Showing posts with label reading in school. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reading in school. Show all posts

Sunday, October 25, 2015

Schools : Let's celebrate School Libraries Month !





credits : Chris OBrien
http://www.chrisobrion.com/

"Without libraries what do we have? We have not past and no future."

Ray Bradbury

No it's not about public libraries. However they very important in our city. It's about school libraries.




School Library Day US

Every October school librarians - United States is in Aprilare encouraged to create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a students education and career.



International School Library Month

Throughout October, every year, the world celebrates International School Library Month, the perfect time for students to visit their own school library and browse through the hundreds of books and e-books available.

October is the International School Libraries Month. In Portugal, schools celebrate SLM on 26 October 2015This is the reason I am writing today about the SLM, thinking in all students and school libraries that will be celebrating it on the next Monday.


The SLM theme 2015 is "The School Library Rocks"




credits : Peter H. Reynolds


International School Library Month allows those in charge of school libraries around the world to choose a day, week, or the entire month of October to celebrate the importance of school libraries.

The first International School Library Day was celebrated on 18 October 1999, with the theme, "A Day in the Life..."

The change to International School Library Month was approved by the IASL Board in December 2007.





Kids reading at school library, Canada

Education:


"There is an art of reading, as well as an art of thinking, and an art of writing."

Isaac D'Israeli




Activities :

You will find some suggestions to celebrate this day on my post International School Libraries Day 2015 (my blog to Portuguese students and teachers)

However the ISLM is organizing special activities. There is information on the ISLM website to help you. Take part in one of the special activities :




  • ISLM Bookmark Project
The ISLM Bookmark Project involves matched schools making homemade bookmarks - be creative - to exchange with each other.

This year Marie O’Brien of Australia and a team of her school colleagues will co-ordinate the 2015 Bookmark Exchange Project and Skype Project.

Aim:

The Bookmark Exchange Project is a simple, fun way of sharing the pleasure and delights of books and libraries and of making new friends through school libraries worldwide. If you and your students did not get involved last year perhaps you will this year.

You might wish your students to communicate with each other as you make your bookmarks so that they can learn something about another culture and a different way of life. 

If you don’t want to do either of these things you can simply just swap bookmarks or devise your own activity.

You will be able to register your interest by entering your details into a Google Spreadsheet

If you are unable to use the spreadsheet you can email Marie O'Brien. Register for the project, using either the Google spreadsheet or by email, as soon as possible. For detailed information, visit the ISLM Bookmark Project.




ISLM Skype Project

  • ISLM Skype Project
Would your students like to talk to others in a far away country during ISLM2015? 

Join in the fun! If you would like to be part of the Skype Skype Project, complete the Survey Monkey form to receive a possible match for your school.

If you experience difficulties completing the form or have any queries please contact Marie for assistance.

  • What people are doing for ISLM 2015:

You want to submit your school activities for the ISLM ? Send in your submissions for What people are doing for ISLM 2015 by email to the IASL Secretariat.

For detailed information, visit the ISLM's activities page

Deadline : November 15th 2015

By country : 

You would like to know what other schools from you country are doing? After the deadline, the ISLM website will publish.


Other activities:


In Portugal we have a different activity using social networks. I like it a lot.








Tweeting in SLD


Teachers invite students, parents, other teachers, and school staff to write a #tweet (140 characters) about the importance of school libraries. They will be published at the Twitter school/class account using the hashtag #IMSL15

The best tweets of each class/ group will be delivered to the school librarian. The school librarian choose the most creative to publish on the school library website.

My thoughts:

School libraries in the XXI century must have the books, e-books, e-readers and tablets in order to motivate the new generations.

School libraries meet the needs of all kind of learners. Never forget children's preparation to use e-books, especially the students from disadvantaged social backgrounds or having special needs.

Integrating digital literacy as critical elements for education (all levels) is essential to keep our students happy and captivated at the school libraries.

As I already wrote on this blog, implementing these new digital books is about more than just jumping on the latest technological bandwagon or attempting to reinvent the library and printed books in order to stay relevant.



Le Petit Nicolas pop-up


School libraries must be prepared to introduce innovative devices without forget the enchantment of printed books. The smell of paper, the illustrations, some pop-up for the younger readers, the pleasure to touch or turn the page. Just beautiful gestures that we must keep.

Teachers must be innovative of course. So printed books and e-books are both welcome.


School libraries are integrating learning spaces that values connections between home, school, community, and the world.

Encourage students to be creative and never let them lose their sense of wonder. So let's keep reading all over the year in the classroom, encouraging our students to become lifelong avid readers.

"To build up a library is to create a life. It’s never just a random collection of books."

Carlos María Domínguez
G-Souto 

25.10.2015
Copyright © 2015G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Creative Commons License
Schools : Let's celebrate School Libraries Month ! bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.


Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Schools : Harry Potter books again ? Yes, by magic !








Harry  Potter and The Philosopher's Stone
J.K. Rowling
illustrator: Jim Kay



“The story is everything and so I want to bring what I can to really show the depth of Rowling’s stories to their best.”

Jim Ray

Rejoice! JK Rowling’s first Harry Potter book is getting an artistic makeover for a new illustrated edition.

On October 6 2015, Bloomsbury and Scholastic will publish the first fully illustrated version of the Harry Potter books, with all of the art work done by the award-winning British artist, Jim Kay.


On the new cover, we can see Harry’s familiar face in the midst of smoke and a scurry to get on the train which leads him to Hogwarts.





Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling

illustrator: Jim Kay

The plan is to release one book every year, and Sorcerer’s/Philosopher’s Stone arrives in three weeks. In a recent preview, Bloomsbury unveiled several pages from within the U.K. version of the book, and the artwork is beautiful!




Harry Potter sketch by Jim Kay


Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone will be released next October. Illustrator Jim Kay is the pen behind the pictures, which show main characters Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and Rubeus Hagrid.







“To be given the opportunity to design the characters, the clothing, the architecture and landscapes to possibly the most expansive fantasy world in children’s literature, well, let’s just say I’m extremely excited about it,” 

Jim Kay

“The story is everything and so I want to bring what I can to really show the depth of Rowling’s stories to their best.”




Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling

illustrator: Jim Kay

J.K. Rowling has even endorsed the book, herself. Here’s the quote that’s going to show up on the back of the finished book, as well:

“Seeing Jim Kay’s illustrations moved me profoundly. I love his interpretation of Harry Potter’s world, and I feel honoured and grateful that he has lent his talent to it.”





Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling


illustrator: Jim Kay
http://static2.hypable.com/


The new edition will be the first fully illustrated version of Rowling’s bestseller and is set to hit bookstores on 6 October.

The hardback will include a ribbon marker, head and tail bands, illustrated endpapers and artwork on every spread.

Kids will love it.


There are two versions of the cover being released. A US version, and a UK version, each slightly different from each other. In the US edition of the cover, the title masks the train’s chimney, which is in the shape of a dragon head (Potterheads will know this is a nod to Hagrid’s pet dragon in Sorcerer’s Stone, as well as the fleet of dragons in Goblet of Fire)



Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling
illustrator: Jim Kay

Education:

"Harry Potter is the main narrative experience of an entire generation."



Prof John Patrick Pazdziora, University of St Andrews

Still mourning the end of the Harry Potter series? So are we. I am a big Harry Potter fan ever since my students asked me to read the first book, Harry Potter and the Philospher's Stone in the classroom.


It’s sad when the series ends in their life. So here my Harry-Potter suggestion to teachers reading in the classroom.


Harry Potter is always the best for children and adolecents. Even for young adults. Do you remember the wedding of Potter's fans? Amazing!

Harry Potter is a reference for different generations. And impossible not read Harry Potter in the classoroom





illustration Jim Kay| Harry Potter

"Many of the storylines and characters can be attributed to real-world problems such as racism, sexism, (and) prejudice."

University Herald, study, 2014

Why is it so important that children and adolescents read this saga? You read the citation. No doubt. While Harry Potter emphasizes themes such as courage, friendship and love on the surface, tolerance may well be one of the story's most significant lessons.




Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling


The Harry Potter books have many virtues including a high view of the family, strong female characters, and an strong view of friendship. It's important students read Potter books because we learn through stories. And these stories reveal "an exaltation of virtue, an orthodox view of evil, a courageous view of self-sacrificial death, and a portrayal of the beauty and strength of love."

The saga recreated youth. Students loved so much the books in the 90th's that teachers quickly understood that it was the best option to introduce Harry Potter books in the curriculum and could motivate a new generation of young readers.

I can say, I follow the first Harry Potter generation, I read the books in literature lessons at high-schools, I went to the movies with my students. Harry Potter really got kids to read much more than they might have otherwise. 

And so I think it's safe to assume that Harry Potter, whether directly or indirectly, led a lot of people to a lot of other literature, too.

"Any reader is naturally going to have expanded horizons and be open to the new ideas and people and places they encounter through books. It's the most powerful medium, in my opinion, and a series like Harry Potter just makes more readers overall."

John Conway, an English major at the University of Pennsylvania
USA Today, 2014




Harry Potter and Philospher's Stone
J.K. Rowling



illustrator: Jim Kay
Students need exposure to those books that contain vitality, life lessons, romance, beautifully crafted language or the thrill of the unfamiliar to become hooked. 

That is why I believe and I did it, the Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter series should be required readings in school. 

They are the modern giants of fantasy writing and already have large cult followings.



This illustrated edition can be explored as a cross-curricular projet.


Curricula : Languages ; Arts ; Civics

Level : Primary education ; Elementary (5th & 5th grades)

Harry Potter will likely be around for generations to come, which is a good thing for those future generations.

I firmly believe that every parent should be closely involved with the books and ideas their children are presented with. So read the Harry Potter books. And if you find them as compelling as I do, share them with your young students.

Harry Potter showed me what the thought of magic could do young adolescents.

G-Souto

10.09.2015
Copyright © 2015G-Souto'sBlog, gsouto-digitalteacher.blogspot.com®

Creative Commons License
Schools : Harry Potter books again ? Yes, by magic ! bG-Souto is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.