Every Other Thursday - April 24

April 24, 2014

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! 

In this issue:

Library Quotes

Promote Reading – Rewarding Readers at the end of the year

Common Core - preparing for next year

Shameless Plug  

Library Quote/Smile

“We read to know that we are not alone.” — C.S. Lewis

“It is what you read when you don’t have to that determines what you will be when you can’t help it.” — Oscar Wilde

“Good books, like good friends, are few and chosen; the more select, the more enjoyable.” — Louisa May Alcott

Promote Reading – from 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. This is an excellent way to reward your top readers and will be kept MUCH longer than a certificate. You could even make them up and put them in the halls until the end of school and give them to the students after they have become Reading Rock Stars! For templates and instructions, go to http://www.tommyjohnspresents.com/posters.htm, and have fun!

Common Core Tip

As we approach the end of the school year, it’s time to start laying the ground work for your contribution to your school’s success for 2014-2015. Go ahead and ask your principal for some time in pre-planning to address the faculty and let them know about the resources that your media center has to offer. Go ahead and begin talking to grade level leaders or department leaders about collaborating with them next year and start finding out what type of support they need from you. Be proactive about what the media center and the media specialist can do to help your school and your students succeed.

You and I know that you manage an absolute treasure chest of resources and possibilities. It’s time to make sure your colleagues at your school know just how valuable you are. Don’t wait to be asked – get in there and OFFER to help! Being proactive is one way to make sure that you will be SEEN to be as valuable as you are!

Shameless Plug

There are still a few dates open for end of the year reading programs. I would LOVE to come to your school and help you celebrate your students’ success! Give me a call and let’s see what we can work out!

Here’s what your colleagues have to say about the programs I offer:

"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

“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

PS – Don’t forget to share this newsletter and blog with your colleagues!

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.

April 10, 2014

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 www.smartlibrarians.com. And please tell your friends about it!

In this issue:

Library Quotes

Promote Reading and Common Core COMBINED

Shameless Plug  

Library Quote/Smile

“I still love books. Nothing a computer can do can compare to a book. You can’t really put a book on the Internet. Three companies have offered to put books by me on the Net, and I said, ‘If you can make something that has a nice jacket, nice paper with that nice smell, then we’ll talk.’ All the computer can give you is a manuscript. People don’t want to read manuscripts. They want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press it to your bosom. You can carry it in your pocket.”  

Ray Bradbury, author

"In the nonstop tsunami of global information, librarians provide us with floaties and teach us how to swim."

Linton Weeks, Washington Post writer

Promote Reading and Common Core Tip COMBINED

This week I have had the wonderful opportunity to listen to an audio recording of Ron Clark’s The Excellent Eleven - Qualities Teachers and Parents Use to Motivate, Inspire, and Educate Children. WOW! I really enjoyed his ideas and examples! One of my favorite strategies that he discusses comes from the Reflection chapter (I think it was reflection. It’s hard to “thumb through” an audio CD to find the page!), where he talks about helping students develop vocabulary BEFORE they read particular selections. A quote from this section:

“Teaching kids to love reading and to have all the necessary skills is important, but a key to helping students become successful readers and getting them to perform well on standardized reading tests lies in building their vocabulary.”

As he taught, he realized that one of the big problems with his students was that they were not familiar with the vocabulary in certain standard texts. Finding the challenging vocabulary words and teaching those terms BEFORE the class read the text dramatically increased comprehension, test scores and ENJOYMENT of reading! He went on to develop a list of “1,000 Words You Need to Know to Enjoy Reading This Year.” The list was taken from the texts that the students would be reading during the year and, as expected, reading scores soared!

So, how does this apply to media specialists? As you prepare for the end of the year, collaborate with your teachers and encourage them to develop an essential vocabulary list for next year’s readings. The entire grade level or department could make this relatively simple work, if they all took part. And we all know that when we improve reading comprehension EVERYTHING else gets better!

If you can get a copy of the audio of The Excellent Eleven, I highly recommend it. It runs for a little over 2 hours and you can listen to it on your commute in just a few days. (www.audible.com has a download for $11.95, or you may be able to check it out from the public library. OR you could order it for the Professional Development section of the school media center and be the first to check it out!) I think it would be a very good book study for faculty interested in recharging their batteries.

Shameless Plug

A few words from your colleagues:

“Tommy is a delight to work with, from start to finish.  I appreciated the information he sent ahead of time -- everything from posters to tax forms included in one packet.  I appreciated his flexibility -- he was able to change the time on one of our shows at the last minute, and he was also willing to work in another show the same day for a community group.  Most of all, I appreciated the way he interacted with the kids before and after the program.  He has a magic touch, in more ways than one.

“Oh, and the shows were terrific, too -- full of books, jokes, magic, science, puppets, and audience participation.  The kids and the parents had a ball!”

Jan Daniel, Children's Librarian

Okefenokee Regional Library

Waycross, GA

“You were so easy to work with.  You did exactly what you said you would do.  You were prepared and on time!  Awesome!”

Betsy Simmons, Media Specialist

Oglethorpe Point Elementary

St. Simon’s Island, GA

Call me and you can see what all the fuss is about!

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

Encouraging kids to read, I am

PS – Don’t forget to share this newsletter and blog with your colleagues!

Tommy Johns
Educational Entertainment Specialist
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.

www.TommyJohnsPresents.com