Podcast on Literacy Programs

I found this podcast on youtube.com when I searched for elementary literacy programs. I liked the video entitled, Stony Creek Elementary School- 2009 TEAMS Award Winner, because it embodies the things I find important in the school librarian's position on his/her campus. I believe it is the responsibility of the librarian to help foster and build relationships with students in order to increase students' reading comprehension, fluency, accuracy and overall love of reading. I love the part of the video when the library media specialist (love the title by the way) says that when children hear an adult read them a story, the fancy, colorful cover of the book is replaced with a face. This is a gentle reminder that books and reading inspire wonderful memories for children of all ages.

You can watch the podcast below



or visit the website at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxtSlT5Zhsk

Connecting to the At Risk Student

As I looked through the Google Blog search engine for related articles, I came across this one entitled, The Library and the At-Risk Student. I think it fits my topic of interest perfectly. The article comes from the blog, Top Shelf: the "best stuff" for school librarians, and provides research on how the library and the librarian can build positive relationships with students who are classified as "at-risk". The article reads,

"Librarians can help build resiliency in the environment in many ways. They can provide support for at-risk students by developing relationships with them and serving as mentors. Students who have trouble in the classroom environment may come to the library with a “clean slate” and find refuge and success.

Librarians can also help build resiliency by providing opportunities for meaningful participation: clubs, games, poetry readings, and other events offer at-risk students the opportunity to interact socially with their peers and caring adults. Students who are involved have less risk of dropping out....."

For further reading, check out the blog at http://topshelf.edublogs.org/2009/03/04/the-library-and-the-at-risk-student/

Topic of Interest...

I have created this blog as part of the LS 5013 course. I am hoping to obtain my MLS degree as well as my school librarian certification. My goal as a school librarian is to help young children make connections to the books they read in the library, whether the connections be to their lives, to other forms of media or to the world around them. I also want to create book clubs at the elementary level to help children deal with and express their feelings in a positive way.

In order to do these things I will need to set up a wonderful literacy program at my campus. Collaboration with administrators, teachers and parents will be key to the program's success. Therefore, my topic of interest is ways to build literacy and reading awareness.