My vision for the school library when I took it over was it to
be the focal point of the school. I wanted students who
entered to have an enjoyable learning environment. Each
month when you walked into the library you celebrated that
month's important holidays and events.
I had a map of the world that showed the
countries that the staff and students had come from. I
also had the flags of these countries prominently posted.
I celebrated our former graduates and their
accomplishments. One former grad was the World's
Heavyweight Boxing Champion, another was an author.
Each marking quarter I posted all the members of the honor roll and left
them up throughout the school year. The students enjoyed seeing
their names posted and others strived to get their names listed.
Every achievement such as participants in
district Science, Spelling, Math competitions was posted.
The names of the Student Council, PTA were also shown.
Teaching Notes: My Monthly Calendar
For each month I made a monthly calendar on a
large poster board. For each day I found an important person’s birthday or
important event. I used these posters each year. Without
even realizing it I had created a multicultural calendar of famous people
and events.
Calendars
& Holidays page
Multicultural Celebration page
A year before I retired we got a grant to
redo the entire library.
Excerpts of some letters I received"Thank you so much
for hosting our Middle School Librarians meeting in your library. We are
grateful to you for allowing us to have the pleasure of experiencing a
library that is being used for just what a library is intended to do.
Your library is conducive to reading, relaxing, concentrating and
getting away from the "hum-drum" of life itself. I am extremely happy to
see how well your library is being utilized, not only by the children of
I.S. 218, but by the staff, parents, principal and visitors..." (Dorothy
E. Mathison, Ed.D. Director of CA/SS & Libraries - District 19)
"Just a short note to
personally thank you for all your efforts in helping to make Friday's
visit by the Deputy Superintendent and her staff a successful one. As
always, it is a pleasure to hold a conference in your library. Aside
from the fact that it is possibly the best Middle School library in
Brooklyn, you have made the space very warm and inviting. Thanks also
for your presentation to the principals and facilitators on how you have
managed to use technology to its fullest in supplying teachers and
students with the most current information available on the Web. I
apologize for having usurped the time from our students who use the
library on a regular basis." (Ron Attivissimo - Principal - Sinnott
Magnet School)
JN19
