Elaine,

I like the idea of having students fill out an evaluation after each book.

I love the flexibility of the COCBA program. Every year, I KNOW that the chosen books are going to be top-notch and absolutely amazing--great stories that students truly love and learn valuable lessons from. There's always a Padlet to share your lesson ideas and/or to get ideas. COCBA books have inspired me to create some super fun lessons in the past that I've always tried to share on the Padlet. I have a special book reveal case (kind of upcycled) to reveal a book each week when I read every book to a class. Students love the weekly reveal aspect. Teachers have not been a part of COCBA lessons. I have had COCBA nominees prominently displayed in my library for many years.

If Global Read Aloud (the picture book author study) goes away after 2021, COCBA is an easy replacement to do with my K -2 classes. I keep doing GRA because it easily connects us with classrooms all over the world. Any time I've done COCBA with grade 3 classes, they have loved them, too. I didn't get to do COCBA with grade 3 this year. It took them so much longer to do so much in my curriculum--just the nature of the class. Plus, the pandemic. I really felt they needed the digital citizen unit at the end of the year. I had to make a choice this year--not at all an easy one.

So, I've dabbled with the COCBA program over the years. It is most pleasurable when going ALL IN though! 

Best,
~Val
Rumsey Hall School
Valerie DiLorenzo | Library Media Specialist & New Faculty Coordinator
RUMSEY HALL SCHOOL | 860.868.0535 x122
A Tradition of Effort, Family and Community
 Check out my podcast
(Thoughts/opinions are my own)


Listening to:                       
Of Beetles and Angels: A Boy's Remarkable Journey from a Refugee Camp to Harvard by Mawi Asgedom (via Sync free, audiobook program)

Currently Reading: 
Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
The Girl Who Stole an Elephant by Nizrana Farook (#CTCASLReads)
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca (Rereading!)
                                                                      
Recently finished: 
Illegal by Francisco X. Stork
Flight of the Puffin by Ann Braden
The Authenticity Project by Clare Pooley
Good Enough by Jen Petro-Roy
Houdini and Me by Dan Gutman
You Don't Know Everything, Jilly P! by Alex Gino
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi
Eventown by Corey Ann Haydu
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
The Book of Longings by Sue Monk Kidd
The Storyteller's Secret  by Sejal Badani
Anxious People by Fredrik Backman
The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes


On Wed, Jun 9, 2021 at 11:17 PM Elaine Shapiro <elaine.shapiro7@gmail.com> wrote:
Thank you Jane for being an inspiration!  And for bringing the COCBA to Connecticut.  Best of luck in the rest of your life's journey.
***
This is the first year that I fully participated in COCBA (in the past I have read some, but not all 8, to my classes).  Over the last month, I invited the second grade teachers to read 4 of the books aloud to their classes and I read the other 4 in my library classes.  They were happy to do it, and I hope to get the first grade teachers on board next year.  Students filled out an evaluation after each book.  I am curious how others carry out this project.  Do you do it all in library?  How much are teachers involved? Do you do other activities along with the reading?  Over what length of time?

Elaine

On Wed, Jun 9, 2021 at 6:29 PM Jane Martellino <janemartellino@gmail.com> wrote:
Here you go: COCBA results!

I also like to compare state results to our school results and then to grade-level school results.   I create an additional slide with this data. Fun data analysis for the students!

Special message:
I wanted to personally thank you for participating in the 10th season of the COCBA program. I still recall the day I decided to create and pilot this program.  

The committee did a great job making the final selections for this year.  The students loved the books and votes were pretty spread out. 

If you don't have third graders participate, I would encourage you to include them next year.  Our third graders have participated in COCBA since kindergarten. They are extremely enthusiastic about their final year in this program.  They take it very seriously and our conversations are fantastic.

Next year, Christina O'Neill will take over the chair position for this committee.  I will remain connected both as the founder and an advisory member.  After much reflection, my husband and I decided it was time for me to retire from CT public schools.  We've decided to move closer to our daughter, and John wants to golf much more often than he can in New England. I know I have more to give and learn so I've accepted a private school position in Houston.

I wish you a summer that is refreshing and rejuvenating.

You can stay in touch with me through this email and I will continue to share lots through my Twitter account: @Jane Martellino 

It's been a delight working with the librarians of CT!
Jane
--
Jane E. Martellino
Twitter: @janemartellino
Creator of Charter Oak Children's Book Award: www.cocba.org



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