why kids hate to go to the library. Constantly being shushed, even when talking about books, has got to be tiring and irritating. I wouldn't want to go there either. I have spent the day observing at another elementary library and I am so sad at the potential that is going to waste. There is so much that a librarian has to offer and teach - but silent reading seems to be the order of the day. I know reading is very important, but if the students don't have the techniques to understand what they read and why they should read it - does it really help for them to have the opportunity to read?
If the library is stuck with the kids for forty-five minutes every week, then why not use that as an opportunity to teach them library skills or research skills? Even giving them fifteen minutes to look for a new book would still leave thirty minutes for learning. It doesn't have to be something huge and since they will be there every week, it is possible to build on the lessons as the year progresses. Second graders need to know the different parts of a book and the type of information you can expect to see in an index or a table of contents. Sixth graders need to understand how Dewey is organized and how that helps to find books about what you are interested in. Eighth graders have to understand the organization of a research paper and the step necessary in doing research.
If the library is stuck with a non-flex schedule - there has to be a way to make that work for the librarian as well as the teacher.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment