CONTENTS: Page 1: Politics | Page 2: Arts, Music and Sports | Page 3: Crossword – bottom of page |
Page 4: Comic – DOWNLOAD the PDF Version below.
Our Mission: “At the Murray Hill Metropolitan we are dedicated to authentic, realistic and unbiased news for our students, their families and the public. Every month we cover a wide variety of stories from what’s happening at Washington to our new hall pass system. We hope to make sure our school is conscious and respectful of other people’s opinions, the news and politics.”- Murray Hill Metropolitan Staff
Like, a couple weeks ago, when our local weather person was going to be out of school & we didn’t have a quick replacement – what to do? Another #MHTVNews crew member was at home with a broken wrist & we were facetiming her in the studio before the show when the 7th grader Payton who started the facetime call, had the wild idea to put Kasey (our injured wing friend) on the TV show on using the phone! Brilliant! But would it work?
Payton took a picture of the weather script & sent it to her — I was busily trying to share it with her via GSuite – Payton won. And we tested the volume. The rest of the school wasn’t so happy about that! (the morning bell hadn’t rung yet, simmer down folks!) LOL But here’s how it came out
It wasn’t perfect, we wish we had used the set up as pictured above, just putting the tripod down on the weather desk – but it was a hoot and the feedback from our audience (the kids in the classrooms) was that the other kids really perked up and took notice!
I’m getting older, going to retire in 3 or 4 years, I’m not crotchety quite yet, but I hope I never get too old to try a last minute wacky fun idea that a kid has with all in and wild abandon.
Your turn! What wild & wacky ideas have you tried in your TV Studio, School Library, or Classroom? Do you ever try things with kiddos and say “this might now work, but let’s try it anyway?” Having that kind of (dare I say Daring?) chutzpah or embracing the fail attitude in front of the kiddos is a good thing! It’s OK to fail!
Cheers dears!
More TV Studio cuteness from Instagram. Follow me & the awesome that goes on every day at our school on Instagram at @TheDaringLibrarian
Follow our fun using our hashtag #MHTVNews on Instagram and on Twitter!
MHTV Hall of Fame
Getting started in a TV Studio program at a young age put me on the path to success. Being able to get your hands dirty and experience all aspects of journalism (onair, producing, etc) helped me decide my career and put me steps ahead of others. I am so thankful for the #MHTVNewshttps://t.co/6gTfk1A8JF
Where does the time fly? I can’t believe it’s that time of year again! Time to share our Summer Reading List with you! It’s my 27th year in HCPSS and 22nd year here at Murray Hill Middle School! W00t! A lot of things have changed but some thing stay the same. Like still LOVING to read. Every day. Especially, in the Summer time! There’s nothing better to sit outside, on the beach, under an umbrella, or in a screened in porch and just read. For hours and hours! Where do you like to read? Any verified official Murray Hill kid who answers that in the comments will get a surprise next year! Sorry, Svetlana in Vladivostok, you are not eligible to win, but I still appreciate you reading this blog!
…..also, Pssst! Grownups! The ADULT Summer Reading List is linked at the bottom.
We Invite you to view & download the Middle School Summer Reading List Jpeg Page 1 and Page 2 or 2019SR_MSfinal- PDF
Thanks to our our A+ partner Librarians at the Howard County Library and two of our local HCPSS Middle School Teacher-Librarians we have created this Super Fun Reading List for all the kiddos in our district! (or the world!)
Visit our Howard County local Savage Branch Library & Hi Tech STEM Education Center this summer and FLIP over summer reading or flip over some amazing tech learning opportunities!
Murray Hill kids – If you read any of these books this summer, we would LOVE to hear what you thought in the comments! Follow us on Instagram to see pics of kids being AWESOME every day in our library and throughout the school!
Also, if you take a picture of yourself reading this summer or visiting a Library & tag me at @TheDaringLibrarian you’ll get a prize! Also, please tag @HoCoLibrary to maybe get some extra SWAG! 😉 But you have to find me in September and remind me, by saying like “Swag Me” because I’m getting old! LOL
From the Howard County Public Library, Our A+ Partners
Welcome to Summer Reading: A Universe of Stories
Join us for Summer Reading KICKOFF on Saturday, June 1 from 10 am to 2 pm at HCLS Miller Branch!
Activities in the Enchanted Garden include planting a sunflower and being a human sundial (weather permitting)
Indoor activities include crafts for children, and encounters with moon rocks and other rocks from space borrowed from NASA
Food trucks: Kona Ice and Say Cheese!
11 – 11:45 pm performance by The Milkshake Duo
12:30 – 1:30 pm fun with Eric Energy
ENROLL in Summer Reading Beginning June 1, 2019
Children, teens, and adults can participate! Enroll online from home or at any HCLS branch OR pick up a paper booklet at any branch.
After you’ve enrolled online or picked up your Summer Reading booklet, log the books you read and mark off activities as you complete them.
Mix and match any combination of 20 books read and/or activities completed
For every book/activity you complete, you receive an entry into a branch and systemwide prize drawing for your age group.
FOR ONLINE PARTICIPANTS: HCLS has a new online summer reading portal called BookPoints! Beginning June 1, 2019 you can register for a free summer reading account and create your BookPoints Username and password. Earn up to 41 entries into end-of-summer prize drawings by participating online!
FOR PAPER ONLY PARTICIPANTS: Between July 1 and August 31, return your completed booklet to any library branch to receive one entry into the end-of-summer prize drawings for each book or activity you complete. Check off a minimum of 20 books and/or activities to officially complete Summer Reading 2019: A Universe of Stories!
Recommended Summer Reading Lists for the Whole Family!
Makerspace for Little or Nothing Youdon’t have to spend thousands of dollars to start a Makerspace area. You don’t have to have a designated room or rip out bookcases.
You don’t have to make a Lego wall or buy a 3-D printer!
You can even have a Makerspace on a cart!
When we have testing in our Library, I put all our Makerspace stuff on an AV cart and roll it into our server
room. This post evolved from a previous post called Makerspace Starter Kit Updated on my professional blog where I had some of these idea, but I felt that it deserved it’s own expanded post.
You can take baby steps into the Maker Movement. I’ve been saying that for 7 years or so….long before I blogged about it, I tried it out.
A Makerspace is what you make of it!
Big or small, lavish or little, it’s all about the maker mindset. Constructivism. Be creative! Be crafty! Ask your kids what they want and brainstorm how to bring it to the school! Ask for donations. Ask for help. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect at first or if you fail. Just give it a shot.
TP & Paper Towel Building Blocks
Collect toilet and paper towel rolls, heck – have the whole school collect them! Say you’re trying for 50 or 100 – put a decorated cardboard box outside your Library or Classroom for donations!
Make sure to Tweet, IG out, or add the request to your staff & community newsletter! But be careful, you could get an AVALANCHE of materials!
Then cut them into different lengths, have the kiddos paint them with water based paints and notch them with scissors — then let kids build with them! Store them in milk crates or bins. Voila!
I’ve heard lately, that some people don’t like this idea because they’re concerned about germs. I guess TP rolls & airborne germs? I’m kind of a germophobe, and I didn’t even think about that! Sheesh. How about lightly spraying all the cardboard rolls with Lysol? OR..how about using paper towel rolls cut into different lengths? More! Cardboard Tube STEM Activities and more! This is a Mommy blog that has lots of great STEM ideas! W00t!
Origami is the perfect addition to a Maker program. Gather some origami books (I have like at least 10) paper of all kinds, safety scissors, rulers, and a recycling bin or the scraps and Voila! Kids love folding paper and even though I’m not patient enough to do this myself, many of my kiddos are amazing at Origami!
Here’s the super cool Cassius, who does smile, I swear! Giving us like two big tubs of great LEGO pieces! Such a great kids!
My lovely wonderful Library Media assistant Kathi, took them home over the weekend and put them all in a bucket with a bleach solution & dried them in the sunshine. Voila! Just like new!
Ask your PTA, ask your kids, have a LEGO donation bucket by the door of your Library Media Center or classroom and check out yard sales and thrift shops. Bleach is amazing and cheap. Go for it!
Now… I’ve totally snagged (with permission!) some amazing ideas from MY Makerspace Guru, Diana Rendina!
Graphic by @DianaLRendina
Cardboard Creature Challenge Now, shamelessly stolen from my Makerspace Gur, Diana Rendina – Teasing Excerpts from the amazing article she wrote for Demco titled 3 Design Challenges for the Low-tech Makerspace (Link below – I promise! Just don’t want to lose you quite yet, you may never come back!;-)
“The Cardboard Challenge has long been one of my favorite makerspace activities. Inspired by the amazing short film Caine’s Arcade and the Imagination Foundation’s Global Cardboard Challenge (October 6th – Join in!), I create a new variation on this challenge every year. We’ve created cardboard arcades, robots, buildings, etc.” — Read the article for more!
Graphic by @DianaLRendina
Tech Take-Apart Robot Challenge Tech take-apart is a classic makerspace activity. This design challenge
takes it a step further by recycling the technology into a robot made by
students. This project doesn’t have to be super complex — picture a
shoebox painted with black paint that has keyboard keys and circuit
boards glued to it.(link below – I promise!)
Graphic by @DianaLRendina
Recycled Book Art Gallery Our Art Teacher does this and we always love to provide gallery and brainstorming space! Maybe she gets some of our weeded books OR maybe she uses donated books from the kids and
MHMS Upcycled Book Art Gallery Walk from my IG
the community. I can’t speak to that here… my supervisor might see this!
Here’s what Diana has to say about this!
“We all have damaged or out-of-date books that we’ve weeded from our library. Instead of tossing them out, why not transform them into recycled art? Browse Pinterest or check out some of the recommended resources below to gather inspiration for students. Provide students with a variety of arts and crafts supplies, including glue, tape, paint, scissors, glitter, etc. Teach the students about what an artist’s statement is, and have them write one up once their project is done. Then create a gallery of all the students’ projects in the library and invite classes to visit for a gallery walk. This is a great way to introduce students to the world of professional art and a fantastic way to recognize their work. Design prompt: Working alone or in pairs, transform a used book into a work of art. You can use any arts and crafts materials, including paint, scissors, glue, tape, etc. Write an artist’s statement explaining how you came up with your idea and how you created your art. You will have one week to complete the project. All of the book art will be displayed with artists’ statements in a gallery in the library. ”
She makes my Makerspace look like small potatoes or tater tots! I admire all she does and in a perfect world, I would totally adapt more of her ideas and projects. BEHOLD and admire!
Don’t forget that video production, animation, green screen, blue screen, TV studio, coding, programming, any collaborating with a Science class can make your school Makerspace program shine! Make sure to bring in other subject areas. Don’t just have a Maker program in the Library, have the Maker mindset all over the school. Work with your Tech Ed teacher, FACS (what was once called Home Economics) and Art teacher. Make your Library a great space to display artwork. I’m a big advocate of STEAM rather than STEM. Think about gallery openings and gallery walks. This gets more people into your space.
Consider creating short videos on Instagram or YouTube having kids talk about their artwork & create a QR code to that post that you print out and put next to the artwork. That way, when people see the display, they can scan and see the video.
Do NOT let the expense, mess, trouble, or obstacles stop you from doing this! Be the innovator and the spark in your school or district. You got this! I know you can be AWESOME!
Honestly,
this last part was in a previous blog called Makersapce Starter Kit Updated but in case you missed it, I think this part is an important part of the conversation for any Maker project.
What do you think are the essential conversations?
——————-TESTING: A (Sad) Fact of Life – Packing My Making Away——————-
So, my last post was about an easy interactive reading promotion idea using Post-It Notes I got from my fabulous friend (and one time mentee) Tiffany Whitehead. Didn’t read it yet? Just landed here? That’s OK, I invite you to go back and read it before going much further… it’s OK, I’ll wait. And for full transparency, I thought that it only fair that my kiddos, my students, know how I feel about this — so I’m posting this here as well as on my professional blog. (watches Ancient Aliens loves that memetastic Giorgio A. Tsoukalosbut can’t stand the annoying voice of that David Childress)
This post was inspired by an anonymous blog comment on my professional blog. I’ll post it below. Oh wait! Eep…sorry
You also probably should skim this Reading Promotion post on my professional blog, too! It’s cool, I’ll go check Twitter while you do and Tweet back to my favorite band of all time XTC & Andy Partridge.
‘Cause that’s where the anonymous or unknown comment was left. My below rant will make more sense if you get the context. OH! I know, I’ll screenshot it. Wait here for a sec. BRB.
Here’s my reply… I think I went a little overboard. That happens.
Hello Unknown~ You know, it shows how much I’m so excited for a REAL comment (rather than the usual SPAM for classes in Mumbai, Mozambique, or Mobile that I get from spammers and bots) that I’ll answer even an anonymous comment! Because, you know, how do I know it’s “real” because if they cared that much for the answer, why can’t they even leave a name, right? Some great comments or questions I’ve even emailed to answer in more detail or called on the phone. Ok……enough of that. Sorry if that sounded snarky.
How do I know the kid actually read the book?….Here’s how I know. They returned the book! If a kid really wanted SCAM me to get whatever kind of faux brass key, stuffed animal, sticker or prize…then have at it.
And when I did the Passport thing with the stamps, there really wasn’t really a prize, just the the satisfaction of having every square stamped. I can’t even remember if I gave it back to the kiddo or displayed it up on the board. But knowing how bad I am about changing my one bulletin board in the library, I’m pretty sure I just gave it to the kid with a big high five and a whooping “Great job sweetie, well done!”
Because, what’s really the reason we’re doing this?To get the kid in the door. OR to get the kid to read more. OR to encourage the kid to read a different or varied type or genre of book. Basically, just to get the kid to read.
At least they’re visiting the library. Because, really…isn’t that what we want? Occasionally, I’ll flip open the book an pick out a character’s name or event in the book and ask a random question, but really — I don’t care. (OK, I’m kind of fibbing here, I think I’ve done that like once or twice in my 20+ years)
But yeah, go ahead and SCAM me kids! Come and get my prizes, just come to the library & check out a book. It’s all good. For every prize I’m scammed out of, I’m sure there are dozens of kiddos avidly reading the books. Because that was me. I was that kid. I was the kid that came to get a book every morning and every afternoon. I was the kid that had the reading during class and hiding the book inside the desk trick down pat. I was RARELY caught. Ok, I was caught a couple times but I always did it. (Kids, don’t do this in class! lol)
Then, I transferred to Phillis E. Williams Elementary School, a 1970’s OPEN CLASSROOM style school and for a kid like me, I thrived. I hurried up, hustled to every classroom in the pod and did all my work as fast and as well as I could, so I could get that free time tocurl up in the School Library or classroom corner and just READ.
This is when I switched to public schools and got identified as a TAG or GT kid, one of the BEST things was that I didn’t have to do as much boring stoopid stuff that I already knew how to do, by rote, and was able to “test out” and then craft my own learning plan.That’s why I’m such a big fan of PBL and UDL as a Teacher Librarian. OK, enough about me – sounds kind of braggy. GAH. Sorry.
WOW…this turned out to be sort of a long rant. I hope it comes across ok, because I guess I’m sort of passionate about this topic.
When it comes to reading promotion, I want to do fun things to encourage kids to read that doesn’t cost a lot of money, doesn’t take a lot of time to manage or organize. (Yeah, I’m kind of lazy that way) I like a reading promotion that has that special something — that fun kind spark of engagement that will encourage the kiddos to give it a whirl.
What do you do to promote reading? What features do you find that makes a great and easy to do reading promotion? And what’s your name, hon? 😉 Either way, hope that helped!
Cheers!
~Gwyneth
About this picture. And I don’t usually share personal info …this is awkward for me. Stop reading if you want.
A long long time ago in a far away place, OK…it was the late 70’s in the DC Metro area….You can tell it was the 70’s from the orange shag rug carpeting and my shag haircut. Anyway, that year there was a big blizzard that kept us out of school for days and days. I finished reading ALL my Library Books and it was COLD! So, I planted myself on top of the heating grate in our Living Room …..and read my falling apart Gothic Novel called The Laird of Tariff Hall. Mom, I guess, thought it was funny so she took this picture. Notice the Redskins Tube Socks I stole from my brother! Hee hee. Please take note of the crochet afghan that my Gramma made me. I still have the book. Wish I had the afghan.
The director knew me because I was a kid extra in one of the plays he
directed at my Bowie High School where my Mom was an English Teacher. Why pay for after school childcare
when you have a hammy but biddable kid who is more than happy to be an extra in
every school play? By the time I got to high school I had been in like
10 plays already. Says a lot about my early Gleek years.
Unthinkable Scragg comes to mind. I may not have even had a name, just a grubby little extra. It was a blast.
Anyway, Kyle lives in Annapolis now. Yeah, I just stalked him real quick on Google. Probably a good thing I’m not on Facebook.
The next year I went to High School and discovered the band XTC and today, on Twitter, as I was writing this blog post, my musical hero of 39 years MADE MY DAY. See?
If you like XTC, I can assure you, your nerd eye is open.
——->OMGosh, SQUEE! It’s like the BEST THING EVER!!!!!
OK, enough rambling and reminiscing on and on. Don’t know why I felt like sharing that. I think I’m pretty good about not nattering on about myself in my blog posts. Or at least I hope so! Or at least not during the main content area. Eep! How tiresome! Night friends!
Please leve a Comment if you like and include your name if you’d like me to connect with you!
Please do not SPAM or try to SCAM me. That wouldn’t be cool.
This is a cool reading promotion that’s all about you! Come on into the Library Media Center and find a book you’ve read and liked. Even better, find a book you LOVED! Like you could even maybe read it again kind of love. Go to the display pictured….
How To: Grab a sticky note and write on the clipboard your book recommendation. You can sign your first name & your grade or just something like “an 8th grader”….I just want to make sure that the other kids reading YOUR note know that it was written by a fellow teen. Leave that book on the shelf, if there’s not enough room, just prop it up or find me or Ms. Bell to help you and feel the warm happy feeling you helped another kid read find a great book!
Don’t know what to write? Here are some suggestions:
I loved this book because…
This is a great read if you liked _______________(list a similar book)
This book was really: Funny, Scary, Romantic, Adventurous, Mysterious, Thrilling, Intense….basically insert any adjective that fits here!
Peel off the post it and stick it on the cover and as my Dad would say…. Viola!
Thank you for your recommendation!
~Ms. Jones – Your Daring Librarian
Hey Teachers & fellow Librarians, Here’s the Easy How To:
This is reading promotion idea that’s inexpensive, low-tech, includes student voice, and I totally nabbed it from the amazing Librarian Tiff five years ago and I still love it! It’s kind of what you can call an oldie but a goodie. This can work at any time in a School Library or ELA Classroom.
I was inspired by Librarian tiff because she also does this in her School Library and created this amazing graphic below, made it Creative Commons, and gave it out to the world! I love beautiful signage that I don’t have to make myself! Because I’m kinda (occasionally) lazy.
I bought some colorful mini clipboards from Amazon & lined sticky notes. I already had the mini galvanized buckets of golf pencils – stole those from my PAC computer bank. This way kids don’t write ON THE books. Don’t judge me for being a little OCD and not wanting the pencil impressions on the front of a Library book!
Student Voice:
The kiddo can write anything. “I loved this book because…” and sign it their fist name or just “an 8th grader” etc. My kids love seeing what other kids have read. Same idea, but in a low tech way, as my #BookDropLife & Instagram posts.
This way kids can recommend books to other kids and be heard. Simple. Easy. Effective. I think it’s really important to allow kids to feel like they have a voice in the Library Media Center and in our school. Participatory Librarianship.
Save the Stickies!
At the end of the year, when I put this display away, I always take the sticky note off the front of the book and paste it inside the front cover. So the next kid can open the cover, read the book blurb, AND the student recommendation.
What easy & inexpensive ways do you promote reading in your School Library or Classroom? Please share in the comments, Twitter, or Instagram ways you reach out to kiddos to get them to read?
Thanks for Visiting!
Cheers dears!
Twitter: @GwynethJones – IG: The Daring Librarian.
Future Ready Teacher Librarian & Tech Leader. Mover, Shaker,
Blogger, International Ed Tech Keynote Speaker, Blogger, &
Google Certified. Author of the award winning Daring Librarian
blog. ISTE Board of Directors PK-12 Representative 2010-2014 –
Creator of Content. Meme & Trope Archivist. Coastal Cottage
owner. Geek. Ridiculously Humble.
The Winter Bazaar is a small holiday shop where students can use their Gotchas to “buy” gifts for their friends and family. The Winter Bazaar occurs during lunch shifts. We are in need of volunteers to help supervise and “sell” the items during lunch shifts. The items will be priced and displayed on tables for students to browse and “purchase”. Your primary responsibility will be to take Gotchas as students purchase items, encourage them to shop quickly so others can visit the Winter Bazaar, and monitor all of the items for sale. It really is a fun experience to watch students shop for their loved ones! (Students are also limited to five items each day.) Use the link below to sign up for a day and time to help supervise. Thank you! Please contact Ms. Behrens (laura_behrens@hcpss.org) with any questions.
Winter Bazaar Donations Needed: The Winter Bazaar is in need of your donated items! The Winter Bazaar is a small store filled with items that students can purchase using their Gotcha’s. Donated items include, but are not limited to, books, candles, jewelry, games, household items, decorative items, baby items, toys, movies, CDs, etc. Items can be new or gently used. The success of the event is dependent on donations; anything you can donate would be appreciated! Students really enjoy being able to “purchase” these items for their friends and family. All donations can be dropped off in the front office, or Ms. Hodder’s classroom (room 106). We will begin collecting items on November 1st. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Behrens (laura_behrens@hcpss.org). Thanks for your support!
“Did you know? Reading just 20 minutes a day exposes your child to about 1.8 million words per year. Reading helps students develop a stronger vocabulary, and in addition, students who read for pleasure average higher grades in English, mathematics, science, and history!” Scholastic Promo Material
Of course checking out books from our Library supports this in every way! But having a personal Library at home is also a wonderful thing! It brings to mind, snow days, holidays, & curling up with a good book! (See my personal reminiscence below)
Mark your calendar to join us for a celebration of reading and raising funds to help our school! The PTA Book Fair hours are as follows:
Friday, 11/16: 11:00 am – 1:30 pm (lunch)
Monday & Tuesday, 11/19-11/20: 9:30am-11:30am (lunch) and 1pm-8pm (conferences)
All Book Fair parent volunteers will receive a free Murray Hill Middle School long sleeve t-shirt! Many volunteer time slots are open during conference times. Please consider signing up below for slots before, between, and/or after your parent teacher conferences.
“I’ve been inspired by the amazing Jennifer LaGarde who has written such brilliant post about the important people and pivotal moments in your past that made you a lifelong reader. Jennifer’s post is evocative, thought-provoking, and inspiring! It was so good I wrote a flippin novel of a comment that will make up much of this posting!
Her well written words caused me to smile and fondly recall those individuals, pivot points, and circumstances that made me into a reader. And it wasn’t a book report, diorama, or a standardized text passage that did it. Shocker.
During the blizzard of 1979 we were stuck home for a week and I ran out of books. (Gasp!) The picture above shows me curled up sitting on the heating vent in the living room (note the ORANGE shag carpet!) with Grandma’s afghan reading The Laird of Tariff Hall, a well-worn and taped-together Gothic paperback.
After that, I guess I was whining about nothing to read so my Mom gave me her Gone With the Wind paperback – that shut me up! I don’t know if it was totally appropriate for a 14 year old to read that – but it kept me quiet for many many days!
I also had a collection of Nancy Drew books, boy I loved those! Being a daughter of an English Teacher and Reading Specialist meant that at a very early age, I had books around the house and my own little library in my room. The Scholastic Book Fair coming to our school an help some of our kids build their own personal libraries!
This is a much needed update to a 2014 post. Over the years we’ve had a great educational partnership with our NYC friends at Flocabulary. I’m even an MC Educator or Flocabulary #HipHopEd Ambassador.
I’ve been on Twitter since 2009 (professionally – not personally) and Instagram since 2015, and I have an AMAZING & generous personal learning network of students, teachers, & followers – so being careful, upbeat, positive and mindful of what I post is important to me, too!
I don’t use Facebook – we just never got along and I never warmed up to Snapchat. But it’s not about what kind of social media or App you use but HOW you use it!
I think you’ll like the video – let me know in the comments!
We all want our kiddos to make good choices online! We share this video on our daily #MHTV News show every year & we just wanted to share it with you!
Cheers!
~Gwyneth Jones – Your Daring Librarian!
UPDATE:
And for Teachers & Librarians…here’s this thought!
This is not something new. Our school library has always been a safe space for kiddos of all kinds. Our wonderful school community is a rich tapestry of many woven threads, rich colors, diverse backgrounds, orientations, expressions, many abilities and kids from many lands speaking many languages.
Laurel, Maryland is right smack dab between Washington DC and Baltimore – it’s like our school has always been a mini United Nations. I love that about us! And our School Library has always enjoyed being a draw and a safe landing spot for kids who are quirky, nerdy, bookish, techie, geeky, queer, gay, trans, wordy, dramatic, creative, outrageous, alternative, and cool. I was a habitué of and a help in my Middle and High School Libraries and always an Ally to my LGBTQ friends – even though we didn’t have that acronym in the 80’s!
That’s why I thought it was important and reassuring to have a sign that proclaimed that we are a Safe Space or a Safe Zone right on our front doors and right by our check out desk!
What is a Safe Space? According to the Safe Space Network, “A Safe Space is a place where anyone can relax and be able to fully express, without fear of being made to feel uncomfortable, unwelcome, or unsafe on account of biological sex, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, cultural background, religious affiliation, age or physical or mental ability.”
This space welcomes and respects ALL people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. We believe that all persons regardless of race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression should be treated with dignity and respect
Kindness matters.
The fact that I also found a rainbow narwhal with a glittery horn made it extra and spiffy!
What does it mean to be an Ally? What does it mean to have a Safe Zone or a Safe Space? I found a great resource from the Human Rights Campaign website:
“What is an Ally? In the most general sense, an “Ally” is “a person who is a member of the dominant or majority group who works to end oppression in their personal and professional life through support of, and as an advocate for, the oppressed population.”1 Allies to racial, religious and ethnic minorities have been remarkably effective in promoting positive change in the dominant culture, and only recently has their instrumental position been extended to the area of sexual orientation. In recent years we’ve seen more and more LGBTQ Ally organizations strive to make the culture of a campus or workplace more aware and accepting of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer individuals
An Ally strives to… • be a friend • be a listener • be open-minded • have their own opinions • be willing to talk • recognize their personal boundaries • join others with a common purpose • believe that all persons regardless of age, sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression should be treated with dignity and respect • recognize when to refer an individual to additional resources • confront their own prejudices • engage in the process of developing a culture free of homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism • recognize their mistakes, but not use them as an excuse for inaction • be responsible for empowering their role in a community, particularly as it relates to responding to homophobia or transphobia • recognize the legal powers and privileges that cisgender straight people have and which LGBTQ people are denied • support the Ally program of their university or workplace • commit themselves to personal growth in spite of the discomfort it may sometimes cause
As important as it is to define what an Ally is in a positive sense, it is also helpful to understand the boundaries of an Ally’s role.
An Ally is NOT… • someone with ready-made answers • necessarily a counselor, nor are they necessarily trained to deal with crisis situations”
One of my 8th graders told me about this super reading list available at the Howard County Public Library, and brought me one! Sadly, they don’t have the same list online, can’t figure out why not (backlash?)
curled up sitting on the heating vent in the living room (note the ORANGE shag carpet!) with Grandma’s afghan reading The Laird of Tariff Hall, a well-worn and taped-together Gothic paperback.
