A Book Hoarders 12 Step Program

Hey Ya'll a second Blogpost in a week!! Whatttt?!

Well I have been in my classroom a couple weeks now and have decided since I own so many books which honestly these fabulous books spend most of their time hiding in cabinets or on special "teacher only shelves" where the kids can get their dirty little fingers on them. Yes I am that teacher I hoard books from my kids. 

Don't hate me just yet...The kids have plenty of books they can read in my classroom and I do read these amazing little literary nuggets to the kids. I love reading to my kids. I just don't have these precious books out where the kids can get to them. Have you seen what kids do to books?? It is awful. Dog ear pages, rip pages/rip pages out completely, color on the pages, write on the book, in the book, using the book as a clipboard and the worst of all they take them home and never bring them back! Whatt those are my books they can't keep them! Let's be real, why can't they? They are kid books, and kids should be reading them and loving them. Sooooo....


This year I am trying to overcome my fear of students touching my books.
 I have started this 12 step program...it's a work in progress 

1. Unpack the books from their boxes
2. Go through every single one of them and assess their awesomeness (let's be honest, Kinder books aren't really "Just Right Books" for Third Graders, and I can rehome them to another teacher, student or our little neighborhood library box)
3. Add them into an online database that will let the kids check them out of our classroom library just like they would in the school library.

The online database I have started using is ClassroomBookSource and so far I LOVE this website. I have only gotten about 480 books in so far. But it is a work in progress. It gives you tons of options to add AR stats, Guided Reading Levels, Genre, Location on your bookshelf, etc. You can also download a scanner app and have the kids scan the books in and out as they check them out or turn them in. Upon check in the kids can rate or review the book too! How awesome is that!? I haven't obviously done the check out/check in options yet since it is still summer, but I will be back to blog about that once school starts
  

4. Sort and put the books on shelves the kids can get to
5. Teach my kids how I want the library to look, feel, sound, and how it should be used
6. Let my kids touch and explore the books
7. Reteach how the classroom library and books should be used (because let's be honest I am going to need to do this haha)
8. No Freaking out if books have to go under the knife at Dr. Books office (Ha I made that up!! But I might make a basket that says that now for books that need surgery). It is okay, well loved people have scars and have had bandages, so well loved books should have them too right?
9. Breathe.
10. Smile.
11. Let it go, Let it go!!! If a book walks off, I can get another one, a student loved a book so much they took it, that means I am doing my job right?
12. Order more books to read and be happy!!

I am hoping this is a positive experience for me and my kiddos. Happy Summer!

30 days until teachers go back for me. :) I am excited to meet my new kids but loving having the summer off!!