There are many children in my school who can't or who's parents won't pay
for lost library books. For some reason they can always manage to pay for
new rims for their cars but that's another rant!
I give the child the option of "working " it off. I ask the teacher to tell
me something the child is doing that is driving said teacher crazy and
then we talk to the child and set a reachable goal, but one that does
require a bit of effort. It can be anything from completing homework for a
week, not getting sent to the principal's office for a month, passing 4
spelling tests in a row, learning their 8 & 9 times tables etc. If the
child messes up we start all over again. Once the goal is reached, I
forgive the book.
Usually kids with lost books have other school issues too!
So long as they are an effort to work off their book they can check out one
good reading book and the class is considered 100% all books returned.
In my 15+ years of offering this option, I've only had 1 or 2 kids who
wouldn't "play nice". I started out by having them work in the library but
was quickly seen as "fun" and it backfired big time. Hence the switch to
classroom behavior.
My principal doesn't mind- her philosophy is "Is it good for the child" and
since it is - and for the teacher too - it's a win / win situation.
Guusje Moore
Librarian
Housman Elementary, Spring Branch ISD
Houston TX
guusje@mindspring.com
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