Library Promotions: Book List and Recommended Reads

One promotional strategy, and the easiest to do (at least to me), for new books to get noticed is to send a list with short reviews of selected titles through the school's mailing list. Sharing with you this email I sent to teachers and staff.

Good day everyone!

Attached is the list of new acquisitions. Choice picks from this harvest:

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan - satire meets chic lit; something for the coming term break if you want a light and fun read.

Silence by Shusaka Endo - if you feel like reading something moving and thought provoking; for those familiar with the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius; for those who are fascinated with Japan's culture, history and geography; for those who are baffled by silence.

This Explains Everything, edited by John Brockman - a compilation of essays on varied subjects and disciplines, from Evolutionary Genetics, Language and Natural Selection, The Universe Growing Like A Baby, Commitment, Simplicity, Fitness Landscapes, Feynman's Lifeguard, Equations and Their Continuity, Sex at Your Fingertips -- almost everything, really! The writing is TOKish, and (kinda) metacognitive.

Strategies for Application by David Wilson - tips and techniques for applying one's self in the classroom and in life, in general. 

How To Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms by Carol Ann Tomlinson - Differentiated Instruction 101; it has the basic principles of differentiating instruction; makes for a good companion to R. Jackson's Never Work Harder Than Your Students.

That's it, pansit. Hope to see you at the library! For queries, shoot us an email: 

library@beaconacademy.ph (Flynn - who will provide you with basic sourcing and reference services) 

librarian@beaconacademy.ph (Zarah - who can be your sounding board for instructional or pedagogical matters and teaching partner in research skills instruction)

Check our OPAC for queries on specific titles of books - tbalibrary.org 

I apply a different strategy when promoting books to students. Watch out for the next post on library promotions!

Oh Joy! Feedback From A Reader!

Imagine my surprise to find this message from Elaine Aliga Ricafort. She sent this through Messenger. In a time when social media is tainted with fake news and smeared by propaganda, using it wisely and responsibly can garner good results.

Hi, Zarah! 🙂 Sorry, you do not know me. But you happened to comment after me on Cris Tanjutco's status, and I was wondering why your name was so familiar. Then I realized I just read your book "My Daddy! My One and Only!" with my 6-year-old son yesterday. 🙂 

So I just wanted to tell you that it's a great book. And it perfectly describes my son's relationship with his dad, who is also an architect. 😛 So thank you! And I'll be on the lookout for more of your books. 🙂

My Daddy My One and Only (Gagatiga and Tejido, 2013) is published by Lampara Books.

The 2017 Teen Top Ten Nominees

Voting ends on October 14, 2017. Make a choice! Let other's hear your voice! For more information go to the YALSA Teen Top Ten website.

The 2017 Picture Book Month Celebration Is On!

Last weekend, I made an announcement of the 2017 Picture Book Month Champions.

I could not help but remember Dianne De Las Casas, founder of Picture Book Month. I have written about her passing in the blog two months ago, more or less. But here is another piece I put together for a supposed feature on people who have inspired me.

Working on Picture Book Month this year is not the same without her.

Dianne De Las Casas is one of the many inspiring people who made a great difference in my life. Dianne believed in me and gave me the courage to write. She trusted me to be her co-author in writing a collection of Filipino Folk Tales. We worked together on the book for two years and Tales From the 7,000 Isles: Filipino Folk Stories (ABC CLIO) was published in 2011. It is my first book published in the US. The book won the World Storytelling Resource Award given by the National Storytelling Network, Tennessee USA in 2015.

It was a big break and if not for Dianne's confidence in me, it wouldn't be possible. She showed me how to be brave. How writing can set the self free of all possible fears. In 2011, she started an international campaign, Picture Book Month. It is aimed at celebrating books, literacy and reading.

Every year since 2011, 30 Picture Book Champions share their essay on the importance of picture books. I am one of the champions in 2013 and this fueled my passion to continue telling stories and creating picture books. Last year, she made me the administrator of Picture Book Month (picturebookmonth.com).


More than a mentor, Dianne is also my "big sister" as she helped me restore my own confidence and belief in myself as a woman. I dedicated my picture book, Big Sister (Lampara Books), to her. Like her, I hope to inspire others too.


Dianne died last August 21, 2017 in a house fire. She was 47 years old.

Dianne De Las Casas and John Couret, authors of Captain Deadeye and the Bully Shark (Write Hook Media, LLC 2016)




When Parents Grow Up With Their Children

When Domeng and I had our Marriage Encounter Weekend in 2006, Nico was 9 years old and Zoe was 5. In the span of eleven years, Nico and Zoe have grown up being kind, smart and talented young adults. Nico is pursuing an academic career as a Music Pedagogist while Zoe is a Grade 10 student contemplating on taking a college course in Design or Fine Arts. They are our pride and joy. It is my fervent prayer  that they find their true passions and when they do, use it to make this world a better place.

While this brief profile of our kids looks good, it is but a small fraction of a bigger picture. One that has the real and unmasked portrait of the struggles they faced in the past and some challenges they still grapple with. I am sure that life will show them many more. When tough times come a calling, I hope that they take it with a prayer in their hearts that God is always by their side.

Of the many things I learned from being a parent to Nico and Zoe, it is that vulnerability is a grace. When I was a young mother, my motto was, when the going gets tough the tough gets going. Months and years after the Marriage Encounter Weekend and Family Encounter Weekends (we attended as a family candidate in 2007 and as auxi family in 2009) this changed to when the going gets tough, it is God who gets it going. I learned to seek help, to ask, even beg for assistance and support from others. First of all, I started  being open to Domeng about their needs, my mothering issues and what keeps me awake at night. From my husband, I realized the value of building one’s strength of character, my own and my children’s too.

I also learned that my children are their own persons. I came to respect their decisions, learning styles, moods and temperament. Listening to them is the most enjoyable. Letting them go is the more difficult thing to do. It is not wise to control or impose on them but when I do, as I am not perfect, I face them with an honest apology. I am forgiven so easily. It is there where love rests.

The apples did not fall far from the tree, of course. So many times I see myself in them and I see Domeng too. Often, I am happy to discover these characteristics manifest in real life applications. Sometimes, not so. Nonetheless, this mirroring only makes parenting more meaningful as I resolve to be a better version of myself for their sake and my own too.

Our children are growing up in this new stage of their lives. They need more space and time to fully appreciate and find wisdom in adulting. I remain their mother, of course, but I too grow with them as a person. How my role has shifted from caretaker, to teacher to counselor and now, mentor and life coach! Indeed, our children are God’s gift to us and to the world.

Teen Read Week is October 8 - 14, 2017

Visit the Teen Read Week blog for more resources and linkages in staging events and programming activities for the young adult reader.

Teaching Information Literacy in the Age of Millineals

Information Literacy Millinneal Way from Zarah Gagatiga

The Lighthouse Diary Entry 4: My Life As A Teacher Librarian

At this juncture in the first term of the school year, I find myself a busier bee. On top of managing a staff and the library's programs, I am also a homeroom adviser. I have six students under my care and mentorship. I am learning a lot from them. How? Well, that would be for another post.

For this post, let me share with you my work list.

Working with teachers, I am a:

1. Sounding board for instructional and pedagogical matters;
2. Brainstorming partner on the use of media and technology;
3. Consultant for resources of all kinds, formats and genre;
4. Teaching partner for research skills instruction;
5. Resource person for community based activities concerning literacy development;

Working with students, I am a:

1. Companion in their research journey;
2. Writing coach;
3. Teacher of skills - critical thinking, information and media literacy;
4. Guide in the digital landscape;
5.  Designer of learning environments and spaces.

Teacher Librarians never go out of style!

NCTED 2017: Teaching Tech and Thinking Skills (2 of 2)

Here is part 2 of the post on the NCTED 2017 experience I had two weeks ago. Part 1 can be read through this link. For this blog post, I am sharing what the teacher participants in my workshop, Media in the Time of Social Media, came up with during discussions and group activities. There were many ideas that came up so I took the chance of writing them all down. We called it, Teacher's Idea Box.

I did ask permission from them for this blog post. Thank you, teachers!

Teacher's Idea Box

1. Create a Media Log. Digital natives write diary entries about their digital lives.

2. Know your tech tool for thinking, teaching and learning.

3. Reading corners never go out of style.  Design an attractive reading corner where digital natives can read books.

4. Involve parents in the teaching and learning experience. Open avenues where parents can give valuable feedback of their child's progress when at home or with the family.

5. Encourage students to use social media by posting reflections, highlights and questions they had during class.

6. Make use of hashtags that are relevant to the learning experiences and activities in the classroom.

7. Provide students with constant feedback on their use of technology, specially on their communication skills and how they relate to others in an online environment.

8. Schedule a time and space where students can play around with tech tools, integrated them with subject related activities and allow them to explore and curate content online.

Do you have something to add or share? Feel free to post a comment!

Schoology is Learning With Rex Digital

I discovered Schoology when I was preparing for my workshop for the National Conference on Technology in Education. I used the e-learning platform in many ways namely: as workbook where participants can write their reflections and submit their output; as database of online sources for the workshop (this was my favorite feature of the platform because it's like curating -- which I think it is!); and as my visual aid. I didn't prepare a PPT presentation anymore. YAY!

Schoology is easy to use. The interface and its menu are navigable by digital migrants like me. Though I didn't get to use the assessment and grading feature of Schoology, this only goes to show how complete the e-learning platform is. While it does look like a very flexible virtual learning space for teachers and students, school who are deciding to acquire the platform need to look at the prerequisites of technology integration in teaching and learning. To name a few, these are tech support, by Rex Digital and in-school IT staff; curriculum and pedagogy that allows for a fluid application of the e-learning platform; and continuous teacher training program.

Interested?

Get in touch with Ms. Enoy Ferriol: ellinor@rexdigital.net and/ or etferriol@rexpublishing.com.ph. Mobile No - 09178760806

Teacher on Center Stage: Teacher Mary Rose Lagunsad

Because it's Teacher's Month, the blog is featuring another teacher who goes beyond the call of duty. Teacher Mary Rose "Marose" Lagunsad is a grade school teacher in Bitik Elementary School in Valenzuela City. If she is not in the classroom, she trains colleagues and peers to become better teachers. She supports many literacy groups one of them is the Pinoy Reading Buddies. Read on and get to know Teacher Marose and her advocacy.

If I were not a teacher...

If I were not a teacher, I would be a journalist who writes about peace education, reading intervention and literacy advocacy, environmental concerns and relationships. 

What do you love most about teaching?
 
Over the years, I feel extremely fulfilled and grateful whenever my pupils’ potentials unfold before my eyes. Seeing how they journey toward their dreams year after year gives me that assurance that I made the right choice of vocation after all. What seemed to be impossible for a child at the beginning of the year becomes “I’m possible” come the last two quarters. If I could be there to guide them as they sparkle on their own and at their own pace would mean I am on the right track in my mission. 

Describe to the blog's readers the Picture Walk strategy in teaching and learning how to read.
 
Mam Rowena Jimenez, our Founder, Executive Director of Pinoy Reading Buddies (PRB), is  one of our beloved mentors has this to say about the PRB Picture Walk Component: "Picture Reading" or picture talk (instead of book talk) is being used naturally by emergent readers. As a component of the Pinoy Reading Buddies Program, the PRB Picture Walk is meant for older, struggling readers. 

It is more deliberate than the natural inclination to talk about the pictures. One main difference is we get our kids to pause and summarize what the story is about from the beginning -- to get them very familiar with the narrative structure: "What happened first? Then what came next? Then what happened?” and so on... until they retell verbally the whole story they conjured up simply by looking at the pictures. 

Young emergent readers simply talk about each picture --they may skip some--and they don’t worry about creating a complete story. Of course, it may be used by other teachers. We're just hoping that they see it the way we do --and use it the way we do - as part of the 4-component program called the PRB Reading Buddies program. 

Tell us something more about Pinoy Reading Buddies.
 
Pinoy Reading Buddies is student driven literacy intervention where learners collaborate to improve their thinking and decoding skills. It is a Non-Stock, Non-Profit Organization, founded by Rowena Jimenez, a Filipino teacher based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA and a group of other Filipino immigrants and Americans whose mission is to help build a nation of engaged Filipino readers. 

PRB has partner schools in a number of cities, municipalities and provinces all over the country. These partner schools practice the PRB Method through the aid of teacher volunteers who have been trained on the Four Components of the program. These training workshops as well as boxes of donated gently used storybooks from PRB book drives in the US are provided free. 

For more information, please like the Pinoy Reading Buddies official facebook fan page and visit the PRB website at pinoyreadingbuddiesweb.wordpress.com

Teaching Information Literacy to Digital Natives

Il the millinneal_way from Zarah Gagatiga

NCTED 2017: Teaching Tech and Thinking Skills (1 of 2)

Congratulations to Woohoo Learning Lab for successfully staging the first National Conference on Technology in Education (NCTTED) last week amidst two typhoons. I missed day but made it to days 2 and 3 of the conference. I missed the research presentations and the panel on technology in education but, thanks to Schoology and the NCTED website and Facebook page, catching up on missed sessions was possible.

Being at the conference was a reunion of sorts with friends in the teaching and book industry and former colleagues from Xavier School. I met new friends too, teachers who registered in my session on Media in the Time of Social Media. Indeed, the experience was fun, nostalgic and life affirming.

So here now is my list of "take away" from the NCTED.

1. Using technology in education is equal to sound pedagogy.

2. Teachers are lifelong learners and must be given the support to grow in their context and environment.

3. Quoting Fr. Johnny Go, "A culture of what ifs is grown by a leadership of why not?"

4. Important terms: Assessment of learning. Review and selection. Evaluation. Curation. Collaboration. Empathy. Innovation. Critical Thinking. Creativity.

5. There exist a gap between the boomers, the gen Xers and the millennials. Of course. But, if possible, bridging programs or initiatives that fill in gaps need to be set up by the government and non-government organizations.

6. Question: Advances in technology cost a lot. What happens to the have-nots if they could not keep up or are not given access and opportunities to learn and use technology?

7. Content is king. Context is QUEEN (Insert: Ms. Universe wave).

8. Formative assessment is crucial to learning achievement and progress. Where technology plays a role in formative learning is applied in differentiation or differentiated instruction.

9. The effective use of technology in education involves a lot of time spent on discussions with peers, colleagues, school leaders and students - even parents. Talk. Talk. Talk. My take: LISTEN. Listen. Listen.

10. Learning in the age of the digital  natives require teachers to take on different roles: a sage on the stage; a guide on the side; an architect of learning environments. In the best interest of your students, when are you a sage, a guide and/or an architect of learning?

These are all for now. Part 2 to follow as I share the Teacher's Idea Box which participants in my workshop came up with.

Teaching Resources and Reader's Guide: See You In the Cosmos

See You in the Cosmos

Jack Cheng

Dial, 2017

In case you missed it, I wrote my review of See You in the Cosmos in the blog early this month. Two book bloggers also posted their responses and reactions to the book.  Teacher Cris' review has an "audio recording" using a Golden iPod and Philippine Board on Books for Young People President, Tarie Sabido's review includes a line up of cool activities for teachers and librarians. Needless to say, there are so many things to enjoy in this book besides, Alex's engaging thoughts about life, love and rocket science.

Here now are my recommended resources and guide for the avid reader, the teacher who will pick up the book for the class's reading list and the librarian who will discuss the book during the monthly book club.

It's not Rocket Science. But it is!

Build reading context about rockets and space shuttles. Alex's adventure begins the day he dreamed of launching a rocket into space. By joining an adult community of space and rocket science enthusiasts, Alex learned important lessons in building rockets, making mistakes and taking second chances. In The Chemistry of Rockets   a video explaining how rockets work, middle grade readers of the book can take a closer look at rocket science. Education.com has DIY activities on making rockets that are applicable for entries to Science Fairs. NASA has a timeline  of successful and disastrous space shuttle programs in the 20th century. Launching rockets into space isn't as cool as it seems to be when we see them on TV and in the movies.

Discussion question: What fueled Alex to launch a rocket into space?

Literary Link: Make a character chart or road map about Alex. 

Use a mind map or graphic organizer to map Alex's character before he launched the rocket, during the course of his journey and at the end of the road trip he had with seemingly nice adults. Infographic apps like easel.ly and My Poplet can also be used. Below are guide questions in making the map, graphic organizer or infographic.

Who was the Alex you met at the start of novel?

What ups and downs did he experience along the way? 

Who are the people Alex met that changed the way he looks the world? 

What events in his journey confused him and inspired him to demand and seek the truth from his elders and from life in general? 

How did he deal with his mother's condition? 

Describe Alex at the end of the novel? How different is this Alex from the start of the novel?

Extending Understanding of the Text

Ask yourself:

What trips or journeys have you experienced that changed the way you view life or affirmed that life is worth living for?

How did the journey changed your views and beliefs?

Does the change in view or of belief in life move you to do something? If yes, what is your course of action? If not, why?

Carl Sagan and Modern Day Explorations

Carl Sagan, the scientist and not Alex's dog, is a real life character that made a big influence in Alex's fascination in space, astronomy and rockets. Figuratively, Carl Sagan is the representation of Alex's philosophical nature and his penchant for documenting the journey towards understanding the truth. A philosopher and scientist, Carl Sagan inspired others to be curious, courageous, humble, open and to take risks.  These are characteristics we find in explorers and thinkers. These are the same qualities I find in Alex at every turn of the plot until the final chapters of the novel.

If anything, Jack Cheng, reminded me to continue pursuing dreams, silly or not, and to be like Alex or Carl Sagan who could wonder at the vastness of space and be in awe at the smallness of humanity against the backdrop of the greatness of the universe.

Just how relevant is Carl Sagan to modern science? The Smithsonian writes about him in 2014 and the legacy he left behind.  Even the title of the book has the word, Cosmos, a homage to Carl Sagan and his enlightening documentary show on TV back in the 70s and in the 80s.

Just how relevant is Carl Sagan to humanity?  Listen to his narration about humanity and space in the Pale Blue Dot, a recording made at NASA while the Golden Voyager beams itself from millions of light years away from where it was launched.

Discussion question: What modern day explorations are moving and shaking science and technology to new directions for humanity's progress and salvation?

Writing Activities:
1. Keep a journal where you record daily musings that may look or sound mundane. But, on closer inspection, these musings can grow into insights that reflect existential thoughts and ideas that span space and time. It may be a topic for a future essay in academic or personal purposes.

2. Blog about daily explorations with the self and the world around you. You will never know what you will discover just around the bend or in the recesses of your mind.

3. Take photos that interest you. It may be an object, an event a person you like. These may be jump off points for stories waiting to be told.

These are all for now. Until next book review, resources and guide.

STARS in a Teachers' Workshop

As a writer of children's stories, I am always thrilled to know when teachers use my books for classroom teaching and in workshops with peers and colleagues. Teacher Marose Lagunsad sent me these photos late in August showing me how she rallied a group of teachers to read my early reading series, Start Right Reading Series Kindergarten Level, using it as a spring board for Picture Walk.

Picture Walk is a reading comprehension strategy that builds decoding skills, comprehension and literature appreciation among readers. When teachers are engaged in doing an activity that they can use in the classroom, it is likely that they will try it out in their classrooms too. Thank you, Teacher Marose for the support!

One of the books in the series, Zoo Bee Doo, tells the story of a girl who got lost in the zoo.

The Start Right Reading Series Kindergarten Level is a learning package for Kindergarten learners. It has 12 books, a teaching manual and parents' guide for classroom and home school instruction.

The Start Right Reading Series (Gagatiga and Solina-Wolf, Lampara Books 2014) is available at the booth of Lampara Books currently on sale at the 38th Manila International Book Fair, SMX Convention Center, Pasay City.

#milclicks: Illusions, Perceptions and Jinkee Pacquio

Photo taken on August 25, 2017 along Alabang, SLEX

Here is a MIL activity in my workshop during the National Conference on Technology in Education (NCTED) last September 13, 2017.

Using the 5 Critical Questions in Understanding Media Messages by Media Audit, participants analyze the media message of the billboard ad and synthesize their findings into a commentary. The five critical questions are:

1. Who created this message?
2. What creative techniques are used to attract my attention?
3. How might different people understand this message differently?
4. Why is this message being sent?
5. What point of view is represented in, or omitted from, this message?

Group Activity 1 - What is wrong with this photo?

Photo: Jinkee Pacquio as Belo commercial billboard model

Inquiry Question: Why was a billboard used to relay the media message?

Use the 5 critical questions to understand the message of the billboard, its purpose, form and function. Write a one page commentary and post it on your Facebook Timeline.

Use #milclicks after your commentary.

New Lampara Books in the 2017 Manila International Book Fair

I will be present during the book signing from September 13-14, 2017 and the formal launching of our book, The Day Max Flew Away (Gagatiga and Tejido) on September 17, 2017. See you! Say hi and don't be a stranger

National Conference on Technology in Education: INNOVATED 2017

I am deeply humbled to be in this roster of passionate educators. I will be running a workshop on Media in Social Media that will cover Media and Information Literacy Skills and Web 2.0 Technology in teaching and instruction.

Join over 300 educators in shaping the future of education. The National Conference on Technology in Education: INNOVATED. September 12-14, 2017, SMX Convention Center Manila. 

Zooming in on the Relearn Literacy Session on Media and Information Literacy, you will find three topics on MIL: search strategies, understanding media, social media and smart strategies in navigating Web 2.0, and teaching Media and Information Literacy.

Teacher and Librarian Collaboration: Media and Information Literacy Workshop

Media and Information Literacy: Teacher and Librarian Collaboration from Zarah Gagatiga

Book Launch: Mama Mary's Children Volume 5