This might be the best thing I've seen today: Kolbie W., taking a little breather from studying for exams to work on a new headband.
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
Vive la revolution!
This might be the best thing I've seen today: Kolbie W., taking a little breather from studying for exams to work on a new headband.
Monday, May 23, 2016
Intrepid colorist!
Today's featured artist is Xavier K., who chose a page from Intrepid Coloring: Adult Coloring for Burly Men.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Less stress in the MS
"She has a blog?"
"She does!" A colleague shared with me last week that no one knew I had a blog. In fact, I'm a regular blogger for a national group - the Association of Independent School Librarians. That keeps me so busy I rarely have time to post to my own library blog, so this month I collapsed the two for a post about exam stress in the middle school. Here 'tis.
The tension is so palpable you can practically see it in the air: it’s mid-May, and that can only mean one thing . . . it’s exam season.
“Stress” is perhaps a too-general term. Some students are exhibiting a disinterest so pronounced it’s akin to a state of coma; others are verging on hysteria. This month I consider ways to help all parties (yourself as well!), including some ways to get involved as the librarian. I spoke to my own middle school advisees as well as our school’s director of academic services and counseling, Melinda Lloyd, for some expert information. I also consulted our wellness coach, Kelly Lavieri, for some physical and nutritional advice. (Don’t we always encourage the students to seek expert opinions?)
I have it on good authority that it’s not your 7th grade history final that gets you into Harvard, so why the agony? Predictably, my bunch reported that they still worry about getting a bad grade. I’m assuming that it’s parental disappointment driving that particular fear, along with perhaps a sense of failure that all humans would sooner avoid. Interestingly, another student said that it was the issue of having so many all at once. One student said aloud that he didn’t think they were that bad, and appreciated being let out at noon for five days – the kids have one final each morning for five days, with Memorial Day in the middle, and go home each day after a brief review session for the next exam.
And that right there is exactly what Ms. Lloyd said to me: one’s attitude towards the exam goes a very long way towards affecting the stress level of the test taker. Research, she said, (yay research!) suggests that the way we view stress changes our response to it. If we look at exams as a threat, we are pessimistic and feel no control over our situation. If we see exams as a challenge, we can control our approach to them and feel more optimistic as a result.
So, how to equip our youngsters with the right attitude during this fraught time in their lives? Start by validating their feelings, Ms. Lloyd said, and then move on to ways in which the kids can take control and feel as though they’re in charge of their destinies. In my group, we talked about ways in which they combat stress, so here are the words right from their very own mouths:
It’s an office–supply paradise here. Notecards, a hole punch, highlighters, glue sticks, you name it – if a kid needs it for preparing flashcards or exam notes, we’ve got it. Tons of tables for working in groups, too, and some private rooms for group study like vocabulary review. I try to schedule the rooms fairly with a sign-up sheet so they can study together the morning of the test without disturbing others.
Crafty Corner – this is new this year. I bought some coloring books, including something called Intrepid Coloring: Adult Coloring for Burly Men. We’ll have scented markers (remember those?) and colored pencils. I’m also going to set up some yarn and needles, and have a few projects already cast-on so users can just focus on knitting meditatively instead of choosing a pattern, casting on stitches, etc. There will be a kitten jigsaw puzzle – who doesn’t love kittens? – and our rather fancy inlaid chess board gets a lot of use, so I’m putting out some extra cheap chess sets so more people can de-stress with the Queen’s Gambit.
Caffeine – We have a Keurig machine here in the Student Center but I still feel conflicted about sending 12-year-olds zooming into the stratosphere with dark roast. I know they walk into school with Starbucks cups, but I don’t have to enable them. I may limit a library-sponsored basket of coffee pods to upper school only.
Healthy snacks – to be consumed off-premises, obviously! Coach Kelly, our wellness guru, told me that protein-rich snacks are key to good brain function, and shared this fascinating fact: just taking a sip of water before any intellectual task can actually improve brain function measurably. So, bottled water too, and ample recycling bins strategically placed to avoid the usual stuff-the-bottle-in-the-reference-section response.
Take care of them, and that palpable tension will be tamed. Less stress for you too!
"She does!" A colleague shared with me last week that no one knew I had a blog. In fact, I'm a regular blogger for a national group - the Association of Independent School Librarians. That keeps me so busy I rarely have time to post to my own library blog, so this month I collapsed the two for a post about exam stress in the middle school. Here 'tis.
The tension is so palpable you can practically see it in the air: it’s mid-May, and that can only mean one thing . . . it’s exam season.
“Stress” is perhaps a too-general term. Some students are exhibiting a disinterest so pronounced it’s akin to a state of coma; others are verging on hysteria. This month I consider ways to help all parties (yourself as well!), including some ways to get involved as the librarian. I spoke to my own middle school advisees as well as our school’s director of academic services and counseling, Melinda Lloyd, for some expert information. I also consulted our wellness coach, Kelly Lavieri, for some physical and nutritional advice. (Don’t we always encourage the students to seek expert opinions?)
I have it on good authority that it’s not your 7th grade history final that gets you into Harvard, so why the agony? Predictably, my bunch reported that they still worry about getting a bad grade. I’m assuming that it’s parental disappointment driving that particular fear, along with perhaps a sense of failure that all humans would sooner avoid. Interestingly, another student said that it was the issue of having so many all at once. One student said aloud that he didn’t think they were that bad, and appreciated being let out at noon for five days – the kids have one final each morning for five days, with Memorial Day in the middle, and go home each day after a brief review session for the next exam.
And that right there is exactly what Ms. Lloyd said to me: one’s attitude towards the exam goes a very long way towards affecting the stress level of the test taker. Research, she said, (yay research!) suggests that the way we view stress changes our response to it. If we look at exams as a threat, we are pessimistic and feel no control over our situation. If we see exams as a challenge, we can control our approach to them and feel more optimistic as a result.
So, how to equip our youngsters with the right attitude during this fraught time in their lives? Start by validating their feelings, Ms. Lloyd said, and then move on to ways in which the kids can take control and feel as though they’re in charge of their destinies. In my group, we talked about ways in which they combat stress, so here are the words right from their very own mouths:
- “I prepare and organize notes,” said one enterprising and with-it student. This is a way of taking that control Ms. Lloyd mentioned.
- Sleep, said another. Our wellness coach echoed this. Good sleep is vital to good brain function.
- Eat well, they said (while munching on donuts a parent provided for a snack.) This is true: good nutrition also supports good brain function, which the wellness coach also pointed out. But, said Ms. Lloyd, “They know what to say, but they don’t follow through with their behavior.”
- “Punch a pillow,” said a tiny but fierce girl. “Swimming,” said another. Another student reported she likes to ride her Penny board around the neighborhood to relieve stress too, and I have a young equestrienne in the group who rides her horse to de-stress – physical activity is good for body and mind, and a dose of nature is healthy too.
- “Dream about summer,” one said at last. Way to keep your eyes on the prize, kid!
It’s an office–supply paradise here. Notecards, a hole punch, highlighters, glue sticks, you name it – if a kid needs it for preparing flashcards or exam notes, we’ve got it. Tons of tables for working in groups, too, and some private rooms for group study like vocabulary review. I try to schedule the rooms fairly with a sign-up sheet so they can study together the morning of the test without disturbing others.
Crafty Corner – this is new this year. I bought some coloring books, including something called Intrepid Coloring: Adult Coloring for Burly Men. We’ll have scented markers (remember those?) and colored pencils. I’m also going to set up some yarn and needles, and have a few projects already cast-on so users can just focus on knitting meditatively instead of choosing a pattern, casting on stitches, etc. There will be a kitten jigsaw puzzle – who doesn’t love kittens? – and our rather fancy inlaid chess board gets a lot of use, so I’m putting out some extra cheap chess sets so more people can de-stress with the Queen’s Gambit.
Caffeine – We have a Keurig machine here in the Student Center but I still feel conflicted about sending 12-year-olds zooming into the stratosphere with dark roast. I know they walk into school with Starbucks cups, but I don’t have to enable them. I may limit a library-sponsored basket of coffee pods to upper school only.
Healthy snacks – to be consumed off-premises, obviously! Coach Kelly, our wellness guru, told me that protein-rich snacks are key to good brain function, and shared this fascinating fact: just taking a sip of water before any intellectual task can actually improve brain function measurably. So, bottled water too, and ample recycling bins strategically placed to avoid the usual stuff-the-bottle-in-the-reference-section response.
Take care of them, and that palpable tension will be tamed. Less stress for you too!
Friday, September 25, 2015
Books are really still banned?
I overheard this just the other day. "Really? Books are still being banned in schools? What year is this?"
Yes, it's true: some books are still banned sometimes, in some places. Celebrate your freedom to read by picking up a banned book and expanding your mind with whatever it is someone else doesn't think you should see. The Student Center has plenty of choices, from works of recent vintage to favorite banned classics. Take one home today!
Want more info? Revisit this post I published about a year ago, and visit me at the desk for more information about intellectual freedom.
Yes, it's true: some books are still banned sometimes, in some places. Celebrate your freedom to read by picking up a banned book and expanding your mind with whatever it is someone else doesn't think you should see. The Student Center has plenty of choices, from works of recent vintage to favorite banned classics. Take one home today!
Want more info? Revisit this post I published about a year ago, and visit me at the desk for more information about intellectual freedom.
Thursday, April 23, 2015
Librarians Rule
We're helping elementary kids find favorite books to read, we're working with teachers to create exciting projects in middle school, we're helping high school students get ready for the next big step in their learning careers. And they're all so interesting! Some fly planes, some go on mission trips to Guatemala, some coach the track team, some belly dance . . . . So this morning, when my own pre-K cutie wanted a new temporary tattoo for the week (he's really into glam rock, so he demands a new tat every ten days or else he'll freestyle one himself with marker), I knew just which one to pick.
LIBRARIANS RULE. Boom.
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Tradition!
Reading through blog posts of years past, it turns out that without really meaning to, I've started my own little Thanksgiving tradition right here in the library. After the first few days of cool weather (whatever that means here in Florida!), my mind starts to turn to seasonal delights. Although I am known for being a total harridan about eating in the library, eating OUTSIDE the library is something I absolutely embrace. To that end, I always pull and display our collection of cookbooks and food-related titles. If you've never cooked, I've got books for you, and if you're an accomplished cook, you're covered also. Stop by and see what we've got!
As well, I also like to think about Thanksgivings long ago, so at this time of year I select books about the colonial period and early America as well as books about Native American life and culture. I inherited a very strong collection of titles for researching Native American subjects, but we also have a fine selection of fiction set among America's native peoples, whether in the past or present.
Finally, a much-loved Thanksgiving tradition is having a little time off to spend as one likes, such as . . . reading next to a cozy fire with a hot mug of something yummy on a lazy, chilly day! For those of you yearning for just such a moment, I have a great selection of current best-sellers and favorite titles to keep you happy over the long holiday weekend.
Stop by and check out the book display and take something home. Keep it till the next break, and then find something else or renew what you've got. (Letting overdue dates skate is also a favorite tradition - shhh, don't tell.)
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
It's not Band Book Week
It's Banned Book Week. Get it? Forbidden, not allowed, outlawed, prohibited.
Except not here, and you probably know that already. Instead, we're celebrated the freedom to read by placing a selection of books that have been banned on display so you can choose one for yourself and take it home and read it. This year the focus at our library is on works of recent fiction - in past years we have highlighted banned children's books, banned works now considered literary classics, or works that regularly appear on course lists.
Officially, the headquarters of Banned Book Week are highlighting graphic novels (what used to be called comic books.) Did you know we have a big collection of those too? Please come in and sample some forbidden fruit.
Privacy guaranteed. Celebrate your freedom to read this week!
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