CBCA Book Week Preparation
This online meet-up provides opportunities to hear about and be inspired by experienced teachers who are passionate about engaging students in the CBCA Book Week theme, quality literature and improving literacy outcomes. Come along to hear from a Children's Book Council representative, a high school teacher librarian, a primary school teacher librarian and a reading specialist. Leave the session with ideas to implement and take on for your library setting.
About Gail Erskine
Gail is a former primary school teacher and teacher-librarian who has worked in both the State and Catholic systems. Her last position was mentoring teachers to improve their capacity in both Literacy & Numeracy. She has tutored in Children’s Literature at ACU Strathfield.
She is and has always been passionate about the rights of all children to access quality literature, be inspired by authors and illustrators and be informed by qualified teacher-librarians. She is convinced of the transformative power of children’s books and the importance of connecting kids and books.
About Lizzie Chase
Lizzie Chase has taught as a secondary and primary teacher librarian, most recently at West Ryde Public School from 2018-2021. Lizzie currently works as a specialist reading teacher at Surveyors Creek Public School. She enjoys igniting a love of reading for pleasure in her students. Lizzie's presentation will explain that she knows that the author and illustrator of every Book Week book have already created a stunning book. Therefore, the challenge in designing Book Week tasks is to leave their magic well alone and to enter a student-centred territory, instead.
About Jade Arnold
Jade Arnold began her teaching career as an English and History teacher, but when her school library was destroyed by fire, she saw first-hand the impact that a lack of a school library had on the students, teachers, and wider community. This inspired her to retrain to become a teacher librarian. She has now been a teacher librarian for seven years and has focused on developing a needs-based and engaging library service from the ground up. Her passions are nurturing a culture of and passion for reading, instilling a strong sense of student leadership in the library, and using Instagram as a platform to connect with students, authors, and readers all around the world.
About Rhonda Creasey
Rhonda is a teacher librarian at Wallsend PS in Newcastle. She has had wide experience teaching in Sydney, Perth and Darwin both in classrooms and libraries. Rhonda majored in Children's Literature in her original degree (B.Ed) and has been connected to libraries for most of her teaching life. She is passionate about connecting students to quality literature and being a reader for enjoyment. She has had the opportunity to refurbish two libraries-Harrington Park (SW Sydney) and Wallsend (Hunter). These experiences have taught her the importance of connecting and engaging both students and teachers to see the library as the central learning hub of the school. Rhonda's Wallsend library is colourful and vibrant with artwork connected to every school student, displayed on the walls, created annually from each book week celebration. In addition, Rhonda spends two days a week as Teacher Librarian at Merewether PS. When you enter her libraries you want to stay and absorb some of the magic and warmth that surrounds you.
Suggested Standards addressed by this Online Meet-up
2.1.2 Apply knowledge of the content and teaching strategies of the teaching area to develop engaging teaching activities
2.5.2 Apply knowledge and understanding of effective teaching strategies to support students’ literacy and numeracy achievement.
7.4.2 Participate in professional and community networks and forums to broaden knowledge and improve practice.
Certificate of participation available via request to: info@slansw.net.au
About SLANSW Online Meet-Ups
The one-hour meet-ups take place in SLANSW's Zoom Conference Room and include a presentation from a guest speaker, with facilitated discussion between participants. We aim to include Q&A time as a wrap-up of each online meetup.
A maximum of 100 places are available for each meet-up, so get your registrations in ASAP.
Participation in SLANSW online meet-ups is at no cost to members. Non-members may access the meet-ups for $35 per session.
The one-hour meet-up takes place in SLANSW's Zoom conference room.
Those who register for this event will receive an email within 24 hours before the event, with details to access this online session.