Dear friends,
I just wanted to share a strange experience I had at school this week. Has
this ever happened in your library?
A new (very new!) 2nd grade teacher was finishing her class's first library
visit of the year.
That period, we had a very successful treasure hunt. I made different color
shelf markers with construction paper - with library sections written on them
(purple is non-fiction, blue is fairy tales, pink is picture books, yellow is
fiction). Kids in pairs traveled through the library with these shelf
markers, re-learning where everything is located. They found a picture book, used
the
shelf marker to hold their place, and brought it back to me to show me what
they found. Very active, enthusiatic bunch. Loud, jumping up and down -- happy
to learn.
Then they browsed for awhile and lined up to check out their books. Excited,
yes. Noisy, of course. I reminded the children to use their quiet library
voices and that would lower the level of noise for a while.
Then... "BE QUIET!" the new teacher yelled. "You're embarrassing me!"
When that didn't work, she told them, "Okay, you are NOT coming back to the
library next time!"
What? I wondered. What kind of nutty punishment is that? She is not feeling
in control and is lashing out with ineffectual remedies.
I plan to speak with her quietly on Monday and see if we can work this out.
The children have library only every other week, so if they miss next time -
that's a month! I would like to help her be able to gracefully retract her
threat. Maybe I can suggest visiting the classroom and talking with the kids
about library behavior (they really weren't that bad).
Thanks for letting me vent.
REBECCA REITZ
Librarian
PS 87
160 West 78th Street
New York, NY 10024
212-280-6204
Rebreitz@aol.com
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