Education Program
Chapter 3
The education program within the Kennemerwaard Public Library provides an extensive range of education and childcare services. We work on the enjoyment of reading (out loud) for children and in addition everything that helps to equip children with the necessary skills to participate in society later in life. It begins from a very young age because the earlier a child is in contact with a developed language, reading and 21st century skills, the greater the pleasure throughout life. The range includes a wide selection of activities involving language development, the enjoyment of reading, and digital skills, or a mixture of all three.
In the ABC Huis we also work together on integrating Kunst & Cultuur with Taal & Lezen. The narrative here is the focus. These services are for children as well as teachers and pedagogical staff members in the relevant institutions. We not only want to provide an opportunity here, but also to make it a habit to learn and create together, and to take advantage of each other’s skills.
A variety of unique and significant activities were undertaken in the Education Program in 2022.
Education Program in Childcare
Book Start in Childcare
Nine Book Start consultants worked at various childcare locations and on projects for the library. During the past year we focused mainly on deeper insight and supporting Book Start in Childcare. In 2022 there were a few additional childcare locations, and we now work together with them regularly.
The first two years at each new location is used to lay the foundation. Together with the childcare facility, we create a productive reading environment, give tips on how to update the (book) collection, and on acquiring new materials. We train one educational staff member at each of the participating locations to become a Reading Coordinator. This person is then the contact for the Book Start consultant. All educational staff working at the participating locations receive the training for Interactive Reading. We make a reading plan, which includes an annual workplan with key objectives for that year, and they act as a guide for the activities.
Free membership Every child at a Book Start location receives a free library membership. Parents are also actively involved in learning the importance of reading out loud. A national monitor is carried out once every two years and is the basis for the work plans.
The Book Start consultants visit the locations on a regular basis where they lead by example. What about planning a reading out loud moment? How do you read to babies exactly? Reading out loud is then further managed by the educational staff members at the individual locations, so that the consultants have more time for knowledge and insight.
In early 2022 we were not always able to visit the childcare centers due to the coronavirus pandemic. The consultants had considerable online contact with the locations in this period and provided them with the necessary materials. The trainings were given either online at that time or postponed to later in the year. Fortunately, everyone recommenced their normal work at the centers again in March and there was ample reading out loud, singing and support.
There are also three Book Start coaches active at the child health centers, as well as the reading consultants at Book Start in childcare. The Book Start coaches discuss language and reading with the parents and introduce them to the library.
In brief
Highlights from the Education Program in Childcare (Book Start) in 2022
Extension Book Start coach in Alkmaar
The Book Start coach services were extended to two more locations in the Alkmaar city council in 2022: as well as the Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin Zuid (Overdie), there is now also a Book Start coach in Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin Oost (Oudorp) and Centrum voor Jeugd en Gezin Noord (De Mare). The Book Start coaches are available at a location every week to talk to parents and carers on the importance of reading out loud and language use with young children. They also promote the library and the activities that it organizes. The Book Start coaches often also join in with the speel-je-wijs festivals that the CJG organizes. Attendance is high with 40 to 80 parents and children per festival every time.
Since the Book Start coaches have been active at CJG Oost and CJG Zuid, the number of youth memberships and distributed Book Start bags has increased significantly compared to the previous year. (There is a reading book, a voucher for library membership, and Book Start information in the Book Start bag).
No. Book Start bags distributed 2022 May-Dec
Oudorp Branch
45
De Mare Branch
198
50th Book Start in Childcare
The opening of the 50th Book Start location within the Kennemerwaard Public Library’s operating zone was a moment of celebration. It took place at the toddler center De Kleine Braam in Heerhugowaard-Zuid. There was cake for everyone at this event on 26 June. The children and teaching staff were enthusiastic about the bookcase, the book collection and of course the story read by Jessica van Taunay from the Dijk en Waard city council. Every child received a Book Start bag to take home with a reading book, a voucher for library membership, and Book Start information on Book Start.
Network conference Book Start in Childcare
The network conference Book Start in Childcare held on 8 June was a great success. In addition to the latest news on Book Start, the reading coordinators also received information about the reading (out loud) activities in the area. These included the national Book Start Day and Boer Boris’ anniversary exhibition in the Zuiderzeemuseum. They also received information on a helpful introduction and how to incorporate various sorts of books, from baby books to picture books for toddlers. They then chose a book themselves and in groups they developed a good introduction and processing activity for that narrative. Afterwards all the results were collected and distributed so that they can use them in their own groups.
No. of participants
19 pedagogical staff members
Mukkie
We wanted to introduce Mukkie to the educational staff and parents of young children (0-6 years) for tips and tricks on educational media methods that relate to a theme. It might be a good reading (out loud) book, a related film, or an educational app. Mukkie was launched during the Media Ukkie Dagen. Three bookmarks have been designed for this with tips on areas related to audio, visual, active, online and reading (out loud). These tips tie in with the themes on Kleuren & Vormen (Colours & Shapes), Eten & Drinken (Food & Drink), and Vriendschip (Friendship). All 1,500 bookmarks were handed out and taken home by the educational staff and parents in the library. There is also a top-10 App for parents which was developed by our media consultants. We want to encourage parents to carefully choose and install apps that contribute to the development of their child.
Book Start in Childcare statistics
Municipality of Alkmaar
Total no. of childcare centers
88
Childcare centers with Book Start
11
No. of children in contact with Book Start
889
Foundations that participate in Book Start
Rollebol child centers, Forte Childcare in de Rijp, Blosse
3
Municipality of Bergen
Total no. of childcare centers
9
Childcare centers with Book Start
7
No. of children in contact with Book Start
319
Foundations that participate in Book Start Forte Childcare and Blosse
2
Municipality of Castricum
Total no. of childcare centers
21
Childcare centers with Book Start
6
No. of children in contact with Book Start
471
Foundations that participate in Book Start
Forte Childcare and Blosse
2
Municipality of Heerhugowaard
Total no. of childcare centers
64
Childcare centers with Book Start
26
No. of children in contact with Book Start
1,570
Foundations that participate in Book Start
Forte Childcare, Blosse, Childcare Babbels and Villa Kakelbont, ‘t Schelpje, and Allente
6
Foundations that participated in Book Start
Blosse, Forte childcare, Childcare Babbels, Rollebol Child Centers, Villa Kakelbont, ‘t Schelpje and Allente 7
Source no. of childcare centers in the municipalities: national register childcare
Education Program in Primary Education
The service we provide from the Education Program to primary education is based on three disciplines: The Library at School (dBos), individual activities and projects, and additional training for teaching staff.
The Library at School The first discipline in the Education Program is the proven successful concept of the Library at School. This is a strong, long-term association between primary schools, libraries, and municipalities. Efforts are made within this concept for the quantifiable improvement of educational results in the fields of reading and language skills, and information and media skills. We focus here on a few pilot pathways and on the continuous learning trajectory in the preschool and early classes of primary education.
Individual activities The second discipline for primary education includes individual activities and projects that schools, and after-school care organizations can implement per activity or project. The activities can vary from an introductory circuit on programing to a library visit during the Children’s Book Week and participating in Scoor een Boek! or using the Level Up! project on responsible gaming.
Extra training In the third discipline for primary education we provide extra training to teachers in our Kennemerwaard College. You can decide whether to do the Open Book course to become a reading coordinator or you can follow the path on Digital Story Telling: How can you visualize narratives using digital media? We also support schools, for instance, on updating the school library and the policy on digital literacy.
Despite the coronavirus, we’ve been able to provide a good service to schools in 2022. By always being on standby, the library consultant was still able to remain in close contact with the children and teaching staff. As soon as it was possible, the consultant visited school again.
The number of participating schools with a structured partnership increased by three to a total of 46 in 2022. This resulted in one new colleague joining the team.
Developments in 2022
Continuous line 0-12 The continuous line 0-12 in the field of reading is an important development within Education. Program consultants worked together on a program for children aged 0-12 years in a child center. The reading plan and the annual plan; the teamwork between the pedagogical staff and primary school teachers; and the existing book collection were all reviewed. The library consultant is the main person connecting people and the driving force focused primarily on the 4–6-year age group.
We are now going to carry out a trial at three children centers where one consultant will work at the childcare center, playgroup, and at the primary school. These centers are De Kiem in Egmond aan den Hoef, De Branding in Egmond aan Zee and Campus Columbus in Heerhugowaard. At all other children centers, there will continue to be two consultants - one for the child center and one for school.
Team 6-12 jaar There are seventeen consultants at the various dBos primary schools. Due to the high demand for reading consultants, the team arranged for a freelancer to relieve during maternity leave at the beginning of the year. Two new colleagues were employed in the summer holiday period as support for the 6-12-year age group.
In brief
Highlights from the Education Program for Primary Education in 2022
The Akersloot story: Old and young connected through heritage.
For a long time now the Historical Association Old Akersloot, Primary School de Brug, and the Kennemerwaard Public Library have been in one building and this building is in Akersloot. Last year we worked together on a project on heritage education. The senior students learned about their own local heritage in this project and then they visualized this information into images on an adventure display table. The table with all the information will then later be used by the elderly people in the community during the coffee mornings in the library. It was such a great idea that we applied to compete for the PIUS prize 2022.
Our application made it to the final eight (of a total of 56 applications) and the winner was announced at the festive event in the TAQA Theater De Vest by Karin Bloemen on 19 May. A promotion film was also made. Unfortunately, we were not one of the three finalists, but we are proud of the result, and of course we will do everything to ensure the adventure display table is in the Akersloot branch even without the PIUS Prize.
After-school care
Due to the impact of the coronavirus at the beginning of the year, and despite our extensive range of services, the visits to after-school care (BSO) at the library were only possible with sufficient commitment from the BSO and/or library staff. There was not always enough space or an opportunity at the school location to relocate the activity to the library. It improved during the vacation period.
However, we were able to implement several projects in 2022, for example, the Om de Hoek project from Blosse. The lessons at one of the schools were postponed to 2023 due to corona.
There were also holiday activities in the spring and summer vacation period in the PrutsHub. A project was organized three times on Zen in de Caravan and two times on the theme De Wilde Wereld (The Wild World).
Level Up!
The year 2022 was a successful year for Level Up! It’s an educative program to teach young people informed skills for responsible screen time, gaming, and online purchases. There are five lessons in the program, each given by a library consultant, together with AZ e-sporters. Every group is given the opportunity to take part in an exciting video-call day with e-sporters Dani Visser and Marc Groenland. The students are always really motivated and want to ask questions on what responsible gaming behavior means to these players.
The Dijk en Waard city council has included Level Up! in their regular funding for fifteen groups in Heerhugowaard. Another four groups were added in Langedijk last year. The Alkmaar city council has committed to supporting the project between January 2022 and July 2023 and to offer the project to 25 groups.
"The teacher is also a gamer. He joined in for fun during the lesson and talked about it from his perspective. Really great fun!"
Level 1, group 6 "On the board was a heading with the victories. The Level Up! lesson was underneath!"
Study Day iPabo
After having postponed twice, ‘the Library at School at the iPabo’ was held on Tuesday 22 March. This study day for teachers was co-financed with funding made available from the Stichting Lezen. After a two-year partnership online, we were now able to meet each other in person. The opening lecture was given by Bas Maliepaard (children’s book critic and producer of the Grote Vriendelijke Podcast). Nine workshops on language were then presented, divided into three rounds. Several workshops were completed and given together with library staff members. Subjects included starting or finishing a lecture with a children’s book; a strong language base for reading out loud; digital literacy; and interdisciplinary education. They were all enjoyed. The participants were also very interested in Scoor een Boek and Boek op Bezoek projects. All the teachers that attended, almost sixty in total, joined in positively to consider the main question that not only Bas Maliepaard, but all of us ask ourselves: How do we get the teachers, and then the students as well, to read children’s literature? During the collective evaluation the teachers indicated that the study day was positive and inspiring and felt there was a need for a follow-up.
Quote teacher
"I find it impossible that our students can receive a diploma without even having read one children’s book."
"No student should receive a diploma until we have passed on the passion for reading children’s literature."
Open Book Course
We were able to train teachers and novice consultants in the field of reading advancement in the Open Book Course again this year.
Open Book is a course, specifically for teachers in primary education who want to become a reading coordinator. As a reading coordinator, you are the key person at your school when it comes to reading advancement. During the course subjects include youth literature and teaching methods related to children’s books. Every student performs a practical exercise and makes an annual plan.
Our consultants at the Library at School attend this course themselves so that they have the same knowledge as the reading coordinators with whom they work with together in education.
Last year five teachers successfully completed this course, as well as five of our own consultants.
"Quotes from participants" "I found the best part of the course: ‘Lots of practice with different texts, a variety of possibilities."
Scoor een Boek! (Win a Book) football and reading
One in ten children in the Netherlands struggles with language and reading problems. Learning to read well is very important for growing children but how do you motivate children to read (more)? That’s what Scoor een Boek! is all about, the perfect combination - football and reading.
The sports reading project Scoor een Boek! is in cooperation with AZ and the Kennemerwaard Public Library. Students in groups 5 and 6 again enjoyed scoring books this year and were supported by an AZ player and the mascots Herry and Berry. So much was read together as well as discussions on books and stories. In addition to increased reading enjoyment, the children also improved their prospects for better language development and for their futures.
Schools in the Alkmaar, Bergen, Castricum and Heerhugowaard districts took part in Scoor een Boek with a total of more than 1,300 students. Teachers responded enthusiastically that thanks to this project reading is back on track again in the groups!
The Voetbal Experience was organized at three locations in the Kennemerwaard Public Library last year during the weeks that the reading project took place at schools. It was a good moment for both parents and students to visit one of our branches and discover what the library has to offer in a fun way. And it was successful! There was football and the children were also happy to return home with a new supply of borrowed books.
Alkmaar De Mare
more than 70 visitors
Alkmaar Centrum
more than 100 visitors
Heerhugowaard Centrum
30 children with parents
Erica | Program Consultant The Library at School
"I find that the best thing about my work is that I can motivate children to enjoy reading because reading is good for you and its fun!"
The Library at School statistics
Municipality of Alkmaar
Total no. of primary schools
45
Primary schools that have Library at School
21
Range of coverage - no. of students
2,869
Foundations that take part in the Library at School: SAKS, Ronduit, Tabijn, Blosse en ISOB
Municipality of Bergen
Total no. of primary schools
14
Primary schools that have Library at School
9
Range of coverage - no. of students
1,103
Foundations that take part in the Library at School: SAKS, ISOB, Tabijn en Blosse
Municipality of Castricum
Total no. of primary schools
13
Primary schools that have Library at School
4
Range of coverage - no. of students
1,271
Foundations that take part in the Library at School: Tabijn en Blosse
Municipality of Heerhugowaard
Total no. of primary schools
20
Primary schools that have Library at School
12
Range of coverage - no. of students
3,109
Foundations that take part in the Library at School: Allente en Blosse
Education Program in Secondary Education
Education Program in secondary education The Team 12+ now have ten consultants who work for Secondary Education (VO) and Secondary Vocational Education (MBO). In our service package we have modules that target Reading and Digital Literacy and Citizenship, as well as the Library at School. Classes come to our branches where we provide workshops on digital literacy and programs for reading competency. We also give lessons and workshops in classes at school. These lessons may be about social media and how to behave online, but also on Poetry or how to make a Stop Motion film.
The Library at School We work with the Library at School in secondary education and secondary vocational education at three schools in the Alkmaar district and two schools in the Dijk en Waard district: In Alkmaar at the Vonk mbo Alkmaar (since 2020), Vonk vmbo Alkmaar, and the Horizon College Alkmaar (both since 2021); and in Dijk en Waard since 2021 with Vonk mbo, and in 2022 in a partnership on a regular basis at the Huygens College.
In the prevocational secondary education and the secondary vocational level, we work specially to help students enjoy reading. Our consultants discover together with the students that reading can be fun. Of course, the assortment of books and choosing the right one plays an important role. The reading consultant also emphasizes the importance of reading to the teachers at the various levels.
Pedagogical work We work hand in hand with the pedagogical work department at the Horizon College. The Library at School does not only promote the enjoyment of reading for students, but the partnership with the Team 12+ at the Horizon College is also aimed at demonstrating how future educational staff can encourage children to read in a fun way. After all, the students in the pedagogical work course will play an important role in reducing low literacy in children.
In brief
Highlights from the Education Program for Secondary Education in 2022
The Library at School
The reading consultants at the schools strive to motivate teachers, stimulate reading enjoyment, and encourage students to read, and to create a pleasant reading environment at school. Working together with the teachers is essential. The reading consultants organize inspirational moments to do this, give workshops on Young Adult books, and they facilitate various work processes to aid teachers and their students.
Some schools join this program in national campaigns. Two schools participated in the writing competition, Er was eens, in 2022. This is a writing competition for all schools in the country. An author came to visit and later all students read a book and wrote a story themselves. A student in the vmbo 4 class at Vonk Heerhugowaard was one of the three finalists. The school and students were all very proud!
All the schools we work with made considerable investments in their book collection last year. The consultants then arranged for the collection to be well exhibited. They also met with classes in the media library to help pupils and students find the most interesting books.
Space has now been made available for the free reading program at the Horizon College Alkmaar and at Vonk vmbo Alkmaar. Every day, at a set time, pupil and students are given the opportunity to read a book of their choice for 20 to 30 minutes. This helps to trigger a deeper understanding of the content which in turn stimulates their imagination and increases concentration and vocabulary.
Forty teachers at Vonk vmbo attended the inspirational meeting given by our reading consultant last year. In this workshop they were introduced to the so-called rich texts. They are authentic texts on real life communication themes, with a clear structure, original language use and a refined vocabulary. They also received tools to practice what they had learned to help contribute to the enjoyment their students have in reading.
Sebas Tiaan
Good cause!
Poetry Workshops
We organized a poetry workshop for third year students, divided into two groups, during the culture day at PCC Oosterhout. The students were given some theory on poetry and then each student created a blackout poem of their own. A blackout poem is when you block out or blacken text that you no longer wish to see on paper. What remains is your blackout poem. The theme for the culture day was sustainability and the students were given old books from the library to use as the basis for their poems. Sections of the text in the poems made by the students were then printed onto a linen bag for the CKV (cultural and art creation) days at school. What a great example of a productive collaboration between school and library!
Revenge!
How to get your vmbo students to read? By stepping into their world! Revenge! is the project that connects reading with digital literacy.
We designed escape games based on assorted book titles together with Avonturium last year. The punchline was that students could only solve the game if they had read the relevant book.
In this project we combine reading with digital literacy and motivate students to ‘deep’ read. They can complete the game successfully with clues from the book. Cooperation is also encouraged here because the students must work together in groups.
Revenge
"The students were really excited. They were already curious when they came in and did well during class. They were so eager that they even read the book before the deadline. After this introduction the teacher immediately asked if another one of her classes could play the game."
Numbers
Alkmaar
32
students
1
class
1
school
(1 x class at school, 1 x game in the library)
Dijk en Waard
142
students
3
classes
1
school
(1 x class at school, 1 x game in the library)
Book Festival Vonk Alkmaar
After the senior groups at Vonk vmbo attended the literary event at PCC Oosterhout with great enthusiasm, the idea to hold a book festival for the younger students developed in the Dutch department at Vonk.
Together with the reading consultant at the library, this book festival was organized in the Alkmaar Centrum branch and was a fantastic book festival. The students (first and second years) were welcomed as VIPS and entered through a balloon archway at the entrance. There was a circuit in the library with games and tasks and the students could join the workshop with Spoken Word artist, Mirthe Hartland. Silent disco headphones were given to reduce the noise and limit distraction. This way every student could enjoy the workshop while in another area of the library the other students were busy with a circuit game. There was excitement and fun in the library during the book festival!
Total 300 students and 15 teachers
1st year student visits
“Is it already finished?” said one disappointed student.
Petra Geerling
It was certainly very successful.
Your Brain the Boss
Year two students in all secondary education schools in Heerhugowaard attended the Your Brain the Boss lessons in 2022. The students and teachers were introduced to discussions on themes about the coronavirus, stress and tension, isolation, relaxation, and pleasure. As a result of the evaluation, all schools wanted to continue these lessons. We have begun classes on group dynamics at Vonk vmbo. In 2023 this theme will be implemented at most schools as a learning pathway for mental wellbeing.
As well as Vonk, the Huygens College, het Dijk en Waard College, Han Fortmann, Johannes Bosco, and Focus all attended this year.
Alkmaar
Dijk en Waard
1st/2nd year student visits
895
students
40
classes
4
schools
Willem Blaeu, PCC Oosterhout, PCC Fabritius, Jan Arentsz
Language classes
27
students
2
classes
1
school
Jan Arentsz
1st/2nd year student visits
675
students
32
classes
4
schools
Vonk, Johannes Bosco, Huygens, Focus
Profile assignment lessons
58
students
2
classes
1
school
Vonk
Poetry workshops
36
students
2
classes
1
school
PCC Oosterhout
Stop Motion workshops
42
students
2
classes
1
school
PCC Oosterhout
Culture Tour
164
students
9
classes
various schools
Revenge!
142
students
3
classes
1
school
Vonk
Revenge!
32
students
1
Klas
1
school
PCC Oosterhout
Reading consultants
range
800
students
The Library a School - VONK VMBO, VONK MBO en Horizon MBO
Search Find Choose
80
students
4
classes
1
school
Vonk
Reading consultant
range
500
students
The Library a School - scholen Vonk en Huygens College
Book Festival
300
students
12
classes
Vonk MBO
Safety in Puberty
310
students
13
classes
2
schools
Jan Arentsz, Dalton
Safety in Puberty
828
students
38
classes
4
schools
Huygens College, Johannes Bosco, Han Fortmann, Vonk
Castricum
1st/2nd year student visits
243
students
15
classes
1
school
Vonk