Melissa House
Library Media Specialist
Melissa House Work Experience and Contact Information
- 2013-2014: Administrative Library Media Specialist, Abingdon Elementary, Harford County Public Schools
- 2012-2013: Library Media Specialist, Abingdon Elementary, Harford County Public Schools
- 2011-2012: Library Media Specialist Itinerant split between three schools, Harford County Public Schools
- Up to date Maryland Educator Certificate and on track for tenure
- Masters of Library Science with School Library Concentration from the University of Maryland, College Park
Email: mahouse10@gmail.com
Location: 3937 Newdale Road, Apartment 20, Chevy Chase, MD, United States
Phone: 336-772-8685
Teacher
- Currently teach grades K-5 for 35 to 40 minute lessons and 10 to 15 minutes for book check out each week.
- Familiar with ActivInspire and interactive white board technology.
- Current supervisor of student newspaper group, previously supervised a student book trailer group.
Lesson Plans
The following are two lesson plan examples that I have created based on curriculum and inspired by collaborations with fellow teachers.
I created this unit after students in 1st grade learned the book making process in library and about the five senses in their classroom. I reached out and collaborated with their teachers to create this unit, where students go on a virtual field trip to the zoo. Students use their five senses to make observations and predictions to create a page in a class book - all while taking on the responsibilities of each of the roles needed to create a book.
1st Grade How a Book is Made and the Five Senses Unit
The following is a unit on the Dewey Decimal System for 3rd graders. This is a particularly challenging unit for 3rd grade students, as they have had little to no exposure to what decimals are. I teach this unit by using real world examples, manipulatives, and interactive games.
More Lesson Examples:
Kindergarteners Learn How to Research
Students learned the research process of the Super 3 through student inquiry and questioning what needs to be done in each step (plan, do, review). They worked collaboratively with one another to come up with their own questions, decided where they should locate the answers to their questions, and reviewed themselves.
2nd Grade Art Collaboration
5th Grade Research and Travel Blog
Information Specialist
As an informational specialist, I am very active in my position. I am always striving to find out what are the best and new resources that teachers can use to enhance their curriculum, and distribute that information to them. I have an online newsletter that I write to update teachers on websites, databases, new purchases, and events going on in the library to support them. I also make it clear that I am here to help them, and make the library a welcoming place for teachers to come and ask questions.
I am also constantly trying to better myself as a library media specialist by making sure I am up to date with my profession; reading School Library Journal, attending professional development opportunities, and taking part in professional discussions online.
Active Online
STEM Open House
Professional Development
Program Administrator
As program administrator of a school with 870 students and 47 teachers I:
- Manage the library media center budget by keeping accurate records, making purchases based off of staff and student needs, and verify the integrity of materials by consulting School Library Journal, and the need for items in the library by using collection development tools, such as Alexandria (our book circulation tool).
- Co-manage the Black-Eyed Susan Book Club for 4th and 5th grade students. Created an online Edmodo space for students to interact and discuss the books with each other and with students at other schools.
- Manage the Birthday Book Club by distributing flyers each month to students who have birthdays to ask for participation and a $10 donation to their school library. Students get to check out an additional book that has a special nameplate adhered to the inside celebrating their birthday. To date, the club has raised an additional $1530 in funds for the school library.
- Currently on track to increase average age of collection from 1999 to 2004 this school year by weeding and replacing items where necessary.
- Frequently poll students in class and teachers through electronic resources to find out what needs are not being met in our current collection, and how we can provide them with what they do need by making appropriate purchases.
- Assist the PTA in the organizing and running of the Scholastic Book Fair twice a year.
- Updated the Library Media Center learning environment by adding:
Easy to read signage (including nonfiction signage using graphics) to assist teachers and students locate materials in all locations of the library.
"Catch of the Day" section highlighting a particular topic for the week, especially those that may be under circulated or students may not know we have (science experiments, primary sources, graphic novels on history topics).
Easy to Use Signage
As a new library media specialist at the school, I decided an update was much needed to the library media center environment. New signage was placed in all sections of the library. In the Everybody section, book character photos of the most popular characters were added to increase independent use by our primary students. Nonfiction signs were updated by having call numbers with a visual illustration of the topic, to assist both students in staff in locating materials.
Catch of the Day Section
"Catch of the Day" section highlighting a particular topic for the week. Topics displayed include science experiments, teacher favorites, historical diaries (primary sources), books that were turned into movies, and STEM.
Birthday Book Club
Instructional Partner
One of my top priorities is collaborating with teachers to create a more cohesive and enriched learning experience for all students. I have collaborated with all grade levels and other staff members, such as the school counselor. I frequently survey teachers to see how I could help them in the classroom, but also seek out grade level teachers when a unit we are working on in library may have connections in the classroom.
Examples of collaboration include:
- 1st grade unit on How a Book is Made - I contacted grade level teachers to discuss what units they were working on and how I could help reinforce what they were teaching in the classroom. After learning about the 5 senses in the classroom, I incorporated this topic into our library unit. I also taught part of this unit in the classroom. See lesson plan example under the Teacher heading at the top of this portfolio.
- 5th grade unit on Career Research - I reached out to our school counselor who works with 5th grade students to explore different career options. Knowing the importance of career reediness starting at a young age, I created a research unit that incorporated the career ideas explored with the counselor. Students then researched and created an Infographic that was presented to younger students on Career Day.
- Collaboration Connection and Library Media Connection - Using online tools such as Google Forms and my library newsletter, I am able to reach out to all teachers to survey what they would like to work on together and to frequently remind them that as an instructional partner, it is my job (and pleasure) to assist them and the students learn collaboratively. Collaboration Connection form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1xGLAX9ECxrNhXrohIMsBC4yI4_m3CxWH0DhGpSFkaPk/viewform
Reading Room
I worked on a project in collaboration with the Reading Specialist and Principal to catalog and process 111 book sets independent of the library media center. I created a catalog database using a Google Drive Spreadsheet, that could be accessed by any teacher in the school who wanted to check out these lexile organized sets. Teachers are able to scan a set and have the information transferred into the catalog database.
Catalog Database
Reading Room
Teacher Collaboration
Leader
- Chosen by principal to be a part of a four teacher group from my school to attend The Maryland Educator Effectiveness Academy 2013.
- Special area representative for the School Improvement Team, 2013-2014.
- Member of the Gifted and Talented Committee.
- Supervisor of a 4th and 5th grade student enrichment group, who create a school newspaper.
- Highlighted in county-wide library media specialist newsletter (November 2013, January 2014) for creating collaboration opportunities.
Other Online Library Work
- Lib Guide for the University of Maryland Libraries - Pompeii Resources - Created while working at The University of Maryland in the Rare Books and Special Collections Library from 2009-2011.
- Pathfinder on Natural Resources - I designed this pathfinder website for an elementary school I interned at in 2011.