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MN Book Awards has published information about the 25th Annual Award winners and finalists. The associated reading guides can be found here in a PDF format that has been made available for free download.
“These outreach materials are made possible through support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a Federal agency that fosters innovation, leadership, and a lifetime of learning; and the Minnesota Department of Education/State Library Agency, with funding under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (Friends of St. Paul Public Library.)”
Image by Kjell. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Common’s licensing.
According to a study released this summer by Connect Minnesota, digital literacy can be defined as the ability to find, understand, evaluate, create, and communicate digital information using a computer, basic software programs and the Internet. It outlines digital literacy rates among Minnesota residents. In addition, it identifies potential barriers such as training, skills, technology and access to electronic resources.
Welcome to Your Voice, a column that shares Quick Question Poll (QQP) results from libraries/school media centers in the twelve-county, CMLE region. Whether a statistical response or textual response to open ended questions, your voice matters. Invitations to engage in the polls arrive in your email; please participate! Most poll results will be shared in aggregate form unless stated otherwise in the poll or through additional approval arrangements.
Image by pictureorpictures. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Common’s licensing.
Last year, we did a number of very short online Quick Question Polls, to gather input from the region. The last one we did was titled Year in Review. In that QQP we asked you to reflect on the academic year, and share the high points and/or struggles too. We were delighted that a dedicated group of people still possessed enough energy to engage in the poll! Eighty-two percent of respondents were from K-12 school media centers in Central Minnesota, which isn’t a huge surprise; it is the largest member group that CMLE serves. So, drum roll please……on to the positivity!
In answer to one of the questions: Which two or three things are going especially well for you in your library, school district or media center?Given the gift of time, I would categorize all responses. Lacking that at the moment, I thought it might be refreshing to hear a smattering of positivity from peers in the region. A few colleague responses were…
I have two good media assistants that help me run two libraries. We are getting some Chromebooks for our students to use because our labs are tied up so often with testing.
Adult book discussions are popular and going well as is story time for preschoolers.
Rearranged collection to a more “store” model rather than using the traditional library arrangement. Also redecorated the media center to remove the 90’s look and to create a more inviting teen reading environment. Also worked with grade level teams in our Phase 1 of the DC Digital Learning Initiative.
Connecting with students and helping them connect with books.
Supportive Administration—A very busy Media Center!
Every building has a full time media specialist in the district and our process for making tech decisions is fluid which means we’ve made a lot of progress regarding technology this year (keep in mind we don’t have a technology administrator OR a district tech integrationists). I’m pretty proud of my fiction collection in my library as well!
The way we have classes scheduled to come into the library. We use shelf markers with their names on them and that helps when they are looking for a book because they put the shelf marker in the bookshelf where they take the book out. Then, if they look at it and decide it isn’t the book for them, they know where it should go back. It also helps for checking out materials as the barcode is on the shelf markers. All barcode numbers are the same as their lunch numbers.
Technology is moving forward at a good pace. I’ve been able to reach most of my students with research skills, and am part of the Digital Citizenship class (grade 9).
I like to think of the contents of this post as a spoonful of positivity in Central Minnesota! At a time of the year when energy could have been low, I found creativity, value, and optimism in all responses. Everyone felt positive about some aspect of their work! Taking the time to review and reflect on accomplishments and lessons learned, can enrich our practice and improve satisfaction levels in our jobs too. Stay tuned for more results soon.
If you have suggestions for new polls, or have questions about existing polls, please feel free to contact me at papost@stcloudstate.edu or 320-308-4779.
Last year respondents to the QQP’s were entered into a drawing for a $50 Amazon gift ! Who won? It was Kyle Breitkreutz, media specialist at Sartell Middle School. According to Kyle, he never wins anything, so we are glad we could break that trend for him! Watch your email for Quick Question Polls again this year! And remember, your voice matters!
Image by Jayneandd. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Common’s licensing.
This week CMLE would like to take a different approach to the perception of libraries. Take a minute (5:24 to be exact) to watch how books and libraries have spotlighted in the entertainment industry over the last few decades.
This past year, my nine year old son has been struggling with reading. Even more disconcerting, is his negative attitude towards books in general. In one year, he has gone from a boy who would go to his bookshelf and hand me three or four books to read before bed-to a somewhat disgruntled and dispassionate reader. In my mission to find answers and possible solutions, I discovered that this was a somewhat common occurrence with boys round my son’s age. As a result, Patricia Post, CMLE Director, encouraged me to write this post.
In an article by K12 Reader, Boys and Reading: Strategies for Success identifieswhy some boys struggle with reading including differences in development and the perception of the act of reading. The author suggests greater one-on-one time, direct application of reading materials and taking time to identify books that may be of interest.
Professor Marcia Thompson, Center for Information Media at St. Cloud State University, stated that ” 4th grade boys are a tough niche. This is where so many boys leave the pleasure reading world.” She recommended the Guys Readwebsite hosted by author Jon Scieszka. This site provides a list of books by category that have been boy tested and approved. Under the Guys & Reading tab, Jon talks about the potential barriers to reading and the mission of his site. This site also encourages you to suggest titles you deem to be successful with boys.
If I was writing about another subject, I think my approach to finding solutions might be slightly different. Perhaps, I would consider a more tough love approach. However, based on the research, given how crucial reading is to the overall development of a boy, I have decided to take another tactic.
My parental approach and tips for a struggling reader:
No guilt trips: I try not to add to the pressure he already feels to perform at school. Instead I search for work-a-rounds through subtle influences that might reignite his interests (keep reading for ideas.)
Model behavior: I set aside time to read where he can see me. And, periodically share something I learned with him.
Resources: Slowly introduce a variety of tools (print and electronic) to see if he latches on to anything in particular.
Never underestimate the power of laughter: I take one night a week to read a short story to him before bed and alter my voice with each new character.
Allow imperfections: I try not to get caught up in test scores-they are merely a gauge of where he is today, but tomorrow is another day.
Its not about me: I want him find a passion for reading in his own way.
Stay relevant: Think about things he can associate with cartoons, t.v. programs, video games and other activities that may have an age appropriate book.
In his shoes: Think about what he might be interested in. For example on vacation this summer we spent time exploring a cave. After which I borrowed books from the library about spelunking. My son likes to re-purpose items found and bought. He was given the American Picker Kid’s book for his birthday. We also signed up for the online Kid Picker’s club.
Less can be more: I welcome short stories, comics, and articles from any appropriate source even if the designated reading level is for a younger audience.
The power of words: I quickly respond and redirect negative, disparaging words he associates with reading and/or books.
Progress: Although I strive for an immediate solution, it is not always possible. However, he can continue to make (value added) reasonable further progress.
The big picture: I am in it for the long haul-beyond his formative years. My ultimate goal is that he becomes a literate, life long learner.
If you would like to share additional tips, resources or websites that you have found to be useful, feel free to contact me by email at (cmle@stcloudstate.edu) or you can leave a comment at the bottom of this post. Based on the feedback, I would be happy to compile a list to share with our readers in a future post.
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