Post 2, Inquiry Research

So, I have a multitude of topics that I listed in my last post that are of interest to me, but I thought I would start with exploring some resources surrounding Aboriginal and First Nations Literature. This is real focus with my school this year.

This is a bit of a daunting area for me. I feel a bit out my element, but as my coworker, who has been initiating the change in our school says, we got to start somewhere and change our teaching as we go, but we just got to go get started, and begin teaching it.

One resource for purchasing books, which I use quite often is “Strong Nations” They have lots kits and books that relate to different themes which the teachers in my school teach.  They also have lesson plans that go with some of their books. http://www.strongnations.com ( I currently looking into the guided reading books, but have decided yet)

The graphic novels are really popular with the kids as well. 

I really like the Principles of Learning poster, we have a few of these in my school. It really changes the shift from learning about a first nations group, to learning more values, culture and what we can learn from first nations people.

http://www.fnesc.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/PIPEL-6342c-FNESC-Learning-First-Peoples-poster-11x17.pdf

 

In our own words, is a document with resources for teachers K-7 for teaching aboriginal content    http://www.fnesc.ca/curriculum/authentic_resources

We have a copy in our school library that was given to us, by the district… I am sure most libraries have the same.

This is a really neat video that shows the experience of being in a residential school http://lisajackson.ca/Savage

Other books we have in the library to support this topic, is Fatty Legs, and A stranger at home. They also have them in the picture books versions as well.  Shi-Shi-Etko By Nicola I. Campbell is a really good book to talk about this topic also. Currently Reading "Where I belong" so will update later about that book. 

This  website is really amazing… It has videos of an elder speaking. I sometimes feel that when I am telling an oral story, I may not be doing it justice.  And, I also can afford to always have elders come to our school to give presentations. So this website has elder telling oral stories. It also has a lot of other interactive learning resources. http://www.aadncaandc.gc.ca/eng/1302889494709/1302889781786

Under the kids section are the teacher resources.

Here is the Audio to the Cree Oral story" The granddaughter who was eaten by a Big Fish" 

http://www.aadnc-aandc.gc.ca/eng/1316530132377/1316530184659#chpm1

Topic Possibilities......?

I have few areas of interests, but I am also trying to think of exploring a topic that would  best support the goals of my staff, school and students.

Possible topics for myself would be:

-       Inquiry Based Learning

-       Aboriginal literature and curriculum support

-       Early and later reading intervention strategies (guided reading)

-       Literature Circles

These are the topics that are most relevant to my current teaching practices in library. However I am also interested in how to better use the smart board in my library, perhaps for a literacy center, or to work with students when doing reading intervention. (I mainly use it as a projector, so maybe it could be utilized better).   I would also like to explore the use of online resources or ethical online behaviour, but hesitant, as I wonder if I would have the time to teach about “ ethical online behaviour” to my intermediate students, as I get them for a 15 min book exchange once a week? Or maybe to try and find time to teach this next year when I re do my schedule?

Aboriginal literature and teaching principals has also been a major goal of our school this year. The librarian before me started aboriginal kits, that rotate to the classrooms each month, so each teacher gets a new “kit” with a theme and lesson plan each month.  As the new librarian this year, I have taken over the project, and began to create kits of Year B, and C, for primary and intermediate students. However, this topic is newer for me and I feel I still have a lot to learn in gathering appropriate resources, and literature that work with the classrooms and their curriculum. I recently have been given grant money to further develop our aboriginal resources, so that is also motivation to explore this topic further.  

I spend a good amount of time each week doing literature circle as well, so I am very interested in how to improve my teaching in this area as well. I have read “Grand conversations” by Faye Brownlie which has helped guide my practice, yet this is my first time doing them so there has been a learning curve the last few weeks.

Reading intervention, is another area I am newer at and would like to learn more about. Which literature and approaches are best for my students? Especially the intermediate students whom I pull out for 1 on 1 support… how is my time with them best spent? What does research show for most effective practices?

These are my current interests and areas I have been trying to learn more about this year. I suppose, I feel a bit spread thin this year, trying to learn more about these topics that are focused on at my school.  I think this process of narrowing down a topic and focusing on one thing, will be helpful for my practice and professional growth.

Welcome to My Blog

Hi Everyone,

I am an elementary school teacher librarian with the Richmond School District. I teach and manage the library,  run a guided reading program for grade 1 students, work in collaboration with teachers to do literature circle and inquiry projects, as well as a little bit of intermediate reading intervention with a few students.
I am fairly new to library, so I look forward to learning from each other through the process of this course