GEN:classroom libraries

["Monica R. Byrne 407-767-5447" <BYRNEM@MAIL.FIRN.EDU>]

        My middle school principal wants to stress reading in homerooms
next year.  We now have 2 homerooms a week (approx. 20 min. ea.) which are
designated as reading days.  He feels that this time is not being used well
in many homerooms, and that more structure is needed in the program.
        To remedy this, he wants to allocate about $7000 for the purchase
of classroom libraries ($700) per team.  The teams are to decide what books
to purchase, with the idea that the books would be studied and discussed in
one of the academic classes. One of his suggestions is that students on the
team would be reading and discussing the same book at the same time,
fiction,  biography, or short stories.  This would mean buying 140+ copies
of each book.  HeUs leaving the actual details to each team to implement.
        The language arts teachers have mixed feelings about this approach.
Some feel that having students read the same book is a turnoff for middle
school kids.  Some feel that reading newspapers would be more satisfying
because of the timeliness and length of the articles.  And most say that
the rest of the team is expecting the language arts teachers to make the
decisions, an additional and unwanted burden on them.
        I, too, have misgivings.  While I realize the importance of a
print-rich environment in fostering reading, I wonder if providing so many
materials in classrooms will have a negative effect on students using the
media center for book selection.  That amount of money used to purchase
books in the media center would augment our collection very nicely.  We
already have our resources organized in a manner that students know how to
use, and we have a built-in tracking system to cut down on loss.  Plus,
would this create a parallel program, with the media center eventually
becoming a place for RseriousS reading materials, mostly nonfiction for
reports, instead of a source of leisure reading as well?
        Nothing has been ordered yet.  I would appreciate some feedback,
positive or negative, from people who have been through this.  A meeting is
scheduled for Mon. morning, so some responses before that time would be
really appreciated.
         I think this group is very special.  I have gleaned so much good
advice on other matters.  Thanks so much for any help you can give me.

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Monica Byrne                    Bitnet Address: BYRNEM@FIRNVX
Media Specialist                Internet Address:  BYRNEM@MAIL.FIRN.EDU
Rock Lake Middle School         W - (407) 767-5447
250 Slade Dr.
Longwood, FL 32750
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