Who Knew the Library Could Be So Much Fun!!!!

FORGET about the old days when the library was mostly for perusing through the card catalog to find the call number of your favorite book, so that you could check it out. FAST FORWARD to the future and you will find that the library is an ADVENTUROUS place conducive for EXCELLENT teaching and learning!

Aye Aye,  Captain!!

It all began when my friend and colleague, Tonya asked me if we could pair our students together for independent reading once or more a week.  After a little bit of talking, independent reading soon blossomed into us wanting to teach an ELA block together once a week.  There was a problem. We did not have enough space in our rooms to tackle this challenge. YES, our kids got along well, but we still knew we could not be teaching at the same time in one room without becoming a distraction to each other. Where would we teach? What space would be big enough? We contemplated the cafeteria, but it was way too cold and uninviting. With the hard tables and chairs and not a soft pillow or a fluffy carpet in sight, it was not an ideal environment at all!! It did not take us long to figure out that there was one place in the building that was PERFECT….it had everything we were looking for….not to mention it wasn't bad on the eyes either. You guessed it! It was our library!

As students walk to their tables, it is like they are entering a jungle.

When we decided that we wanted to start teaching in the library for our ELA block, we really did not know what type of reaction we would get. We did not know if the librarian would give us an outright, "No". WHY would she want us in their disturbing her normal routine?  Even with our doubts and concerns, we took a chance and decided to ask her anyway. Contrary to our fears, she was extremely POSITIVE about it!!!!! She was glad that someone finally wanted to utilize the resources that encompassed the library. It was all set! We would combine our classes twice a week (yes, I said twice a week…it did not take us long to realize that we needed another day) to teach ELA.

A fabulous mural of a lion in the jungle is on the wall.

When you have a librarian like ours, the library becomes an EDUCATION WONDERLAND! With the painted walls, tall trees (not real trees, of course), pirate station, and camping tent, students can't help but feel right at home and ready for learning. Hey, I can't help but feel right at home and ready for teaching! Have you ever had that feeling? You know the feeling... like you wish you were a kid again, so that you could have a classroom like this or it could have been anything that you were wishing you could see through kid's eyes. Well, this library gives you that feeling!

Are we camping out?

There are so many places to go…so many places to be. Even though there are two classes sharing the space (actually, there are three because the librarian also has a class on one side of the library), it is still so much space for students to stretch out. Students are able to engage in independent reading, pair-share reading, listening to books on tape, writing and reading activities on the computer, free writes in their journals, standardized test practice sheets, context clues activities, and discussion groups. These are primarily the activities that students are able to do independent of Tonya and I. (We still have to provide guidance, at times.) We also work with small groups where students are grouped based on their reading levels from the Next Steps system. This is a fabulous teaching resource that helps you to determine the reading levels of all of your students. They also provide a variety of fiction and non-fiction books at each level. The students read books on their level as a group and participate in a variety of activities centered around their books. We are especially loving the non-fiction books!

A nice little reading nook!

Students listen to stories on tape in this area of the library. I also add a comfy big pillow to this area.

 Students seem to be very engaged in a lot of their reading activities. I have also seen very intense researching done on the computers. Overall, the students seem to be excited about being in the library. Every time I ask for their thoughts about being in the library - to give me a thumbs up or down - it is always a unanimous thumbs up! There's only one student who will occasionally give me a thumbs down and it is because he thinks it's funny to be the only one giving a thumbs down. He'll usually change it to a thumbs up once he's made his point! :)

That's not a real person or a lion! :) However, this spot is a good space for me to work with my small groups.

As teachers, sometimes, we have to step outside of "our box" and try something different. What may seem like a crazy idea might prove to be a blessing to both you and your students.

When it's not being utilized by the librarian, Tonya uses this area to work with her small groups.
They usually stretch out on the floor and work on posters and a variety of other activities.

Students are able to do free writes as they sit with the pirate.

Of course, we know that our own classrooms are great environments for teaching!  It's just fun to do something different like taking them outside or to another room every once in a while. 

Have you ever taught your class in a nontraditional setting? How was it?

The entrance to the computer lab in the library.