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Posts tagged ‘Chris Kehan’

Aug 31

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Give Your Students and Yourself Grace

by Chris Kehan

Flipgrid, Seesaw, Padlet, Canvas, Bitmoji classrooms, etc. seem to be all that we hear from our colleagues and administrators in preparation for a virtual start.  If you are like me and gearing up for the start of this unprecedented 2020 school year, then you are probably overwhelmed by EVERYTHING we need to learn as teachers for our students to be successful online.  As I sat in my library office thinking about all that I needed to do to get ready for this year, my heart started to race and my head was spinning.  Then, I took a deep breath as I looked around at all of the books in my library, and my heart rate slowed and my mind became more open to the possibilities that books can offer me, my students, and the teachers during these tech-filled times.

These first couple of weeks should be used to give our students and ourselves grace to ease into this extraordinary school year.  What better way to do that than through picture books?  No matter the grade level or subject you teach consider using picture books to open the necessary conversations we need to have in order to get to know our students, find out how they feel, and get a sense of how to proceed with care–the curriculum can wait.

Before becoming an elementary school librarian, I taught for 19 years in a regular classroom.  My two favorite things to do were read aloud and use a Writer’s Notebook.  Now as a librarian and starting a school year during a pandemic, I intend to use the same two tools to get the year started.  Picture books provide opportunities for quick, meaningful read-alouds which can lead to an entry in a Writer’s Notebook and follow that up with sharing and/or discussion.  The following titles are a small sampling of books to use to get your year started or use them periodically throughout the year to maintain community and care in a virtual world:

Thankfully we have the technology to connect to our students as we start the year online.  However, we cannot let it get in the way of what is important–getting to know our students and letting them know we care.  In the end, a good book, a pencil and some paper (or a Writer’s Notebook) is all we need to get started connecting to our students and building the community necessary to navigate the year.  So, take a deep breath and give your students and yourself grace.

Chris Kehan is a library media specialist in the Central Bucks School District.  She became a PAWLP Writing Fellow in 1995 and a Literature Fellow in 1997.  After teaching 4th & 6th grades for 19 years in the regular classroom where she amassed over 4,000 books in her classroom, she decided to take her passion for literacy to the library where she teaches children in K – 6th grade.  She has been sharing her love of reading and writing with the students and teachers at Warwick Elementary School for the past 10 years.  Follow her on Twitter @CBckehan

Sep 30

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Building Community in a Bigger Space – The Library

*** This week we decided go back to archives and reshare this wonderful post by librarian Chris Kehan, which originally appeared on our blog two years ago. Below, Chris shares how community is something that can be nurtured and grow beyond the classroom walls―and especially how our libraries can be at the center of that growth.

By Chris Kehan

For the past four years, setting up my classroom has been different than it was for the previous nineteen years.  Having taught in the regular education classroom for those nineteen years, I made the leap into library media specialist.  While I still see myself as a classroom teacher, my classroom just grew in size and so did my number of students.  Creating a space where students, teachers, and parents feel welcome and safe to take risks is extremely important for librarians.  Most libraries are situated in the center of the school; hence it’s the hub of activity.  “Entrance through our doors admits one to infinite worlds, magical kingdoms, and the treasure trove of knowledge created by our world’s best thinkers, artists, and scientists.” (Grimes, 2006) Read more

Feb 9

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Book Review: The Island of Dr. Libris

island-dr-libris-200

Two weeks ago, we featured some must-read YA titles and last week, we took at a professional title with a review of Tom Newkirk’s latest book. This week, we continue with book recommendations from two more wonderful librarians. First up: a review by Chris Kehan of the Chris Grabenstein’s upcoming book, The Island of Dr. Libris. And tomorrow, don’t forget to come back to check out some middle-school recommendations!

By Chris Kehan

As a librarian I get the privilege of getting the Advanced Reader’s Copy of a book.  I recently had the pleasure of reading The Island of Dr. Libris by Chris Grabenstein.  Chris Grabenstein is the author the New York Times best-seller, Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.  He is also the co-author of the I Funny, Treasure Hunters, and House of Robots series with James Patterson. Read more

Sep 10

Building Community in a Bigger Space – The Library

By Chris Kehan

For the past four years, setting up my classroom has been different than it was for the previous nineteen years.  Having taught in the regular education classroom for those nineteen years, I made the leap into library media specialist.  While I still see myself as a classroom teacher, my classroom just grew in size and so did my number of students.  Creating a space where students, teachers, and parents feel welcome and safe to take risks is extremely important for librarians.  Most libraries are situated in the center of the school; hence it’s the hub of activity.  “Entrance through our doors admits one to infinite worlds, magical kingdoms, and the treasure trove of knowledge created by our world’s best thinkers, artists, and scientists.” (Grimes, 2006) Read more