Blog Share..... Mind the Gap

 In starting a search for different blogs to follow I was looking for eclectic or off beat geared towards teens, or juvenile level.    Being a middle school teacher you are aware of the specific and unique needs of this age group.  They are full of hormones and want to be driving all while second guessing their place in this world.   Throw in a Pandemic which has stunted this groups social emotional learning and we have a delicate balance that must be maintained to ensure the meeting of these students needs.  To put it in perspective my current 8th graders had their last normal year in the 5th grade.   Anything thing that was going to help guide this year and invigorate my teaching I used because we were all stunted.   

Teen Services Underground is run by 6 different librarians across the nation.  There was previous group of leaders.   It is unclear how they are chosen but their eclectic backgrounds as well as their placement around the country makes for a strong cross section.  

  https://www.teenservicesunderground.com/

Their mission is clear "To support, promote, advocate, and build a community space to highlight the importance of Teen Services in minding the gap."   The play on words of minding the gap and the use of underground was not lost on me.   How fitting I thought.  This was a gap that needs to be minded.    How I miss London.    

They have categories on programming, gaming, readers advisory, crafts and more.    It was fun to poke through the different themes, all of which triggered creative thought of how things could be used.   

One section that I gravitated to was how they were weathering the pandemic and  all of the changes that were taking place.    It was comforting to know that we were ALL dealing with this.   It was also invigorating to read about different programming and ways that they were coping with those changes all while attempting to connect with their patrons.  Catering to teens needs  of finding themselves all while attempting to fit in  is not for the faint of heart.   I found from several blog posts that tapping in their nostalgia was important.   Using read alouds of familiar titles such as Don't let the pigeon Drive the bus or and packaging specifically for teens was a strong choice.   Success seemed to be in the packaging and framing.    

Other categories of note are book talks, and ask an agent.   You won't be sorry thumbing through this blog.   I am excited to see where it goes.  


WHAT I AM READING NOW Tall Tales

In Wisconsin, specifically in 4th grade you get all the tall tales.   What better than to revisit those stories smattered with exaggeration.  They are very close to myths being grounded in truth and explaining phenomenons of landforms as Paul Bunyon  does.     

I revisited, 

Paul Bunyon 

Pacos Bill

Annie Oakley

Johnny Appleseed

Davey Crockett

John Henry

These shaped my thinking of America and now as I revisit them I wonder what the placement would/should be.   

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