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I've been really impressed at the creative ways everyone is using to introduce their Kinders to the library. I really like the idea of framing the "rules" as positives instead of negatives and in the kids helping to define the guidelines. It is empowering. Thanks for sharing this. -------------- Original message -------------- From: Barbara Braxton <barbara@IIMETRO.COM.AU> > I'm sorry, but I have to come into this debate again because there is something > nagging me ... and > I think a different perspective might offer something. > > Some years ago in Australia, when there was a definite and definable shift in > the way we managed our > students, someone whose work I still highly respect, taught my colleagues and I > to frame our > requests for student behaviour in positive terms rather than negative. He said > that in the phrase, > "Don't run!" we will automatically put the emphasis on the word "run" and that > is what the children > will hear. They don't hear '"don't". It is the nature of the child and their > developing audial > perception. He said we were much more likely to have positive results if we > expressed the behaviour > we wanted - in this case to say "Walk!" > > That has always stuck in my mind and it certainly changed my teaching - even a > few months ago when I > started my last school year and the students were developing their own library > behaviour codes > (different codes for different grade levels), I was encouraging them to express > their thoughts in > positive terms. They actually find this quite difficult because they know what > they should not do > but re-phrasing it into what they should do is great vocabulary practice. So, > "Don't get your > library books dirty" becomes "Keep your library books clean." > > Anyway, all this is a preamble to responding to a message that talked about > having a box of things > about the care of books and discussing the items with the children - something > that it appears a > number of you do. When I read through the list of things, I was thinking., WOW! > Wouldn't kids who > apparently cannot say, let alone recognise their names to be able to check out a > book be confused!. > Here some YES things and some NO things, now which was which? All they remember > are crayons, > backpacks, stickers and so on. > > Now it may be that those of you who do this sort of thing do more than just tell > the children why > each thing is in the box - that wasn't explained in the message, but may I > suggest, with my > how-children-learn-effectively hat on, that you strengthen the message by having > them really get > involved by > 1. Have two hoops on the ground, one with a very large tick (check?) mark in it > for yes, and the > other with a large cross in it for no. As students draw something out of the > box, have a discussion > about whether it is good for books or not, and have them place it in the > appropriate hoop. > 2. When the item has been placed in the hoop, attach a large tick or cross > (cut from cardboard) to > it to reinforce the message. Most learning at this stage is done by seeing and > doing, and the > crayons with a large cross on them will remain in the mind. > 3. You might even continue consolidating the message by making a display with > the hoops and the > yes/no items. > > I apologise if some of you think I am stating the obvious but there are newbies > amongst us who may > well be struggling with this whole issue of how to make these book-care lessons > effective, and the > more ideas in the pot, the more they are likely to find a morsel that suits > their tastes. > > And just for the record, because it has been mentioned a few times, I did NOT > work at a perfect > school. No one does. In February, at the beginning of the school year, we had > 450 students with more > than 40 nationalities represented and over 50 languages spoken in their homes. > All our students > have a unique borrower barcode that is printed on a class sheet with their name > underneath their > code. We got around the name issue by having the teacher accompany them on the > first/ all visits > so he/she could help us with those we didn't understand; the children all wore > name tags that their > teachers had made for those first few days before names were learned; and the > children were able to > recognise their names on the class sheet and point to it. Consequently, they > all got to borrow on > that first day. > > In terms of educating parents, I believe our parents are no smarter than > anywhere else (and many > have no English), but, on the whole, they are smart enough to know how to look > after other peoples' > property. If they aren't, then letters home are unlikely to make a difference. > There was > information about their child's borrowing in the school enrolment pack they were > given and we have > to assume that is read. (There's no guarantee that letters are read or > understood either.) But, if > we are discussing the woes of the dumbing-down of YA non-fiction, don't let's be > guilty of the same > thing and dumb-down our parents. > > Political correctness makes me feel I should be apologising for my strong stance > in this discussion, > but I won't. I am such a strong believer in the empowerment of kindergarten > kids borrowing on their > first day that I write what I believe after 33 years working with little > children and a willingness > to share that experience. No personal slur or flame is intended so please don't > think this is > directed at any one person or idea. > > Barbara > > Barbara Braxton > Teacher Librarian > PALMERSTON ACT 2913 > AUSTRALIA > > E. barbara@iimetro.com.au > "Together we learn from each other." > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. > You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings > by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. > To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu > In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL > 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. > * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ > * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ > * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://elann.biglist.com/sub/ > * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html > -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. 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