The happy life of teacher librarians: shhhhhhhhhh, they're reading....

Wednesday afternoon last week. 
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Fiction area booked for both periods this afternoon, so at the end of lunch we put out the books I'd selected earlier, all around the tables in fiction.  Face up, an easy place for students without a book to begin.  The array is never tidy at the end of a lesson - it's always been investigated and explored, just as we hope it will be.  The birdseed attracting the birds...

First period after lunch: a year 9 English class in the fiction area and the reading retreat.  Reading quietly.  (The class downstairs on the computers was being quiet too, so peace reigned).  Students were sprawled on chairs, on the floor, with the slightly boneless look of those who are relaxed and gone away into their stories.  Four students especially happy because they won the hot chocolate draw (for being good, they get their names in the hat).  This is one of the classes which comes every fortnight (and these teachers now supply the hot chocolate for their own classes, we do the foam cups and hot water).
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Next period, the last of the day: two Year 8 English classes, one in fiction/reading retreat, the other occupying downstairs (a third booked class for the computers ended up not arriving, which might have been A Good Thing).  And, about ten minutes into the period, you could have heard a pin drop.  The downstairs students had the floor pillows we'd made, and therefore felt free to sprawl comfortably over floor and against walls and bookshelves - which was just fine.  They're not a regular class (yet...), but I introduced their teacher to the hot chocolate idea, and she was happy to run with it.  Her kids were very happy too. (I supplied the hot chocolate).  The other teacher and class are fortnightly regulars.  In that class, while there are still a few fidgettys, by and large it's definitely possible to see how they have learned to settle to reading, and to enjoy settling to reading.  Four students from each class sipping hot chocolate, very pleased.
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It was just lovely to see.  Another episode in the happy life of teacher librarians.
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Go on.  Write up one of your episodes in your happy life as a teacher librarian, and see the good things you've made happen for your kids in your school.  Because you surely have, and it's good to recognise what you've achieved.
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Cheers
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Ruth
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