Why School Librarians Are Educators Too and Why School Libraries Matter

Posted on November 22, 2017 by alibrarylady

‘’We are all educators…….accompanying young people in their efforts to build their lives for today and tomorrow.’’

For seventeen years I worked as a librarian in a school at which the words above formed part of the mission statement. When I left in the summer of 2017 the head-teacher said that as the school librarian I was an example of this. Not me personally but in my role within the school community. Unfortunately today it would appear that there are many who do not believe that school librarians are educators and that schools do not need a librarian at all.

Inevitably discussions about education concentrate on teachers and teaching assistants. That they are the public face of education is not in doubt but schools work best when the staff collaborate and work together as a team and the school librarian should be an important part of that team. Quietly and stealthily school libraries and librarians are disappearing. There are schools that may have a library but no professional librarian to run it. Without a school librarian the library is simply a room full of books, with a librarian it can become the heart of the school for both pupils and staff. We live in age when much in education has to be assessed, measured and counted. These things that can be counted appear to matter most to those who are making the decisions. So much of what librarians do can’t be assessed or counted. That does not mean that what they do does not matter. Nor does it mean that they are not having a positive impact on the children they serve.  Why?  How do librarians add to a child’s education? Why do school libraries matter?

  1. School Libraries matter because Reading for Pleasure makes a difference

There has been much research carried out in recent years that supports the view that enjoying reading has benefits for a child’s education generally. Reading enjoyment has been reported as more important for children’s educational success than their family’s socio-economic status. There is a growing body of evidence which illustrates the importance of reading for pleasure for both educational purposes as well as personal development. In the school library children may not learn how to read but they are likely to learn how to become ‘’a reader.’’ I know that there are many wonderful teachers who create readers; however creating readers is what makes school librarians tick. It’s what we are all about. Finding that right book at the right time that opens up a whole new world for a particular child is the reason we are there.  We have the time to chat about books, to recommend and to guide, to allow time and space for choice and browsing. Librarians love what Teresa Cremin (Professor of Education, Literacy at the Open University) describes so delightfully as book blether. The best class teacher in the world simply does not have enough time to do all this. School Libraries matter because they enable this to happen and librarians can help teachers to make it happen too.

  1. School Libraries Matters Because Facts Matter

‘Fake news’ was named Collins Dictionary’s official Word of the Year for 2017. Never has it been more apparent that we, the public, need to be able to access reliable and accurate information that we can trust.  However, some children’s idea of independent research is to ‘Google it’’. School librarians are trained to teach research skills – referencing, plagiarism etc. and know how to carry out online research, use digital tools and can guide Google searching. As librarian for a junior department I stored links to numerous websites for both teachers and pupils, provided links to suitable sites for young children to use both in school and at home and guided research lessons using books and online resources. School librarians can educate the next generation to select, appraise and use the information they find with confidence. Surely this matters.

  1. School Libraries Matter because we want children to be not only good readers but good people too.

2017 saw the celebration of the first Empathy Day to highlight empathy’s importance in our divided world and the power of stories to develop it.  The day was an amazing success and will now be an annual event.  Through stories children are able to briefly put themselves in the shoes of others and in this way learn about what life is like for people very different to themselves.  Equally importantly, in stories children may find themselves and learn to cope with situations, worries or feel less alone. Children’s books matter because they can encourage tolerance and understanding. School librarians know which books can do this. Education is not just about the academics it is about educating the whole person to be the best that they can be. This matters a great deal.

  1. School Libraries matter because they can be a safe haven.

Perhaps this should have been reason number one. Every single school librarian can tell you of a child that has been ‘’rescued’’ by the library. The new pupil anxious about the hurly-burly of the playground, the worried child who needs some time alone and a quiet space to simply ‘’be’’. If for any reason a child feels out of place the school library can provide security and a place where they feel valued. The school library offers comfort to many and this matters enormously.

As I write this, Nick Poole, the CEO of the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, is asking children’s authors to support a letter that is being sent to the Government calling for a halt in the decline of school and college libraries. They are responding in large numbers. This is wonderful. My voice may only be a small one but I want to use it to support this call. This is not about self-interest or my job security as I’m no longer employed as a school librarian. It is about speaking up to protect something that I believe to be of great value. If all teachers, teaching assistants, parents, authors, illustrators, book and library lovers speak up too maybe all our voices can add up to something that cannot be ignored. If you think that school libraries matter please add your voice too.

Thank you for reading.

ND Library

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The Lost Words – A Review and an Evening with Robert Macfarlane and Jackie Morris

Posted on October 18, 2017 by alibrarylady

Books tend to be put in categories. Books for children, Young Adult books, ‘’coffee-table books’’, picture books, non-fiction and poetry are labels applied to many. Every so often a book appears that defies categorisation and The Lost Words is such a book.  A gloriously illustrated work of art, a collection of magic spells and most definitely a book to treasure this is a book for all ages and for all types.  The Lost Words brings together poetic literature, fine art and a fascination with nature. Most importantly this is a book to share so that its message can grow, spread and work as its creators hope it will.

The Lost Words

The origins of this book are already well known, sparked as they were by the fact that many words linked to our natural world from acorn to wren were to be dropped from the Oxford Junior Dictionary in 2007 reflecting the decline in usage of such words.  This loss coupled with the decline in play ‘’in the wild’’ for many children prompted the creation of this wonderful book in the hope that it will highlight the beauty of our world and encourage its readers, both children and adults, to pause and focus on the world around them and to appreciate our surroundings a little more.

Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane

On October 5th I was lucky enough to hear Jackie Morris and Robert Macfarlane speak at the launch event for their book at Foyles, Charing Cross Road. This was such a treat. As a school librarian I have seen how authors and illustrators can work their magic on a roomful of children adding to the understanding and enjoyment of a book. It was a rare privilege to experience the same thing in a roomful of adults as we listened and learned together. It was fascinating to discover that the book was born of a series of emails between the two creators and that Jackie’s original idea had been to write a sort of ‘dictionary definition’ for each word with Robert possibly providing the foreward. Once the two of them had teamed up this altered and Robert created a ‘spell’ to conjure up each natural wonder.  These acrostic spells are a treat to read aloud and the use of language is wonderful. The words almost sound like the movement of some of the creatures he describes.  To hear them read aloud by the author himself adds to this impact and demonstrated the gift of natural storytelling.

the-lost-words-3.jpg

The book itself is truly a thing of beauty. A large hardback sumptuously illustrated this begs to be stroked even if you aren’t normally a book stroker!  The pretty and so aptly named ‘charm’ of goldfinches that flit across the cover and the opening pages give a taste of what is to follow.  Jackie Morris’s stunning illustrations capture and convey the beauty of plants, birds and animals with a feel of having wandered into an art gallery. They are quite simply breathtaking. The use of gold throughout the book’s pages increases the feeling of richness too. Each word is given three double paged spreads, the first two of which show the absence of the natural thing being described.  It was interesting to hear how Jackie tackled this as it is clearly difficult to create an illustration that shows that something is missing. She eventually decided on a more abstract approach and letters of the alphabet are shown with those of the plant, bird or creature depicted in a different colour. This is a clever idea and a child would enjoy trying to solve the puzzle of the missing word.

Over the days since I bought my copy I keep returning to it and find it strangely calming as it encourages me to slow down and absorb the beauty of both the text and the illustrations. Jackie Morris said at the event I attended that she hoped the book would encourage people to focus on the natural world around them and this has worked for me. Daily walks now feel subtly different and I am increasingly aware of things that I had taken for granted.

This beautiful book begs to be shared and offers multiple uses in schools and I can imagine it would be a wonderful prompt for both art and writing activities. I understand that a range of teachers’ resources is being prepared which is brilliant news.

As I sit and read this book I feel a little as though I am transported back to my childhood and the magic of nature walks. This remarkable book acts as a tool to enable us as adults  to ensure that children today experience that magic for themselves.

The Lost Words is a book that I am grateful to have found.

 

Robert Macfarlane wrote a wonderful article for the Guardian linked to this book and if you missed it you can read it here.

There is also a fascinating look at the story behind the book on Jackie Morris’s lovely  website.

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Letters From the Lighthouse by Emma Carroll Review and teaching links

Posted on September 6, 2017 by alibrarylady

From her very first book for children, Frost Hollow Hall, I have loved Emma Carroll’s stories. They are the sort of books that the ten-year old me would have adored and they have a magic about them which makes me look forward to reading her latest books with a childlike excitement.

I was a bit slow off the mark in reading Letters from the Lighthouse so there was a lot of discussion online already however I had heard only positive things about it. When I finally managed to read it during my holiday I was most definitely not disappointed. This is fabulous historical storytelling, evoking a sense of time and place in a way that makes the reader feel part of the world Emma Carroll has created.

It is February 1941 and a bomb blast takes place in London.  Afterwards Olive can remember little about the night her elder sister went missing. Olive’s mother decides that the city is no longer safe for her children so Olive and her younger brother, Cliff, are evacuated to coastal Devon. Once there they eventually find themselves staying with the mysterious lighthouse keeper.

At first Olive struggles with life in the country and sadly makes an enemy of the challenging Esther. In addition to coping with the changes to her circumstances Olive is determined to solve the mystery and secrets linked to the disappearance of her sister, Sukie.  She soon becomes drawn into a dramatic and exciting adventure which keeps the reader guessing. Once again the author has created believable characters that a reader can engage with. Olive is a likeable heroine who copes remarkably well with her situation showing a maturity and kindness that readers can learn much from. I found Queenie intriguing too and liked her rather spiky attitude. It is Esther, though, whose story has the most impact. I’m reluctant to give away too much of the plot but one of the major strengths of this book is the way in which through Esther readers can empathise with people today who are suffering prejudice in similar ways to Esther and her family. Emma writes about weighty issues including grief and loss with a warmth and kindness that is appropriate for her intended audience.

This is children’s historical fiction at its best, a gripping adventure with believable characters and events that have a resonance today.  A wonderful book and highly recommended.

Although first and foremost a brilliant story this would work extremely well in schools prompting discussion and also be extremely helpful for learning about World War 2. An ideal class read. Letters from the Lighthouse can be bought at all good bookshops online or borrowed from your local library.

 Letters from the lighthouse cover

 

Interview with Emma Carroll

Mat Tobin, Senior Lecturer in English and Children’s Literature at Oxford Brookes University interviewed Emma about Letters from the Lighthouse and this provides a fascinating insight into both the research behind the book and the writing process involved.  You can read it here This interview, I think,  is interesting to both adults and young readers.

Emma Carroll

Photo of Emma from her official website

Scheme of Work

The brilliant and ever helpful primary school teacher Ashley Booth (@MrBoothY6 on Twitter) has produced a scheme of work linked to the book which is freely available on the TES website or can be accessed via Ashley’s blog

Lighthouse Information

The lighthouse in the story was inspired by the one at Start Point in Devon and if young readers want to find out more about this they can find more information on the official website.

WW2 Evacuees

There are many sources of information about evacuees suitable for KS2 students but two of the most comprehensive websites are Primary Homework Help and the Imperial War Museum

Kindertransport

The CBBC Newsround website contains information about the Kindertransport programme presented in a manner appropriate for Junior School children.

Finally if reading Letters from the Lighthouse has whetted your appetite for more of Emma’s books you can read my reviews of her previous titles on the Bookbag site.

Another excellent book dealing with World War 2 and themes of discrimination, immigration and tolerance is Girl With a White Dog by Anne Booth  

For a novel about evacuees you may also like to try Catching Falling Stars by Karen McCombie



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Love your School Library? – Five Reasons You Should Join the School Library Association Now

Posted on August 31, 2017 by alibrarylady

For more than seventeen years I have been a school librarian. When I first started I could not have managed without the advice, support and help of the School Library Association (SLA).sla-logo

If you care about your school library then SLA can help you too. Anyone who believes that encouraging a love of reading in our schools is vital already knows that we need a professional librarian in each and every one of them. However the harsh reality is that this is not a financial possibility for an increasing number of schools at present.  This has resulted in time-pressed teachers and TAs often being given responsibility for the school library, particularly in the primary sector. Sadly a large number of county School Library Services are closing too thus depriving schools of that valuable source of advice and resources. Membership of the SLA provides schools with contact with professional librarians and this ensures that you are able to benefit from their experience, knowledge and skills, albeit at a slight distance.

So how can the School Library Association help you?

  1. Advice and information by telephone or email is available for all members. SLA’s professional staff can provide advice on setting up a school library from scratSLA plans-practices-and-policiesch or how to make the most of an existing one. The newly revamped website also provides advice for non members. The support for the primary sector can be accessed here.
  2. The SLA website provides freely downloadable resources for both the primary and secondary sectors. These resources include, guidance on book selection, funding and budgeting plus creating library policies, organising author visits, e-books, preparing for inspection and loads more. It’s brilliant and I have found it a huge help. There are also a range of brilliant reasonably priced publications such as Riveting Reads for all age groups, Amazing Apps for Primary Schools, Picture Books for 0-90, A World of Books in Translation and loads more.
  3. A free quarterly journal, The School Librarian, is sent to all members. This includes reviews of books for all ages from Infant to Sixth Form and articles about best practice. I think the ict@SLA section edited by the brilliant Bev Humphrey (@libwithattitude http://www.bevhumphrey.com/ ) is particularly helpful as it provides information about websites/online resources/blogs with an evaluation of each. It is possible to download an example of the journal on the SLA website.                       School Librarian Journal 2
  4. A comprehensive training programme is run by SLA both on-line and countrywide. Members are able to attend regional training days at a discount however non-members are also made very welcome. The online primary library course is particularly attractive and helpful for non-librarians and is definitely worth a look. There is also a mentoring service available for new school librarians.
  5. Last but most definitely not least are the local branches where you can meet with other members and compare experiences, get new ideas and plan joint ventures. These branches usually organise visits by speakers or trainers to the local meetings. Over the years I have been lucky enough to listen to children’s books experts Prue Goodwin, Julia Eccleshare and Imogen Russell Williams, storyteller Patrick Ryan, a couple of School Librarians of the Year and many more! Despite not having an artistic bone in my body I learned how to create attractive displays and games that would appeal to students.  It is these local meetings that helped to keep me sane in the early years and are most definitely worth the membership fee alone.

This is just a very brief look at the many helpful resources available.

So now you know how the School Library Association can help you what are you waiting for? All of this is available to you whether a librarian, a teacher, a TA or a volunteer parent for £89 per year. An absolute bargain! Visit the new updated website for more information. The SLA helped me it can definitely help you too.

Chris Riddell SLA president

The School Library Association together with the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals has launched the Great School Libraries Campaign to secure school library funding and establish a national framework for school libraries. If you care about school libraries and librarians please visit the official website to find out more.



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Books on Reading for Teachers who Read

Posted on July 24, 2017 by alibrarylady

The summer holiday is often the only opportunity that teachers have to make time to read all those books that have been recommended to them throughout the school year.  If you want to ensure that the pupils in your class from next September are children who want to read the best way is to know the wonderful range of books available to them. But where do you start? The highly regarded award winning books, the brilliant novel suggested as a good class read and the picturebook to share with your own family all sound so appealing. Yes, of course all of these books are vital if you want to be a reading teacher but it also helps to read books about children, books and reading. As a school librarian I have read many of these over the last 17 years and wanted to share some of my favourites.

 

The Book Whisperer by Donalyn Miller

The book whisperer

If you only have the time to read one book about children reading I think this is the one. Immensely readable with practical advice and tips this has rapidly become the ‘’reading teacher’s’’ go to manual on reading for pleasure. Miller’s approach emphasises the importance of choice and being given time to engage fully with the text. Her passion is infectious and she dispenses sensible advice to ensure that her approach works in the classroom. As a teacher she has a proven track record in achieving very impressive results using her style. I think a good example of her approach is the terms she uses to describe the different types of readers: not reluctant but ‘’dormant’’ and ‘’developing’’ instead of struggling. This is a very positive and enthusiastic book that provides class teachers with the tools to change their own classrooms too. Highly recommended.

Tell Me, Children, Reading and Talk and the Reading Environment by Aidan Chambers

Tell Me Children and reading

As a school librarian I have witnessed how important informal bookchat can be in encouraging children to read for pleasure. The library is the ideal place for this to happen. In this thoughtful book this chat is taken further and Chambers shows how his approach encourages children to become articulate critics of books and helps teachers to develop booktalk in the classroom. The author gives many examples of how these conversations work and also provides a comprehensive list of the sorts of questions that promote discussion. The book is divided into two sections and also describes, with examples, how children’s surroundings and the way in which books are made available to them influence their reading journeys. An excellent book.

Understanding Children’s Books – A Guide for Education Professionals – Edited by Prue Goodwin.

Understanding Children's books

I have found this book hugely helpful and return to it often. The contributors to this text read a little like a Who’s Who of Children’s Literature and include Prue Goodwin (also the editor), Nikki Gamble and Mel Gibson. It covers books from nursery to lower secondary and each chapter covers a different theme or genre and gives examples of titles for each. The themes include storytelling and traditional tales, books in translation, poetry, non-fiction and graphic novels. An excellent book to dip into for specific needs this is also written in easy to read style.

Promoting Reading for Pleasure in the Primary School by Michael Lockwood

Promoting Reading for Pleasure in the Primary School

This practical book draws on research studies into reading for pleasure by children in the UK to discuss the many national initiatives promoting its importance and also identifies effective practices taking place in schools. There are individual case studies and details of activities and schemes that work. Full of practical advice this is a useful book for everyone interested in developing a love of reading including school librarians, teachers and T.A.s. This is the sort of book that fills you with ideas and enthusiasm.

 

Developing Children’s Critical Thinking through Picture Books by Mary Roche

Developing Children's Critical Thinking picture books

Wisdom and practical advice are dispensed in this must read book for any teacher who is interested in making the most of picturebooks in the classroom. The emphasis on discussion and using these books to help young children to think and make sense of the world around them is so sensible and there are many helpful examples of how this works in the classroom. There is considerable reference to helpful research too and to what critical literacy means. I found this to be a fascinating read and wish it had been around when I started my career as a school librarian.

The Rights of the Reader by Daniel Pennac

The Rights of the Reader

This last recommendation is slightly different to the others but equally helpful to anyone interested in what encourages children to read. The author looks back on his own childhood reading and on his attitude as a parent and teacher. He stresses the importance of not turning something that should be a pleasure into a chore. This is a thought provoking read and ‘’the rights’’ are frequently mentioned during discussions about reading in schools. My personal favourite is, ‘’the right to mistake a book for real life’’, something I do quite frequently!

These are just a few of the books that over the past seventeen years I have used and shared as a school librarian. Of course there are others and my ‘’to read pile’’ includes Reading for Pleasure by Kenny Pieper and Reading in the Wild by Donalyn Miller. Both of these have been recommended by others so you may like to try these too.

Happy holiday reading…

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