Storytime Manual for East Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System
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Storytime Manual for East Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System Developed by Saroj Ghoting Early Childhood Literacy Consultant www.earlylit.net with CiKeithia Pugh Early Learning Program Manager, Seattle (WA)Public Library June 30, 2020 Acknowledgements I would like to thank the many people who made this Storytime Manual what it has come to be. It is a culmination of many years of experience in working in several library systems in Maryland, as well as ideas and approaches gained through working with Every Child Ready to Read®, Supercharged Storytimes, and through learning from so many wonderful library staff when presenting trainings across the United States and Canada. I am grateful to Eastern Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System for giving me the opportunity to write the Manual. The advisory group from EARLS listed below helped set the tone and made sure it would be a user-friendly tool Their contributions are invaluable in enriching the experiences and perspectives here. I applaud each of you for your willingness to change and grow. I am grateful for the specific advice and input from CiKeithia Pugh and Jessica Bratt on the issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity. This is an area where I still struggle so their expertise was vital to integrating this aspect into library storytimes and services. And where would we be without our Jbrary librarians? Lindsay and Dana have helped so many of us feel more comfortable trying out new things and build on old favorites. Thank you to the readers who offered feedback and improved the Manual for all. These are generous colleagues and friends whom I have learned from over the years. To one and all, I am grateful and hope that this Storytime Manual serves all who use it well. Staff at East Albemarle Regional Library System Libraries • Jonathan Wark, Director, East Albemarle Regional Library System and Dare County Librarian • Laura Salmons, Assistant Director, East Albemarle Regional Library System and Currituck County Librarian • Amber Jarvis, Children’s Specialist, Moyock Public Library, Currituck County • Cheryl Carollo, Currituck County • Rachel Bryant, Children’s Specialist, Camden County Public Library • Taneshia Jernigan, Children’s Services, Pasquotank Public Library • Tammy Batschelet, Children’s Librarian, Dare County Public Library CiKeithia Pugh, Early Learning Program Manager, Seattle (WA)Public Library Jessica Bratt, Youth Services Manager, Grand Rapids (MI) Public Library Jbrary Librarians: Lindsey Krabbenhoft and Dana Horrocks Readers: Pamela Martin Diaz, Early Literacy Consultant Staci Shaw, Youth Services Consultant, Idaho Commission for Libraries Enid Costley, Library Director, Roswell (NM) Public Library Wendy Resnick, Children and Teen Services Coordinator, Phoenix (AZ) Public Library Alison Loewen, Youth Services Librarian, Mead (WI) Public Library CiKeithia Pugh, Early Literacy Program Manager, Seattle (WA)Public Library Katie Ross, Youth Services Librarian, Westerville (OH) Public Library Allison Murphy, Children’s Librarian, Wallingford (CT) Public Library Amy Read, Literacy Consultant and Trainer Donna Throckmorton, Library Services Consultant, Arizona State Library Irene Briggs, Retired Librarian 1 About Me, Saroj Ghoting I am an early childhood literacy consultant. I have been a children’s librarian since 1976, graduating from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC. I worked in Anne Arundel County and Montgomery County, MD Public Libraries. In 2001, I moved to Washington State and in 2003 became a consultant to the American Library Association for the Every Child Ready to Read® initiative. That began my career as a consultant, presenting workshops for library staff on early literacy in storytimes and workshops for adults. I also offer online courses through Library Juice Academy and have co-authored six books on storytimes and early literacy. Feel free to use my website www.earlylit.net for more information and resources. Storytime Manual of East Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System by Saroj Ghoting is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0 CC-BY-NC-SA This license requires that reusers give credit to the creator. It allows reusers to distribute, remix, adapt, and build upon the material in any medium or format, for noncommercial purposes only. If others modify or adapt the material, they must license the modified material under identical terms. This project/program/service is made possible by funding from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) as administered by the State Library of North Carolina, a division of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (IMLS grant number LS-00-19-0034-19). 2 Table of Contents If you are new to storytimes and have to do a storytime RIGHT AWAY, please go directly to the “Good ‘n Quick Storytime” Chapter 6 on page 27. Then you can come back to work through the Manual. CHAPTER TITLE PAGE 1. Getting Started—Read Me First! 4 PART I: THE HOW: DOING IT 2. Let’s Begin with You 7 3. Storytime Goals 13 4. I Was Wondering . 16 5. Behavior Management 18 6. Good ‘n Quick Storytime 27 7. Storytime Structure 36 8. More Storytimes 73 PART II: THE WHY: DIGGING DEEPER 9. Early Literacy and Intentionality 77 10. Early Literacy Tips for Parents and Caregivers 104 11. Storytime Elements 110 12. Scaffolding 129 13. Assessment 131 14. Advocacy 135 15. Handouts 154 PART III: APPENDICES 16. Appendix A: Equity 158 17. Appendix B: Child Development 161 18. Appendix C: Additional Storytime Forms 163 3 1. Getting Started—Read Me First! Welcome to the Storytime Manual for the Eastern Albemarle (NC) Regional Library System. My name is Saroj Ghoting. I am an Early Childhood Literacy Consultant after having spent 25 years as a children’s librarian in public libraries. I am happy to be your partner as we go through the Manual. You will also be able to share ideas with your colleagues. The road to becoming a storytime provider is a journey. Along the way you will help introduce children and their parents and caregivers to the joys of reading and the pleasure of doing activities that build language, laying the foundation for children to learn how to read. You will also develop relationships with them and with community groups and organizations in your area. This work can feel overwhelming. Hold onto the fact that each person, from the storytime provider to the participants, other staff, and partners, all bring something to enrich the storytime experience. This is true not only for storytimes but for programs and library services now and in the future. Remember also that we are each individuals with our own temperaments, strengths and limitations, experiences, and knowledge bases. As you observe storytimes and develop your own, imitation of someone else can be a good first step, but feel free to “make it your own” as well. You will adapt the way you share storytime items as you internalize the process making this endeavor easier over time. Be aware also that something that worked so well in one storytime may not go over so well in another storytime. Each group is different and responds differently to books and activities. Even when you are working with a very experienced storytime provider, be sure to bring up your own ideas. Everyone was a beginner at one time. Storytime providers, even very experienced ones, enjoy the exchange of ideas and to improve and keep storytimes fresh. New storytime providers can offer new, fresh perspectives. About the Manual Kit This Storytime Manual has been designed to be used in tandem with the resources listed below. These items plus the items listed below make up the Storytime Manual Kit. Books: 1. Storytimes for Everyone! Developing Young Children’s Language and Literacy by Saroj Ghoting and Pamela Martin-Diaz. ALA. 2013 2. STEP into Storytime: Using StoryTime Effective Practice to Strengthen the Development of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds by Saroj Ghoting and Kathy Klatt. ALA, 2014. 3. Supercharged Storytimes: An Early Literacy Planning and Assessment Guide by Kathleen Campana, J. Elizabeth Mills, and Saroj Ghoting. ALA. 2016 Please note that in this book, the term VPT or VIEWS2 Planning Tool is used. It is similar to the one we use, the Early Literacy Planning Tool or ELPT, which is based on the Every Child Ready to Read early literacy construct. 4. Baby Rhyming Time by Linda Ernst. Neal-Schuman, 2008. 5. Mother Goose on the Loose Updated by Betsy Diamant-Cohen. ALA. 2019. 4 1. Getting Started—Read Me First Websites: Please create accounts for these now so that you can use their resources easily as you go through the Manual. WebJunction Supercharged Storytimes Self-Paced course https://tinyurl.com/webjunscst This self-paced course was developed to help storytime providers be more intentional in supporting children’s earl literacy development. You will need to create an account using your email and a password of your choice. Access is free. In the Manual, there are links to videos and resources in the Webjunction course. You can click on the URL given. You will be prompted to login. New York Public Library Raising the Bar Training https://tinyurl.com/nyplraisingbar This training was developed to provide professional development for library staff on effective practices for early literacy planning and delivery. We will work mostly with Module B which is on storytimes. You are welcome to explore the other modules as well. You will need to create an account using your email and a password of your choice. This resource is free to all. The Manual is divided into three sections. Part I is “Doing It,” the more practical aspects. Part II focuses on the “Why.” Part II are the Appendices.