Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Staying on Track Slice 2013: 6 0f 31

Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers.  For the month of March we are challenging ourselves to write a slice every day.  

 As I glanced around my desk this morning in search of a topic for writing, I decided to share my favorite money-saving tip.  I go to the library often.  By often, I mean at least two to three times a week.  We are limited to a 100 book checkout total.  Sometimes I switch over to use another family member's account when I hit my limit.  I keep many books in my classroom to connect with current Social Studies curriculum, to provide titles for book talks, and to allow my students to browse titles that I recommend.  It saddens me that many of them go to the library infrequently, so I try to bring the library to them.  I'm fortunate that KCLS only charges ten cents a day in late fees.  I love that I can renew books online, but I still found myself occasionally missing due dates and accruing late fees.  I tried putting due dates in my phone or writing them on the calendar, but with so many different due dates that took too much time.  So I finally hit upon the perfect low-tech reminder system.  It's a sticky note that I move forward each time I renew books.  When I renew books, I check for the next upcoming due date and then move the sticky note to one day in advance of that date (it covers two dates).  That way I can miss a day and still be on time for renewal.  What tricks do you use to keep yourself on track?

5 comments:

  1. The library is definitely a cost saver. Lately I check them first, read it, then decide if this title needs to live on my shelf. I am thankful that our library sends me an email notice two days before books are due.

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    2. I get emails from the library too, but somehow this bright green piece of paper works better for me. Yeah for libraries! I'm with you about reading first and then deciding if it deserves to be on my shelf.

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  2. Your students are so lucky that they have a teacher willing to search for great books, check them out, lug them back and forth to the class room, trust that they will be appreciated, and organized enough to have developed a system for all of this. You are awesome!

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  3. The sticky note system is a great idea! Like elsie, I'm lucky because my library sends me emails several days before books are due. I'd be in trouble without those emails!

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