This assignment seemed like a daunting task at first, but I am so happy to have completed it. Using the CBAM Model I was able to work with a teacher that I am close with and we have lots of trust and faith in each other. I set up a plan with where he was and how I can help him become a better teacher in using the library to his advantage. Because of this assignment I am now looking at the rest of the teachers in my school (small staff) and thinking about how I can informally try to change them without them knowing it. I am aware of the steps and the process and I feel that with gentle hinting and light directional pushing I can take these teachers to the next couple of steps. They will become better teachers without even knowing it.
Two teachers have already taken on this challenge and it has worked and they were not even aware they were doing this. I approached both grade 6/7 teachers about having their students do reading assignments in library. They had to pick a picture book and read to the class. I said this can be a good starting point for them and we can brainstorm some ideas about where to take this. After the weekend, one teacher came back and had this whole idea about the kids adding props/IT/or any other idea to their book choice and creating a full project/presentation. We had 3 of them on Thursday and they were amazing. Using youtube and power point and reading their books as well as giving background information on their topic. We were very happy. The other teacher asked me about not just reading picture books but wants students to do non-fiction picture books or picture books with a moral or point or hot discussion topic to them. Then that class will work in small groups of 2 or 3 to create a presentation about their book and topic. So I showed that class about some of all the amazing different picture books that would work for their presentations and how they can use them in a presentation.
Both teachers jumped on board and with a little push they started moving up the levels of the CBAM model. I was very impressed as I can see what is happen from a technical standpoint and not just go through the motions of creating amazing library lessons. I am much more aware of my actions then I was a few short months ago.
These are great activities to get the staff to buy into the library. Never forget to have some fun with them, too. A very simple but effective project is book in a bag. Start small with this - let one child present their book with all the collateral they want to gather in the bag. It can be fiction/non-fiction (doesn't). What matters is how the kid presents the book and the related items in the bag. One time I did this with lunch bags that had to be decorated (a la the book) and Travis A insisted on presenting Captain Underpants. Now Travis was not the smallest of children and I'll never forget the shock and awe of the huge plaid underpants coming out of the wee lunch bag along with the remote control to the family TV. I still get the giggles when I think back to the day. The bottom line was that the kids dream up some very creative ways to talk about books that they really like!
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