Collaboration

I LOVE Libraryland! Have I mentioned that before? I have always been an avid volunteer, one that likes to try new things.. and I love connecting.  Now, is libraryland overwhelming.. it sure is! Another thing I love is learning from others (and having a space to offer to different activities is great as well)

The title of this blog is collaboration.. but when rethinking and writing it, I realize that the collaboration that I had with my art teacher was bouncing ideas off of each other.. and making sure the space was ready for various activities.  That is still collaboration..right??

Before I became a librarian.. I was already following some amazing librarians (some that I will actually get to meet in person soon!!!) So, one awesome librarian/tech facilitator Nikki Robertson posted this way cool picture that she had found (if you are the original poster of this.. would you please let me know so I can thank you for the wonderful idea.. and give you credit!)

How absolutely beautiful is this!

So, I talked to my amazing art teacher on campus.. and the conversation went something like this:
"Hey Mrs. R... want to work on something like this for the first of the year? The feathers can be students hopes, dreams, wishes and resolutions."
"Sure! That is great!"
A couple of weeks later.. Mrs. R approaches me and shows me the bag of beautiful feathers.
"Yes, Mrs. R.. these are PERFECT! How can I help!?"
"I am still getting feathers"
We decided to hang this up for science night (as what better time to talk about wishes and dreams)
"Hey Mrs. R.. what can I do to help with these wings?"
"Help me hang them!"

In other words.. I had nothing to do with this! (Well.. I did make the poster above the wings.. and I helped hang them) Seriously.. they are beautiful! She created a generic feather and then asked each student in the school to create/decorate their own and then combined them with this wonderfulness.These wings are right across the hall from the library, so I loved hearing the conversations that students had with their parents about their goals and dreams (and of course it was a perfect photo opp!)

Mrs. R. the rocking art teacher

At the beginning of January, Mrs. R. came to me and asked if I would like to help with a Chinese New Year Celebration.  She did tell me that there would be no glitter! (Side note.. I love seeing things being created in the library.. and I don't mind mess. HOWEVER.. I HATE using glitter.. that is the one thing not allowed)  Of course I said yes.. as the library is a great space to have people! We set a date, got it on the calendar.. and like before I asked what can I do to help.

The space is how I helped (and help somewhat monitor the stations)
The Chinese New Celebration ran much like the Late Night in the Library.  It was an extended time with several stations set up.  I read a short story in the middle of the time, but the hightlight.. the Dragon Dance!

Stations:
-Rooster stamp
-Paper lanterns (like this idea.. but of course there are tons of ways that you can make them)
-Chinese Plastic Spoon Dancing Dragon (like this idea, but did it with plastic spoons, string and paper pieces)
-Chinese drum (much like this idea)
-Write Happy New Year in Chinese (this was a super cool station because she had put out thin paper and brushes with the black paint)

The art club students ran the stations, and we had over 30 attendees for a Friday afternoon.  These art club students are also the ones who did the Dragon Dance.

We are already talking about next year for this!  We are going to do the Dragon Dance to end the day.. but before the event starts as almost a parade to the library.
Did you celebrate Chinese New Year?  How do you collaborate?

Upcoming blogs-
-how my lesson plans are evolving
-February happenings (I just finished my first actual display!)