Library, Poetry, and Celebrations!

Today is national Library Workers' Day.  I just love the library!  Some of my fondest school memories are library days in Elementary School.  I particularly remember my third grade teacher who would bring us to the school library on extremely hot days because it was one of the few air conditioned rooms in the building.  We all sat on the floor and silent read or she would read aloud to us.  Perhaps this memory is jogged because of the extremely hot week we are having here in Guatemala.  How's the weather where you are?  Did you do anything special for your school librarian today?

This whole week is dedicated as national Library Week.  This year's theme is "Communities matter @ your library."  Community is a very important theme for me.  It is something I think we are losing in the United States.  Check out this link for a PSA from Caroline Kennedy about how libraries are important places for community and learning.  Do your students visit the (school or community) library at least once a week?

To keep the celebrations going, Thursday is national Poem in Your Pocket Day!  It is time to start preparing the poems students will carry in their pockets. I think it is great for students to carry a poem from a published author and a poem they wrote.  What types of poetry activities are you working on now that we are halfway through the month?

As a reminder, please hop over to Laurah's and help her fund new computers to replace computers stolen from her ELL students.  Her fundraiser is ending tomorrow, so this is your last chance to receive the bundle of TpT products ($120 value) for a $25 donation.

Finally, I'd like to leave you with a poem I wrote, entitled "A Teacher is like a Librarian."  Enjoy the rest of your week!

A Teacher is like a Librarian

© 2013 All Things Elementary

 

 

Children come with questions. 

Waiting for the answers, they look with eager eyes. 

The teacher must direct them and show them her delight. 

Her ability to guide them through the maze of knowledge is one well refined,

though she too is constantly learning and searching for gems inside. 

Each page holds answers but questions still abound. 

The books and knowledge are important,

but they’re nothing if the children aren’t around. 

The possibilities seem endless like the tall rows of shelves,

each book a knowledge morsel, so too the children are themselves.

Though the school walls loom large the children know who’s in charge;

 it’s the sweet teacher who reads them a book and doesn’t give them “the look.” 

Her room is one of comfort with the children gathered ‘round. 

The joy is in discovering how together we are bound.