Frankly, I don't care if they sit in the bathroom if they're reading....(and
we won't even talk about bathroom libraries....)
I don't believe anyone has (and I strongly hope against) anyone taking the
time (or the money) to study the "effects of carpeting on the reading
abilities of elementary students,"-- but I do know that many schools use
unique settings to entice children to read. Some that I've seen recently
were:
* libraries with the Victorian "slipper tubs" are seen in some elementary
libraries in Fort Worth---with pillows in the bottom for comfort
* libraries with tree houses built for children to climb in and read
* classrooms with tree houses for children to climb in and read
* dog houses (reading club house)--the ones I've seen were "new dog
houses--no dog was ever inside it seems-- in some classrooms for children to
hide-away and read
* boxes painted like houses, buildings, etc. for children to read in
It's a fun thing to do...as librarians we buy beanbags for our libraries
(see Demco catalogs), we purchase dragon carpets for our floors in the
libraries (see Demco) and we make reading fun....if sitting on the carpet to
read is a problem then we should also discontinue storytime and author
visits because we do both with our students in grades K-4 "on the carpet" in
my library (it's a 5-12 library but we have a larger space --with
carpeting).
....it sounds like someone just thinks that a child sitting on the floor is
demoralizing. I guess they wouldn't want to see my kids ( grades 5-12) this
past week....
...I'm doing a murder mystery in my library and I used a student to create a
"chalk outline" in the library of the victim for the mystery program.
Instead of chalk I used masking tape and then took photos of the outline. I
then left the outline (because I was busy with something else) and I've had
nothing but "fun" with the kids all week! Every hour I have students
coming into the library to lie in the "chalk outline" and ask for their
picture to be made....(strange), but the funniest was then a student brought
a book with him and laid down in the outline to read. When another student
came by he asked what all this was about and without thinking I said..."this
is what happens to students who have overdue books!" *grin*
Everyone is having fun, the administrators think it's fine and no one is
concerned with even high school kids stopping to lie down for a minute.
(And our murder mystery doesn't even begin until Wednesday!)
I guess it all depends on flexibility. If the students can't sit on the
carpet, maybe the teacher can create other "fun places" to read in the
classroom so the administrator understands that being able to read in the
"fun place" is a reward and a pleasure.
If the administrator thinks that everyone should sit at a desk to read and
learn, then obviously he / she never studied the great philosophers (Plato,
Socrates, Aristotle, etc.) ---our creative writing teacher takes his
students outside when it's nice outside to sit under the trees to read aloud
the students' written work. The change in scenery, connection with nature,
and different scenario for studying is seen immediately because the students
are actually calmer when they return from class outside than when they were
in the regular classroom.
Good luck and stay calm. This too shall pass.
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Virjean Griensewic" <vgrien1@MAIL.ISD77.K12.MN.US>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, March 27, 2004 9:04 AM
Subject: REF: Reading on Floor
> I hope someone out there can help. We have a situation in another
> building where a principal told a second grade teacher that it's not
> appropriate for her to have the second graders sit on the floor
> (carpeted) during reading class. She thinks they are too old for
> this. What do you people feel about this? Is there any research
> that says it's OK for kids to sit on the floor for reading? Thanks
> for any help you can give this hassled teacher.
> --
> Virjean Griensewic
> Media Specialist
> Dakota Meadows Middle School
> Mankato, MN 56001
> vgrien1@isd77.k12.mn.us
>
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