Hi all!
I haven't seen the reading list, but to my knowledge they did not ask for
any suggestions from Atlanta media specialists. However, they did tell us
(at a system-wide media specialists' meeting) to promote the program among
our students. Also, we have each received letters from our superintendent
thanking us for our efforts promoting this summer reading program. Frankly,
I fail to see what it's a pilot of - it's just like the Atlanta Fulton
Public Library's summer reading program. I have not been impressed with the
USDE's promotion of the activity. There are some parent materials, but they
will not provide them for our parents - we have to download and print them
ourselves for distribution. Also, we have not heard any details about the
prizes they have promised to reward students with. If I tell my students
"you can win prizes!" they want to know "What kind?" Free books were also
promised to students at each school to get them started (before school let
out). I haven't received mine - but I did get a frantic e-mail about the
free book that was provided, advising us NOT to distribute it, or to collect
the books if they've already been passed out! (I've never heard of it but am
doing some research.)
I think it's another example of the USDE's trying to learn to fly the plane
after it's already in the air, thanks to the stellar leadership in the
Administration. I have no problem with the program, and it's a great idea if
we can get kids to read this summer. (there are a lot of typos and
grammatical errors on ALL the USDE's webpages - this is a model?)
Let's all DO send our reading lists to the US Dept of Ed. And tell them
about the typos while we're at it. Maybe Mrs. Bush can influence the project
in a positive way.
I know there are other Atlanta media specialists on the list besides me -
comments? I could use some suggestions for promoting the reading program (At
least I have 2 more weeks of school - all my other colleagues have already
gotten out for the summer.)
Cheers,
Jennifer D Burke
jburke@mindspring.com
Atlanta, GA
404-888-0638
> -----Original Message-----
> The newest School Library Media Activities Monthly has a
> small article on summer reading. One of the examples of
> summer reading lists on the web is
> the official site of the No Child Left Behind act. Check out
> their site:
> http://www.ed.gov/inits/summerreading/lists.html
> For a program that is supposed to revolutionize public
> education, this is a very dubious beginning.
> In the middle school list, not only are there no titles
> published later than 1994, there are many glaring typos and
> errors. For example, the book
> The Giver is listed as written by Gary Paulsen, not Lois
> Lowry. Imagine the confusion of parents trying to locate this
> particular title for their
> child.
> This summer reading program is being piloted with Atlanta
> public schools. I wonder if they enlisted any help from
> their media coordinators in
> preparing this list? Certainly we have the most expertise
> when it comes to preparing a list of challenging and fun
> titles to encourage student
> reading.
> Maybe we should all send our summer reading lists to the U.S.
> Dept of Education as examples of existing, successful summer
> reading programs.
>
>
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