{"id":893,"date":"2020-05-24T15:57:56","date_gmt":"2020-05-24T15:57:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/littlelibraryoflearning.com\/staging\/9682\/?p=893"},"modified":"2026-04-21T15:10:13","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T19:10:13","slug":"distance-learning-or-home-schooling-how-libraries-can-help","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/littlelibraryoflearning.com\/staging\/9682\/2020\/05\/24\/distance-learning-or-home-schooling-how-libraries-can-help\/","title":{"rendered":"Distance Learning or Home Schooling? How Libraries Can Help!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Wow! We are in a brave new world now! When I worked in business, I sometimes “tele-commuted,” (that is, worked at home). Not often, but occasionally. When I became a school librarian, I thought, “How am I going to fit all those Kindergarteners in my living room?” Of course, there would be no tele-commuting in my new job! Think again! So if you are involved in distance learning, either as a teacher or parent, here are ways that libraries can help!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Realities of Remote Learning<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

We are all in shock at the impact of the COVID-19 virus as a deadly health threat. It is also creating a devastating economic blow and crippling social disruption. People cannot mark joyous occasions, such as weddings and births. Both parents and teachers are reeling from the sudden and unexpected closures of schools…for an indeterminate period. It is hard enough for teachers<\/em> to home school their own kids, but what about parents in other industries? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are struggling to work at home while teaching their children sight words, author’s purpose, reading comprehension, fractions, double-digit subtraction, principles of electricity, types of volcanoes….subjects for which they have no training! Some parents are competing with their children for shared computers. Or coping with poor wi-fi connections, or other technology obstacles. Teachers<\/strong> and librarians<\/strong> have to be innovative. One of my students said she could not do a printable coloring sheet since she did not have a printer at home (I censored myself from saying, “Why are you doing the Kindergarten coloring sheet in the Fourth Grade?”) Instead, I found a site with online coloring pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Can Libraries Help?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

School librarians and public librarians can be a great resource to students, parents, and other teachers. We are very often the techies in the building, so now everyone is clamoring for our services! In our district, we had no advance notice that the schools were closing. In hindsight, I would have grabbed a shopping bag of books from my library to read to the kids onscreen. No luck. the public libraries are closed too. Double bad luck. So, e-books it is! <\/p>\n\n\n

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E-Books: Yea, or Nay?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Truth be told, I was never a big fan of e-books (shh…don’t tell anyone).<\/em> I love the feel and smell of an actual book, the tactile sense of turning the pages, the glossy covers, the little editing notations readers make when they find a typo (well, no, scratch that…I don’t<\/em> approve of people writing in library books). Luckily, I stocked up on books for MYSELF before the public libraries closed. And, I have a stash of “In Case of Emergency, Break Glass” books I haven’t read (and yes, they are in a glass-fronted bookcase, but don’t get any ideas). But no KIDS’ books! So, I am exploring the world of e-books. I created a video in Screencastify<\/strong> (my first one!) explaining to the kids and parents how to access e-books from the public library. Please excuse my Brooklyn accent!<\/p>\n\n\n\n