Getting to Know Your Readers

When I left the classroom to take the library media specialist position six years ago one of my biggest fears was that I would no longer have the impact I had on my class of 25 fourth grade students each year. The relationships you build with your own class are so powerful and lasting. What I have learned is that when you leave the classroom to become a library media specialist, you cast a much wider net. You have the ability to positively impact the culture of a school. I would like to take this time to reflect on routines I built into my lesson time to naturally connect with and get to know my students in the library.

Learning to Say Names Correctly

This might sound like a given but it is important to note. On the first day of class I ask students to tell me what they like to be called and I make sure I can say it correctly. If it is a tricky name for me to pronounce I make a notation with the way to say it phonetically. It is a sign of respect to say someone's name correctly, and I want students to know I care enough to get it right.

Starting the Class

Some days are more hectic than others. As a specialist you have new classes coming through the door every 45 minutes. On a particularly chaotic day a few years ago when my patience was running low I thought about this quote: "If you're too busy to be kind, you're too busy." It made me think about the limited interactions I have with my students and how I needed to make them count. I decided to start a routine when taking attendance that would be more interactive. I say, "Good morning, James" and the student needs to look me in the eye and say, "Good morning, Mrs. Roy" in return. Making eye contact with a friendly greeting is a life skill I tell students they need to master. I feel satisfied knowing that before we get into the lesson every student has heard the sound of their own name.

I purchase a set of index cards on a coil at Walmart each August. I write a message on each card and leave the index cards on display at the circulation desk. An example of a message would be "Good afternoon, Mrs. Currie!" This visual reminds students to greet their parent volunteer with a friendly greeting. I have found that this weekly routine and reminder has been working. When I am in the hallways students are quick to greet me and respond appropriately to my greeting. 

Mindfulness Practice

As students enter the library more and more come to me dis-regulated.  Their engines are running high and I need to help them settle and be ready for learning. Lucky for me, I enlisted the help of our Social Emotional Learning coach, Sue Constable, and she expertly provided me with a quick routine for this. 

First, we ring the chimes twice. During this time students can choose to close their eyes or focus on a piece of the rug. There is no making noise or trying to get anyone else's attention. It is a time to settle in and notice your own breathing. 

The chime is rung twice

The next part is practicing deep breaths. We use a breathing ball as a visual for this. As a student pulls the ball out, we take a deep breath in. As a student pushes the ball in, we breathe out. We do three deep breaths to get oxygen to our brains. This technique is good practice to get your body to a point where you can access other tools when your emotions are getting the best of you. 

Three deep breaths with the breathing ball

The last part is practicing the art of focusing. We think about focusing as a skill we can improve in just as we can get better at a sport with practice. A student shakes up a glitter bottle and then turns it back to its original position. We all stay quiet and watch the glitter as it settles to the bottom of the bottle. 

I asked students to reflect on their library experience in a post to their parents in October. Most students wrote about the mindfulness core practices. See three examples below.

Checking In On Their Reading Lives

At the end of class students check out books with a parent volunteer (more on those amazing parents in a later post) and then they come see me to check in about their reading lives. Students show me what books they are taking out or, if they are not taking out books, they tell me about what they are reading in school or at home. I jot down the genres they are taking out and we have a quick discussion. Students become adept at identifying genres from this weekly routine. I can start to see patterns which helps guide our discussion. I will not discourage students from reading any particular genre. I will, however, gently nudge them to step out of their comfort zone and create a balanced reading diet if I notice the same types of books always being checked out.

My messy color coded system

GN - graphic novel

hyb - hybrid (chapter book with pictures interspersed like Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

PB - picture book

NF - nonfiction

bio -biography

HF - historical fiction

RF - realistic fiction

mag - magazine

Takeaway

I am grateful for the opportunity to work with all of the students in our reading community. Although I only have students for 45 minutes per week, I feel that the routines I have incorporated into our time together have given me a chance to get to know my 550 students on a more personal level.