REF: Information Needed

[Marilyn Mille Beaird <mmb0004@JOVE.ACS.UNT.EDU>]

Colleagues,

I have agreed to present a session at a Literature Conference at the
University of North Texas entitled HEART AND SOUL: USING CHILDREN'S
LITERATURE TO PROMOTE A POSITIVE SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT.  After having read
David Loertscher's new book REINVENT YOUR SCHOOL'S LIBRARY IN THE AGE
OF TECHNOLOGY, I am attempting to support the "new vision" where the
library becomes "Network Central" reaching every space in the building
and beyond by collaborating with our school counselor to give
literature and information resources that can be used in faculty
meetings and professional development seminars.  Two of the books I
have chosen to "highlight" along with my ideas include:

Book:  I LIKE IT WHEN... by Mary Murphy
Idea:  Ask the school principal to read this short book at a faculty
mtg sometime during the second semester.  After reading, ask each
faculty meeting to complete the sentence I LIKE IT WHEN... and tell
something positive about working at that school.  It is my belief that
we all know the negatives of working in our school environments but we
need to spend more time reflecting on the positives.  This is a good
way to put literature at the center.

Book:  THE BIG BLOCK OF CHOCOLATE by Janet Slater Redhead.
Idea:  To teach conflict resolution.  As someone reads the book aloud,
the administrator passes out  a block of chocolate to each table,
possibly big Hershey bars.  At the end, the task is to SHARE the block
of chocolate.  How will it be accomplished with respect for all
participants?

Another idea that has been used with children's lit is to divide the
participants into groups.  At each table is a GREAT NEW children's book
(take out of school activity funds).  The task for the group is to 1.
Read the book 2. Summarize the book (here in Texas that is a TAAS test
objective) 3.  Report the summary to the large group.  4.  Problem
solve who will get the book because it is a gift to the people at the
table.  Solutions usually included donating it to the library (which
went over real well with me) but others decided to circulate it among
their own small group of people and others decided to give it to one of
the teachers in the group who needed it because they were new or in one
case taught the ESL class and didn't have many classroom books.  It was
fun to see the different ways participants resolved the "conflict".

If you have used children's lit in this way or if you have a good idea
how to use a book with your faculty, would you share it with me and I
will post a hit if I get responses.

Thanks,

Marilyn Miller Beaird, Ph.D. candidate
Information and Instructional Specialist
Lakeland Elementary
Lewisville, Texas  75067
mmb0004@jove.acs.unt.edu
beairdmm@lewisville.isd.tenet.edu

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