Library News
Library Lessons
Students have started the term listening to the shortlisted books for the CBCA Children’s Book of the Year Awards. The theme for 2023 is ‘Read, Grow, Inspire’.
Students love that they can make decisions about which book is the best before we find out the judges' winners in August. Coming back from school holidays, the Foundation to Year 2 students read the book Snap! By Anna Walker. They played leapfrog games jumping from one green circle to another or tossing bean bag pouches onto lily pads on a table to earn points.
The Years 3 and 4 students read a book about a farmhouse inspired by the author Sophie Blackall finding an old abandoned farmhouse and items left in it. She made the book about what the family who lived there must have been like and what they did.
The Years 5 and 6 students read The Way of Dog on our ebook/audiobook app SORA. It gives insights into life from a dog’s perspective. The message from chapter two was “Be strong, be fierce. Life is more.” We are hoping that all the books this year help our students to Read, Grow and be Inspired.
Reading for Engagement Conference
Mrs Baker went to a conference on Wednesday 13th July in Bendigo run by our CES Library and the School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV). The CEO, Dr Susan La Marca, talked to us about the research underpinning the role of reading and our job as educators to promote students reading for enjoyment. The bottom line is that reading is very important but students need choice, access, time, role models and talk to really be engaged in a story.
Reading is like thinking, praying, talking to friends, expressing your thoughts, listening to other people's thoughts, enjoying a beautiful view or taking a walk on the beach.
When you read, your mind is activated, and it grows, changes, and creates new relationships between things, and different patterns depending on the material you are reading.
Monica from Overdrive gave us a refresher course in SORA, the ebook and audiobook app our students have access to. It is available via SIMON for students. They can choose books to read which have been selected by our regional library staff and our school. There is a great deal of Australian content which some other apps do not offer. Students can earn badges such as the Blast Off badge for starting their reading on SORA. These keep the students engaged and encourage wide reading.
Mrs Baker also got to meet and listen to two children’s authors. George Ivanov writes engaging books for middle years students. His latest book is called Monster Island. He is also well known for his You Choose series of books. The other author was Jess McGeachin. He is from Castlemaine and writes and illustrates picture books about important life messages as well as non fiction books such as the shortlisted book for 2023, Deep.
It was also terrific to see another library and get ideas about how we can make our library the best possible place for reading and learning.
Trish Baker and Jo Oliver
The Library Team