The Chalk Talk Collective

Teacher Plus

The Chalk Talk Collective Podcast is brought to you by Teacher Plus Magazine. Created for teachers seeking both reflection and practical ideas, the podcast balances pedagogy, equity, and innovation, showing how small, intentional shifts in classroom practice can foster engagement and curiosity.

Episodes

  1. May 19

    1. Beyond Bookshelves: Building Classroom Libraries that Create Readers

    What if the secret to building lifelong readers isn’t a grand school library—but a small, thoughtfully curated shelf within the classroom? In this inaugural episode of The Chalk Talk Collective Podcast, host Lakshmi Karunakaran is joined by Thejaswi Shivanand, library educator at Champaca Children’s Library. Together, they explore what makes classroom libraries powerful, practical, and transformative—especially in resource-constrained school settings. From defining what a classroom library truly is to examining how it differs from traditional school libraries, this conversation offers grounded, experience-driven insights for educators, school leaders, and anyone invested in nurturing a culture of reading. The Chalk Talk Collective Podcast is brought to you by Teacher Plus magazine. What You’ll Learn What defines a classroom library—and why it’s more than just a collection of books Key differences between classroom libraries and traditional school libraries How purpose shapes usage, access, and impact Practical factors to consider when curating a classroom library How teachers can build and sustain libraries with limited resources Ways schools can meaningfully support teachers in this journey Key Takeaways A classroom library is defined by access, ownership, and daily engagement, not size Proximity matters—children read more when books are within arm’s reach Effective curation reflects diversity, reading levels, and student choice Even small, low-cost libraries can be powerful when they are actively used Teacher ownership, supported by the school, is key to sustaining classroom libraries and building a reading culture Resources Mentioned The Nature Society Series by Eklavya Divaswapna by Gijubhai Badheka About the Speakers: Lakshmi Karunakaran (Host) An art educator and development professional with over 20 years of experience, Lakshmi works as an independent consultant across education, children’s literature, and library initiatives. She is the Lead for the Harsha Parekh Library Awards instituted by the HT Parekh Foundation and collaborates with Eklavya’s publication programme. Thejaswi Shivanand (Guest) A library educator at Champaca Children’s Library, Thejaswi works with schools and library-focused organizations across India, supporting the development of vibrant reading communities and professional learning spaces. Who This Episode Is For Teachers and educators School leaders and administrators Librarians and literacy practitioners Organizations working in education and reading initiatives

    25 min
  • 1 Episode

About

The Chalk Talk Collective Podcast is brought to you by Teacher Plus Magazine. Created for teachers seeking both reflection and practical ideas, the podcast balances pedagogy, equity, and innovation, showing how small, intentional shifts in classroom practice can foster engagement and curiosity.

Information