Steve Swinburne Rocks!

On 6 November, we had the privilege of hosting author Steve Swinburne at Shrewsbury! He spoke with Year 4, 5, and 6 students, ate lunch with a great group of students, and worked with a small group at a writer's workshop. The excitement knew no bounds!

In the morning, Mr. Swinburne talked with year 5 and 6 students, explaining how he gets his ideas (will they ever forget coffee, bagels, and Brooklyn's Famous Car Wash...). Then he discussed ways to make your ideas SPARKLE! (Cool details, strong verbs, and HOOK the reader)

Each presentation ended with a sing-along for "One in a Thousand." All the students and staff participated enthusiastically in this (especially Mr. Williams).

Then a group of students enjoyed lunch with Mr. Swinburne and his wife.

After lunch was the year 4 presentation. (We saved the most energetic group for last!)

The writers moved to the senior library research room for a special session.

I never thought I would see students reluctant to leave school at the end of the day! But they were having too much fun and didn't want to stop.

Many students bought their own copies of Mr. Swinburne's books to read and enjoy.

Of course, a highlight for me was dinner with the Swinburnes the night before, along with Miss Marivic and Donna Stephens, librarian at City Campus who hosted him the day before!

Some Things Never Change

Classes are well underway, Wednesday after-school story time is a lot of fun (as is Tuesday morning story time for the Early Years classes), research lessons have begun with sixth form students, and an author visit is next week! (More on that in a moment)

Through all of this, today I reaffirmed a universal truth: technology is our friend...until it stops working at the worst possible moment!

I am growing used to the lack of technology to use during lessons unless in another space...something I hope to remedy in the future. For over a decade, I have had access to an interactive white board and a set of individual devices to use with students in the library. While going to classrooms or reserving a presentation space is not a problem (unless those other spaces are in use!), when the internet refuses to connect...ahhh...it's just like back in the USA!

This week we are preparing for our visit with author Steve Swinburne. Students in years 4-6 are excited as we get ready, but then the internet stopped this morning in our presentation room (the laptop decided not to connect). Fortunately, we were adaptable and the students were great sports as we trekked back upstairs to their classroom and then back down for checking out books.

Fingers crossed for tomorrow that the internet works so students can hear the "Barnacle Rap," "One in a Thousand," and other great videos from Mr. Swinburne's website!

Excitement Knows No Bounds

...when the library can finally be seen!

Today the Junior School Classes (all 30 of them from Y1-Y6) had personalized tours of the new library. These tours were hosted by book characters: a fairy tale queen, the Cat in the Hat, Emily the Strange, Alice (from Wonderland), Wally (who wasn't lost in the library!), Hermione Granger, the Princess from the Princess Diaries, and Elephant (from the Mo Willems series). Highlights of this tour included learning where their favorite books are now shelved, the rabbit hole, the story and lesson circle, as well as an opportunity to visit the senior school library! All of the new seating was a big hit, as were the many features of the library.

Instead of talking too much, I will let a few pictures show the excitement of the day. If you have a soundtrack of children squealing, play it with the pictures.

 

Let the Tours (and fun) Begin

   

As the mountains of cardboard boxes are taken away (Never fear, they are being recycled in a way. These boxes were rented for moving the library books!), we have a few woodland creatures    

 already making use of the library...

Quite a difference a day, plus a few months, can make when transforming a library. While I do not have pictures from last year, nor from the start of the construction, I have some before and after pictures with the transformation complete. Although there are a few things left to be done (i.e.: more shelving around the tree, cabinet over the book lift, door for the "cupboard under the stairs" - wizard orphan not included, desks for the librarians, etc.), tomorrow is the start of the tours with the Shrewsbury Parent Association, then an open house for parents Friday, and finally grand tours for the Junior School students all day Monday!

A mere 6 weeks ago, the library looked as if it would never be finished:

 



Progress was made and we could start to see an end in sight!




And now, all the books have been unboxed (except for some nonfiction that will go around the tree when the shelves are installed, and the poetry books and some Junior Fiction and Nonfiction awaiting added shelves), the circulation desk is ready for checkout, and we are in cleaning mode!

Progress and Travels

We have begun the Senior Fiction and Graphic Novels! Thanks to the International Award students who are completing service hours in the library, Foreign Language and Nonfiction books are also being shelved. Pictures will be posted this week. Due to the update to follow, this is an extremely short post.

Last week I was able to meet and work with the HPQ students. These senior school students (year 10-11 or grade 9-10) learned a few things about Internet Research.

Meanwhile, we have been exploring Bangkok. Those travels will be told through Spike and Captain, my small travel companions (who will also be working in the library). Their blog can be found at their Gone There, Seen That blog.