SOLSC '22 Day Twenty-six: Snippets

(Please note:  all these times are "ish")

745a:    S--"Look, I found my book!  It was in my desk the whole time."

            Me--"Tucked way in the back, hiding?"

            S--"No, just in there.  My desk is messy."

810a:    Me--"We're going to learn a few ways to evaluate a website today.  Because...is everything on the internet true and kind and safe for kids?"

            Ss--"NO!" (Without hesitation.  Makes me smile.)

            Me--"Can you teach some grownups that?" (Makes them smile.  Lesson continues, wraps up.)

            Me--"Okay, push in your chairs, grab your shelf markers, and go find some good fit books."

840a:    Me--"What was something new you learned about animals today?"

            S(PreK)--"That elephants have big families."

            Me--"And you?" (Pointing)

            S(PreK)--"Same!"

            Me--"You?" (Pointing)

            S(PreK)--"Same!"

            Me (after prodding for different answers)--"Remember how we are safe, respectful, and responsible when finding our books."

920a:  Me--"We're going to learn to be more efficient internet researchers by using better keywords.  Who's going to be surfing the net this summer?"

            (Every hand goes up, including mine and the teacher's.)

            Me--"How many of you have trouble finding exactly what you're looking for when you are doing research?"

            (Every hand goes up, including my assistant's.)

            Me--"Notice, scholars, it's not just you.  Internet searching isn't something you can ever necessarily be perfect at; we just get a little better.  Here's one way."  (Lesson ends with discovery that using our online databases INSTEAD of Google gets us better results more quickly!)  

            Me--"Okay, push in your chairs, grab your shelf markers, and go find some good fit books."

(Principal comes in with a parent, shows her around the library, introduces me, we chat about upcoming changes to the space, show her the mockups.)

1020a:  (Back to website evaluation again, different grade level.  Extensive talking about how we really can't trust photo evidence anymore, with digital photo editing and AI making it hard to trust what we see on the internet.  There's got to be jobs now as forensic photographic investigators, yes?)

            Me--"Okay, push in your chairs, grab your shelf markers, and go find some good fit books."

1130a:  (Logging into a Google Meet with three classes at once.)

            Me:  "Okay, when we last left Janey and Captain Superlative, they were in the cafeteria, getting ready to hand out mints..."

1203p:  Me--"We have a really silly story today--The Yawns Are Coming!"  Let's look at the book--do you think this is informative/ nonfiction, or fiction?"

            Ss(Kindergarten)--"FICTION!"  (Makes me smile.)

            Me--"I bet this book will make you yawn!" (And it does.)  "Remember to be safe, respectful, and responsible when you are finding your books!" 

1233p:  Me--"Let's try walking into the story area again safely, okay?  Now, wasn't that much easier and safer?" (Proceeds with another reading of The Yawns Are Coming!)  "We are safe, respectful, and responsible when looking for our books!"

1245p:  Me--"You did a great job finding your books today!  Here's a 30 Second Dance Party on the way out."

115p:  Me--(Takes a deep breath.  Chats with library assistant.)  "One more class to go."

130p:  Me--"We have a short lesson on website evaluation today.  Get your hand sanitizer and join me at the gray tables."  (Repeat of 8a and 1015a lesson.  This time remembering to talk a bit more about the tree octopus website.)  "Any questions about website evaluation?  Okay, push in your chairs, grab your shelf markers, and go find some good fit books."

250p:  (At car rider duty.)

            S (before getting into car)--"Can I have a hug?"

            Me--"Sure." (Side squeeze.)

320p:  Me--fascinating discussion in the hallway with colleague who is working on her master's degree in early childhood.

330p:  Me--working on the end-of-year student library survey.

400p:  Me--check email, discover that my flashlights have arrived.  Head to office, pick them up, spend the next twenty minutes labeling them for flashlight time next week.  Chat with the custodian.  Check email one more time, pack up laptop and meeting bag, head home.

I love being a librarian!