The 2005-2006 school year is upon us and many teachers---seasoned and new---are asking themselves, “Where did our summer break go?” They had just started to relax and now their summer vacation is over.

The Columbus Public Library has a number of great educational resources for elementary school teachers such as “Stories ‘n Stuff kits” that can prove useful. These theme-based kits contain a wide range of materials such as books, tapes, videos, and puppets. Each of the 23 kits come equipped with activities that can easily be adapted to individual lesson plans. “Stories ‘n Stuff” Kits are also perfect for last minute ideas. Perhaps an instructor decides to teach a mini-science lesson on seeds and plant growth. It would be to her advantage to see if a Library kit is available because all she would have to do is incorporate the materials provided and she would have a suitable lesson to teach her pupils.

Because reading is such a vital part of a child’s education, it is important to show young children the value of reading. To help teachers with this task, Columbus Public Library has a vast collection of “big books.” These books are ideal for reading aloud to large groups because the oversized pages make seeing the illustrations and words easy for children in a classroom setting. With 118 titles to choose from like “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” by Eric Carle, “The Snowy Day” by Ezra Keats, and “The World of Dinosaurs” by Melvin Berger, teachers will certainly find something of interest to read aloud to their students. We even have bilingual and Spanish “big books” to incorporate in classroom learning.

In addition to the “big book” collection and the “Stories ‘n Stuff” kits, the Columbus Public Library also offers book and tape kits. All of the 55 book and tape kits contain a hardbound book and an audiocassette tape. These kits are perfect for classroom listening centers. Instead of having teachers or para-educators read to the class, they can play the cassette while students “read” along with the narrator. This allows teachers an opportunity to give one-on-one attention to children who are struggling academically. Book and tape kits are also a great way to encourage fun during reading time because students can listen to entertaining character voices.

So if you are one of the many teachers who have reported back to school or if you know of instructors who are having back-to-school jitters, be sure to encourage them to check out the educational resources available at Columbus Public Library. I guarantee they will find something worth incorporating into their lesson plans. If you have any questions regarding the resources available for teachers or if you are an instructor who would like the Children’s Librarian from Columbus Public Library to come and read to your class during the school year, please contact me at 564-7116.