Homegirl

I have had 5th grade students in my library in the afternoons helping me in the library.  They are a HUGE help!

I've given a crash course in how to process books and turned them loose... even with the tape.  I NEVER let students tape up books.  But I promise you, my books were mating in my office and multiplying like rabbits.  I had to give up control of the book tape.

After demonstrating how to process a book and leaving them a sample I usually watch them do one book, make any small corrections then leave to them to it.

It's hard giving up control like that.

I watched as one boy nearly cover the library barcode with an address label!

Me: You are about to give me a heart attack!

Different student to the boy who caused my near heart attack:  Don't give my homegirl a heart attack!

I did not laugh in front of him.  Instead I patted him on the shoulder, thanked him for having my back, walked in my office and laughed myself silly.

This is a kid who doesn't bond easily with others.  I've known him for four years now and this is the first year we bonded.

We bonded over Minecraft books.  I knew nothing about Minecraft except it was popular.  Now... I know about Minecraft.

The power of building relationships.  I had no idea it would take me four year to become this student's homegirl but it did.  And I am so glad I finally found what would build that relationship.