August 2024. Year 30 in education. Year 22 in the library. Why am I still here?
I can honestly say I feel myself slowing down. I can honestly say waking up to an alarm that goes off at 4:45am five days a week is getting old. However, I can also honestly say I really enjoy this job; I love the students, I love the people who work here, and I love my school. That is why I am still here. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel . . . retirement, but I'm not quite there yet.
After analyzing last year's usage statistics and the ones from the year before that, I decided my goal this year is to increase book circulation. I have concentrated on technology for 2 years now, and it is time to get back to the basics - reading. I have all of these programs to promote reading, but have I actually been promoting book check out? Maybe, but not as much as I should as indicated by my circulation statistics. To see that comparison, check out last May's blog, "End of Year Check In."
One of my main tools to increase book circulation this year is Beanstack. That is a reading program we purchased as a district this year. It has been fun watching the students get back into reading. If you are not familiar with Beanstack, it is a program where students can track their reading, earn digital badges, and prizes. Every campus handles the prizes differently. I have an online prize wheel that I let the students spin after they complete a reading challenge in Beanstack. The prize wheel includes snacks, books, a large Sonic Drink, a medium Dutch Bros drink, and a Chick-Fil-A lunch. The food and beverages were donated by way of gift cards. Since our district policy is not to give out gift cards as prizes. I purchase the food/drink for the students with the gift cards, and they come pick up their prize during lunch. We will see how long the gift cards will last.
I am looking forward to diving into this new reading program to see what I can do. They have lots of templates you can use, or you have the option to create your own reading challenge. I promise I am not getting any compensation for this product, but so far, I like what I see.
