Dear Rosina,
I started to respond just to you, but then thought that you've pushed my
personal "big button" and so I'm looking forward to see what our peers think as
well. In your last paragraph "...I kind of resent having to restrain their
enthusiasm and their free choice of reading materials in the library, but I am
feeling the push to conform..." you hit the nail on the head of what our purpose
in the library is/should be.
Yes, a large portion of what we need to do is support what's going on the
classroom, but similar to music and the arts, the library needs to be a "free
zone." A major component of what we do with students should be encouraging
reading for both purpose and pleasure (and that is often how I describe what I
do to administrators and other teachers). I don't mind working with the
classroom teachers on what their individual curriculums requires, but b/c the
library is my classroom, I get to determine the rest of what I'm doing and that
means I'm perfectly willing to have Guiness Book of Records, Garfield, Captain
Underpants, joke books, I Spy, Scary Stories to Read in the Dark, and more
available for my students. Remember - one of our curricular requirements in the
library is literary appreciation; we can't satisfy that standard if we're not
allowing the students any opportunity for self-selection.
If I've got a teacher who insists on a "serious" book choice for SSR or a
project or whatever, then I up the check-outs for that class so the students can
also make a free choice each week as well. All of the things you currently do
look fine in terms of teaching the "how to" of book choice; but please, try to
stand your ground re: protecting their freedom to read whatever they want!
Sheri Zachary
Librarian
Tacony Academy Charter School
Philadelphia, PA 19111
zachary88@ymail.com
________________________________
From: Rosina Alaimo <Rosella@ATT.NET>
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Fri, September 3, 2010 6:57:40 AM
Subject: Book selection guidelines for elementary students
Friends and colleagues,
My third grade teachers would like me to provide lessons on how to select a
book. They want me to guide their kids to select books that are both age
appropriate and grade appropriate. This is what I have done in the past:
* book talks
* new book displays
* the concept of checking out a "just because" book and a
curriculum-based book (think teacher assigned)
* looking at the cover and blurb on the inside front cover or the back
of the book
* student/friend recommendation
* five-finger method
* subject interest
What else have you used for this kind of a lesson/activity? ( I must
add--The kids today are so regimented through-out their school day that I
kind of resent having to restrain their enthusiasm and their free choice of
reading materials in the library, but I am feeling the push to conform. So
if you have any ideas or suggestions, please send them my way.
Many thanks,
Rosina
--
Rosina Alaimo
School Library Media Specialist
Maple West Elementary School
851 Maple Road
Williamsville, NY 14221
716-626-8846
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