Dear LM_Netters,
Thank you all for your wonderful suggestions about how to allocate
time in a 40 min elementary period to accommodate all the things we
are trying to cover. Here they are. Many many thanks to this
generous group.
I have 45 minute library classes. Students have a two week borrowing
time so I decided that the first week of school would mark their
"Book Selection" time, and the following week I do a "read a loud"
and "Library Skills". The 45 minute time frame is usually much
shorter if you factor in how long it takes classes to actually make
it to the library and then clean up before they leave....so really,
my classes probably are only about 35 minutes. And yes, book
selection does take that long.....many students just like to
browse.....some do fool around but you'll get that anywhere.
Students usually pop into the library and ask if it's book
exchange week or skills week....but not very often. Teachers are
really good about it too. I usually send a transaction list to each
teacher on Monday so student can check to see what books they need to
return or they can come in and ask.
I have my class time set up the same as yours & had the same trouble.
So I went to Walmart & bought a kitchen timer. I set it to go off
ten minutes before the end of the period. When the timer buzzes, we
immediately stop what we are doing, pick up, find a library book,
check it out & silently read it until the end of the period.
Whatever we didn't finish working on, we finish the next time.
I have tried every combination and finally determined that doing a
book talk/story/lesson first is the best way to get it all in. Doing
book selection first made it almost impossible to recapture their
attention. I don't try to do both a story and a lesson. I plan units
based on what's going on in the classroom curriculum and do either
story/book talk/OR lesson. That way I don't feel so rushed and I can
give the kids a few extra minutes for book selection, etc.
I use 25 minutes for a library lesson. Some days this is a book talk
or story other days it is a skills lesson. 15 minutes is left at the
end for check out. I don't try and do all things on all days.
Like you, we try to reserve the last 5-10minutes for book selection.
Occasionally we run long, and then I usually ask the teacher involved
to let the kids come in small groups or individually at another time.
This seems to meet the need.
I think you are trying to do too much at each library session. I have
K-4 and I only try to do two of the three at any given session
(except K). For 1-4 a skills lesson and then book selection OR a read-
aloud and then book selection. I try to mix it up but sometimes I
need several weeks for a skill to be completely covered. My kids know
that if there is time left after book selection they sit and READ-
what a concept in a library! For K I often do break it up into three--
time on the story rug, book selection and then time on the story rug
again. One of the story rug times is more of a lesson - but sometimes
it's another story related to the first one, related to the
curriculum or just for fun-often with some type of quiet
action built in.
This year I finally started using a timer to limit book selection
times. It seems to be well received so far. I haven't had to stop a
child form getting a book, but the timer tells them, GET ONE NOW.
I moved book selection to the first thing and place a mental time
limit on it. I used to do it at the end of the 45 minute class, but
I always had the pokey ones and my next class would be waiting at the
door. (I'm on a Fixed schedule - teacher prep, and I don't always
have a parent volunteer to assist at check out. Also, I'm not
automated.)
I find this works much better for me - the students that have already
chosen their books sit quietly at the tables and read as the rest are
checking out. After the last one is checked out, I ask them to close
their books (& their lips!) and then we move to the "Story Time
Stairs" or do a lesson at the tables, depending on what I have
planned for that class.
Once or twice I had to cut book selection time for the habitual slow
pokes - but offered to have them back at lunch time or my Library
Maintenance period to make their selections. I know the ones that
are consistently slow, and sometimes I'll join them at the shelves to
engage them in some conversation of what they are interested in -
then I make a few "suggestions". I find myself less "harried" this
way.
Perhaps alterate lesson weeks with book read-aloud/checkout weeks.
When I had fixed scheduling, I would often do this. You did not
mention how often the students visited, but mine was once a week.
The kids would have 2-3 weeks of lessons and structured work--early
finishers got books if time permitted.
Then 1-2 weeks would be a "break" week of just book checkout and SSR.
I essentially rotated the lessons by grade level-- for instance,
when 6th grade would have full-period lessons, 7-8th would have
checkout/SSR. This also maintained my sanity with 600 students per
week and the other responsibilities in the library.
When I did elem, I would have loved to have had 40 minutes for 3-5. I
had 30. Just a booktalk and selection/checkout time OR research
lesson and selection/checkout time. Trying to do 3 activities would
seem to waste so much time in transitioning.
We did 'line coming into library dropped off books, my assistant
checked in and renewed while I did activity. Then checkout. Some kids
would select from cart, some roamed or picked from booktalk if I did
one that time.
Depending on the group's needs (I have K-5) I allow 10 to 15 at the
end of class for my students to select books from a 40 minute time
period. I don't know how you fit a lesson and a book talk into the
first part of the class, I could never do that. I do one or the
other, you must be extrememly organized! I have taught my students to
tell me if they just loved a book so I can share that information
with other students that ask for my recommendations. I do encourage
the students to ask me for ideas by telling them I have kids that
tell me about books they love all the time. I guess that is how I get
away with only doing one or two book talks a year. I just don't seem
to need them.
I do book selection at the end for just the reasons you stated.
I also have 40 minute periods, but I either read or have the class
work on research, not both, and then give them time to borrow books.
Twenty minutes or less is adequate for borrowing especially if the
borrowers can come at another time individually.
I think you are being overly ambitious, but I give you credit for
your efforts. I worked for 6 years in a K-5 setting before switching
to 6-8. With the younger students, and a 40-minute period, I always
gave the library lesson OR read-aloud OR book talk first, then tried
to leave 15 minutes for book check. This required a lot a
modifications and clock watching but worked very well for me.
My classes are also 40 minutes. I alternate between literature and
library skills activities for the first 15-20 minutes each week and
leave the rest of the time for browsing and checking out and reading
booksand magazines. It works well. I don't have time to do literature
_and_ library skills both, so I do different things on different
class visits.
I have them get books first...I feel that is most important...
Then I give them a time limit...count and sit them down...
Its over and done with...they aren't squirmy about what they are
wanting or needing to do...its done.
Julia Kessler jkessler@westrd.acsd.dcboces.org
Librarian
West Road Intermediate School
Pleasant Valley, NY 12569
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