Classroom Library Check-Out System

Although I do not teach Reading, I feel it is my duty as an ELA teacher to offer a classroom library to my students! Yes we have a school library, and yes my Reading teacher takes them to the library every two weeks. However I have found that if they see books every single day, they are more likely to want to grab a book and read it. I've done my library several different ways and I have had many different check-out procedures.

Last year I had yet to print out my checkout page and clip it to my clipboard. In a rush, I just told a student to write the book title on a post it and their name and stick it to the clipboard. Since I love all things post-it, my new procedure was born. By March, my kids were professional book renters. They knew to grab a post-it, include all the necessary information and stick it to the board. 

I liked the post-it method partly because I am partial to post-its, but it was also easy to look to my left and see who had what book out. As July comes halting to close I have been visualizing my classroom. Mulling over changes I want to make and decor I want to revamp. While strolling Hobby Lobby today I decided exactly how I wanted my check-out system to work this year. 

I am going to use my post-it method yet again, but with a slight change! I discovered a memory frame at Hobby Lobby. Decoupaged some chip board letters and Walah! I have mini clothes pins and plenty of post-its for my students to post their books!

Pictured above are all the materials that I used to make my book check-out center! Stay tuned for where it's new home will be inside Room 123!

donorschoose.org

In the Spring of 2016 my classes created a project for donorschoose.org. It was a huge success! It was part of a writing assignment, and they had to answer questions about our school and why we needed our project.

My classroom received a classroom set of two novels, Divergent and Hunger Games. All my classes really enjoyed reading Divergent and we did so many activities. It was such a joy to hear everyone talking about the characters and what was going to happen next. We even analyzed parts of the movie and compared it to the book. For a group of kiddos that moaned and complained anytime we read anything this was huge!

Kids will read, if you find things that interest them! I just wanted to share our experience with Donors Choose and encourage other to check them out! I have included some pictures where they are independently reading and others where they are discussing and responding to what they have read.

If you are a teacher and you are unfamiliar with this organization, I order you to stop what you are doing and check it out! If you are a person with a love of children, education, and you have the giving heart, then you need to check out the site too. In a nutshell, teachers create a project, find their materials, and submit the project. Once approved, the project goes live and people from all around the world can donate to your project and help you reach your goal!

Step One in the Writing Process: Identify your purpose!

The sweet July days are fleeting! Just a few short weeks and I will be back in my happy place with 130 new little faces! 130 new minds to challenge and characters to shape! I am eager for this new school year!

I have spent a good portion of my summer attending professional development workshops and my mind is exploding with amazing tools to share with my kiddos!

A goal this year is to incorporate more social media and technology into my classroom, and for a few reasons.

First, our world is overflowing with negativity. Our youth are spending hours scrolling through Instagram idolizing celebrities, bullying peers, or just simply wasting time. I feel like it is my duty to teach my students how to post positively and how to have a positive impact through social media. 

Reality: more and more companies are googling employee candidates, searching them on Facebook, twitter, and Instagram. So, I am hoping to give my students the opportunities to create a positive digital footprint in the social media realm! 

I am also hoping to use social media as a means to connect with my parents and students! 

Texas is moving into a new era, the T-TESS era. 

I am hoping to add instructional strategies and differentiation strategies and just FUN and AWESOME things that my kiddos are doing throughout the year!