Author Archives: Colin Wilson

Plans for 2024 at Springburn

2023 was a busy year in the library at Springburn Academy with the library being reorganised into genre sections. The library assistants have been reflecting on the library and what improvements they could make during 2024:

‘l love Springburn Academy’s library! It gives us a safe but fun space for reading, eating and chatting. I feel the library would be better if it was less busy so I could shelf books easier without climbing over S1s but other than this the library is a wonderful place and I’m so glad to have it in my school.’ KA (S2)

‘I love the library because Colin is really nice and supports me even when I get into trouble in class. I would say there should be a limit on how many people come in at a time because it can get so busy people can’t move around the books’ JK (S3)

‘The library can be peaceful and is full of nice and friendly people. I want to make more displays because the huge variety of books makes it hard to pick sometimes’ MK (S1)

‘I like the library because it’s easy to socialise with people and it’s always fun and occasionally calm, sometimes I think the library would be better if there was a day when only people wanting to read and use it as a library were allowed in!’ YX (S2)

‘The library is a very safe place where you can enjoy seeing your friends, I would like to make the library better by opening it all week!’ LMC (S1)

‘I like the library because it is calm and not scary like the rest of the school so obviously I would like it to be calmer and less busy during breaks like it is during class time’ CR (S3)

‘Here is what I think is good about the library: It’s very friendly. It’s social. Not many rules. Colin is nice and supportive. Places to sit at the back. People to talk to. All ages allowed and we all mix together. Here is what I would change: More seats available. No running. Make it bigger. A quiet area to study separate from where I eat my lunch’ AR (S1)

Plans for 2024 at Cleveden

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2023 was one of the most eventful years yet at Cleveden and the Library Assistants have been busy in January planning how to make the library even better in 2024:

‘I love working in the library, it’s usually so peaceful and chill. In 2024. In 2024, I’m going to work on making the library more relaxing because it can get a bit crazy sometimes’ HT (S2)

‘I love working in the library, it gives me a sense of comfort when other things get too much. I like the library’s peacefulness. Putting books in order and putting them on the shelf keeps me more active than PE! I like the sounds the books make when I put them on the shelf so in 2024 I hope to do that more often’ LL (S2)

‘The library is an amazing place and I still enjoy working as an assistant. In 2024, I plan to work on making more creative posters and displays and to keep asking Colin for more jobs to improve my skills as an assistant because I am proud to be part of the library!’ AW (S2)

‘I love when the library at my school is open because when our librarian is here I have someone to talk to. I wish it was open more. Working in the library gives me the opportunity to take on lots of responsibilities, I would like to do more book sorting and labelling in 2024 because I don’t like when the shelfs get messed up. And it’s so obvious that the more work we do, the better our treat/pay is on a Tuesday. Hopefully Cake Pops for writing this?’ KC (S2)

EAL Event at Springburn

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Springburn Academy Library recently hosted an event in partnership with Skills Development Scotland which provided information for EAL pupils, parents and guardians on their post school options. The EAL department at Springburn has identified that pupils from overseas, including asylum seekers and refugees, do not have the same access to opportunities as everyone else, often due to legal and financial constraints.

Much of the information and advice given to them needs to be tailored to their circumstances.

There were several speakers, including the school’s EAL Teacher, Graham Park, who opened the event, and Stephen Coyle, Careers Coach, who explained the SDS service offer to pupils. Graham Thomson from Glasgow Kelvin College, covered the various learning pathways offered by the Further Education sector, and his colleague Norma Stewart, described the ESOL programmes and the application process. Shukrya Addow of SDS delivered a presentation on the benefits of undertaking Foundation, Graduate and Modern Apprenticeships. She was followed by Paula Blair from the University of Glasgow, who discussed the university application process and widening access to Higher Education. Ian Maclellan of the University of Strathclyde, discussed their Asylum Seeker Scholarship Fund, and Angeline Mwafulirwa spoke about how she benefited from the Fund and her subsequent career path. The final speaker was Alan Reekie of SDS, who touched on funding issues and the eligibility criteria for learning opportunities for asylum seekers, refugees, EU citizens and international students.

Interpreters supported the event and the languages covered included Arabic, Portuguese, Mandarin and Urdu.

Words That Burn

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Pupils from S2 at Cleveden have taken part in their first session of the Amnesty International project Words That Burn. After an introduction to the work of Amnesty International and a discussion around what human rights meant to them, the pupils attempted the Make a Difference in a Minute challenge: Creating a poem that can be performed in a minute or under in response to the theme of human rights.

Invoking their right to freedom of expression, the pupils performed in a brief poetry slam with spoken word pieces (and a full-on rap!!!) focussing on women’s rights, education inequality and bearing witness. It was refreshing to see an awareness of major issues and even better to hear a willingness to use creative solidarity to protest and speak truth to human rights violations.