[CALIBK12] Considering Playaways

Thu Nov 1 07:09:44 PDT 2007

Megan - Glad to hear it is a good experience overall.  I have ordered
about 50 Playaways and they should be here any day now, since we have
already received the cataloging disc.  I am excited about them and hope
this high school will benefit.  

Barbara

Barbara J. Duffy, Ed. D.
Library Teacher
Jordan High School, Main Campus
6500 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90805
562-423-1471   x 2131
Fax 562-422-8918

"What a school thinks about its library is a measure of what it feels
about education." - Harold Howe, former Secretary of Education

"Whatever the cost of our libraries, the price is cheap compared to
that of an ignorant nation." - Walter Cronkite, Newscaster 

"I think the health of our civilization, the depth of our awareness
about the underpinnings of our culture, and our concern for the future
call all be tested by how well we support our libraries." - Carl Sagan

>>> "Megan Fuller" <meg_ful at msn.com> 11/01/07 6:56 AM >>>

Hi Deanne, I bought $700.00 worth of playaways at the end of last year,
Basically everything that I thought my kids would like, and put them out
for loan at the beginning of the year.
The plus side, I can't keep them in the library.  The students adore
them!... The RS program teachers have told me they are a godsend.  The
teacher of the afterschool tutorial program walked over to a student,
who is rmally is a trouble maker, to see why he was so quiet.  He got
mad at him for listening to his "Ipod". The student told him "No, I'm
listening to a story" and showed him the playaway and his finished
homework.  Teacher came to me to ask if I had any more.
Downside.  Make sure you let your playground supervisors, principal and
teachers know about them so students don't get into trouble if they are
listening to them outside.  They are easy to hide and kids can listen to
them when they should be listening to the teacher.  
They are really expensive, so when we found one on the floor of the
boys bathroom...wet, I had some second thoughts about buying more.  We
have had some issues with theft from backpacks.  The headphones break,
so get extras. Get alcohol wipes to clean the headphones.  I was
surprised by how many students don't have their own headphones.  Put the
lanyards on before you check them out, students won't do that, and the
lanyards get lost easily.  Buy batteries.
I have always had a collection of audio books, and this is the first
time kids have actually used them.  They are returning them, and asking
for more.  I am fundraising to get them.  I will even get duplicates of
the ones I have if the selection hasn't improved, although I think it
has.  Overall a positve experience. 4 out of 5 stars.

Megan Fuller 
Aptos Junior High 
http://www.aptosjr.pvusd.net/library/ 

Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. 
-- Wernher von Braun 

From: DeAnn21 at aol.com
To: calibk12 at listproc.sjsu.edu
Subject: [CALIBK12] Considering Playaways
Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 22:57:29 EDT

Greetings all!

My library received an unexpected donation of $1,000.00  I'm toying
with the idea of using the funds to purchase Playaways. I thought I
might use them as a way to introduce some classics and more challenging
reading to my students by exploiting the novelty factor. Most of my
students are economically disadvantaged and most do not own electronic
"gadgets, or have them in their home.

So, please, I'm looking for what works, and what doesn't work, with
these. Basically, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Especially, in an
elementary school setting. Problems I can anticipate and what you did to
minimize, or eliminate them. Tips that you can pass on to me are
welcome. Do you think they enhance your library program?  

Thank you in advance.

DeAnn Campbell
Julius Corsini Elementary School
Palm Springs Unified School District

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