Increase, Decrease, Rearrange: Fluevogs and the Reading Room

 What I originally wanted to discuss had no photographic evidence to supplement it, so I combined it with a favourite new topic - my shoe collection!

My school has a place that is sometimes called "the guided reading resource room" or "the book room". This is a separate space from the school library. The purpose of the guided reading room is to offer levelled readers and materials for literature circles and guided reading lessons for teachers. 

One of the activities that brings my current principal joy is physical plant upgrades. He moved our lunch room to a classroom and transformed the old lunchroom into a fitness studio. His latest idea is to turn the special education resource room, located in the library, into a STEM / STEAM lab. The SERT classroom will move to the former guided reading room, and the guided reading room will combine with the teacher workroom. The addition of a STEM / STEAM lab will benefit the school library learning commons. It just will take a lot of work to make it happen. Thankfully, my principal is willing to devote time, money, and effort to make these projects a reality. This past week, he freed up two of us on staff for a day to weed the book room. 

Sheri and I were very methodical about our deselection approach. She began with the materials for the youngest learners and I started at the opposite end, with novels. I referred to our TDSB Policy Guide on the Selection and Deselection of Learning Resources. These were a few of my observations, which can also be applied to my collection of Fleuvogs. 

When I last wrote about my shoes on this blog, I had five pairs of Fluevogs. Now I have nine. 1/9 I bought at full price from the store. 4/9 I bought at the store on sale. 3/9 I bought second-hand from an individual seller. 1/9 was a gift. 

More Isn't Always Better

Otherwise known as "quality over quantity", we found that there were many, many copies of books in the book room, but some of the copies were in terrible condition. Many of the titles hold no appeal to our students. I forgot that the "whole class novel study" used to be a thing. We had 40-50 copies of a single title - and rather old titles, at that. (Think The Westing Game, or The Giver or even The Outsiders.) The current pedagogical practice leans more towards literature circles or guided reading groups, which means smaller numbers of copies of a particular title. 

The other problem with having too many things is that items get misplaced in the vast volume of material present. We thought we had almost no copies of levelled readers at the early stages. We actually do possess more than we thought; it's just that it was scattered throughout the room. The room was in a mess and was quite a dumping ground for all sorts of other items that didn't belong in there. (More on that in the "Ownership" topic.)

In the shoe department, (and this will make my husband happy), there will come a time where I will have enough Fluevogs. Shoes need to be worn. Right now, all the Fluevogs I own are in regular circulation. I know people who own 40-plus or even 100-plus pairs of shoes, and even though the variety is marvelous, it's impossible for them to get all those shoes in rotation. There are bound to be favourites that are worn more often. Then comes issues of storage and whether or not the owner is getting adequate use based on the money they paid. (This is where I can benefit; some people will sell off items from their collections at a reduced rate. I just have to resist the pull of purchasing shoes simply because they are my size and are a good price!

This was a photo of my Fluevog shoe collection before I added the most recent acquisitions. (Top row, L-R = Slacker Vagabond, Thrillvog Paulson, Slacker Nap / Bottom row, L-R = Thrillvog Tippi, Enneagram Innovative, Fellowship Trish)

These are the newest additions. (The single photo is of a Wonders K2. In the photo below, the one on the left is a Fellowship Cleo and the one on the right is a Mellow Motown.)

Organization Influences Use

The layout of a room really makes an impact. That connects with the AML Media Key Concept #7 - Form and Content are Closely Related. For instance, we had buckets of books that had a sign with a general theme description (e.g. "Adventures"). They hadn't been touched, because no one know what was in there. Teachers use the book room to find books for their readers. We plan on breaking up these bins and setting them up more by approximate grade suitability.

Before library folks get concerned, rest assured that I will and would NEVER set up my school library collection based on lexile stages. The purpose is vastly different. School library collections are for recreational reading and subject-specific inquiry, not for the ability to decode a text. 

I rearranged my closet to accommodate my Fluevog collection. I own one of those hanging shoe racks, but I was worried that the shoes would get too banged up and/or fall out (as the pockets aren't deep). I cleared out the top shelf of my closet so that the shoes can sit soles-down in their own spot.  

The set-up shows what you possess. This is true and helpful for shoes and books. If you can't easily find what you are looking for, you might give up searching, or miss out on a perfect fit (for your size or mind!) Take a look at this post asking for storage advice from the Flummity forum on Facebook. (Plus, I love her shoes!)

We need to make the space look good so that people will flock to it and use it more. Less clutter and clear signage will help with that. To apply this to my shoes, I've been exploring how to take selfies so that my shoes can be seen better. I've experimented with angles and find that setting a timer and hoisting my leg up on a desk helps give a fuller picture. I posted this shot to Instagram recently and received a positive reaction from my friends. (This way, you can see my face, my shoes, and the outfit I paired the shoes with.)

Hoarding Isn't Always Beneficial

This relates to "more isn't always better". Saving items that you aren't going to use is fruitless. It takes up valuable real estate. To use the gardening analogy, the weeds crowd out and choke the things you truly want to cultivate. Some of the books in the book room were yellowed with age and caked with dust. Maybe the new storage set-up will help some of the titles that aren't in poor physical shape. If they still don't get used, then they'll be recycled.

I won't recycle shoes, but I will pass them along to someone else who might love them more. I swore that I would wear every pair of Fluevogs I obtained. However, I bought a used pair that fit me but just weren't comfortable to wear for long periods of time. (This surprised me a bit, as almost all my Fluevogs make my feet happy, with the exception of my first pair without socks.) I am not yet ready to enter the selling market, so I plan on shipping them to my sister in Calgary. I hope she doesn't see this, because it's supposed to be a surprise. If she does see it, then Mary, enjoy your new-to-you black, size 6 Fellowship High Lucilles!

Add But Also Subtract

My dear friend Kim, one of my Fluevog enablers, has a personal rule now that if she buys a new pair of Fluevogs, she has to get rid of a pair. This is a pretty reasonable practice, especially when space is at a premium. If we keep adding books to the book room without getting rid of the ones that we aren't using, we will run out of space. I have no clue what the "magic number" is for books in a library collection or shoes in a personal collection, but it is possible to "max out".

Ownership Fosters Responsibility

If your name is attached, then the state of the collection reflects on you. The reading room never truly "belonged" to any particular individual. That made it possible to become a dumping ground for extra items. We found puppets, board games, clothes, stationary supplies and all sorts of junk stashed in the reading room. Shared spaces sometimes have a similar problem. We tackle this in our other locations (i.e. the stock room, the gym cupboard) by having a committee, led by a single person, who can take charge and ensure that the spot is properly maintained and not abused. 

Since I spend money (and rather a lot of money) on my new and new-to-me Fluevogs, I need to be much more careful about their treatment. I clean them. I try not to wear them during inclement weather. I put them away in their designated storage space so other shoes don't scuff them up. 

Watch Your Biases

Weeding the reading room with someone else was a real treat. We were able to check with each other to get a second opinion on whether or not to keep certain titles. I know that even though I have policies to guide me with the decision to select or deselect, my own personal preferences can interfere with the process. For instance, I like graphic novels, so I'd be less inclined to remove them from the collection than other books. My predecessor had an affinity for cranberries and cats, so there were a lot of books on those topics in the school library collection. 

The same applies to shoes. I know I fall into patterns or trends. My husband, who is not a big fan of my latest shoe obsession, said after viewing my pair of Cleos, that they look just like another pair I already own. There are some differences, but he makes a fair point; I lean towards black shoes in a Mary Jane style. I need to be very conscious about diversifying my collection. Maybe these Dorotheas would do the trick?

Deal with the Desire for More

Getting new things is a lovely feeling. Buying fresh new books is a thrill. Purchasing a snazzy pair of shoes is a delight. However, it is important to spend responsibly. Take inventory to see what you have before making a rash decision based on the adrenalin rush of consumerism. We originally anticipated that we would have to spend a lot of money to boost our guided reading options, but the situation isn't as dire as we originally thought. I was gung-ho about getting a nice round number of ten pairs, but unless I find a pair that I know will fit, is a new but useful style, and is a good deal, I'll need to resist. This hasn't stopped me from taking screen shots of some shoes I'm admiring from afar (or not so afar). Kim and I took our friend Wendy to buy her first pair of Fluevogs and tried on a few ... for research purposes.

In my defense, some of these are definitely out of consideration because of size (I'm between a 6-7), location (I try for pick-up purchases rather than incur extra shipping costs), price (needs to be under $200) and duplication (I must stop buying black shoes!) But aren't they cute?

March Break in Maryland

 The spring respite from work in the 2020s has been a mixed bag. Last year, it was a quiet affair with a visit to Toronto ComiCon thrown in for good measure. March of 2020, 2021, and 2022 were all times of upheaval and uncertainty. I'm relieved to share that this year's time off was unusual only in that we actually went away. Often, we make it a habit of staying home at this time because it's so short, but this year it was just short enough and just long enough to drive south to visit my husband's side of the family. The last time we were in Maryland was the summer of 2018. My eldest was able to arrange for time off from her jobs and so the entire family was able to travel together. To do the math, it's been six years since we were there.

(I chose this photo of me with my Over the Rainbow Refresher drink because a. I love the colours, b. I like the expression on my face, c. It reminds me that many things in America are bigger, and d. Despite the gaudy appearance, this was a really tasty drink! It turned my tongue blue but it was delicious!)

I wasn't sure what "angle" or "theme" I wanted to take with this blog post, but I figured it out as I leafed through the photos I took and the receipts I collected. Ironically enough, it connects to school.

I teach social studies this year and the Heritage and Identity unit for Grade 2s is all about Traditions and Celebrations. The neat thing about this unit is that it doesn't just focus on the basic details of various holidays, but instead on how traditions and celebrations evolve over time and due to changing circumstances. I looked up the revised Social Studies curriculum and it lists these three "big ideas":

1. Understanding the diversity that exists among families and within the local community leads to an appreciation of diverse perspectives. 
2. The traditions that we celebrate today have developed over the generations
3. Canada is made up of various communities that have diverse traditions and celebrations. 

Things have changed since the last time we visited Baltimore County. The area has changed. We've changed. Our extended family has changed. We knew it was going to be different from the last time we visited. (For perspective, we went to Baltimore regularly every summer from 2003-2007 and then from 2013-2018.) Certain traditions were maintained. Others were altered. New ones were developed. Let me describe it using the "stop / start / continue" headings.

 

Stop

When we first began vacationing in Maryland, our children were very young. During the second phase, they were teens/pre-teens. Now that they are adults, we no longer have to pack as many things. The spend-a-palooza that used to occur is also significantly reduced. (Granted, they are the only grandchildren on both sides of the family, so it comes with the territory.) We no longer drive back with a trunk full of new toys or clothes. I think the customs agent might have been surprised by the low figure I quoted at the border that summed up our purchases. We obtained a few books, some Yankee Candles, a couple of items of clothing and some teacher supplies and board games to use at school from Five Below.

Start

Lodging was a big shift for us. In the past, we stayed at my mother-in-law's place. Five years ago, she moved into a senior's villa called Oak Crest. It's gorgeous, and perfect for her, but less than ideal for a family of four to invade. For the first time, we stayed at a hotel. Thankfully, we selected a place that was very close to Oak Crest as well as my husband's childhood neighbourhood, so the amenities and local features were familiar. We were able to walk to The Avenue at White Marsh, a really nice shopping and dining district, and took advantage of the lovely weather. It was our biggest travel expense, but choosing a suite that had room to sit and chill was worth the extra money.

Continue (with Change)

The main reasons why we drive ten hours are two-fold: we like to visit family and we like to eat Maryland food. This mostly stayed the same with a few shifts. We saw my mother-in-law every day while we were there. We visited my sister-in-law as well as James' maternal uncle and paternal aunt. I was delighted that hubby was able to squeeze in get-togethers with two of his friends from the area. Brad and James went to high school together. James has known Greg since James was in college. We were grateful that his buddies were able to make accommodations and gather on such short notice for dinner.

Oh, the dinners and eating in general! Back in 2014, I made a list of all the places we ate during our three-week summer stay. Instead of three weeks in July or August, it was a single week in March, and getting older means that I/we can't consume "out food" as frequently or in large quantities as we might like. (I was very strategic about how I ate, but others in our travel party started to feel quite bloated after a regular diet of restaurant food.) Here was our dining summary, as well as the ways I modified my choices so that I didn't suffer ill results. (I was especially cautious because a couple of weeks before we left, I was popping Tums to calm my irritated insides.)

March 9 = Bob Evans for brunch, TGI Friday's for dinner (and I chose appetizers instead of a full entrée)

March 10 = breakfast at Oak Crest, lunch at my sister-in-law's place (pizza), and dinner at Sonic (and I picked a smaller combo)

March 11 = Olive Garden for lunch and Casa Mia for dinner (and we shared different dishes buffet-style with the group in the evening)

March 12 = lunch at Friendly's and dinner at Red Robin (and I split a supper meal with my son)

March 13 = lunch at Applebee's and dinner at Red Brick Station (and I packed most of my lunch to eat the next day, and selected a lighter dinner option)

March 14 = dinner at the Double T Diner (and I split dessert with my husband and ate leftovers for breakfast and lunch)

March 15 = "linner" of fish and chips (no need for more than one meal after the feasting!)

We had a "first day in Baltimore" restaurant and a "last day in Baltimore" restaurant tradition. We kept the first day location (even though TGI Friday's no longer serves deep fried green beans) and chose a new place for the last day meal. We were happy with the change, since the old place stopped serving many of our favourite dishes, including crab.

I was able to squeeze in three meals that included crab. (Thank you Casa Mia, Red Brick Station, and Double T Diner for the yummy crab cakes!) This is a slow evolution. I used to dislike eating crab. It wasn't part of my eating repertoire. I gave it a chance in the 2010s and grew to love fried crab cakes. Toronto is not a great place to get crab, especially the kind of crab I like to eat in Maryland. Eating crab is a tradition I'm glad we were able to continue mostly unchanged.

Big thanks to all my relatives for welcoming us during a time that was not a holiday for them and fitting us into their schedules. We are very privileged that we have the time to spare for such a visit, as well as the financial and automotive means to afford to go away like this. Now that we've experienced this latest iteration and version of our "down south" trip, we can tweak it even more to make it work for us. Evolving traditions are neither good nor bad; they are just different.

Do You Wanna Dance?

 Bobby Freeman sang this song, the title of today's blog post, in 1958, but I'm not talking about this rock and roll classic. I'm talking about how reluctant students of a certain age are to dancing.

I teach dance to the kindergarten students and to a Grade 3-4 class. The kindergarten students have no problem moving to music. It's my other class, filled with 8- and 9-year-olds, that are super timid about dancing. I've tried to investigate what causes this aversion, and embarrassment is a part of the equation. They don't want anyone to look at them or judge them. 

This can get a bit complicated when I need to see them dancing to help me determine a grade, even if it's just a simple participation mark. These are some of the things I've done this year to try and alleviate this "dance anxiety".

Dancing Between the Shelves

I am blessed to have a large school library. After we watched some videos of different kinds of dances, I encouraged students to find a secluded spot somewhere in the library between the book shelves where they could dance while I played the music. (For the record, the two songs we used during this lesson were Gangnam Style and Michael Jackson's Thriller.) I did forewarn them that I had to peek to see if they were participating. They danced a lot more than they did the previous week when we did the Macarena and the Cha Cha Slide more in an open area together.

Consider It a Video Game

My students like video games, and we have a Wii permanently set up in the library. The students expressed interest in using Just Dance as part of their dance curriculum. We established (based on my previous experience doing this with other classes) what the points would mean and I spent time explaining how they had choice in selecting which song they wanted to use and how it worked. 

"What if we don't like to dance? Do we have to?", asked one of the students. (Note that none of them have any cultural or religious beliefs that prevent them from participating in dance class.)

I replied with a question of my own: would they ever ask their regular classroom teacher if they had to read a book in Language class, or solve a problem in Math class, or answer questions in Social Studies class? I said that they would need to make an attempt. I promised that the whole class could do something else when it came to the point where I was evaluating, but we also needed a chance to see how the dances went. When it came time for them to practice, none of them wanted to try. I volunteered to show them how to do it. They watched (and sang along to Rick Astley's "Never Gonna Give You Up") and only a few brave souls copied the actions in the far back of the room. 

Other Ways to Demonstrate

I can use other dance expectations to get marks, one where they don't have to dance themselves. They can analyze dances. They can describe dances. They can watch videos and answer questions. Thing is, the easiest way for them to earn points is to just dance. I'm not asking them to perform complex or inappropriate moves. I want them to move and have fun moving.

The Extra Challenge

This relunctance appeared particularly challenging because the Student Council arranged to host a school dance for the Grade 4-8s on the last day before March Break. The administration and student council liaison teachers realized that our students, who have not attended a recreational dance in years, would be at a loss for what to do. That's why they arranged to have a DJ with experience leading junior and intermediate division students in group dances. There would be neither "slow dancing", nor "partner dancing". The company even brought dancers with them to help loosen up the crowd.

(Sorry I don't have a lot of photos to share. It was hard to get good shots unobtrusively!)

The great news is that 99% of the students actually danced! The moves were easy enough to follow along. The focus was on the stage, not on each other. The DJ played songs they seemed to like. There were prizes, and the gym was darkened enough with lights and decorations to make it special. I guess a lot of it depends on setting the right atmosphere to make it conducive to dancing. I did not get the name of the DJ and the company, but the teachers were very happy with the outcome. Big thanks go to Ms. Daley and the student council for making this happen on the last day before March Break.

Why Insist?

Why is it so important for us to encourage dance? So many of our students only see dance as performative, which means they miss out on the joy, expression, and exercise that dancing can bring. If I hear a song that I like, it's hard not to bounce in time or walk to the rhythm, never mind bust a move. Dancing is a great way to show your feelings or demonstrate understanding of concepts and themes. I remember ages and ages ago when I first came to my current school, I had a conversation with a class teacher about what dance could combine with, and he had his students give evidence of their learning in science via dance. One of my present AQ students talked about combining dance with coding and choreographing (and participating) in dance routines with robots. And dancing vigorously can make you sweat in a good way! 

Sir Bob and the Return of the Chain Mail Shirt

 This past week, circumstances allowed me to re-use a lesson idea from years past. Let me tell you the story of both Sir Bob and the chain mail shirt.

Sir Bob

Sir Bob is the nickname for a suit of armor that lives in my school library. He has been there for longer than my tenure. He wears a small sign on his back that explains how he ended up guarding a school library. He belongs to Lianne Harris, a wonderful individual that conducts history and social studies presentations around the GTA. Her website is https://historybyharris.ca/ if you'd like to contact her and request an informative and entertaining presentation at your school.

I knew about Lianne even before I met Sir Bob. In my very first year of contract teaching, at a different school, I booked her to do a presentation for the junior division students. She captivated them back then. Here's a photo of her from my school scrapbook.

If Lianne is reading this, please rest assured that Sir Bob is still doing his duty watching over the students. He was even mentioned in a research study by Queen's University and People for Education in 2009 ("Exemplary School Libraries in Ontario"), when the observers described the school library environment:

... The front window looks onto the school's courtyard entrance, and beside one of the many "cozy corners" complete with comfortable chairs and a round table, stands Sir Bob, a knight in full armour. ..." (page 3)

Lianne wears and has students try on clothing that matches the time period she is teaching about. To maximize the impact of Lianne's presentation back then, I was able to bring in a different artifact that has an even longer personal history for me.

The Chain Mail Tunic

My husband has some pretty talented friends. One of them, Chris, is a history buff. In the 1990s, he decided to try to make chain mail armor out of wire coat hangers. He first lent me this vest in 1997 so that my students could feel what it was like. I returned it (after a stint in my car trunk), and Chris continued to add to it over the years. I borrowed it again in 2004 as part of a collaborative teaching unit with the Grade 4 classes. My principal at the time, Wayne Hamilton, wore the shirt, to the delight of the students and teachers.

When my own daughter had her ninth birthday, (in 2009) it was a medieval themed affair and Chris came over with the latest iteration of the armour. By this time, it was no longer a vest, but a rather long tunic. Only my good friend and teaching colleague, Renee, was able to handle wearing it. It was too heavy for any child to try it on. I returned it, thinking it was the last I'd ever get to use the armour.

 Years go by and lessons come and go. Fast forward to October 2023. My husband decided to have a few friends over for his birthday, including Chris. Chris brought with him a big surprise: a brand new chain mail shirt and coif (head piece) that he had made for me!

Chris used specially-ordered chain links to create it this time, instead of wire hangers, and it took him about six months to put it together. The metal cost over $400. (The metal links cost $100 for a kilogram.) He even added black metal rings around the edges for a more finished look. I was gobsmacked. This project took lots of time, money and effort to create. I was very grateful, and determined that I would use it with students.

It just so happens that I'm teaching Grade 4 social studies this year as part of my teaching assignment. This past week, I brought out the armour as part of my lesson. They loved it! I even roped Renee into demonstrating how protective the amour can be by hitting me with a wooden stick. It makes a satisfyingly loud song and does not hurt at all.

The students and I had great discussions about chain mail vs plate armour and comparing modern soldier outfits to older uniforms. I don't know if I'll be able to top this lesson, but it certainly was memorable, and if it helps students to get excited about social studies and learning about the past, then I'll all for it!