Cayla,
Your letter (May 3rd) dismayed me:
(Snip:) ". . . We are a failing school with 80% of our students below competency.
Many of our students claim they haven't read a book since elementary school.. . "
It's so disheartening not only from an educator's viewpoint but also from a
taxpayer's viewpoint. Even scarier, these are the kids we're counting on to bear
the burden of our nation's social security plan for our retirement . . . !
A small ray of sunshine - today our RSP (Resource Specialist Teacher) shared with
me about one of her former pupils who, in 2nd grade, could barely write or read,
but had an uncanny artistic ability in both drawing and a knack for color. It's
possible that (at least some of) these kids have stronger "brain power" on the
reverse side of the brain - so their strength is more to the artistic side than
academic. It's just the way they're wired.
That being said, instead of focusing the contest on reading, why not do a contest
on ILLUSTRATING ? - they select a book and then choose a dramatic segment (they've
got to read it to find it, right?!) to illustrate. Get some really good prizes
donated - maybe a pair of prom tickets, or dinner for two, or movie passes, etc.
The only stipulation I would add is that it must be an original picture - not one
copied from the actual book. Give the kids at least 6 weeks to turn them in. Keep
them on display, along with the title and author of the book, for at least a month.
If you get lots, rotate them every two weeks. Kids will come into the library just
to see their friend's art work.
And, get more books with illustrations (maybe even comic books?) - and display them
prominently. Promote them in posters in the hall, announcements, whatever. Get
stuff THEY want to read. Display them in and amongst your "heavier" stuff. Sooner
or later, some of them will "make the leap" to better quality reading.
And don't despair - sooner or later, they may just find out that they enjoy
reading. My daughter didn't like reading (and refused to wear her reading glasses.
. . ) but now, at age 25, she's a read-a-holic and has a Master's Degree.
Joanne Ladewig, Library Media Technician (a.k.a. "Library Lady")
Lawrence Elementary School, GGUSD
Garden Grove, CA USA
shatz@verizon.net
---Comments are my own and may not reflect the views of GGUSD.
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