Back To School...

A Primary School Library in Kansas
August 26, 2013







This week we are back to a full week of  school and back to the library. All 13 classes will visit the library 3 times a week, for 25 minutes. This week we will look at the rules in the library and how to take care of books.

In 1st grade, we will be reading The David Books by David Shannon. We will be talking about what is appropriate at school and what is not. We will be creating an anchor chart, to remind us of all that we discussed.

In Kindergarten we will be reading Tuesday by David Wiesner (one of my most favorite books) also, we will be reading Chalk By Bill Thomson. These stories are picture books that can be found in Our primary library. Both stories, are wonderful examples of picture books for easy story telling. As these stories have few to no words in them, the children must read the pictures in order to tell the story. As a class, we will read the stories together.  We will summarize the stories with a retelling of what happened in the beginning, middle, and what happened in the end?

After we finish the stories, we will discuss how we will each get to find a book to check out from the library. Once their book is checked out, they are required to find a good spot on the carpet and read their book quietly.

Now in the last 13 years I have always had a student say "I don't know how to read!" I then quickly, remind them that we were all reading and retelling the stories just moments before. "Those are 2 ways to read." I get a lot of smiles after sharing this information. I tell them to take their book home and share it with their families. Showing them that they learned to read today in the library.

Over the years, I have had many grateful parents and grandparents share the stories of how things unfolded for them. How proud their child was and how they beamed that they could read.This makes my heart sing! I share it with you today because if there is one thing we can do for children it is to read with them.

As a small child, my love of books came from my father, he read to me each night. He often told my brothers and I  "If you can read, you can do anything in this world". Reading was treated as a gift in my home and it still is today.

If you ever come into our library or if you see pictures of my desk I always have my current book I am reading proudly displayed. I truly believe we are role models and that it is important that my students see me reading. Not just reading to them, as my job might dictate, but for pleasure. This is something I tell parents as well, let your child see you enjoy reading and indulge in that, with them.
Happy Reading,

Mrs. Shamhart