Having a proper tour and introduction to the Prince George Public Library was extremely valuable to me as a teacher candidate. Even though I am hoping to return to Terrace for practicums and my future teaching career, I learned many valuable things and was exposed to resources that I can utilize, even from out of town.
I am so glad to know about the ‘one card’ program and the ability to take out resources from different libraries around BC. I had no idea that was an option and the ability to return materials to a different library is so convenient. It really opens up my resources and makes me feel better, knowing the options available to me, especially because I hope to be teaching in Terrace.
I also appreciated the time we spent going over online resources that are available to me. I already know about and use Libby but had never heard about hoopla before. Seeing the PGPL website and being familiarized with it a little bit was great as well.
The PGPL is a beautiful establishment with many resources set up for students and teachers alike. One of my favourite resources to learn about was the ‘kits’. From my initial look at the kits still available, there are some really cool tools and materials that would be useful to me as a secondary teacher (snap circuits, etc.). On a slightly different note it was also cool to see the bird watching kit and backpacking kit that can give people the resources they need to facilitate their own outdoor learning. I love both bird-watching and backpacking so that stood out to me.
Homework help sounds like an amazing resource for students and a cool opportunity for individuals like myself who love to teach and may not be in a current full-time teaching position. It was wonderful to hear that it is a program that is filled with students seeking assistance.
During the lesson planning process, I utilized the PGPL in several ways. I wanted to challenge myself with the grade level for my lesson plan so I chose grade 8 science. Specifically, I decided to plan a class on the immune system and I was able to find a microbiology book that was grade-level appropriate. I used this book to refresh my knowledge of the topic and I continued checking it as I worked on my plan. It helped me determine how much information to cover in a grade 8 lesson and provided clear explanations that made it easy for me to review my own knowledge of the subject.
I also utilized the physical space that the library offers. Emily HM, Isabelle C and I returned on Tuesday after class to browse the shelves and work together at the tables available on the top floor. It was a nice space to work in and it was handy to have the resources right there. Having classmates to ask questions and bounce ideas off of was extremely helpful in developing my lesson plan. It was a productive afternoon and I can see myself returning to the library to do work and utilize the resources available.