I'm dipping back into the blogging world! Once upon a time, way back around 2017/18, I made an effort to blog regularly about my practice as a teacher librarian. Over time, I found it hard to keep up with it along with the day-to-day grind of my job. But I've made a resolution for this new year to maintain a blog, specifically to chronicle my work next year with independent reading at my school. After attending CSLA this past year, I was inspired to become more involved with the independent reading happening in our English classrooms. I don't have to fight the battle of trying to make them understand the importance of IR; everyone is already on board. However, after CSLA, I felt there was more I could do as a teacher librarian beyond just giving book talks. Therefore, it has become my goal to establish a stronger presence in independent reading with one freshman English teacher and their classes. They will be the class I experiment with next year as we embark on this journey, with the potential for expansion to other English classes. A few general things to know about what we will be doing. . . #1: This English teacher will be incorporating IR into their classroom every day At my school, we follow a block schedule. Mondays are shortened days to allow for collaboration in the afternoon. Tuesdays and Thursdays consist of periods 1, 3, 5, and 7, while Wednesdays and Fridays consist of periods 2, 4, 6, and 7. This teacher has chosen not to include IR on Mondays due to the shortened day, but they will implement it on the other block days. The duration of IR time will range from 10 to 20 minutes.
#3: These classes will visit the library every 2 weeks This is where it gets exciting! Next year, this teacher will have periods 2, 4, and 7 with these classes. We have decided that every other Friday, we will schedule his classes to come into the library at the beginning of class for their independent reading (IR) time. During this visit, students will have the opportunity to return, renew, or checkout books, eliminating the need for them to do it during IR. This approach will help reduce the number of students who try to avoid IR by using the excuse of needing to go to the library to renew their books every time they start reading. eye roll Additionally, next year, we will have new, exciting lounge-like furniture in the front area of the library near our fiction section. It's going to create a fantastic atmosphere for IR. #4: The classroom teacher and teacher librarian will conference with students together during IR time in the library For reluctant readers, the classroom teacher and I will collaborate to support these students. The combination of the classroom teacher's familiarity and strong relationship with the students (as this teacher is well-liked) and my knowledge of our library's collection will hopefully be a winning combination in helping reluctant readers. #5: The students will receive short 5-minute lessons during their IR time in the library My goal is to assist students in maintaining a "To Be Read" (TBR) list, develop skills to become successful pleasure readers, and enhance their ability to describe themselves as readers. We will achieve this through brief lessons that will be conducted partially during IR time in the library and partially during IR time in the classroom.
#7: The classes will be provided with a bookshelf in the library to curate with recommendations One of my other goals was to find a way for students to engage in more book talks with each other in the library. While I believe that students value my recommendations, having students recommend books to their peers is the most impactful way to encourage reading. Therefore, I will dedicate a bookshelf specifically for these three classes to curate with their own recommendations for other students. Now I just need to decide where in the library this bookshelf should be placed. . . . This is a significant undertaking for the next year, but I am incredibly excited about the potential it holds for the future. The teacher I am collaborating with is enthusiastic about the possibilities and fully committed. That's one of the things I absolutely love about our English teachers here. They are exceptional to work with every day. If you are interested in becoming more involved with independent reading (IR) in your English classrooms next year, please feel free to use my Canva templates below. Adapt, borrow, adjust, and do whatever you need to make them work for you. I will document my journey through this blog, and I am excited about the possibility of presenting this as a professional development session at CSLA, perhaps in 2024! Resources/Handouts:
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AuthorJennifer Zimny has been the teacher librarian at Ponderosa High School since the 13/14 school year and previous to that, she was the drama teacher for 9 years. She holds a BA in Theatre from CSUS, a teaching credential in English, and a teaching credential in Library Media Services from Azusa Pacific University. She has presented an multiple professional development conferences, including CSLA, CUE, ELA Conference at Asilomar, and multiple PD offerings throughout her district. Archives
September 2023
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