To create your own Word Clouds, click on the above image.

Poetry is Slammin’ at P.S. 32

You may be excited about the approaching NCAA basketball tournament, but at P.S. 32 we have our own March Madness. For 15 days we will be immersed in reading, listening to, discussing, and sharing poetry as our 2nd Annual March Poetry Madness tournament has begun.

Sixteen poems have been selected to represent 16 classes (we combined the Pre-K classes to form one team and did the same with Kindergarten).

Each morning two poems are read over the PA to the entire school (students arriving late will miss the readings) and the students discuss each poem and vote to decide on the poem that advances to the next round.

The tournament will cover 15 days and end on March 20th. The poems, brackets and results are posted outside of our library. I also put together a VoiceThread where each of the poems are recorded and shown there. Also, each has its own slide where staff and the students can post comments (to post, you need to access the main VoiceThread site for our school at http://ps32.org/voicethread). Please take part in the posting and read the poems with your children. I will have the students posting from the library. You and your child can even create your own. Here is a guide to the creating a VoiceThread tutorial: Creating a VoiceThread

Final Round Bracket

 The winning poem was Hey Dog by Jacqueline Woodson representing class 5-1. 

The Poems (each poem is linked to the poets website or an additional resource):

To find out more about each poet and all of your favorite authors and books, go to TeachingBooks.net (We have a subscription, but I am not allowed to post the password. I had sent it home with all students. If you do not have it please contact me at arm285@optonline.net.)

At times some parents, as well as, teachers have approached me stating that the book that the child is choosing is too hard and not on the child’s reading-level. The library program at P.S. 32 is committed to fostering a love of reading and self-discovery in our students.  To advance this, students are encouraged to freely choose books that they are interested in. We are also working to open up the students’ to discovering the wealth of genres, subjects, authors, series, and titles that are available. This will allow them to form a personal relationship with books.

A large selection of the material available in our school library, unlike in the classroom leveled-libraries, may be above the grade-level of your child (students should definitely read books from the classroom library that are on their level as reading on their level will help them to advance their reading skill, but there is a research-backed surefire way to help your child to become an accomplished reader that will be discussed below). To promote the joy of reading, I never discourage a child from selecting materials that they cannot read, but I do ask students to also pick materials that they can read on their own. However, it is vital to the success of your child and our students that they are read to everyday. The hope when a child borrows a book that they want to read and can’t yet do it on their own, is that someone will read it to them. My favorite part of my job is reading aloud to children and I do it as often as possible. With you doing it home daily, combined with children being read to at school, your children will not only become proficient readers, but they will want to read for the rest of their lives.

In the article Parents ‘must let children choose what they read‘,  Vanessa Thorpe of the Guardian Observer stresses that children develop a reading life when given free choice. Here are her five tips for parents on how to make happy young readers:

• Don’t make reading a chore; it is not “good” behaviour.
• Let your child choose their own reading from a handful of selected books.
• Don’t edit their choice by the age range on the back: see what they fancy.
• Don’t tell them what you enjoyed when you were their age.
• Stand back and let your child talk directly to the librarian or bookseller.

One Major Factor in Having Children Become Better Readers

The Importance of Reading to Children Each Day
Research at literacyconnections.com shows that, “Children who have been read to several times a day as a young child, did substantially better in kindergarten than youngsters whose parents read to them a few times a week or less often.“

Reading is Fundamental has a wealth of information on reading aloud. In Facts About Reading Aloud they state, “Reading to young children promotes language acquisition and literacy development and, later on, achievement in reading comprehension and overall success in school. The percentage of young children read aloud to daily by a family member is one indicator of how well young children are prepared for school.”

The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) posted The Family Literacy Foundation’s list of the many benefits of reading aloud with children are:

• Children’s self esteem grows as they experience the security of having a parent or other caring person read aloud with them.
• Children experience increased communication with parents and other family members.
• Children are introduced to new concepts such as colors, shapes, numbers, and alphabet, in a fun, age appropriate way.
• Children build listening skills, vocabulary, memory, and language skills.
• Children develop imagination and creativity.
• Children learn information about the world around them.
• Children develop individual interests in special subjects like dinosaurs, cats, or cars.
• Children learn positive behavior patterns and social values.
• Children learn positive attitudes towards themselves and others.
• CHILDREN LEARN THE JOY OF READING!

For Reading Aloud: Tips for Parents and Teachers visit LiteracyConnections.com.

To learn how to become an expert on reading aloud, from the master of it, visit Mem Fox’s website. The site is full of great information for parents, teachers, and kids, but the  section on “How to Read Aloud” is a must (click on the links below):

• Introduction
• And Do It Like This
• Ten read-aloud commandments

Hear Mem talk about the importance of reading aloud:

The AASL recommends two books about reading to your child:

Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox (this book is on its way)

The Read-Aloud Handbook, 6th ed.
Jim Trelease (we have this book)

Let me know if you would like to either/or participate in read aloud workshops or just come in and read with your child (and others) in our library. Email me at arm285@optonline.net

We are all members of the literacy club and if we want our students to join too we have to model the benefits of membership.

Adam

Diapers to Dorms (D2D) was launched on Saturday November 2nd, 2012 at the P.S. 32 LMC (Library Media Central).  This free program is designed to provide infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and their families with resources, supports, and, activities  to ready the children for elementary school through college, and beyond!

The program runs for ten sessions and will cover topics such as:

• Family Literacy: talking to and with children, and reading to and with children
• Child Brain Development
• Computer Skills  and Resources
• Health and Nutrition
• Singing and Movement
• Discipline
• Parental stress
• Parent-child bonding

Families participating all receive:

• Free Books
• Free Computer (The More Than Tomorrow Project will provide refurbished computers and training to each family)
• Free art supplies
• Music for children

I would like to thank all of the families that attended. Also thanks go out to Sharon Rencher, to the P.S. 32 staff members: Pre-K teacher, Eve Mutchnick, Assistant Principal Erica Steinberg, Kindergarten teacher Heather Cantor, Third Grade teacher Heather Barr, and School Aide Danny Cellars for their participation and help. Thanks as well to the D2D committee and all of their efforts to make this possible:  Principal Deborah Florio, Bess Hauser, Jonah Seigel, Heather Cantor, Eve Mutchnick, Lisa Latham, and Sharon Rencher. Special appreciation to James and Rebecca Katz, and Councilman Brad Lander for all of their support.

With gratitude,
Adam Marcus P.S. 32 Librarian

Sharon Rencher, Executive Director
NYCDOE Imagination Library Initiative

Sharon Rencher, Executive Director of the NYC Imagination Library Initiative, spoke to the parents about the importance of talking with and reading to children. She signed all families up to receive a monthly free book (for children ages 0 up to 5) from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library.

Images of Our First Baby Steps:

Maurice, a P.S. 32 graduate, reads to his baby brother Justin.

Malcolm reads to his daughter, Martina.

Ryan loved being in the library.

After breakfast there was still room for “Green Eggs and Ham”!

Pre-K teacher, Eve Mutchnick, reads “King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub”.

Eve has us all moving to the music of Greg & Steve.

Kindergarten teacher, Heather Cantor, shares a book with Leo.

Kimberly reads to her son Ryan.

Each D2D session, families will get to take home free children’s books (books purchased through a grant from First Book). We also had some free books for the older siblings (generously donated from the NYCDOE Office of Library Services).

The latest “This American Life” podcast, “Back to School”, is a fascinating look at an emerging theory about what to teach kids. Checkout the podcast at ThisAmericanLife.org.

Paul Tough‘s latest book How Children Succeed: Grit, Curiosity, and the Hidden Power of Character is featured in the podcast. I purchased a digital copy for my iPad  and I am ordering a copy for our parenting collection.

Come in and Borrow a Book

We have a small collection of print books for parents on parenting and family topics (we are awaiting a $3,000 grant from Brad Lander to increase the parenting and professional collections). You can find these titles in our Destiny Online Catalog. Here is a list of the books in our parenting collection:

Child sense : from birth to age 5, how to use the 5 senses to make sleeping, eating, dressing, and other everyday activities easier…

The attachment connection : parenting a secure & confident child using the science of attachment theory

The other parent : the inside story of the media’s effect on our children

Nurtureshock : new thinking about children

Einstein never used flash cards : how our children really learn–and why they need to play more and memorize less

I love you rituals

The elephant in the playroom : ordinary parents write intimately and honestly about raising kids with special needs

Guerrilla learning : how to give your kids a real education with or without school

The bully, the bullied, and the bystander : from preschool to high school–how parents and teachers can help break the cycle of violence

Overcoming dyslexia : a new and complete science-based program for reading problems at any level

7 keys to comprehension : how to help your kids read it and get it!

Quicksand : HIV/AIDS in our world

The ADD & ADHD answer book

The 7 habits of highly effective families : building a beautiful family culture in a turbulent world

Raising boys : why boys are different–and how to help them become happy and well-balanced men

Fathering your school-age child : a dad’s guide to the wonder years: 3 to 9

Parenting gifted children : the authoritative guide from the National Association for Gifted Children

Mama Rock’s rules : [ten lessons for raising a houseful of successful children]

Parenting preschoolers with a purpose : caring for your kids & yourself

Loving without spoiling : and 100 other timeless tips for raising terrific kids

The successful child : what parents can do to help kids turn out well

How to behave so your preschooler will, too!

The whole-brain child : 12 revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind

The everything tween book : a parent’s guide to surviving the turbulent preteen years

The we generation : raising socially responsible kids

1-2-3 magic

The journal of best practices : a memoir of marriage, Asperger syndrome, and one man’s quest to be a better husband

Juana Flores, the Brooklyn Public Library Carroll Gardens Branch Children’s Librarian.

Upcoming Events at The Carroll Gardens Branch:

The Magic Amore!!! (Carroll Gardens)

Chess Club (Carroll Gardens)

Story Crafts (Carroll Gardens)

Read for the Record (Carroll Gardens)

On this day more than 2 million will read Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad by David Soman and Jacky Davis in support of Jumpstart’s mission to work towards the day every child enters school prepared to succeed.

Dragonfly Girl, Bumblebee Boy, and Butterfly Girl join Lulu, the Ladybug Girl for a day filled with fun. All afternoon Ladybug Girl and the Bug Squad run and play. They jump over imaginary hot lava and tiptoe past an army of giants (also known as great big sunflowers!). After a day of make-believe play Lulu has a special surprise; it’s cupcakes, each with its very own candle!   

The program offers a once a week family literacy story time program for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Our goal is to make sure that all students start school off with every advantage possible. The sessions will include read alouds, puppet shows, music, movement, and art for the kids. Family literacy support will be available for all parents and caregivers as well. New, free books will be made available to all participants through Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, from First Book Marketplace and through grants. There will also be food and refreshments.

Diapers to Dormitories (D2D)

Reading to infants, toddlers, and preschoolers is one of the most important things families can do to develop and cultivate literacy. Dates and times for the Diapers to Dormitories program will be announced shortly.

Mem Fox’s Ten Read Aloud Commandments

1. Spend at least ten wildly happy minutes every single day reading aloud.
2. Read at least three stories a day: it may be the same story three times. Children need to hear a thousand stories before they can begin to learn to read.
3. Read aloud with animation. Listen to your own voice and don’t be dull, or flat, or boring. Hang loose and be loud, have fun and laugh a lot.
4. Read with joy and enjoyment: real enjoyment for yourself and great joy for the listeners.
5. Read the stories that the kids love, over and over and over again, and always read in the same ‘tune’ for each book: i.e. with the same intonations on each page, each time.
6. Let children hear lots of language by talking to them constantly about the pictures, or anything else connected to the book; or sing any old song that you can remember; or say nursery rhymes in a bouncy way; or be noisy together doing clapping games.
7. Look for rhyme, rhythm or repetition in books for young children, and make sure the books are really short.
8. Play games with the things that you and the child can see on the page, such as letting kids finish rhymes, and finding the letters that start the child’s name and yours, remembering that it’s never work, it’s always a fabulous game.
9. Never ever teach reading, or get tense around books.
10. Please read aloud every day, moms and dads, because you just love being with your child, not because it’s the right thing to do.

It has been five months since our library had its grand reopening. With all of the hoopla surrounding the event I came down with a self-diagnosed case of acute “Bloggers Block”. This post is as overdue as some of your favorite reads; the books that you just want to hold onto forever.

To ease back into the backlog caused by the lack of Blog, I wish to summarize the happenings of the LMC from March’s reopening to the present day.

The Re-Opening Was Grand

After 2 1/2 years, I was overjoyed to finally be at the stage of our five year plan where we can open the doors to our renovated and expanded 21st Century library media center. Despite the rainy night, we still had an amazing turnout at the grand re-opening and we were able to offer our thanks to all of our donors and supporters.

The evening was started off with a message from a very special guest, award-winning Brooklyn author, Jacqueline Woodson.

So much has happened since the LMC doors reopened. Our library program has come so far in such a short time thanks to the diligent efforts of our Library Advisory Committee, the support and foresight of our administration, the numerous dedicated volunteers and generous supporters, and most importantly, the students who the space was established for. This animoto.com video documents The Evolution of Our Library.

Everyone loved our digital hosts for the evening, Dewey & Deci from Xtranormal.com.

Digital Hosts, Dewey and Deci Wow the Crowd at the Re-opening Ceremony! They came courtesy of xtranormal.com

The student-led tours of the library had guests lined up to take them, everyone walked away with new free books, book posters, and reading SWAG, and had the opportunity to participate in enriching literacy activities.

PTA President Larissa Bailiff, Principal Deborah Florio, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, and Librarian Adam Marcus. Photo Courtesy of Kathryn Kirk Councilmember, Brad Lander Takes a Student-Led Tour of the Newly Renovated LMC. He is seen here with one of our Reading Ambassadors, Jontae.

Brooklyn Borough President, Marty Markowitz  had our new Smart Board dedicated in his honor for his generous funding of our program. It is now called, “The Smarty Board”.

Councilmember, Brad Lander, and representatives from The Fund for Public Schools were also in attendance, as were about 20 storybook characters. The characters leaped from the pages of their books to read to and speak with all of the children who searched for them on the Storybook Scavenger Hunt.

We Have a Bunch of Characters at P.S. 32

Stories Come Alive at the LMC

At P.S. 32 you never have to scavenge to find teachers and staff members willing to help out! Here are the storybook characters that appeared at the re-opening. Students had to go on a scavenger hunt to find them, get their autographs, and engage the characters with questions and conversation. Each character had a copy of their book in hand.

Willy Wonka and Dorothy Gale discuss rainbows. Ms. Frizzle took the Magic School Bus to get to the LMC. The Princess Bride made it down the aisle. Little Red Riding Hood took a detour on her way to Grandma’s house and stopped by the LMC.

The LMC is a Wonderland now that Alice has arrived. “He should not be here,” said the fish in the pot.” But room for all this LMC’s got! Hopefully Olivia will not turn the LMC into a sty.

Amelia Bedelia stopped in to dust the new furniture. Good thing we stopped her before she spread too much dust around. Everyone was In-the-Pink, including Pinkalicious. Finding Waldo at the LMC just became twice as easy.

Tom Sawyer left his bucket of whitewash and a long-handled brush outside the LMC. We invited Miss Nelson, but she never showed up. Who invited Viola Swamp? Miss Wishy Washy always keeps the LMC clean.

Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking was able to stay up late and attend the festivities. Classical Guitarist, Tomas Rodriguez, entertains during the student-led tours of the LMC. Tomas was part of our first “BookStock” concert fundraiser back in year one.

Since the reopening, the library has been hopping – from the hour before school, during school, occasionally after school – and going forward we hope to be open on some Saturdays. We average about 22 students using the library each morning before the school-day begins.

March at the LMC Came in Like a Library Lion and Went Out Like a Slam

It is rarely boring at P.S. 32, but Class 3-2′s poem, Today is Very Boring by Jack Perlutsky, was the poem to receive the most votes over our 16 days of March Poetry Madness. The LMC and ELA Coach, Wanda Troy, sponsored our first every “March Poetry Madness” tournament. Each class in the school was represented in the poetry tournament with a teacher-selected poem from Caroline Kennedy‘s poetry collection titled, A Family of Poems: My Favorite Poetry for Children.

Each morning, for 16 school days, two poems were read over the PA and each student voted on the poem that they preferred.

Dewey Have Art in the Library? Yes We Do!

The artists have graduated and moved on, but their work lives on the walls of the LMC.

Two of our most dedicated ambassadors of the library, Brandon and Humberto.

Dewey in Print, our permanent art installation for the library, was a collaboration between the LMC and our incredible art teacher, Mr. Dave Chimoskey. A group of 15 fifth grade boys created prints depicting each of the Dewey Decimal System categories. They also created a documentary detailing their work (look for a shortened edited version to appear here for viewing in the near future). Stop in to see the pieces (viewing them below is nice, but does not do them justice).

The Family Reading Night and Day

We had a night and day of family literacy that were both well attended. Our Bagels and Books event set the stage for families to start book clubs and our reading night focused on summer reading.

Our puppets, Computer Cat and Dewey the Dog, helped discuss book clubs. Free books are a staple at our family literacy events thanks to Target and First Book.

Juana Flores, the Brooklyn Public Library Carroll Gardens Branch Children’s Librarian, helps out to promote summer reading. Mom reads, and so does her son.

Dad reads, son reads too.

One Summer, One Book to Remember

This summer we started added something to the Summer Reading program. One Summer, One Book to Remember, gave us an opportunity to share, as one community book club, the reading of the same book, How Oliver Olson Changed His World, by Claudia Mills. The meeting place for our book club was in the Cloud at a website called VoiceThread.com. Every student received a copy (to keep) of the book (we even mailed a copy to our incoming Kindergarten students). Each student and teacher now has a VoiceThread account.  At the site we can share our thinking, wondering, question, and comment via video, audio, or text posts related to the various book related pages at the site. Claudia Mills has joined us at the site and has posted comments. In the book, Oliver’s State Senator comes to the school and at the site, our State Senator, Daniel Squadron, will soon be joining in the conversations. There are links to informational websites related to the topics in the book, videos explaining some of the concepts and historic events mentioned in the book, a visual dictionary, discussion pages, and other fun Oliver Olson related activities.

Summer Reading at the Public Library and The New Student Library Card

Dreams come true when you read.

I hope that, like me, you read lots of books over the summer and participated in the summerreading.org program at the public library. The new student card allows you to use any library in the entire city (for both print or downloadable material). Click here for a list of the books that I read this summer.

Union Catalog Pilot

Our participation in the Union Catalog program will give our collection a huge boost!

Our use of the public library will soon increase exponentially, as we were one of the schools chosen to pilot an exciting new collaboration between the Department of Education and New York City’s Public Libraries. Here is what we have to look forward to:

Working to prepare your students and teachers to meet the increasing expectations of the Common Core Learning Standards requires enhanced access to a range of reading materials and research tools. To help meet that growing demand, the Department of Education is working with all three of New York City’s Public Libraries—Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library and Queens Library—to provide digital access to and school-site delivery of, the over 17 million books and informational resources available in the libraries’ collections:

• Access to a dramatically increased number and variety of text and other resources, to support the Citywide Instructional Expectations;
• Free delivery and pickup of materials (book sets and individual resources) requested by your teachers;
• Opportunities to build a collaborative partnership with the local library branch to provide the school community with programming services around reading and literacy;
• Professional development and support to make this a successful collaboration and enable you to provide enhanced library services for everyone at your school; and,
• 24/7 virtual learning opportunities and the opportunity for increased use of digital materials.

Our Library Gets Started Early

Incoming Kindergartner, Oliver, gets our library, and the 2012-2013 school year, started off right! Oliver has the distinction of being the first student to borrow a book this year and school hadn’t even officially started yet!

School hasn’t even started and our first library book has been borrowed by one of our new kindergarten students. Oliver came with his mom to check out the school and ended up checking out a book. He borrowed a Geronimo Stilton book, My name is Stilton, Geronimo Stilton. Great job Oliver!

I hope to see all of you at the LMC soon.

Fun Educational Apps: Best Apps for Kids Reviews iPad / iPhone / iPod

Educational Apps For Kids

I Education Apps Review – I Education Apps Review

Apps in Education

Teachers with Apps – Because Not All Apps are Created Equal

Best Apps for Kids : reviews, news and promo codes for iPhone / iPad / iPod apps…

Apple – App Store – Buy, download, and install apps made for Mac.

Best Kids Apps | iPhone, iPad, Android | Toddlers, Educational, Games

Mind Leap: Education Apps for Kids – best iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch apps for kids

APPitic – 1,300+ EDUapps

TechLearning: Top 100 Sites of 2011

Principal Deborah Florio and the P.S. 32 Library Advisory Committee invite you to join them for the grand reopening of the P.S. 32 Library Media Center on Wednesday, February 29 from 6pm to 7:30pm. Come tour the library, participate in fun literacy activities, take home some free books, listen to some live music, partake in refreshments, and most importantly get a chance to thank Borough President Marty Markowitz and other generous donors and supporters who have made our vision a reality!