My Life as a Librarian: Valentine's Day Love Note

This is my job description in two sentences. 

Book Review: ACT Prep by Magoosh

As a high school librarian, I am always on the lookout for books and resources (in all media types) that will help students. The resources are many and varied so I need to assess, evaluate, select and communicate to students, and those who teach and care for them, the media, technology and information that will support their academic standings, college pathways and help them build skills for lifelong learning.

There is no one rule of thumb in this venture considering that students learn in different ways, styles and modalities. It is very important, thus, to have an array of resources, materials and services at the library's disposal to address student needs.

One specific need of high school students is preparation for college or "college prep" as our high school kids call it. This is a big deal for many students since the main goal of their high school education is to get in a university of their choice and one that best fit their talents, skills and competencies. It is a preparation that begins in kindergarten, in an ideal world. Such is not the case for all. So, help must be on the way at all times!

When I received an email to review a college prep handbook and guide in taking entrance exams for college acceptance, I was keenly interested. This may prove a worthy resources for our college counselors, senior high school teachers and our parents. Let me share with you the five wonderful things I discovered about ACT Prep by Magoosh.

1. It is written by a team of educators. Their names and credentials are in the introductory page for authorial presentation. SOP, yes but you would get the idea that learning is collaborative. The high school student who will use the guide and handbook is in the care of teachers who know how to work with others.

2. The language used to explain ACT prep, tips and strategies is very conversational, casual and easy to understand. The thought of taking a college admission test is reason for great anxiety. Reading this guide/handbook eases the worry by offering realistic tips, strategies and advice.

3. The content offers the reader a complete process of the college prep journey for the high school student in whatever grade or level he or she is at. It has text exercises and practice sheets in English, Reading, Writing, Math and Science.

4. The guide/handbook inspires independent learning, goal setting and discipline. There is a chapter that discuss and shows how goals and objectives can be met when taking tests, exams and applying for college. This may prove helpful for students whose intrinsic motivation is innate, but the counselor may need to come in for students who need more explicit ways of approaching college preps.

5. ACT Prep has many platforms of access and learning. It does not end with the ebook. Visit the website at Magoosh.

Now, I am off to share this news (not only to you, my dear readers) to our college counselors!

The Lighthouse Diary Entry 6: Works of Students As Part of the Library Collection

The International School Manila I know as a child has a Children's Media Center where I would visit during summer break. Of the many collections of books in the library, there was a special shelf for books made and written by students. Most of the books were short stories and collection of folktales, poetry and essays written in English class. The librarians and teachers in ISM value their students literacy journey that they included them in the library's collection.

As an eight year old reader, seeing books made by kids and reading them made a lasting impression. I discovered that shelf filled with books, bound by hand and some by a binding machine written by kids my age and older. There were stories similar to The Little Prince with towering trees and starry skies. There were books on folk tales jazzed up into crazy and contemporary versions from old motifs (this was in the 80s). I was in awe. I wanted to write too! So, I did by starting a journal. It was only years and years later that I gathered up the courage to write my own stories.

In Xavier School, while working as a school librarian in the Early Education unit, I teamed up with Nursery and Prep teachers for book projects. Our boys made picture books, wordless books, counting books and flash cards they can use for telling stories. I kept them in a special cabinet. Now I wonder if those books and storytelling flash cards are still in the EED Library.

Fast forward to where I am today.

Imagine my joy when I discovered a packet of zines on my table one morning!

The zines were made by our grade 10s and our English teacher donated them to the library. What precious additions to the library's collection! Apart from the Personal Projects and copies of Extended Essays, I am a proud curator and guardian of these "books" and student made projects. 

A few years ago, I was part of the team who organized the Early Readers Online Project. Our high school students made stories for readers in the early grades and these are all accessible on our school's website. The stories can be downloaded for free. Visit the Community and Service of the Beacon Academy.

Ah, a few of the many things I love about my job. - being a part of the creative process as well as designing structures for data and information access so knowledge can be derived from them thrills me to no end (I know I am geeking you out!) The best thing is, I get to curate, chronicle, and document these symbols and representations of thought and creativity. What a privilege!

I know so little. Yet, I am happy knowing only this much.

From Circulation Reports to Reading Guidance for Grade 9 -12

Towards the end of the 1st semester, my library staff and I looked over the circulation reports of our high school students. The numbers reveal a lot about our relationship with them. There are peaks and valleys on book readership from the last four months and this led us to reflect on the daily operations and readers services we provide for our students.

Studying circulation reports on a regular basis is helpful in the assessment of the library collection, reviewing the program and setting directions vis-a-vis curricular requirements and readers' needs or interest. I am reserving my reflections for another post on that matter. How readership affects and impacts collection development is for a separate discussion.

For now, let me share with you our response to sustain the readership and the habit of reading among our students.

I wrote each of them a letter. A generic one that has a record of the books they have borrowed, how far they have gone with their book quota and suggestions on how the library and its resources can further help them learn and grow. Below are my tips and recommendations:

• Extend your understanding of an author’s life or milieu by reading primary sources like diaries, memoirs, journals, biographies;
• Understand the context of a group of people in a particular time in history by reading personal stories, looking at a collection of photographs, browsing through timelines of world history books;
• Test the veracity of a hypothesis by reading secondary sources like researches and studies done by scientists, mathematicians and experts in the field of the social sciences;
• Look at models, patterns and processes of creation by analyzing case studies, business success stories, how-to-design handbooks, DIY manuals, craft books, art and architecture books;
• Read up on stories about college life, college admission tips, sample essays written by seniors who successfully got in their college of choice.
• Pick up a book on improving writing and research skills or being better at communication for business and social entreprenuership;
• A couple of contemporary fiction, select classics and a book of poetry or two will balance your reading list.

Students who are regular library users responded back right away. The usual suspects borrowed books over the holidays. It remains a challenge for us to entice and offer readers services to the reluctant ones and those who prefer to use another kind or mode of technology.