of them self-promote themselves away from this section of the library. Just because a book is easy does not mean it is bad to read it. We hope students will choose a variety of books, some comfortable and some challenging.

We also really hope that parents and older siblings will read to and with our students.

Math-A-Thon Prizes, Monarch Books, Packets

Both of my assistants have been running back and forth administering MAPS testing this week. It makes things pretty crazy in the libraries, but we are surviving.
At Prairieview this week, we continued with the library skills packets. Third graders practiced using the online catalogs in teams.
I had a nice surprise when I got to Elizabeth Ide. The Math-A-Thon prizes had arrived, earlier than expected. They are being distributed this week, as I meet with each class. I have also read one or two Monarch books to each class.

Personnel Change

Mr. Kevin Coffee has joined our I.M.C. staff. He is an alumnus of our district and his first week as the Prairieview I.M.C. assistant has been fun. On his second day with us, he brought in a tank. It is currently housing a snapping turtle. Students have been invited to suggest names for the turtle. More pets will be joining our turtle soon.