I resist sending messages to the whole group, but after recent postings about the
high school LMS who was excluded from participating in the creation of a summer
list and the posting about the LMS who was to help create the list, I had to put in
my 2 cents.
I agree with David's comments about the students who often aren't held accountable
for the reading or those who never have the chance to participate because they
enrolled during the summer.
I'm changing to middle school (actually grades 5 and 6) next year. I wasn't asked
to help with the summer reading list and that is fine with me. I volunteered to
form a liason with a local bookstore to sell the books during open house, but
that's it. I don't believe in summer reading lists -- I believe in summer reading.
I encourage my elementary students to participate in the summer reading program at
the local public library. (I've been told that the enrollment at our local public
library is the best in the county.) Too many students are reading for Accelerated
Reading or Reading Counts during the school year. Summer should be a time for
reading things they enjoy. As adults, don't we choose the mysteries or romance
novels rather than the professional books? Why shouldn't children be given the
opportunity to make their own choices? If a teacher wants all students to read the
same book, it should be assigned during the school year. You can't expect all
students to
"get the messages" in a certain book if no one is there to guide them. Summer
reading should be fun reading. The kind of reading that makes you want to read
more; not the kind that some adult chooses for you.
Off my soapbox.
Carol
Carol Savage, NBCT
Library Media Specialist
Hawk Ridge Elementary School
Charlotte, NC
c.savage@cms.k12.nc.us
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