Workshop Descriptions Session 5

Dr. Timothy Horan

Learn how to create your School Library Writing Center. The writing center operates within the school library during the day and after school, and utilizes one-on-one peer tutoring. It covers all aspects of the writing process, and addresses Common Core standards in writing. And remember, you’re not just a librarian; you’re also a teacher of writing. So get ready to tutor the art of writing, and get ready to have fun. Writing centers are the coolest places on earth, and their purpose is to transform students into writers.

Participant Takeaways

After viewing my presentation, participants will be able to plan, create, open, and run their own School Library Writing Centers. Remember, the goal of my presentation (and my publishing) is for school librarians everywhere to create writing centers in their school libraries.

Brynn Speer

This session will cover the collaborative process of working with your middle or high school art teacher to create a graphic novel art course for your school. Included in the process will be selecting materials, presenting the proposal to administration and BOE members, collaboratively creating assignments, teaching and grading students as a team.

Participant Take Aways

Participants will know how to design a course that would work for their building, how to collaborate with an art teacher to co-create assignments and decide on a grading system, how to collaboratively teach students about graphic novels and illustration techniques for creating their own graphic novels, and how to "sell" the course and its importance to their district by showing that it promotes the cross-curricular collaboration that the Common Core supports, and what resources are available to support their work.

Peter Catalanotto

In my program I'll demonstrate student centered strategies to encourage inspiration and creativity in writing stories. I'll show my process from idea to finished book. I'll also focus on how the illustrations in books extend and enhance a story.

Participant Takeaways

How to confidently empower students to write and recognize stories from their lives and imaginations as opposed to simply relaying something that happened to them. Also how to talk about illustrations in context to story.

Eric Neuman

Once the literary sanctuary of the nerd and geek crowds, Science Fiction and Dystopian literature have broken through to the mainstream and have a lot more to offer than robots, aliens, and far off planets. The popularity of titles like Divergent and The Hunger Games can be used to spark student interest in STEM topics, as well as making them aware of the ethics behind topics like genetic engineering, reality television, body image, and social mobility. With the barrage of sequels and copy-cat titles emerging, now is a great time to start utilizing the popularity of these texts. The presentation would cover a multitude of ways in which librarians, or teachers assigned to the library, could utilize Science Fiction and Dystopian literature.

Topics would include looking at the science behind the fiction, as well as societal parallels in literature.

Participant Takeaways

Participants will be better able to incorporate Science Fiction and Dystopian Literature into their programming and teaching. This workshop could open the door to librarians who are hesitant about using this type of literature with students.

Claudine Dixon and Sally Brothers

For 10 years Arcadia HS students and staff have participated in summer reading circles. Staff and students sign up to read a book over the summer and then meet in the fall to discuss it. Approximately 800 students and over 40 staff participate. This fulfills the district requirement that every students read a book over the summer, shows students that adults read as well (even PE teachers!), and builds relationships.

Participant Takeaways

Organize a school-wide summer reading program including staff and students; Locate local authors to participate for free; Build relationships; Provide students opportunity to purchase books at discount for summer reading.

Cynthia Sandler and Anne Gordon

Learn how two Library Media Specialists with minimal computer science backgrounds introduced the fun, challenge, and rewards of coding to the students. We'll introduce the basics of coding and show how coding can spark critical and creative thinking in students of all ages. Once you've seen it in action, we'll show you what you need to know to help your students learn the language of their future.

Participant Takeaways

Participants will leave empowered and equipped to start coding with students of any age whether in class, in the library or as an afterschool club.