Mid-year Reflections from a Media Specialist

OUTSIDE OF THE MEDIA CENTER    

     What a journey this first semester has been both in and out of the media center.  I presented at my first conference and wrote my first magazine article. Both were huge steps out of my comfort zone. However, take note to the word that I used - first. I really enjoyed doing both, so I hope that I have the opportunity to continue to share with others through conferences and writing. If everything goes according to plan my article will be in the April 2016 issue of the School Library Connection.
It will be nice to see it in print.
       In the past several months I have discovered the PLNs of Twitter and have really enjoyed learning from people across the nation. If you have never tried Twitter you should. Start small and follow the chats that interest you. Then jump in and tweet a response to a question or ask a question.  It is really addicting. Trust me you will find so many inspiring people to follow and ideas to use in your educational setting.

INSIDE THE MEDIA CENTER

      I have created a new program this year in the media center, implemented stations for my 3rd-5th graders, collaborated with classroom teachers and the art teacher. I am also planning to collaborate with the music teacher in the near future. Collaboration is my focus this year in the media center.
      This year I wanted to get my parents involved and start to help them feel welcomed in the media center. So I created a program called "Afternoon Family Reading Fun" for PreK-2nd Grade Parents and Students. We are having three sessions this year where the parents and students come in after school and I read books centered around a favorite character. Then they move around the media center to different literacy stations. The stations are comprehension centered and range from puppet making to writing your own version of the story.  Our first event featuring Pete the Cat was a success and I am looking forward to the next one in January.
     I am continuing my collaboration efforts with classroom teachers. It is hard being in a semi-fixed schedule to truly collaborate.  I spend some time in the afternoons discovering what they are doing in the classroom and then focus my lessons around that topic. I have been able to continue lessons outside of normal media time with some grade levels. Doing more of this team teaching is a goal of mine for the rest of the school year.
      This year I am  collaborating with the art teacher and music teacher more.  The art teacher and I worked on a Tall Tale Booklet together. I did the lesson on Tall Tales and she helped them create the scenery in the book.  The music teacher and I plan on working together on a stop motion animation later this year.
        I set up stations around the media center for my 3rd-5th graders this year also. It has been fun to watch them independently use the skills they have learned throughout the years. I have created an Hour of Code, Wonderopolis, Animation, Book Review, and Debate Station just to name a few. The students seem to be in engaged and interested during each station.
      Parents, students, and teachers all working together is what it takes to help our youngest citizens learn to be productive in an everchanging 21st Century world. I am really looking forward to seeing what the second half of 2015-2016 has in store for my library.

Planning stages of our Second Reading Afternoon Session

Our first event went so well that parents are already asking when the next one was going to be. It was wonderful to see the parents and students enjoying time together focused around reading activities.  I am happily busy planning our next event for Jan. Here is the flyer that I will be sending home with parents at the beginning of January.