Building Relationships with Families Through the

School Library

Heather Erlandson

Bloomfield Early Childhood Center

2007

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Heather Erlandson

• Level III Teacher-Librarian• Master’s Degree in Curriculum and

Instruction--Reading• Educator for 13 years• School Librarian for 6 years• Experience with Early Childhood, 3rd

grade, Middle School, High School

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Bloomfield, New Mexico

• Bloomfield population is approximately 6400, and is bordered to the south by the Navajo reservation.

• Median household income is approximately $34,700.• Nearest metropolitan city is Albuquerque, which is 175 miles

away• Bloomfield Early Childhood Center is a public school that

serves approximately 325 preschool and kindergarten children• 35% Hispanic, 34% Caucasian, 30% Navajo, and 1% African-

American• 71% free and reduced lunch• 13.5% of kindergarten students are English Language

Learners

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Involving Families

• Leapin’ LeapPads!

• Family Nights

• Bookfairs

• Special Events

• Book Giveaways

• Volunteers

• Reading Contests

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Leapin’ LeapPads

• Grant funded by Eastern New Mexico Center for Teaching Excellence

• Research-Based• Parent Workshops• Low

cost/management• Research shows

results

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Leapin’ LeapPads (cont.)

• Build positive relationships between school and families• Encourage parent involvement in student learning• Improve students’ letter fluency skills• Transition students between audio/visual and print• Address New Mexico Standard: Language Arts:

Reading and Listening for Comprehension, Content Standard I: Students will apply strategies and skills to comprehend information that is read, heard, and viewed.

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Leapin’ LeapPads (cont.)

Based on Research• ELL students• Learning Disabled Students• Student Success• Teacher Involvement• Socioeconomic Levels• Migrant Children• Reading Research• Bilingual/Illiterate Families

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Leapin’ LeapPads! (cont.)• One-time, 45 minute

workshop • Offered several times • Bilingual workshops• How the Leap Pad works• What the books do• Working with the child• How the program works• LeapPad Titles• Workshop evaluation

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Leapin’ LeapPads

Materials• $700 (funded by Eastern New Mexico University’s Center for

Teaching Excellence) in the 2004-2005 school year bought: 7 LeapPads for circulation, 7 backpacks, 3 for training, 37 titles, batteries, and sticky note pads (for identification of borrower). Additional Leap Pad books were acquired through the use of Title funds and through Leapfrog Schoolhouse donations.

• $3000 in the 2005-2006 school year increased LeapPads and backpacks to 30 for circulation, and titles to over 140, purchased replacement books, LeapPads, and backpacks, replenished our supply of batteries and paid for Spanish translation of 6 documents.

• Activity funds in the 2006-2007 school year were used for replenishment of LeapPads and books.

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Leapin’ LeapPads (cont.)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

Families

Students

Dropped

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2004-2005

2005-2006

2006-2007

LeapPads

Titles

2006-2007 totals through 2/1/07

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Leapin’ LeapPads (cont.)• Most participants used the program:

– to have free access to the materials– to help their child learn to read– because their children had requested that the parents become involved in the

program.

• Families used the Leap Pad materials to:– read– play games– reinforce sharing skills– interact with siblings– teach their child Spanish– learn English with their child– on trips– spend quality time with their child.

• Over 200 families members through the 2005-2006 school year were reported to have used the LeapPad materials in addition to the students.

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Leapin’ LeapPads (cont.)Participants were surveyed for their feedback on the program.

Only 8 participants responded, however. Of those participants, – 3 felt the program made them more comfortable with their

child’s school– 3 felt they were as comfortable as they would have been

anyway– 2 declined to answer this question– 5 respondents felt more able to help their child with

learning– 3 declined to answer this question. – 4 respondents commented that this is a great program,

and that they hope to use it again.

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Family Nights

• Literacy – Reading– Writing– Oral Tradition

• Math • Science• Story• Carnival• World

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Family Nights (cont.)

School Libraries add:

• Resources• Modeling an

enjoyment of reading

• An additional possible relationship for families

Try a Formula:• Craft• Activity,

experiment, and/or game

• Snack to make• Story to tell

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Bookfairs

More than just a fundraiser!

• Volunteers• Activities to make

families feel welcome

• Encouraging literacy skills at home

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Special Events

Another opportunity to engage and

build relationships!Readathon

Young Children’s Day

Summer Fair

Spring Carnival

Young Authors’ Fair

• Community

• Extended family

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Special Events (cont.)

• Plan, plan, plan!• Then promote, promote,

promote!• Whole staff input with

leadership• Personal invitations

– Parents/family members– Community businesses– Community service providers

• Recognition

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Book GiveawaysParent involvement

is not always visible to teachers.

• Getting kids to school for some is HUGE!

• Checking notes and homework

• Discussing the day with their children

• Reading aloud to their kids

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Book Giveaways (cont.)

Cheap Books!

• Scholastic

• Thrift Stores

• Garage Sales

• Book Drives

Make it Special!

• Guest Readers

• Special Events

• Bookmarks

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Volunteers

• Personal invitations

• Ongoing task lists• Plenty of

recognition• Be prepared to

handle siblings• Don’t forget

school policies!

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Reading Contests1. What is your goal?

2. How will it involve family members?

3. How will you keep it manageable for you, the family, and the student?

4. What prizes will you offer?

5. What does the student need to do?

6. How will the winner win?

7. How will you communicate all of this clearly?

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Reading Contests (cont.)

• Genre Tic Tac Toe• Passport to Reading• Land of Enchantment• Design a Cover• Tree Ornament• Author Cards• Scavenger Hunt• Key Word in Titles• Mystery Diorama• Baskets for Books• Pull Yourselves Together!

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Communicate!• District/School

newsletter

• PSA’s

• Notes and flyers

• Phone

• Business Cards

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