Book Donations and Library Outreach Activity

Back in November 2016, I received an email from Mariecar Fernando of the Ayala Foundation (AFI). In charge of the education and teacher training arm of AFI, Ms. Fernando asked for books that we could possibly donate to their #MagingMagiting campaign. Looking at the old and grown out books donated by our students, teachers and parents that our library has gathered for donation to libraries who need it, I thought of giving them all to AFI's campaign.

One of the letters by a CENTEX grade 5 student

AFI has an immediate recipient of the books. One of their projects is the CENTEX schools where the books will stay. They have the staff and the manpower to deliver the books to the CENTEX public schools. They also have training programs and operational structures to make sure that the books will end up in the libraries of the CENTEX schools. So, AFI sent their people to get the books from us last January 2017.

A week ago, I received an envelope full of letters from grade 5 students of CENTEX Batangas. Each letter contains words of appreciation, gratitude and prayers of goodwill for me and for the school I work at. I do not know who these children are, but their letters speak of the wonder and the magic that our book donations brought them. In a school community where books and reading resources are scarce, this act of generosity goes a long way.

This inspired me to formally launch the library's classroom library project for a public elementary school and put together a catalog of recommended reads during our school assembly.

The catalog will contain book reviews by our Griffins.

Last 2016, during the Beacon academy Fair, we had a book fair that earned us 30 titles of books to start a classroom library for a K-3 class in a public school. This year, we earned enough money from the school fair to buy 30 more books. But donating a classroom library does not begin and end with a box or a bin of books to a class. It entails knowing the readers who will read the books, the teachers who use the books for instruction and the issue of sustainability needs to be addressed as well.

There is much work to be done.

Quick Fix Classroom Library

During the National Bookstore Foundation - United Iriguenos, Inc sponsored workshop, I asked the teacher participants to create a reading corner that they can set up in twenty minutes given limited resources. With only thirty books, old magazines and newspapers, they were able to come up with mini-libraries that can be set-up in the classroom. Here are photos of the reading/library corners of each group.

Live Blogging: The 2009 Petron Gurong Kaakbay

Today is the last day of the Petron Gurong Kaakbay (GK) Conference. It's a yearly teacher training conference for public school teachers run by Sa Aklat Sisikat. It boasts of an array of experts in the field of education.

This morning, I facilitated a workshop on Creating Classroom Resource Centers. I had a mixed batch this year so the result was both enriching and empowering. Responses from those who have not created a classroom library were very positive. They were inspired to adapt and adopt the tips and techniques discussed in the workshop. For teachers who have existing classroom libraries, they were glad to be affirmed that what they were doing was the right thing.

I could only thank them for making my work, as a librarian, more meaningful.

At 1PM, Dr. Ricardo Abad gave valuable techniques to be more engaging and animated in class. According to Dr. Abad, the best visual aid in the classroom is still the teacher. Technology is a support for the teacher. He left us all with CAMEL - Build a COMMUNITY of learners; Involve learners in ACTIVE learning; Use MULTIPLE learning strategies; Be EXPRESSIVE in voice and body movement; and LOVE teaching!

Right now, Aris Lim, HR manager and trainor continues to animate and infuse teachers with coaching and mentoring activities.