Class 5

Field trip to visit a school library in action!  School librarian Julie taught a first grade class in the library, and we observed as she read the students I Want My Hat Back.  First, Julie asked the students what animal they thought was the main character.  Once it was established it was a bear, Julie proceeded to read the book, asking students questions along the way to keep them engaged.  Since the first graders were learning rhyming words in class, Julie asked them to come up with words that rhyme with hat.  Students illustrated their own covers with the bear wanting his (insert rhyming word) back.  Students were also able to check out books from the library, and it was great fun watching the flurry of excited activity as students raced to find good books.  In particular, there were two boys who knew right where the military books were, and even though the books were too old for first graders, those boys were sure excited to page through the pictures.

Such excitement was refreshing to watch.  In my travels through graduate school, learning does not excite me as it used to.  It was so good to watch kids excited about books, comfortably using the library space, happily interacting with the librarian and with each other, and learning in the process.