Part 2 HIT; ELEM Personal Materials to Keep
My original question was: "As a teacher moving to a library position (some day),
which materials should I keep, and which materials should I discard?"
Response #8
I think I would try to divide up items
What could be used as a bulletin board? You will still be doing bulletin
boards---seasonal ones - I'd keep them all for at least the first year in the
library
-related to books or authors - Keep
-related to subject areas - a tough one as you may need some of these -
-stuff you just love - keep
So what's left put in the pile to pitch or sell (my sister-in-law rented a table at
a flea market for 3 days & sold a ton of elementary stuff when she retired)
Do you know where you'll be working? that'll make it easier. Do you have to get rid
of it soon?
I don't think I was much help. I came to this library without anything much as we
went overseas. I spent several years collecting, making, buying etc. in order to
have some "stuff" to use. There was very little useable left. Some "tired"
Christmas decorations, some pumpkins & some large hearts. I suppose they weren't
any other holidays they wanted to decorate for. This is a middle/high school
library but the kids love the decorations---"play" with the stuff that's out &
notice when new things come out.
Response #9
I taught for 8 years before taking my library position. I kept much of my stuff
for a year or two then realized that the jobs were completely different with
different needs. Depending on when you plan to return to teaching you may want to
keep them to satisfy your own curiosity, but curriculums change and new items are
always coming along. As to reading your own books, I do that for special ones like
Robert Sabuda's, and let the children handle them during the library period, then
put them away until the next year. Otherwise they sometimes get damaged. For the
most part I select books that are available for checkout.
Enjoy your years at home, they fly by! Being a special subject teacher is very
different from classroom, but a difference I enjoy.
Response #10
I would keep anything that involves reading. I have a MSLS and am now
doing 8 periods a week of reading intervention. You just never know...
Also, if your certificate still reads elementary, you could end up
doing whatever that is needed, even math. I would save everything for a
while!
Response #11
You sound like me a few years ago. I too was a stay at home mom with 12
years of classroom experience (1st- 3rd). I also had tons of materials
collected over those years stored in my house to use "some day". I got my
MLIS and have been the teacher librarian in a K-3 school for three years
now. Do you know what of that material I have used in my library...not a
blessed thing. It's still sitting in my basement and my attic, waiting for
me to throw it out. Much of the stuff is out dated and not relevant for
library skills. I probably could take weeks to go through it all and end up
with a very small amount of relevant stuff, but it wouldn't be worth it. My
advice...if you need the space, throw it out now.
Response #12
I was a teacher-librarian for 25 years, but before that I
had been a primary teacher, and an intermediate gifted and remedial
teacher. The last two years of my career our school lost its library
positions and I taught intermediate. I retired this June, but I have
been pretty busy subbing this term, including a few days when the
teacher was very unexpectedly away and there were no lesson plans
(this was at Halloween). My advice would be to keep everything - I am
surprised at how much I have used, including lots of that stuff for
special days or themes in the library.
Response #13
I moved to the Library this year after teaching kindergarten for the past 8
years. I am on a fixed schedule so I have classes every day. So far, I've
used my holiday stuff (Halloween, Columbus, Thanksgiving) quite a bit as well
as various lesson plans. Posters have been used as parts of lessons. Some
materials have been used to decorate the library itself.
I have a ton of personal books & use them almost daily. I often use them in
lessons, especially with the PreK-1st graders. I do let staff members borrow
my personal books & have let a couple of kids borrow books as well. Our
library is very out-dated & doesn't have a lot of the "newer" books.
I haven't used my manipulatives, etc. as of yet. But I have been a bit
overwhelmed trying to get things together so I have them stored in my
library. If I don't use them in a year or 2, then I might consider tossing
them. (although I doubt it).
Hope this helps some. Each situation is different so it will probably depend
on where you end up working. Good luck!
Response #14
I kept files and boxes of things - that I've never used. My advice is to
give most of the classroom type materials to teachers. I do share books of
my own. I suggest students look for them at the public library.
Response #15
I WISH I'd kept my pocket charts. I've bought more for poetry. I WISH I had kept
my song charts and my poetry charts I spent hours printing and illustrating. I'm
rebuilding my collection and trying to introduce a poem a week with the kids. I
WISH I'd kept my records, tapes and CD's but am slowly replacing the best ones. I
use those to add a little action to the early childhood classes.
I did keep my personal books. Because sometimes there's just a perfect one to go
with a unit but the library doesn't have it and other times the library's copy is
checked out. And, I add to the library's collection from time to time and purchase
my very favorites.
I passed a lot of the manipulatives and games on. And made library games instead.
Teach a year or so then make up your mind. I really got rid of too much.
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