The Night Before Halloween

"Sometimes comfort doesn't matter.  When a shoe is freakin' fabulous, it may be worth a subsequent day of misery.  Soak in Epsom salts and take comfort in the fact that you're better than everyone else."

-Clinton Kelly

The one question I've been asked most often today is this:

"Where on Earth did you get those shoes?!?"

Well, here's the answer.  Ebay.  Also, they're my wedding shoes.  :)

Yes, I did.

Here's what I look like today:

Wicked Witch of the EAST, people!  Ruby Reds and stripy stockings?  Get it?  Well, do you?

Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday.  

Today's schedule was a busy, busy one: the first half of the day was taken up by our library committee meeting, and then at lunch the plan was to read scary stories.

The library committee meeting went quickly, I felt.  Here's the agenda:

New Business

1.  Million Word Readers

     * 10 already!  (Eight students, plus Ms. Orendorff and Mr. Higgins.)

2.  Library grants page

Old Business

1. Name (we're going with 'library committee')

2.  Mission Statement (see below)     

3.  Virtual Reference Desk (VRD)

4.  Server update

5.  Technology update

6. Blog  (I got to show off this blog!)

Discussion/ Suggestions

Mission Statement

In support of the Daniel Webster Middle School Mission Statement and Vision, the Mission of Daniel Webster Middle School’s Library Media Program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The Library Media Program accomplishes this mission by:

1)   Being an integral part of Daniel Webster Middle School and it’s learning community.

2)   Collaborating with teachers to create authentic learning for all students

3)   Providing instruction in information literacy

4)   Supporting the content curriculum and reading initiatives

5)   Promoting life-long reading and learning, both for pleasure and for information

6)   Providing scholars with materials that meet their needs

7)   Providing our students with an inviting and safe environment

There was great discussion and suggestions.  This time I had someone else take notes so that I could focus on what was going on rather than taking notes.  That worked much better, although I have not taken a look yet.  If you have more to add, questions, comments, and/or concerns, please feel free to add them in the comments section below.

During lunch I competed with the leadership class.  They had a huge costume contest and I read scary stories.  I honestly didn't think I would get anyone in here; it would seem to me that watching all the fun costumes would definitely win out over some geezer reading.   I prepared my table anyway.

Yes, that's the Raggedy Doctor sitting on a pumpkin.  Of course he joined in the fun!

Let's see...Jack o lantern full of chocolate.  Check.  Pumpkin carved into Ruby Red Slippers, complete with glowing LCD candle in red candle holder.  Check.

Actually, here's a better photo of that:

Carved pumpkin courtesy of one of my library practice students.

...Basket full of pretzels.  Check.  Pile o' books of scary stories.  Check.  Shades pulled down.  Check.  Lights out.  Check.  All ready.

The bell rang and the usual crowd didn't rush in to grab their accustomed seats.  While I was expecting this, I still felt...disappointed?  I'm not sure.  But then a few minutes later two girls came in and asked, "are you going to read the scary stories?"  I grinned.  "I would love to."  

In ones and twos kids started to come in and sit with us.  They passed the treats and whispered to each other to only take one, just in case more kids came in.  I would ask one student to choose a book, then ask another to pick a number between 1 and 100 to figure out the page number of the story to read. We all agreed that while the stories weren't actually scary, they were certainly creepy.  There were about  fifteen kids crowded around my table, which surprised me.  I read until the bell rang.  I was almost glad it did--my voice was starting to go.

As they filed out, they thanked me and asked when the next activity would be.  I showed them the library calendar where they wondered about the crochet club and asked about the next book talk.

When the last student left, I walked around campus--people will milling about and taking their time to get to class and I wanted to see the costumes.  I was able to take a few quick photos with Mr. Higgins and some of his students.

With Mr. Higgins.  He was a vampire Viking.  I called him Eric all day long.  

Eric is a vampire Viking on the show True Blood, for those of you who don't watch.

 With the adorable Fairy Princess Noor.  

Noor is in my Library Media class, so I know she turned her permission slip in!  

So, that was today.  I wish you all a safe evening full of fun.

Happy Reading!

Games for Everybody

"The perfect family board game is one that can be played each time with fewer pieces."

-Robert Brault

Today we had our first Game Day.  (Hey, look!  I'm telling you about the first one!)  It was, in short, awesome.  Basically, I borrowed a bunch of games, added a few of my own, told one of my library practice scholars--who decided to bring some of his own--and made a couple of announcements.

Now, you have to understand that we had Spirit Week going on this week, so there was a lot to do during lunch.  Today the leadership class had a mummy wrap contest, where grade level teams wrapped up a teacher in toilet paper.  The winning team got their teacher wrapped first.  (That sounds way grosser than it actually is--it's pretty fun, as far as activities go.)  In any case, I thought that having a game day might give the few students who are in here every day a change of pace.

Holy.  Cow.

I was in no way expecting to have fifty students in here arguing about who got to be Professor Plum or the Dog or whoever in the game they were playing.  The room was full and boisterous, and I heard more giggling than I have in a long time.  I saw poker faces that could have been professional.  My library practice scholar brought a game I'd never heard of--Scene It--and a group was playing that on the TV I'd borrowed from Title 1 earlier today.

There were still the few who wanted to get their homework done or read quietly.  These, I banished to the farthest table in the back of the room so that they could all be at a quiet table together.  The rest of the tables were full.

I was torn between checking out books to students who wanted to take them home and walking around making sure no one was doing anything inappropriate.  Of course no one was, although I caught a gum chewer.  (Side note: I so, so love hearing wow, she's good under breaths as they get up to spit out their gum.  Catching gum chewers might seriously be my superpower.)

When the bell rang, I hurriedly began to announce the upcoming lunchtime library events.  "Monday, we're reading scary stories," I began, and then they interrupted me by cheering.  No kidding.  Fifty students all said, "YAY!!!!!" at the same time.  Can you imagine that?  It made my ears happy.  Their yay stopped me in my tracks and totally made my day.  I had to look at the calendar to remember what else was coming up.

Gosh I love my job.

Happy Reading!

Virals

"She is too fond of books, and it has turned her brain."

-Louisa May Alcott

Yesterday we had our second Girl's Book Club meeting of the semester.

I know, you're thinking, "...Webster has a girl's book club?!?!  I didn't know that!"  Yeah, we do.  And we had our second meeting yesterday.  And now you're thinking, "but you didn't write about the first meeting!"  And to that I say, no, I didn't.  Sorry about that--sometimes I have way better things to do than blog.  Like talking to classes about awesome books and teaching classes about library use and talking to kids and just getting caught up in the general business that is the teacher librarian position at Daniel Webster Middle School.  But I'm telling you now, so I'm hoping you'll forgive me.  :)

Ms. Orendorff and I have run a Girl's Book club here at DWMS for the last 4 years.  This year, Mr. Prinn has joined us.  We meet once a week in the library during lunchtime.  The books come from Donors Choose or donations from kind souls (usually Ms. Orendorff) and we give each girl a book.  Then we read a small portion of each book each week, and talk about that portion at the next meeting.  We discuss such things as character, setting, plot,  and whether or not we believe she really ought to go out with that guy.  And if he's hot.

And yeah.  You heard that right.  We give our girls books to take home and put on their shelf.  I like to think of it as a starter library.  I've been told that we should only loan them the books, so other students can read them in the future, but I absolutely disagree with that theory.  I personally believe that there is no gift as powerful as a book.

*  *  *

When I was in the classroom, I once took Scholastic up on an offer.  If I jumped through a hoop--I don't even remember what that hoop was--they would send me a book for each one of my students.  You can surely bet that I jumped!  I think I gave the books out as Valentine's Day presents.  I remember one student in particular.  He liked to talk about gangs a lot and had many, many referrals to the dean, mostly for defiance.  I handed him his book and he held it strangely.  I didn't get it at first--it was a tiny paperback book, I think about the presidents of the United States of America, and he was holding it like I held that tiny piece of flawless tanzanite that one time when I was in the Caribbean after the gem seller told me it cost $90,000.  After class that day the student came up to me and said, "Ms.  You gave me a book."  I blinked at him and wasn't sure how to respond.  "Ms," he said.  "I never had a book before."

*  *  *

Last weekend Ms. Orendorff called me excitedly.  She does that some times.  Kathy Reichs, author of Virals, the very book our book club had just started was going to sign book her new book Seizure at the Mysterious Galaxy bookstore in Redondo Beach!!!  OMG!!!!!!!  We got all excited.  It was exciting!!!!  I was excited.  She made trip slips and invited the girls to her home.  Unfortunately, I didn't end up going due to this dang cough I'm trying to get rid of that completely saps my energy.  But here is a photo of Ms. Orendorff, Mika, amazing author Kathy Reichs, and her son, Brendan.

AND they brought this back for me:

Notice the signatures!  It is up on display in the library for all to see.  I also love that it's in the background of the first photo.  :)

Ms. Orendorff--of course-- asked Dr. Reichs if she would come talk to our girls or even our entire student body.  I sure hope she does!

Happy Reading.

Ender's Game

"Children are made readers on the laps of their parents."

-Emilie Buchwald

Today we had our first episode of Book Talk with Ms. Bender.  It was, in short, awesome.

We discussed Ender's Game, a book that is somewhat controversial but completely solid.  I began by introducing Doctor Who (the tenth doctor), who will be our mascot for the year.  I figured that he would be a good mascot, because he travels through time and space--and who better to join us through all the time periods and places of all the novels we'll discuss than a time and space traveller?  Yanno whaddImean?

The raggedy tenth doctor and Ender's Game, winner of many awards and all around fantastic book

I know, I know, I have the End of Time injured tenth doctor.  I got him for my last birthday.  My husband didn't realize there were other options, ones who were not beat up and raggedy.  *sigh*  I'll get an uninjured one, one of these days...but for now, he'll do.

About six kids came, bringing their lunches and good attention spans.  Not bad for a first event!  I began to read the first chapter and as I read either I stopped to ask them a question to see if they got it (they did!) or they interrupted me (politely) to ask me a question.  We didn't make it all the way through, but I feel that's a great sign, because we had a great conversation around literature.  And isn't that the point, really?

The tenth doctor and all of the Ender books

The Bean books are my favorites.  In case you wondered. 

Unfortunately, the bell rang before we could finish the chapter, but three of them asked if they could check out Ender's Game because it sounded "cool."  It sounded cool.  Ok, maybe I lied before, maybe that is the point.  Getting children interested and excited about reading books.

Yeah, that's definitely the point.

Happy Reading!





* Note: Of course there are more pictures of the event, but they have kids in them and I can't legally post photos of student faces until all AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) forms are turned in with parent signatures.  Pesky legals matters and such.

Charlotte's Web

"Some Pig"

I just finished reading E.B. White's Charlotte's Web for the first time.  I'm still teary-eyed.  I sort of feel bad for my poor husband, who found me red-eyed and weepy when he came back from taking Casey to the dog park moments after I closed the book.  He truly thought something was really, really wrong.

I think I never read this book prior to now because I had such strong, happy memories of watching the cartoon with my mother when I was a child.  I only picked it up because it was recommended by my professor.  I remember my mother telling me it was one of her favorite stories when she was little, and I remember her hard cover copy with color illustrations that she kept on a shelf.  Because I had seen the cartoon, I thought that I knew the story; it never occurred to me that I was missing out on something precious by not actually reading the book.

This just reminds me that reading the classics--and I certainly believe that Charlotte's Web is a classic-- are tremendously important, and still incredibly relevant in today's world.  I may not live on a farm or know anything about pigs, but I sure do treasure my friends.  Also, just because there is a wave of phenomenal current children and teen literature doesn't mean that we should ignore the stories that touched our hearts when we were young.

Your mission, Parents, Guardians, and Friends, should you choose to accept it, is this: share the stories you loved as a child with your kids.  Take down that book you treasured as a child.  Read with them.  Talk to them about those stories.  Create treasured memories.

You'll be glad you did.

Happy Reading!  

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Facebook

My friends are my estate.

-Emily Dickinson

I started a Facebook page for our Library Media Center.  I will post dates and things that are happening in the LMC there, as well as give everyone a space to chat and connect.

Check it out, and please click Like!  (Come on, if my mom can Like it and make comments, so can you!)

Happy Reading!

Gratitude Soup

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; 

and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. "

-G.K. Chesterton

Last night's Open House was a success.  Families dined on mouth-watering salad, pasta with marinara sauce, rolls, and bottles of water.  Our principal Dr. Joyce held a meeting about the importance of education.  Our awesome parent group sold cookies and sodas--and they hawked the library magazine subscription fund.  So much so that our awesome tech guy--who donates his time to help us get our dilapidated computers up and running and had already purchased a cookie and a soda--dropped in a donation.  Our parents (and the tech guy) seriously rock my world.

We made $110 for magazine subscriptions!

This morning, of course the first thing I did was narrow magazines down to the ones I think are most important to order first.  This is what I came up with:

Entertainment Weekly

Seventeen

Teen Vogue

Shonen Jump

Nintendo Power

I often find these carelessly left on tables and under chairs after the rushed daily exodus from the library at the bell that signals the end of lunchtime.

So, thanks, Webster community.  We're off to a great start!

Happy Reading!    

The Art of Asking

"Only those who ask for more can get more, and only those who know there is more, ask."

-Alan Cohen

I've been cleaning for Back to School Night, which is tomorrow night.  A parent volunteer has been helping me.

Ok, I'll be honest here.  She's been cleaning and I've been helping.

In any case, while working on getting the library ready, she suggested that I put up a poster with a library wish list so that parents could see what the library needs.  I'm not sure how I feel about this.  I don't like asking our families for anything because it makes me uncomfortable and I don't want anyone to feel like they have to do anything; the idea of a free education is important to me.

On the one hand, our library really, really needs some love!

Here is my poster:

We have two adorable red rocking chairs that were donated two years ago.  Here's one:

SO cute.  SO comfy.  SO dirty!  I thought that perhaps if we got some slipcovers--I think that's what they call them when they go on couches--for the chairs, then I could take them home and wash the slipcovers, and the chairs wouldn't be so dirty.  They are certainly favorites in this room and used on a daily basis, which is why they are so dirty.  (And we would love some more!)

I didn't know how to ask for paint.  I thought that might come out weird, "hey, could you all go to Home Depot and purchase some purple, blue, yellow, red, and emerald spray paint?  Oh, and I need some primer, too.  Hey, while you're at it, could you also get a small thingie of each of the colors above?  And paint brushes?"

Yeah.  Still doesn't sound so hot.  So I'm asking for gift cards to Home Depot and Michael's.  This is why:

We have these great Fiction, Nonfiction, Magazine, and Reference signs, and they're all in lovely pine.  That no one can see because there is no color pop.  That people have actually complained about not seeing.

Also, check out the library carts:

I think they've been here since 1954, when the school opened.  Do you like the tape?  How about where I wrote "Fiction" with a black Sharpie?  They look so old and sad to me.    My plan is to paint them one color, and then paint "Fiction" and "Nonfiction" on them with the brushes in a different color that sparkles with glittery love.  Or something like that.  I hope that by painting them in bright colors, our library will feel even more friendly than it already does.

(By the way, did you notice the colors I've chosen to paint everything?   I'll have my Wizard of Oz library yet!)

This year, we have no funds to purchase magazines.  So, I'm asking for either money to go to purchase magazines (the parent promised me that this was an ok request) or actual magazine subscriptions from the fund raiser.  I have a catalog that I order from that offers more choices than the fundraiser does, but the fundraiser gets money into the school, so I'm not sure which would be a better choice.  Or I guess someone could actually just order a magazine subscription for us from the company... that would be great, too!

Speaking of requesting money, we need a large "piggy" bank--I guess they are called "money banks" now-- in which to collect it.  I think an owl or Oz motif would be awesome, but that would be up to the donator.  :)

Finally, we need printer ink.  There are two issues here:

This printer services the students and the teachers who come to the library to print things like homework and grades and other such nonsense.  It has no ink.

This printer is only used for one thing: to print book labels.  It has no ink.  I have books on shelves in the back room who would love a label, and even more love to be put out in circulation so that our scholars could read them.  Books like to be read; it's their purpose in life.*  But these books can't go out because we don't have all the materials to process them.  Mainly, printer ink.  It's a sad tale.

*     *     *

It's not comfortable asking for help, but I have a vision for this library, and it's one that I won't be able to achieve alone.  My vision requires way more than what I'm currently asking for, but these things will be a great start.  Making the library a comfy place to spend time and putting wonderful books within the reach of our scholars are my main goals with these requests, and even if I only get one of these items, it'll be super helpful.  I am grateful for whatever anyone can give.

Happy Reading!





*No, a book's purpose is not to sit on our shelves, unread but looking impressive.  We just think it is.


Update: a parent put this together for the library:

It's so great that people care about this place and want to help!




Oz

Return to Oz

I am so very excited!

Four years ago we purchased a program called Accelerated Reader, which allows us, among many other things, to track the word count of each of our scholars.  Thus, our Million Word Readers (MWR) program was born.  The goal is for each student to read a million words by the end of the school year, as per the California State Standard for grade 8.  Each year has been more  successful than the one prior.  I love the excitement it generates, and it's all around reading.

For the last two years, I have been in charge of this program.  The first year I found funds to purchase t-shirts for those amazing readers who were able to read a million words by the end of first semester.  Think about what that means: middle school kids reading that many, many books.  It's a pretty amazing accomplishment to read a million words in a year--much less, a semester.  The shirts were adorable, with a Where the Wild Things Are motif on a lime green shirt.  Last year, with new funds, we got The Very Hungry Caterpillar t-shirts--also full of cuteness; we had SO many readers that I had to order a second.  Luckily, this was just when the company that I order from unveiled it's newest design: Harry Potter.  I got these in black and purple, mostly because I liked them both so much I couldn't choose between them.  Here they are.  Aren't they just so cute?

Over this past summer I got an email from the company that I order from.  To be honest, I don't usually read email like that because, really, who has time?  But for whatever reason I opened it, and felt a sudden moment of shock when I saw the t-shirt that they offered.  I had to take a moment to just breathe. I was immediately thrilled!  I decided right then and there that we had to have those shirts!  Of course, I moved heaven and earth (and heartily annoyed Dr. Joyce in the process) to get it.  We were able to order just 50.

Well, they came, and here, in this very email, I'd like to showcase the new Daniel Webster Middle School 2011 - 2012 Million Word Reader Shirt:

Modeled by our very own Ms. Orendorff, of P.E. department and MWR fame.

Can you see him?  Can you see it?  No?  Here's a close-up:

YES, it's THE SCARECROW from THE WIZARD OF OZ!  Which, if you have ever set foot in my library, you'll know is MY FAVORITE!!!!!!  And he's dancing down the Yellow Brick Road! Under a rainbow!  With a book!!!!!!!  I am so excited!  There are going to be Webster scholars walking around with this blue shirt on for the next three years!

(I'm trying so hard not to write "OMG!!!!!",  I can't stand it!)

Um.  Excuse me for a moment.

*  *  *

Ok, I'm back from jumping up and down in excitement.  Teacherly decorum, you know.  *ahem*

In any case, I'm off to go find my book, because I NEED that shirt.  Need.  There is one with my name on it that I'll wear as soon as I reach 1 million words.  Then I'll model it and make students want, want, want it so badly that they'll get to a million words just to get the t-shirt.  Yep.  That's exactly what I'll do.

Happy Reading!

Eat, Pray, Love

"Let's get together and feel all right."

-Bob Marley

We lost many of our coworkers this year--some, Webster old timers who were particularly beloved--due to budget cuts and pink slips, and there has been a feeling of sadness and stress on campus.  In trying to combat this, the Faculty Staff Association is trying to put on some events to create some cheer and remind us that, hey, we Webster adults like each other!  One activity we've planned is the First Friday brunch.   While I know that nothing will make up for the loss of our coworkers here on campus, I am hoping that by having one day a month where we come together as a community, we'll at least start to close the gaping holes that were left in the circle.  I think it's so important that a faculty congregates for no other reason than to to talk, eat, and laugh, especially in these times of economic strife.

So, today we had our first First Friday Brunch during nutrition in the library.  Each department will host a month throughout the school year.  Our English department were the brave folks who volunteered to host us first, bringing delicious bagels and cream cheese, fruit, cookies, orange juice, and coffee.

Mrs. Pulliam, our strict yet compassionate dean, made a cute sign with the names of all faculty who had perfect attendance during the month of September, and she gave out certificates congratulating us.  (Did you catch that "us"?  Yes, I did have perfect attendance in the month of September.  *bows*)

Faculty and staff got the chance to catch up and spend some time together, and it was really great to watch all the conversations going on.

And, of course, it's not an event without Mrs. Teems mugging for the camera.

Parent volunteers came to help set up and clean up, so that I wasn't stuck with extra work all by myself.  I am so grateful!  Also--this is SO awesome!!!-- after overhearing that, since we are one department short of the school months the administration team was going to have to host two First Friday Brunches, one parent volunteer said that the Booster Club would host a month for us!  How exciting to be surrounded by such caring people.

I <3 Webster.

Happy reading!

The Bad Beginning

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."

-Semisonic

We had our very first ever Library Advisory Committee meeting this past Monday.  This was pretty exciting to me, as I'd been given the idea years ago and it took me years to put it in action.  There was a terrific turn out, and after I brought up the DIRE NEED to change the name from Library Advisory Committee (LAC, for short.  I know, right?) to anything else, we discussed the following:

Creating a library policy for insuring that our books stay in our library
Library displays to make it look awesome and homey
Our Million Word Readers (MWR) program
The Virtual Reference Desk (VRD)
Purchasing a server for the library
This year's library budget, which is exactly $0.00

Suggestions involved a discussion regarding how to modify Accelerated Reader (AR) for differently-abled students, requesting magazine subscription donations for the library from the community (we are in the midst of a fund-raiser that has magazines right now...brilliant!), and ... me starting a library blog.

Holy cow!  A library blog!  How fun!  I feel that this is both the end of an era--that of me being a beginning librarian--and beginning a new one: that of me being a ...well, whatever I am now.  I plan to post about goings on: in the library, at Webster, etc.  Because that sounds like fun.  And I think that's what people want to know about.  So...yeah.

In any case, I have a good feeling about this.  :)

Happy reading!