Libraries can end all literacy crises forever

Week 2 I shared with our EHSAS group about ICDL and about Stephen Krashen's key note address - How libraries can end all literacies crises forever.

Stephen Krashen has been researching how children learn to read and improve their reading comprehension. He advocates "Free Voluntary Reading". Stephen's website is a treasure trove of research papers, great ideas and he believes in making as much of his work available to people through the Internet.

Stephen says that the best thing we can do to assist learners improve their reading comprehension is to encourage them to read - anything they want - no strings attached. No book reports, end of book tests, no activities - just read, things you like to read, and read some more.

Also he encouraged us to drink more coffee, learn a foreign language and READ - to keep our minds alive. His best way to do this - go to coffee shop and read a great book in another language. Quite a challenge.

International Children's Digital Library

Week One was to make time to share with one of the ESOL teachers about the ICDL.

Ann Weeks gave a key Note address about this amazing resource. She was told it could never happen but she made it happen anyway - an International Children's book digital library which has books from a wide range of countries and languages. What a great educator she is - don't you just love people who go ahead and do the impossible?

I cannot take a lot of time to describe it - best you go and have a look. Sign in - join up and use it. It is brilliant. It is free - it is FULL of possibilities.

Do one IASL thing each week

- that does scare me, apologies to Eleanor Roosevelt who apparently said "Do one thing everyday that scares you."

I was privileged to attend the IASL conference in Berkeley, this month. Upon my return home to NZ I have decided to try to do one thing each week that relates to the things I learned, discussed and thought about while at conference. There is so much it can feel overwhelming to try to implement it all in one go. One thing a week is the goal and so far so good - I have had three weeks back at school and I have managed to do three things that relate to conference - one a week.

Subject Association Conferences - little gems for the holidays

I have just spent the last two and half days at the NZATE conference hosted here at TGS. My mind is buzzing with new ideas, strategies and inspiration for the work I do.

Thank you to the organisers, the key note speakers and the workshop presenters. I am in awe of your generosity with your time, skills and resources.

Now I feel I can go on holiday - virtuous in the knowledge that I have worked well and hard on my teaching craft already these holidays.

Here is a little gem to help navigate the textual sea for the rest of the year. Published in Teacher Magazine, an article on the short and happy lives of teachers.

In the article the writer challenges teachers to summarise their lives in six words. The one I really relate to after this conference is "Exercised the muscle of the mind"

23 things on a stick

There is a great blog on web2.0 for librarians with training links called 23 things on stick. Go have a look. It starts with how to create a blog and goes on to collaborative creation and other wonderful things web 2.0 offers users. It has a great library focus.

Like a yo yo I guess

and I'm back again

Apparently good bloggers never draw attention to any lapse in their regular blogging - not that you could accuse me of being a regular blogger YET.

Where did I get this good advice? From North X East a website which offers weekly advice for bloggers and how to blog. You can subscribe and get the weekly post sent direct to your inbox.

Go Mums in Washington State - now for New Zealand...

After a long pause, a great summer holiday and a crazy, busy start to the school year I have decided to continue with this blog.

The latest source of inspiration came this morning through the listserv I belong to LM-NET. Some Mums in Washington State have successfully lobbied their state politicians to fund school libraries. They have a website which shows what they are up to. Other states are forming their own fund our future lobby groups.