GEN: Dismissal time reading

[Karen DeFrank <defrank@VOICENET.COM>]

Der LM Friends,

I think I need some amunition.  Tell me if this bothers you as much as it
bothers me.
Our standard procedure at dismissal time is  about 15 kids walk home, about
50 kids get picked up in cars, and the other 550 or so go to the gym to sit
on the floor in their bus lines.  Some go right from the gym on to the bus,
others wait up to 15 minutes.
Today at dismissal time the children were told they will have DEAR time
(Drop Everything And Read) while they waited in their bus lines for the
buses to arrive and take them home.
This is because they are very loud during dismissal time.

Lots of our teachers do DEAR time in their classsrooms.  The kids seem to
enjoy it, and they come to the library to get books so they will be ready
for it.  Most teachers seem to do it at the end of the day.

This, however, sounds like punishment to me.  The teachers on duty walked
around and encouraged the children to read.  Of course, since this was the
first day for this, some of the children didn't have books with them. And
since the buses are called as they arrive, there is constantly movement and
noise in the gym.  Not condusive to reading at all.

I am not sure if this is going to happen every day.  If it is continuing
into next week, I am going to say something.

Please let me know your thoughts on this, and if there is any documentation
about forcing children to read as a form of crowd control, I need that,
too.

Thanks you.  This is a wonderful group, and i know whether you agree with
me or not, you will let me know your thoughts.



Karen DeFrank
Dorothy L. Bullock Elementary School
Glassboro, NJ
defrank@voicenet.com or dlb@snip.net