[LM_NET] Hit: Middle to High - what to read and general advice

[Lisa Campbell <ljcampbell@SBCGLOBAL.NET>]

Hi!
There are several of us that will be new to the high school, so I am posting a hit.
Another BIG Thank you to all that replied.  This list is awesome!

Read These:

Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie by David Lubar
Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
Nineteen minutes by Jodi Piccoult
Luxe series by Anna Godberson
Private series by Kate Brian
Bluford High series
Brandon Sanderson,
Connor Kostick,
Laurie Halse Andersen, 
Jodi Picoult, 
Chris Crutcher,
Stephen King, 
Rick Riordan, 
Ellen Wittlinger, 
Sarah Dessen
Walter Dean Myers
Sara Zarr
John Green
E. Lockhart
anything having to do with vampires/weres/paranormal will be a hit as well! 

Make sure to check out any state awards for YA literature.  Many big book vendors 
have these lists in an easy to search area.


You may want to start reading my blog
http:mullerInTheMiddle.blogspot.com



I got a really great email from Joleen about kids transitioning from Middle to High.

"The biggest thing I have seen is that the transition for middle
school to high school is the hardest for these kids. Our kids have weekly
library times from K-8 and in hs they don't. Then their social lives
change, homework changes, extracurricular activities change. After working
with all ages this is the hardest jump for them.

In our district you can walk out of the hs doors and go 20 yards and walk
into the ms doors. So I have my ms aide bring the 8th graders their last
week of library. I review with them what the changes will be like next
year. I talk about my library and how it is set up. When they can come, how
the teachers use it. And then I beg them to keep coming. Reading really
drops off at this point in our area. I feel like it has made a big
difference in getting the students to keep coming. It does help that every
grade through their English classes are required to do at least 2 book
reports.

I have also found that most freshman do need a transition time. For some
of the readers it takes them most of the year to finally start using the
library again but once they do they keep coming. They will all be different
but I try and make my library a fun place to be and I work hard on my
fiction collection. Keeping it current and popular. (That might be
different next year with budgets like they are)."

AND a really great email from Billie about the difference in dealing with the 
students.
Billie said:

"I work half-time in a middle school and half-time at a high school and I must say 
that the biggest difference for me in dealing with hs students is that I give them 
more freedoms.  I have many students who, legally, are still minors but are dealing 
with very adult situations jobs, pregnancy, stress, etc...I give them and treat 
them how I would like to be treated...I don't hover, mother or micro manage them.  
In return I have fewer stolen items, virtually no vandalism and positive 
relationships with my students and they feel positively about libraries (hopefully 
they will support extra funding for public libraries as adults :-) "

Thanks again!
Have a great summer!
Lisa


Lisa Campbell, MLS, LMS
Teays Valley Middle School
lcampbell@tvsd.us 
740-983-5046

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