We know the elementary school media center is a safe, magical place for many kiddos to explore "Mirrors and Windows." We also know transitioning to Middle School can be pretty overwhelming at the start of the school year. We attempt to draw a Media Center Map for that new Middle School student who just forgot their locker combination, couldn’t find their 2nd hour class and is having a bad hair day (and now surprisingly cares)?
Useful Links
TCAPS Online Catalog
Research in Context
East Middle S...
We know the elementary school media center is a safe, magical place for many kiddos to explore "Mirrors and Windows." We also know transitioning to Middle School can be pretty overwhelming at the start of the school year. We attempt to draw a Media Center Map for that new Middle School student who just forgot their locker combination, couldn’t find their 2nd hour class and is having a bad hair day (and now surprisingly cares)?
Useful Links
TCAPS Online Catalog
Research in Context
East Middle School Library Media Center Website
Show Transcript
Melissa Baumann 0:11
What do I need to know about a podcast?
Larry Burden 0:13
If there's something that we don't want I go through and edit it.
Larry Burden 0:16
Usually it's editing me.
Larry Burden 0:20
It is episode eight of BiblioTech podcast, my name is Larry Burden and she's more than ready to delve into the awkward preteen phase, it's Stephie Luyt with our special guest, the better Baumann, Melissa Baumann,
Melissa Baumann 0:32
Appreciate that. Thank you.
Larry Burden 0:33
We know the elementary school Media Center is a safe magical place for many kiddos to explore mirrors and windows. We also know transitioning to middle school can be pretty overwhelming at the start of the school year. Can we draw a middle school map for our new middle school students who just forgot their locker combinations, couldn't find their second hour class and are having a bad hair day, and now surprisingly, actually care. So, you know, I was thinking about this and I was going way way back into my days in middle school which, you know, it's kind of hazy, and there's kind of a sepia tone. And I remember going from that elementary school library which is so safe and so comforting and you know is the place to go into middle school and already panicked about everything and then there's a huge space, and where do I start, where do I go. What does that look like for for a sixth grade student? Maybe this isn't the direction you're going but that was the first thing that I thought about.
Melissa Baumann 1:27
Well, one thing that I'm doing this year is focusing on the sixth grade students so that they feel more comfortable so I've spent the last couple weeks having orientation for the sixth grade classes I just finished up at West Middle School, all the students came down with their teacher we went over the policies and procedures and then I had a scavenger hunt that was created for them, and they worked with a partner to explore the different spaces of the library, to examine how the collection, collection is arranged. And then we'll follow it up with the online resources, during their second visits to the library which will happen in two weeks. So I hope that they feel more comfortable already.
Stephie Luyt 2:04
And those, you know the move from our elementary spaces, yes smaller space, let fewer kids but our middle school libraries are just as welcoming and just as friendly and working on those same things mirrors and windows and once our kiddos get acclimated with the schedule and find feel comfortable with their classes and all that the library is just another wonderful place with lots of amazing resources both middle schools. So we're excited to have our sixth graders up in the middle schools and really excited to have Melissa in the middle schools. Melissa is new with us last year into the middle school but if you want to just tell us a little bit about what worlds you came from.
Melissa Baumann 2:42
Sure, I am definitely very familiar with middle school. I spent seven years in Chicago teaching at the middle school level, then I took some time off and then when I came back, and was hired by TCAPS I was doing a little bit of elementary Spanish, and then made my way back to middle school, because that's where I feel happiest. So I spent seven years teaching Spanish at West Middle School and then when the position in the library opened up I was extremely intrigued by that and wanted something new. And now I'm working on my degree so I think it's been the perfect choice for me.
Stephie Luyt 3:16
And Melissa is splitting time between both schools so kiddos will see her in both buildings east and west and. As well as our LMP's that are in both buildings who are there to help students with all sorts of check-out, check-in, book recommendations, anything. Those libraries are really top notch and functioning, really, with students needs first and doing an amazing job so.
Melissa Baumann 3:39
Absolutely.
Stephie Luyt 3:40
We're thrilled.
Melissa Baumann 3:40
Completely agree about that.
Larry Burden 3:41
So what are the, what are some of the differences between that elementary school library, and the middle school library? What can they expect that's maybe, maybe the same that will comfort them in, and what are some of the differences that might expand what they expect from a library. I think in terms of what would be the same, the access to all the literature and all the nonfiction and all the resources that kids would be looking for for their own exploration and interests and personal learning as well as in school learning. The logistics of how they visit the library has changed when they move into middle school they are much more individual focused in terms of they're going on their own time more often. Sometimes they're visiting with classes. But in elementary they're always for the most part accessing the library with their classes with exceptions they do go down a little bit, but I would say that they are more independent users with, and I would say that's the same for a lot of middle school, I mean they become more independent students, they're visiting classes you know, switching classes, making that switch. So it falls into that same sort of shift that they make in middle school. But I think all the things that they love about the library, are there, and even multiplied when they move up into the older grades.
Melissa Baumann 4:53
And I think that, especially the ELA teachers are committed to having those library visits with their students at the middle school, it just might not be as frequently. I think most of them are on a bi-weekly visit. But I have already started working with those teachers that have been coming in. And they do tend to bring their students in for maybe the first half of the period or the second half of the period so maybe a little bit shorter visit as well, when they come into the class but they are still committed to bringing their students down.
Larry Burden 5:20
I have these questions so I'm just going to float them out there and feel free to say Larry I've got my own and I would like to actually throw those in there to.
Larry Burden 5:27
So what are you guys doing to promote the middle school library?
Melissa Baumann 5:31
Yeah, that's a great question, um, the first thing that I noticed when I arrived on the scene last November was that there really wasn't an online presence for the library. So I followed the model of both of the high schools and worked with ReaAnn to create a web page for both East and West Middle Schools. It has access to the online catalog and the students can have access through the, to the databases. It has other great resources that are available on the web for them. And it also showcases what's coming up in the library so we're featuring the author visit that will be happening on the 30th at East Middle School, and at West Middle School we have a display going on to honor Banned Books Week,
Stephie Luyt 6:11
And it looks fabulous.
Melissa Baumann 6:12
Oh, thank you.
Stephie Luyt 6:13
Finding that online presence, is it in the cloud? Is it on the TCAPS web page?
Melissa Baumann 6:18
Right, so I wanted to make it as simple as possible for the students. So when they come to the cloud, they have a tile that they can access the online catalog specifically, or they have a tile that will take them to the web page for each Middle School. So it's, it's one click.
Stephie Luyt 6:34
I have a question just going back a little bit. When the kids are coming into the middle school and as we're talking about they're accessing the library sometimes more independently. When are the middle school libraries available for kids to use?
Melissa Baumann 6:45
Yeah, we covered this during orientation, and it's exciting because most of the sixth graders have already been utilizing the space, even though they didn't really know how to navigate the space. So pretty much around 7:15 in the morning, they're welcome to come in before school. Both libraries stay open for about 15 minutes after school, and then the students are welcome to come in during lunch, as long as there isn't a class that has the space checked out. They can stay for the entire time after they've been in the cafeteria, eating.
Stephie Luyt 7:13
So there's lots of access.
Melissa Baumann 7:14
Yes, and then of course, if a teacher independently wants to send a student down as long as they have a pass they're welcome to come in and use the space.
Stephie Luyt 7:22
And just because I know they'll be listeners who may not have been in our middle schools. This space can be used in lots of different ways but both sites have like, a really comfortable, like welcoming reading area, kind of like a bookstore. You know that feeling of some really neat comfortable chairs, some reading spaces, some learning spaces, some whole group learning, you know, there's this, this space accommodates lots of different needs, and I think there's a spot for everybody in the library.
Melissa Baumann 7:48
I full y agree, yes.
Larry Burden 7:50
If you were marketing to a student right now. What would a student not expect going into a middle school library. If they have the traditional mindset of what a media center, a library is, you had mentioned one thing already, the kind of book storey type of feel.
Stephie Luyt 8:05
yeah,
Larry Burden 8:06
What else, what else would they be surprised, maybe, or would surprise them?
Melissa Baumann 8:09
I think many of the students during the orientations have expressed that they're just surprised at how many books there are. They're not, they're just not used to having a collection that's as large as what we have at the middle schools.
Stephie Luyt 8:21
Maybe they'd be surprised to find the number of PlayAways, that some of the sites have. The PlayAways are another format to listen to an audiobook. It's everything's right there it's kind of like an mp3 player, which is kind of a fun technology for, for as a little bit like, I would say almost vintage a little bit.
Melissa Baumann 8:37
Yes.
Stephie Luyt 8:38
It's kind of like a Walkman. That's not for the middle school kids to know what I'm talking about. But East in particular has a really large collection of PlayAways, which have been very popular with students. I think our students would be pleasantly surprised to find all of the extra activities that happen through the library. I know that the book clubs have been really popular. Lots of contests and reading motivation and the author visit. I mean there's, they would be surprised by all the activities that, and would fit different niches, and kinda like some maker activities, puzzles, all sorts of things that you can, you can explore in the libraries.
Melissa Baumann 9:16
Yeah, East Middle School, last year, purchased a button maker. So on Wednesday, students can come down to the library in the Maker Space area and create buttons. They're 50 cents each, but that's been extremely popular. The book groups, at West we call it a book group at East we call it a book club. But those have been extremely popular. So much so that this year at East we have to have three separate groups rather than just one that we had last year. So we're going to do those by grade level. And at West, I've already had quite a few entries, especially since I was advertising the Book, Book Group during the orientation, so many students signed up while they were in the library, and I feel that that's going to be extremely popular as well.
Stephie Luyt 9:58
I have peeked at some of those Book Group titles and they are some amazing books that were selected for those groups and it's pretty exciting. I have a question and it's kind of a just from like looking at your side of the day. Is there a typical day for you, at all?
Melissa Baumann 10:15
I haven't found it
Stephie Luyt 10:16
I didn't think so, no two days are the same, right?
Melissa Baumann 10:19
No, in fact, not at all. Maybe a little bit these past couple weeks because I've really been focusing on the orientations with the sixth graders but other than that, I would say no. I'm in the classroom a lot doing presentations on the databases. I'm doing book talks in the library for classes that come down that complement the unit that they're working on in their ELA class. I'm working on behind the scene projects like the web page and Overdrive. So, I, I pretty much just am doing whatever I need to do on a daily basis to tackle about 20 different things.
Larry Burden 10:53
How do we or do we tie what happens in the media center to the classroom. And I'm guessing the database, the databases are that answer. So how does that communication take place?
Melissa Baumann 11:04
Well, prior to last year, nobody really was using the databases because they weren't aware that they were available to them so.
Larry Burden 11:11
That's a problem.
Melissa Baumann 11:12
That's a problem. That's why I wanted to make sure that we knew what resources were available and we had an easy place for them to be, all be stored. So now that the, most of the teachers are aware, because I spent a lot of time in the history classes last year, the language arts classes, some of the sixth and seventh grade social studies classes. So I think that now there's just this general awareness of the database and people are hungry for it. So I spent a lot of time in the classroom because showing the students the tools that are available when they use the research database. And they are extremely slick, they're awesome. I mean they align with our Google Drive, they can take notes right in the database, they can highlight, they can send things directly to their Google Drive. So I think that most have been extremely impressed with how easy it makes the research process. And it's all vetted materials so students don't have to take those necessary steps when they're just doing a search online to prove the authenticity, check the author's credentials, and, which are steps that they're unfortunately not taking on their own. So I feel they are extremely happy to have somebody doing that job for them.
Stephie Luyt 12:20
And then, and also you mentioned but integrating what choice books the kids are reading in alignment with their units for ELA.
Melissa Baumann 12:27
Right,
Stephie Luyt 12:27
So when they're making a choice book selection there's options that are given that have similar themes that complement what they're learning in ELA. So ELA is a main focus and, in terms of working with the library, but getting into all the other subject areas as well through the databases and through research projects that the kids are working on.
Larry Burden 12:45
So is the database available, just within the TCAPS network or does it kind of go with you with your Chromebook.
Melissa Baumann 12:53
Actually it's available. Two of the databases are funded by the district, and then I made the decision last year to purchase one specifically for the two middle school sites. And that one is called Research and Context, and it is designed for middle school students. So all of the content is very age appropriate, and the topics go along with the curriculum that is generally studied in the middle schools. So there's people, cultures, government, history, literature. It's just, there's a wide variety.
Larry Burden 13:22
We've talked about this on many of the EdTech Loop podcasts in the past and BiblioTech as well, curation is so important because when you have all that information out there, it's really is overwhelming. And as we were mentioning earlier in the open, middle school students don't need to be more overwhelmed. They're plenty, they're plenty overwhelmed so...
Melissa Baumann 13:42
Totally agree.
Larry Burden 13:43
To have a database that's, that sounds super user friendly and you guys have vetted it well. That's got it, just make their lives a little bit easier.
Stephie Luyt 13:53
It's a fabulous research...
Melissa Baumann 13:54
You know I'd like to think that they know how, how wonderful of a gift it is but I don't think they really remember like doing the stacks of note cards where you had to put the author, and highlight, and organize them by topic. So unfortunately I just don't think they they realize what a gift it is.
Larry Burden 14:09
I think, I think it's not only a gift, they don't have that perspective...
Melissa Baumann 14:13
Right.
Larry Burden 14:14
of that. But going into the online environment, and just doing research there where you have so much information and to not have some level of curation and vetting before you step into it, it stops people's research there, or their research is just poor because...
Melissa Baumann 14:32
Right
Larry Burden 14:32
You know, they're going to sites that have maybe less than credible information. It really can send somebody down the wrong path.
Melissa Baumann 14:39
Right.
Larry Burden 14:40
Or stop them immediately to have some vetted research and curated research for them, where they can go and just kind of do a one stop shop, really simplifies that process.
Danelle Brostrom 14:52
Absolutely.
Stephie Luyt 14:52
It takes out that whole element of, the need to doing all those steps, that making sure that the information is valid, and...
Melissa Baumann 15:00
I think the students are surprised, because one of my slides in my presentation is showing them the checklist of what they're supposed to be doing if they're going to do research just doing a Google search. And they're surprised to see how many steps they're supposed to be taking. And they fully admit, "I never do this, I never do this," and I, my follow-up is, okay, if you're not going to do that then, in order to be somebody who is doing good research, you need to rely on the database.
Stephie Luyt 15:26
You know, just being able to even know to access the database and to select the database so it's a good fit for your research and having those available to our kids. Like it's just setting them up for those research skills moving into high school, and then into college. And, and, and accessing the database which is so user friendly, but being able to access those tools so you're not having to do all of the, by hand making out, in writing out the way the resource needs to be cited and all of that. Like it, it really simplifies the process.
Larry Burden 15:55
Almost feel like we should have a different name the database for Middle School students. We're like, database, database, middle school kids going...
Stephie Luyt 16:03
Super Cool Research Tool.
Melissa Baumann 16:04
Yes, that looks like some of my students in my presentation. I can't say it's the most lively presentation to talk databases with middle school students, but I try to throw in some jokes when I can.
Larry Burden 16:14
I like the Super Cool Research Tool. Can we find some alliteration in there.
Melissa Baumann 16:18
I'll try and work that into my next one.
Larry Burden 16:21
The other aspect of this, the other partner in this, is the parent, is the parents. Do they have access to that, that slide show? Are we sharing that information? So when the student actually does get home with their Chromebook, again, because that's the great thing about these, these tools, is they can bring it home. If the parent isn't there to prompt, necessarily, those students, that's that's a partner that we were missing. So, are we communicating with them on the database on the Super Cool Research Tool.
Melissa Baumann 16:53
I think at this point, Most of the students would probably have that responsibility simply because they would be able to show their parents through the cloud, how they access those. I know that when I do the presentation, I'm always clear with the students that they can access this off site, they do not need to be on a TCAPS property. They might be prompted with a password, but it's clearly stated what that password is. And hopefully that their teachers are requiring them to do the research outside of school as well. And the parents would then come in contact with it. I don't think that we're necessarily putting anything out there directly to the parents at this time. But that would be a great, a great way to move in that direction.
Stephie Luyt 17:31
Share all of that with what's you know, all the resources and all the libraries.
Melissa Baumann 17:34
I would assume that their daily updates or their weekly update communication with parents might include, we had a research presentation over the databases this week, and so forth.
Stephie Luyt 17:44
Right, and if you know, if parents are accessing assignments in Powerschool and can see something like that coming up, they may prompt them to ask their student about, you know, what does this entail? And what are you using for research and hopefully, the students will remember that they have this great resource, and they're already using it at home to share.
Larry Burden 18:01
The super cool research tool
Melissa Baumann 18:03
That's the one.
Stephie Luyt 18:03
Yes.
Larry Burden 18:03
I'm patenting that by the way, it's trademarked.
Stephie Luyt 18:03
Trademarked, yes
Melissa Baumann 18:07
Yeah, I'm switching the title on my web page right now.
Larry Burden 18:13
You need like a little character, an avatar.
Stephie Luyt 18:17
I can see it.
Melissa Baumann 18:17
Superhero.
Larry Burden 18:17
I may have gone too far, I apologize.
Stephie Luyt 18:17
My only other question was, I mean, you know, your days are very full and no, two days are the same. But are there any upcoming events or projects or anything that you're excited about or that you want to share?
Melissa Baumann 18:29
Well, we do have the author visit that I mentioned that's taking place on September 30th at East Middle School. We were lucky enough to secure a couple of times in Peter Lerangis's afternoon. So he'll be coming and speaking to two different groups of students. We're going to host that in the library. Students were made aware of books that they could purchase, that they could get signed copies of his work any work, not just the one he's promoting, which will be coming out in October, which is Throwback. So I hope that that communication went out to the families and that students are making those purchases and can actually have a conversation with him when they go to get the book signed, following the presentation. So that's taking place on the 30th. The book clubs are gearing up. We have East Middle School, the preliminary meeting will be this week. And then West, we will be doing our first meeting mid October. We are looking at perhaps Girls Stolen, for the East Middle School selection for eighth grade. And for the selections that's West Middle School, I have to, I have to figure that out yet, because I just need to know what the numbers are to see how many we're going to have and how many copies I can secure, so.
Stephie Luyt 19:40
I know you have great choices.
Melissa Baumann 19:42
Yes. Oh, yes, I'm not gonna have any problem selecting a book.
Larry Burden 19:45
Do you have a Tech Tool of the Week?
Tech Tool of the Week 19:50
I would say our Tech Tool of the Week is the, the databases and specifically Research and Context that is Middle School specific and not subject specific. And that can be accessed on the cloud through the tile. And it is a resource for all subject areas in the middle school and very, as Melissa said, Middle School specific. So we'll include the link and more information about the Tech Tool of the Week in the show notes.
Larry Burden 20:16
To close it out. Updates, Latest EdTech Loop podcast was out, I think Wednesday it dropped, on Parent Communication, which is kind of nice, that's why I brought up the parent communication thing.
Stephie Luyt 20:28
Yeah, Perfect.
Larry Burden 20:28
We're recording a new one On Thursday. And then the TechNollergist has one I think next week as well. David Noller. He also dropped a tutorial on YouTube on the TechNollergist YouTube channel, TCAPS Communication Protocols. So, very district specific if you're interested in how a large district like ours or any small district communicates and manages keep all the craziness under control, we try, there's some good ideas there. So I think everybody use that. In closing Follow us on Facebook, Twitter @TCAPSLoop
Stephie Luyt 21:01
@StephieLuyt
Larry Burden 21:04
Subscribe to the podcast on Podbean, iTunes, Stitcher, the Google Play Store, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts, leave reviews, love the feedback. Exercise your mind, read a book.
Melissa Baumann 21:18
It was fun.
