On Sat, 31 Aug 2002, Nancy Flack wrote:
> I made it through my first week as a new LMS, and I have a question about
>limiting the areas of the library that the younger grades can use. During my
>internship last year, my mentor kept K and 1 in the everybody section. This years
>first graders in my new school are not happy with this arrangement, and let me
>know this wasn't how it was done when the nice library lady was there last year!
>Were my mentor's restrictions the general rule or the exception? Please advise.
We've had this discussion before, and you'll find there exists some
disagreement. But I have never restricted elementary children of any
age from any area of the library (with an occasional exception during
the first few weeks -- until they get the PROCESS down).
Young children love non fiction. Non fiction books have become more
and more available in a wider range of reading levels. Even if above
reading level (Eyewitness books come to mind), many of the non fiction
books hold a particular fascination for the children.
This inevitably leads to the discussion about allowing (or not
allowing) children to borrow books beyond their reading level;
whether we guide and help them learn to make appropriate choices
or whether we simply restrict. Yet I never seem to hear about
restrictions to the "E" section when quite a few books there are written
way beyond a first grader's reading level....
It's been my experience that most children make appropriate
choices most of the time. And those who don't have particular
needs that we can help meet.
I believe learning to read - and learning to love to read - involves
far, far more than just matching decoding skills to print on the
pages. Yes, it's a good thing to help guide children to select
books they can use for practice. But learning to read is part
dreaming for many children. It's finding that book that captures
our imagination or our senses and pouring over the pages until
the day comes when we discover we can, indeed, read the words
there that had so long been a mystery. For me, it was a turn of
the century copy of "Alice in Wonderland" that had belonged to
my mother as a child. I gauged my reading life by that book.
Imagine the day I returned to that book only discover I could
finally read it.... I've seen children in my schools do the same
thing. They will attach to a particular book very young - and
I'll find them returning to it year after year.
Let your students explore all areas of the library. Teach
them how to make good choices. Guide, cajole and give them
lots of examples. Expect that they will make some "mistakes"
along the way and learn from them. But also expect they will make
some discoveries along the way, discoveries that may not make
sense to us but make perfect sense to them. And honor those
discoveries. That simple act could make a world of difference.
J. Rathbun, Librarian | "You may say I'm a dreamer,
Mojave High School | but I'm not the only one..."
Clark County School District |
Las Vegas, Nevada | John Lennon
Email: jrathbun@orednet.org |
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
All postings to LM_NET are protected under copyright law.
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST, etc.) send email to:
listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER:
1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
4) SET LM_NET MAIL * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv.
For LM_NET Help see: http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
Archives: http://askeric.org/Virtual/Listserv_Archives/LM_NET.shtml
See also EL-Announce for announcements from library media vendors:
http://www.mindspring.com/~el-announce/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=
LM_NET
Mailing List Home