Here we are at the Library right before school let out. We had just finished signing up for the Summer Reading Program.
Tag Archives: Books
Literacy Club at the Library
Banned Books
Last year one of my little fifth graders came in my classroom and asked me what masturbation meant. I first asked her to repeat the question to make sure I was hearing correctly, then I asked her where she heard the word.
It’s in this book I’m reading
What’s the title?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
Oh, I replied. Can I see the book?
She gave me the book and I told her to first let me scan the book and then we could ‘talk’. For the rest of the day I was wondering how to handle this situation. Finally, at the end of the day she came back for her book. I told her to first give me more time to read it. I thought maybe she was reading a book that was not written for her age bracket but then I found out the total opposite. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie is written for people her age!
To say the least, I never explained what the word meant neither did she get her book back. Instead I gave her Ellie McDoodle Have Pen, Will Travel by Ruth McNally Barshaw.
I learned from Courier-Journal.com that this week is supposed to be Banned Book Week. Fight against censorship and free speech they call it…who’s fighting to keep our children innocent?
9 November 2009
I got to the library a little late.
And when I got there the kids were too involved with their homework and on the computer to notice that I came late. We found a table and soon as we sat down the drama started!
James came. He was the first one who sat at the table. He was doing math, the subject he is a genius in and begin to ask me if his answers were right.
Next to me was Joseph. He took out his reader and we read a story together about a girl who wanted to join a musical band. She could play the drums really well but the band wouldn’t let her join. When we finally finished that story, Janisha came.
She had finished the little bit of homework she had and was ready to talk or read! I couldn’t read with her and Jospeh. We (Joseph and I) had already started a chapter book titled The Secret of the Painted House by Marion Dane Bauer. I offered her to read a long with us but this little one was in her own world. She went and got another book titled The Ghost Sonata by Gilda Joyce. As if the queer book we were already reading wasn’t enough.
At the same time James and Janisha were getting into mischief. It made me wonder what was their purpose of sitting at the table? For me to continue to correct them and tell them how to behave?! When Janisha and Joseph left, along comes Taitiana.
She sits beside James. And they can’t really sit still or be nice to each other.
The librarian came over once to talk too. They just kept acting up.
Then Mel-Mel came. He wasn’t really being bad. Just cracking jokes. I got him to practice his alphabet sounds and read some words with me. This worked until he got into a fight with James. At that point I just left.
I go to the library to help children who are serious! Not those who want to spend their time playing. The librarian took over from there.
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