Another venter.....
I am becoming discouraged w/teachers dictating what students can or cannot take out
of the library. I have never been the type to say this is "MY" library but I would
like the same professional courtesy that I extend to teachers w/the policies they
have in their classroom.
This year seems worse than ever w/the push to raise reading scores. I had one
teacher "not allow" Harry Potter books to her 3rd grade class because "we save them
for the 5th graders" We went back and forth w/emails - When I told her we had
plenty she said that she already told parents at open house that "Harry Potter
books cannot be checked out of the school library by her students and if they want
them they have to go to the public library" To which I responded that we needed to
talk and she now refuses to speak to me!
Another teacher (4th grade) sent her students w/sticky notes telling them which
book they had to check out -eg: Johnny- Boxcar Children,.
We have a large collection (and number of students) and in this case I am fortunate
for a fixed schedule because I stressed that they could take 2 or 3 books and the
others could be free choice!
Imagine a perfect world where testing didn't dictate education.......
Subject: Vent/Target: Teachers "banning" series books
I'm just wondering how others of you handle it when teachers tell
their kids, like one of mine did, for example: You cannot check out
any Magic Tree House or Junie B. Jones books! Find something else! In
my library's case, there is not a huge selection of books in this
reading level range (they are also unhealthily glued to AR reading
levels), so cutting out those two series severely limits my kids. When
I've asked the teachers why, they just say that that's ALL they read
and they want them to branch out. I can understand wanting to expand
their exposure, but what's wrong with an occasional Jack and Annie? Is
it not great if a kid finds something he likes and wants to read all
of it? As an adult, don't I find an author I love and then read
everything he/she has written? It might be harmless and maybe even
helpful to "force" the kids to look elsewhere, but they're already so
frustrated with our slim selection ( I'm trying to grow it...no money
and no luck) that I hate seeing them look longingly at the "Jack and
Annie" books. Advice? Thanks
--
Meagan Newberry, Librarian/English teacher
West Yellowstone School
West Yellowstone, MT
oldberry@gmail.com
Judy Beahan, LMS
Griswold Elementary School
303 Slater Avenue
Griswold, CT 06351
jbeahan@griswold.k12.ct.us
LM_NET
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