On October 30th, we took a class field trip across town to the Prince George Public Library to learn about resources that can benefit us from outside the classroom. This was especially exciting because, as someone who’s not from Prince George, I was finally able to get my library card and visit the downtown location.
During the presentation, we learned about all the different resources that are available to schools, teachers and students (there are SO many!!!!!!), and I found myself already daydreaming about different things I could do to incorporate the library into learning. When I was a kid, books were my everything. I would spend hours before bed reading my books, and it was very rare that I would ever choose screen time over reading. This is a part of my childhood I hold so dear, because I grew up with the most amazing stories and worlds that I felt like I was a part of. Because of that, I plan to always incorporate books and reading at the forefront of my teaching, as not only is it a lifelong and very important skill, no matter how old you are you can always find joy in storytelling.
It was almost overwhelming during the tour to see just how many things I could use in the classroom: books, magazines, kits, audiobooks. The kits were particularly incredible as a resource as they can include toys, books, worksheets, and lesson ideas. For something that you may not be entirely knowledgeable of, including Indigenous knowledge, it is so incredibly important to use resources that keep Indigenous voices at the forefront. If these kits are made mindfully, with those voices, they can be an incredible resource to use to incorporate Indigenous culture into the classroom.
Other things I appreciated about the PGPL is that it is a fee-free facility. When you take the risk of money loss out of things, you can make it inclusive for everyone no matter your socioeconomic status. Kids can access books, games, movies, graphic novels for free. I believe these resources are integral to your childhood and cultivating imagination so it made my heart warm to hear that anyone can get a library card no matter what.
Overall, it was a great experience to take our minds out of just classroom learning and see how learning can happen just about anywhere.
