Library News 20th -31st January 2020 (35)
JCSP Librarians at New Cross College - 25th January
During our meeting in New Cross Library we split into our working gropus and presented to the librarians how the JCSP Library Project supports each of of the JC Key Skills. Each group looked at their Key Skills area from a Logic Model perspective (as discussed by Helga Sneddon's input at our last meeting). We also got to see their fabulous Inktober exhibition and learned lots today from other JCSP Librarians about the great work going on in their libraries.
Inktober Exhibition - 28th January
Our Larkin Inktober Challenge Winners visited New Cross College to see their work on display, along with the work of winners from other JCSP Libraries. Well done Rose, Iris, Elaine, Manish, Navisth & Eros for your fabulous work & to everyone else who took part. Each student was presented with an art pack as a prize before we left Larkin and we have heard that one of our students may have won an overall prize too...
Internet and Social Media Safety Workshop – 31stJanuary
Graham Mulhern of BeSecure Online spoke toevery class in the school, as well as some parents. Graham is based in Dublin, but manages IT companies in the UK and Ireland. He has over 30 years’ experience in the IT industry. He spoke to the students about the dangers of Snapchat, Facebook, etc, and posting pictures and messages online. He demonstrated to students how to set privacy settings on their phones. He outlined to senior students how information posted online could potentially ruin reputations and employment prospects. He illustrated this with a slideshow of news articles from the UK and Ireland and related some other stories re revenge porn, online identity, etc.
- also spoke to first years about their Snapchat settings for safety. This ought to inform their Social Media behaviour and to stop thinking of Snapchat, WhatsApp as private secure area’s where they can do and say as they want. They need to know that Snapchat, WhatsApp encryption is getting more fragile as each day passes. Students need to seriously consider Private Social Media accounts and how they control their Profile - Real name, real photo, privacy, ‘My Friends Only’, and less than 200 followers. He said that good online habits are their passport to their future, and that all sorts of people will be able to see their online behaviour, not just police. Learning to appreciate this early on means they will have an advantage.
Friendship Week
As part of Friendhip week the library had a display of friendhip and anti bullying books. The TYs presented a PowerPoint to all 1st years in the library and Graham Mulhern did a talk to all students about online safetly.
Past pupil visit and donation
A past JCSP student who really struggled with school attendance but when he did attend school this student frequently soughgt refuge in the school library. The librarian introduced him to Darren Shan’s books and he really got into reading through these and enjoyed challenging himself with Accelerated reader quizzes. This past pupil recently got in touch with the librarian to arrange a visit to our library and brought with him a donation of almost the full collection of the Demonata series. We were delighted to hear that he’s doing well and still reading a book a week 7 years later.
Alan Nolan - 23rd January
Author and Illustrator, Alan Nolan worked with our TY students on their comic strips of their favourite song and spoke to 2nd years about his job and his latest books. Thanks to Citi for sponsoring our Reading Champion and to Children’s Books Ireland for organising it all.
LGBT Meeting - 22nd January
We had a large attendance at this group again. After much discussion we finally came up with a name for the group which everyone agreed on – proud Identites.
We watched an animated movie and chatted about it and they made lists in of other suitable short films to watch and discuss.
Librarians AR Training - 24th January
Larkin Librarians attended Accelerated Reader training in St Kevin’s College, Crumlin on January 24th. A lot of reports were explained to us but most important was their 85/25 advice. As long as students are reading for 25 minutes per day and getting an average of 85% in quizzes their reading level will rise. Unfortunately they have found that the students who really need to be reading for 25 minutes per day are the ones who tend not to do it for homework. So there must be emphasis on building whole-school support for reading and literacy development and best practice is building this into the school day (they suggest that each subject take give students 10 minutes reading time per week.
