Tracy_J_ISCI 600_ Blog 5

 5th Blog ~ Reading Reflections

     I have attended story times at different public libraries for over 10 years with my children.  I felt that I had a good concept of what makes story time work and how they can quickly derail.  Greene and Del Negro's (2010) chapter on program planning clearly addresses how  storytellers should plan for their sessions. There is a section of the chapter that offers suggestions of ideal books for different age groups, which is very helpful.  My biggest takeaway from this chapter is the need to be flexible. Plan and be flexible should issues arise to take a different route with your story time session (Greene & Del Negro, 2010).  With this planning and being flexible is developing a connection with other librarians.  Engagement has increased among librarians, especially with social media outlets, like Facebook (Barchas-Lichtenstein et al., 2020).  Collaboration with other librarians and sharing ideas will help me, also, develop successful story times.  

        I appreciate the idea of incorporating family storytelling events for a public school library.  From my personal perspective, caregivers rarely attend events in the library at their child's school.  Inviting families into the school library, helps promote a sense of community and gives librarians an opportunity to listen to the needs in their community.  Plus, story time connects the caregivers with their child's literacy development by providing an additional outlet for caregivers to engage with the child.  A librarian can create family story times based on themes, like seasons and holidays.  The family story time needs to be effectively marketed to ensure attendance (Haver, 2014).  I would utilize the school with this communication.  Our principal does a very good job with communication to our community.  In addition, we have weekly communication folders that go home with all students that describe the events going on at the school.  

The following is an example of an online family story time provided by the Wake County Public Libraries

    

        Inviting a local author to story time provides students with the author's perspective on their book and writing.  I have attended a story time at our public school in Massachusetts, where an evening was designated to a local author presenting their book to the community.  The author discussed how they developed the idea for the book and was able to read the book in the voices, that they created for the characters.  An author presentation at the local library is beneficial for students because they can envision themselves as the authors.   Furthermore, incorporating this visit with family story time, brings the community into the library setting.

The following is a clip from a local author in Springfield, MA, which is near where we lived.   I selected this clip because you can see the excitement on the students' faces from Ty Allan Jackson's visit.

       

        The readings also discussed student and author collaboration on stories.  Pigeons is an organization in Australia that partners a student with a published author to tell a story.  The authors guide the students through the art of storytelling to help the student effectively tell their own story.  The project helped students with their literacy and writing development and also their creativity.  Ultimately the Pigeons project gives the students a voice for their ideas to be heard and express themselves (Watkins et al., 2012).

        I have addressed this idea in previous blogs, but I truly believe that it is extremely beneficial for students to learn and craft their own stories in a public school library program.  Storytelling helps students collaborate with their peers through humor and entertainment.  Students telling their own stories encourages intellectual freedom and the ability to discuss topics that they would not feel comfortable discussing in the general classroom.  In addition, students are sharing stories that are important to them, either about their family, culture, or life experiences (Piipponen and Karlsson, 2019).  I live in a diverse community with a significant population of students from Indian families.  As a school librarian, I really think that the storytelling would provide students from other cultures with the mode to express their cultural background and beliefs. 

        

        I have many ideas to formulate into plans with my future position as an elementary school librarian.  First and foremost, I want to craft a story telling program that builds a foundation for story telling in kindergarten and builds upon this framework in subsequent grade levels.  Also, in order to gain collaboration and support from the community, I want to open the doors to the library and create a family story time event, either with a local author or centered around a theme.  I believe that forming alliances with other librarians is critical to my success in garnering other ideas.  

        

References

Barchas-Lichtenstein, J., Norlander, R. J., Fraser, J., Fournier, M. D., Voiklis, J., Nock, K., & Danter, E. (2020). Categorizing library public programs. The Library Quarterly: Information, Community, Policy, 90(4), 563–579. https://doi.org/10.1086/710259

Greene, E. and Del Negro, J.M. (2010). Storytelling: Art and technique. (4th ed). Libraries     Unlimited.

Haver, M. K. (2014). Books, children, dogs, artists: Library Programs for the entire family. Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 33(2), 211–217. https://doi.org/10.1080/02763869.2014.897523

Piipponen, O., and Karlsson, L. (2019). Children encountering each other through storytelling: Promoting intercultural learning in schools. The Journal of Educational Research, 112(5), 590–603. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.2019.1614514

Watkins, M., Macintyre, P., and Grant, G. (2012). ‘Aliens with Einstein heads’: Creative storytelling partnerships between child, author and artist. The International Journal of the Book, 9(3), 53–66. https://doi.org/10.18848/1447-9516/cgp/v09i03/36947

This week's selection of readings:

    I really enjoyed the selection of non fiction readings for the week.  I love this genre and can not wait to explore it with an elementary school audience.  Non fiction stories show students how ordinary people accomplish extraordinary things in everyday life.  For example, a young boy curious about the world, struggling with homework, too small to excel at basketball, attends Cornell University and becomes one of the most famous doctors in America - Dr. Fauci.  Non fiction stories are relatable for students and inspire them to dream of their futures.

Tracy_J_Blogshare

 Storytelling Blog Share

For my blog share this week, I will be highlighting the resources of The Trapped Librarian.  I found this blog to be especially helpful for media specialists in elementary schools.  

    Laura Trapp the author of this blog, has been an elementary school librarian for 18 years and an elementary school teacher for 9 years.  She provides a wealth of knowledge on all things related to library programming, managing library collections, and supporting the needs of students.  I found her blog to be very user friendly and easily accessible for the information that I was seeking.

https://trappedlibrarian.org/tag/storytime/

    I selected the story time category listed on the word wall of the page and was presented with several articles about different story time themes.  I found the article about the benefits of musical story time very interesting because we have also been studying this concept in our storytelling class.  Beginning the class with a brain break, such as a musical song, helps students get out their "wiggles."  After the brain break, younger students are better prepared to settle down and listen to a story.  I have a musical background, so I really enjoy seeing examples of incorporating music into the library story time.  Trapp (2022) highlights that a consistent song to open the library session increases engagement of the students because they know what to expect when they come to story time.  

    The blog highlights different themes, book selections and activities around the months or holidays.  I found this especially beneficial for planning purposes.  I have many ideas that I would like to incorporate into my future role as a school librarian.  Trapp's blog showed me a better way to organize those ideas and provided me with newer ideas to use in the library.  For example, Trapp's (2022) May post was centered around wrapping up the end of the school year and keeping the students engaged.  She gives ideas for promoting summer reading, especially with 3rd - 5th grade students.

                                       

                                     https://trappedlibrarian.org/2022/05/may-library-lessons/

        

    I am currently taking the MLIS course, Information and Organization Access.  We are learning about the various cataloging methods, information retrieval and encoding.  With all my coursework, I envision how I will utilize that information in my future role.  Trapp (2021) shares a blog regarding teaching elementary students how to use the cataloging systems and the importance of teaching those systems to students.  Trapp (2021) builds the framework with kindergarten students and builds upon this knowledge each year.  She provides (for a fee) a bundle of resources to use with students that are 11 themed units regarding the card catalog system.  A program like this maybe worth pursuing because it not only teaches the students how to locate the resources they desire but also gives them the independence to use the library effectively.  

            https://trappedlibrarian.org/2021/01/why-your-students-need-library-catalog-practice/

    As future librarians, the need for advocacy for the library has been impressed upon us.  We must be ready to advocate for funding to provide the services and resources that meet the needs of our communities.  Trapp's blog creates an entire section related to advocacy for libraries.  One part of that advocacy is collaboration within the schools with the administration and classroom teachers.  Trapp's (2022) article provides librarians with ideas for more collaboration with administrators and teachers.  

                https://trappedlibrarian.org/2020/06/more-ideas-for-collaboration-in-the-school-library/       

    

    I thoroughly enjoyed the knowledge that I garnered through researching the blog, The Trapped Librarian.  This blog provided me with many opportunities to envision ideas that I want to use in my future school library.  I am excited about incorporating music into the library program.  Not all students learn the same way, by incorporating music, I maybe able to reach another sector of students.  Also, the application of tools to teach cataloging helped me immensely with programs I can utilize to teach these concepts.  I highly suggest checking out The Trapped Librarian!

References

Trapp, L. (n.d.). The trapped librarian. The Trapped Librarian. https://trappedlibrarian.org/

Trapp, L. (2020, August 3). The benefits of musical storytime in the library. The Trapped Librarian. https://trappedlibrarian.org/tag/storytime/

Trapp, L. (2022, May 18). May library lessons. The Trapped Librarian.  https://trappedlibrarian.org/2022/05/may-library-lessons/

Trapp, L. (2022, November 14). Why your students need library catalog practice. The Trapped Librarian. https://trappedlibrarian.org/2021/01/why-your-students-need-library-catalog-practice/

Trapp, L. (2020, June 22). More ideas for collaboration in the school library. The Trapped Librarian. https://trappedlibrarian.org/2020/06/more-ideas-for-collaboration-in-the-school-library/

Selected Readings for the Week

Tracy_J_Free Choice Blog

Free Choice Blog 

After the completion of the Masters in Library and Information Sciences (MLIS) degree program, I hope to obtain a media specialist position with an elementary school. I love storytelling with my own children and the kindergarteners that I work with in my full-time position. I enjoyed reading how storytelling can be implemented into the curriculum at a school with helping the students tell their own stories. For my free choice blog this week, I would like to highlight how media specialists can implement storytelling curriculums and the benefits of storytelling on the development of the students. 

Greene and Del Negro (2010) highlight the uses of storytelling in the curriculum through related arts in a school. Anne Shimojima, a director of an Instructional Media Center, has introduced the art of storytelling to elementary students and in turn, involved the students with the storytelling process. (Greene and Del Negro, 2010). Students are active participants with the stories in kindergarten and then transition to learning story elements in first grade (Greene and Del Negro, 2010). Next, students concentrate on folklore in second grade, third graders film DVDs of their own stories, and by fourth grade, the students themselves are the storytellers (Greene and Del Negro, 2010). I found this curriculum fascinating how Anne Shimojima incorporated all aspects of storytelling. She adapted the curriculum to each grade level of students and made the act of storytelling compelling to that grade level. In addition, the curriculum that Anne Shimojima adapted in the media center encourages collaboration with the classroom teachers. While students are developing their stories in fourth grade, classroom teachers help the students with character development (Greene and Del Negro, 2010). Anne Shimojima’s project of storytelling provided collaboration between the students, classroom teachers and media center and helped develop the children’s passion for storytelling.

Anne Shimojima's Webpage 

    I was inspired to learn about the storytelling curriculum and found another example that based the storytelling lessons in the school around a festival at the end of the storytelling program. Higgins (2008) found that the students from a school in inner city Philadelphia actually craved the roles that storytelling provided to them. Students proved to enjoy acting out stories and creating different voices for characters (Higgins, 2008). Once again, collaboration between the classroom teachers and media specialist assisted with the ultimate development of the stories. Higgins (2008) provides an additional model for media specialists to incorporate storytelling into the media center curriculum and give students the confidence to be their own storytellers. Higgins developed an eight-week program for third graders that ended with a festival to perform the stories that the students had been working so hard on (2008). Reading about the incorporation of storytelling into the curriculum of media centers makes me even more excited to become a library specialist. Furthermore, students benefit from storytelling with educational and personal goals. 

Storytelling provides students with many educational benefits. Haven (2010) found that storytelling in libraries increased the literacy of students. Storytelling assisted with the enhancement of students learning story structures: a beginning, middle, end, characters, problems and solutions (Haven, 2010). Once students understand story structure, reading comprehension increases (Haven, 2010). Librarians can help with this understanding by pausing and asking pertinent questions about the story. Havens (2010) also found that effective storytelling by librarians helped with improvement in students’ writing. Stories help students cognitively process the elements of a story, which in turn helps with comprehension and writing. 

     When media specialists provide students with the resources to perform their own stories, they are also helping students develop on a personal level. Greene and Del Negro (2010) found that students’ self-esteem and confidence increased through storytelling experiences. Students choosing their own stories helps build self-expression. “We learned that the stories that make a difference are often ones that come from our own lives” (Higgins, 2008, p.31). Students referenced the confidence built through overcoming fears and feeling prepared to tell their stories (Higgins, 2008). 

     In conclusion, as we have been learning in our weekly modules, everyone has a story to tell and that includes children. Why not give students the education to express themselves through storytelling? I am excited about the prospect of introducing storytelling lessons into a future media specialist role. In addition, I feel that it is an ideal opportunity to collaborate with classroom teachers on story development. Storytelling for students helps increase not only educational goals but also personal development.  

References

Greene, E., & Del Negro, J. M. (2010). Storytelling: Art and technique     (4th ed.). Libraries Unlimited. 

Haven, K. (2010). The story of the story: Research support for the         school librarian’s role in teaching writing. School Library Monthly,          26(6), 39–41. 

Higgins, C. (2008). Gather ‘round the campfire Engaging students and      creating storytellers. Knowledge Quest, 36(5), 28 – 34.

Weekly Readings