Thursday, October 31, 2013

October 31, 2013

Every Other Thursday, you’ll get this short, fun, relevant newsletter.  It will contain a quote or smile about the library and those who love it, an idea you can use to promote your library or reading in general, a Common Core implementation idea and a shameless plug for the programs I offer.  Enjoy! 

If you are new to EOT or have missed any previous issues, you can read them all at http://smartlibrarians.blogspot.com/. And please tell your friends about it!

In this issue:
  • It’s our anniversary!
  • Author Neil Gaiman on the importance of reading fiction!
  • Promote Reading with Readalike lists
  • Common Core – Imagination and critical thinking
  • Shameless Plug – GaETC next week and a NEW evening program!

It’s Our Anniversary!

On November 1, 2012, the first issue of Every Other Thursday was sent to 126 media specialists, and 9 of them immediately unsubscribed! In the past year, the number of subscribers has risen to over 300 and it’s still growing! Thank you for the referrals and kind comments. I have learned a lot in the past year and am looking forward to continuing to learn together!

Now, where’s the cake?

Library Quote/Smile –

Fiction has two uses. Firstly, it's a gateway drug to reading. The drive to know what happens next, to want to turn the page, the need to keep going, even if it's hard, because someone's in trouble and you have to know how it's all going to end … that's a very real drive. And it forces you to learn new words, to think new thoughts, to keep going. To discover that reading per se is pleasurable. Once you learn that, you're on the road to reading everything.”

Author Neil Gaiman talks about fiction

To read Mr. Gaiman’s full speech (which is wonderful!), click here. Expect to see excerpts from the speech here several times in future issues!

Promote (From the “Encouraging Readers and Non-Readers to Read” Section of 45 Ideas in 45 Minutes)

15. Make a list of Readalikes. Amazon does it. Barnes & Noble does it. Why shouldn’t you? If you look up a book on the aforementioned booksellers’ sites, they will always provide you with a “You might also like…” list. Your media center can use this as an effective way to encourage students to discover some of the hidden treasures buried in your collection. Use flyers, brochures, posters, or the media center webpage to publish the list.

Several samples of suggested “readalikes” can be found online, but a more valuable resource may be for you to get YOUR READERS to suggest the books to be listed. Readalike lists can be book specific (If you liked Hunger Games, you might like The Maze Runner by James Dasher) or thematic (Girl Power!, Gamers Rule!, etc.) I especially like readalike flow charts, like the ones you would see here. 

Common Core Connection

One of the key ideas in Common Core is encouraging critical thinking skills. One way to do this is through reading. Again from Neil Gaiman’s speech:

“I was in China in 2007, at the first party-approved science fiction and fantasy convention in Chinese history. And at one point I took a top official aside and asked him Why? SF had been disapproved of for a long time. What had changed?

“It's simple, he told me. The Chinese were brilliant at making things if other people brought them the plans. But they did not innovate and they did not invent. They did not imagine. So they sent a delegation to the US, to Apple, to Microsoft, to Google, and they asked the people there who were inventing the future about themselves. And they found that all of them had read science fiction when they were boys or girls.

“Fiction can show you a different world. It can take you somewhere you've never been. Once you've visited other worlds, like those who ate fairy fruit, you can never be entirely content with the world that you grew up in. Discontent is a good thing: discontented people can modify and improve their worlds, leave them better, leave them different.

“And while we're on the subject, I'd like to say a few words about escapism. I hear the term bandied about as if it's a bad thing. As if "escapist" fiction is a cheap opiate used by the muddled and the foolish and the deluded, and the only fiction that is worthy, for adults or for children, is mimetic fiction, mirroring the worst of the world the reader finds herself in.
 
“If you were trapped in an impossible situation, in an unpleasant place, with people who meant you ill, and someone offered you a temporary escape, why wouldn't you take it? And escapist fiction is just that: fiction that opens a door, shows the sunlight outside, gives you a place to go where you are in control, are with people you want to be with (and books are real places, make no mistake about that); and more importantly, during your escape, books can also give you knowledge about the world and your predicament, give you weapons, give you armor: real things you can take back into your prison. Skills and knowledge and tools you can use to escape for real.

“As JRR Tolkien reminded us, the only people who inveigh against escape are jailers.”

Hooray for fiction reading!

Shameless Plug

Two things:

1.       I will be at the Georgia Educational Technology Conference (GaETC) next week in the Bound to Stay Bound booth. We will be giving away a half day of assembly programs, so stop by and register to WIN!

2.       Last week I had the pleasure of leading a Family Literacy Night program at Mimosa Elementary in Roswell, GA. This is the school my kids went to and where I performed my first educational assembly program. My presentation was a 60 minute workshop for parents and kids that included a little bit of magic, a couple of puppets and a TON of ideas about how to encourage your child to read. It went really well, and I am happy to offer it to other schools. Let me know if you are interested and I’ll send more information!

Here’s what one of your colleagues had to say about having a TJP program at her school:

"Go Wild makes learning FUN - the students recall words from the presentation for weeks following.  This is the BEST educational show I have ever seen thus far.  The students were learning plus entertained.  Well worth the cost!"

Sue Ensley, Media Specialist, Morris ES, Lake Worth
 
Let me know how I can help! See you in two weeks!
 
Encouraging kids to read, I am
Tommy Johns
Educational Entertainment Specialist
Call (770) 640-6509 or Toll Free at (866) 490-READ
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Your peers appreciate your advice about quality programs. Please tell them about your experience working with us. Our best sales people are our many loyal clients.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

October 17, 2013

Every Other Thursday, you’ll get this short, fun, relevant newsletter.  It will contain a quote or smile about the library and those who love it, an idea you can use to promote your library or reading in general, a Common Core implementation idea and a shameless plug for the programs I offer.  Enjoy! 

If you are new to EOT or have missed any previous issues, you can read them all at http://smartlibrarians.blogspot.com/. And please tell your friends about it!

In this issue:
·         Hollywood big shots talk about the library!
·         Welcome new subscribers
·         Promote reading using high quality video – for free!
·         Common Core idea – Sentence Frames
·         All Aboard the Arctic Express!

Library Quote/Smile – Let’s hear from three big time celebrities!

"My mother and my father were illiterate immigrants from Russia.  When I was a child they were constantly amazed that I could go to a building and take a book on any subject.  They couldn’t believe this access to knowledge we have here in America.”
Kirk Douglas, actor

"When I was a kid and the other kids were home watching Leave It to Beaver, my father and stepmother were marching me off to the library."
Oprah Winfrey, actor, talk-show host

"I used to go to the library all the time when I was a kid.  As a teenager, I got a book on how to write jokes at the library, and that, in turn, launched my comedy career."
Drew Carey, comedian, game show host

Welcome New Subscribers!

I had the pleasure of seeing a lot of folks at COMO last week! I enjoyed spending time with Ryan Jett of Bound to Stay Bound and will be joining him at his booth at GAETC in November! Several people signed up for “Every Other Thursday” and registered to win a half day of assembly programs. We welcome our new subscribers and look forward to visiting with you EVERY OTHER THURSDAY! Congratulations to Karen Hickey of Flowery Branch who won a half day of programs!

Promote (From the “Encouraging Readers and Non-Readers to Read” Section of 45 Ideas in 45 Minutes)

13. Ask the local high school video technology teacher to assign booktalks or reading promotion as a video assignment. Got an idea for a great video to promote your reading emphasis or special event? You’ve got trained, creative, enthusiastic and equipped students at your high school who can help. One of my elementary school clients in Alabama convinced the video technology teacher to assign booktalks as a project and the results were terrific!

Common Core Connection

This two minute video is worth sharing with your ELA teachers (and probably those who teach ANY subject that requires writing!). It is about using sentence frames to get students to write their ideas and what they have learned. It is a great way to encourage readers to respond to what they have read and this exercise encourages critical thinking.  I love what the teacher says about how a sentence frame “takes PART of the job of writing away from the student so they can focus on the content.” This could be especially helpful for struggling readers and writers.


Shameless Plug

The holidays are just around the corner and one great way to promote reading AND celebrate the season is to treat your students and faculty to Arctic Express! a program that’s trainloads of fun, filled with puppets, magic, storytelling, music, and audience participation. This imaginary train ride magically takes kids around the world to learn about winter holidays like: Diwali, Thanksgiving, Kwanzaa, Solstice, Chinese New Year, Hanukkah and of course, Christmas.

Yes, the program is educationally significant, and yes, the program strongly encourages children to read. But don’t think for a minute that the show is anything less than sheer delight for everyone, including teachers and staff. When you hear the sleigh bell ring at the end of the show, you won’t be the only one to wipe a tear from your eye.

Call or e-mail today and reserve your spot for this inspiring program!

Here’s what one of your colleagues had to say about having a TJP program at her school: “WOW!  Tommy Johns is fantastic!  Through magic, puppets, games, music and lots of volunteers from the audience, his enthusiastic personality encourages students to be READERS.” 

Janie B. Vaden, Ed.S, Media Specialist
Varnell Elementary
Dalton, GA

Let me know how I can help! See you in two weeks!

Encouraging kids to read, I am
Tommy Johns
Educational Entertainment Specialist
www.TommyJohnsPresents.com
tommy@tommyjohnspresents.com
Call (770) 640-6509 or Toll Free at (866) 490-READ
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Your peers appreciate your advice about quality programs. Please tell them about your experience working with us. Our best sales people are our many loyal clients.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

October 9, 2013

Every Other Thursday, you’ll get this short, fun, relevant newsletter.  It will contain a quote or smile about the library and those who love it, an idea you can use to promote your library or reading in general, a Common Core implementation idea and a shameless plug for the programs I offer.  Enjoy! 

If you are new to EOT or have missed any previous issues, you can read them all at http://smartlibrarians.blogspot.com/. And please tell your friends about it!

In this issue:
·         Librarians vs. Google
·         Welcome new subscribers!
·         Promote reading with posters – FREE Templates!
·         Common Core Connection - Lexiles
·         Special COMO/EOT Pricing for school visits!
 
Library Quote/Smile

Librarians are there:

To help, aid, assist. To teach, collate, enthuse. To catalogue, index, arrange, organize. To find, discover, promote, display. To interest, intrigue, amuse and amaze. To instill wonder. To help children, adults, old people, the underprivileged, the rich, the poor, those with voices and those without. To protect resources, to archive them, to store them, to save them for the future. To provide differing viewpoints, to engender thought, conversation, research, fun. To provide the best answer possible, to match the answer to the enquirer, to provide just enough information without overwhelming the user, but enough to always help. To better a local community, a company, a school, a college, an organization, a country, the world.

Google is there:

To make money.

Check out his blog for some really GOOD stuff!

Welcome New Subscribers!

Two weeks ago, I had the privilege of leading two workshops at the Liberty County (GA) Media Showcase. I presented Making Yourself Indispensable, a session on being your own best advocate and educating decision makers about the importance of a well-trained media staff and a well-equipped media center as it applies to student and school success. About 45 people attended the two sessions and 28 of those present signed up to receive Every Other Thursday! Welcome aboard! We have almost 300 subscribers now!

Promote (From the “Encouraging Readers and Non-Readers to Read” Section of 45 Ideas in 45 Minutes)

9. Design and print READ posters for top readers, classes, administration, and staff with favorite books. I have designed a series of READ type posters you can use for your top readers and others in the school. I usually print these 11X17 so they are big enough to see, but affordable. Most big office supply stores run specials so that an 11X17 color copy of one of these posters is less than $2.00. Always ask for a teacher/school discount or if they have a coupon in the current ad! You can download the templates at http://tommyjohnspresents.com/posters.htm. You’ll find Million Dollar Bills to celebrate million word readers, posters to promote the library and posters in the style of the ALA’s READ posters. Enjoy!

Common Core Connection

I did not really understand what a Lexile was and how it was different from the traditional reading level until I spent some time reading and watching videos on www.lexile.com. Many of your teachers (and I suspect that MOST of your parents) don’t understand this new important way of assessing readers and matching them with appropriately challenging material. You can glean a lot of good information from the website to help teachers and parents better understand why Lexiles are being used in Common Core and how they are a better tool than the “old way.”

I found this 6 minute video very helpful as an introduction to Lexiles. You may want to provide a link to it in your next newsletter!

Shameless Plug

I will be at COMO (in Macon, October 10-11) in the exhibitor hall, once again teaming up with Ryan Jett of Bound to Stay Bound. We will be giving away a half day of assembly programs and a library program. Stop by and register to win!

Also, if you stop by the booth to schedule a visit (or if you contact me before October 15 by phone or e-mail by that date) and say, “I want the COMO/Every Other Thursday special!” you’ll get 10% off your booking! (If you don’t say it exactly as I wrote it, you can still get the discount! I’m pretty easy!)

Let me know how I can help! See you in two weeks!

Encouraging kids to read, I am
Tommy Johns
Educational Entertainment Specialist
www.TommyJohnsPresents.com

tommy@tommyjohnspresents.com

Call (770) 640-6509 or Toll Free at (866) 490-READ
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Your peers appreciate your advice about quality programs. Please tell them about your experience working with us. Our best sales people are our many loyal clients.