Today the librarian came into my class to shame the children into returning their lost/overdue books. I’m not into shaming kids, but it is frustrating sometimes that they feel no need to return things like library books (this to me is sacrilege). After the librarian read them the riot act, books started appearing from everywhere, even many of the textbooks kids said they had lost! (Hope springs eternal.)
The fact of the matter is, my kids clamor for books. Every week I go to the library to get supplemental books for the topics we’re studying. I have a gorgeous classroom and I line the books up in the window. I have four sections, which works nicely: one for Language Arts, one for Social Studies, one for Science and one for Math. The kids EAT THEM UP.
I was stupid in the beginning of the year and I wasn’t paying enough attention. Two of the books were stolen. One was returned (Ants!) but one (Michelangelo) was not. It’s a $25.00 book! I dunno, it just hurts to have something stolen and hurts even more when it’s one of my kids (they can be really good at stealing and I know that now, but they usually don’t steal, so when they do, it hurts all the more). Now I have a system where I only put up a certain number of books and I put a sticky note with a label so I can see at a glance how many should be there. During the day, the books come down and make the rounds, but at the end of the day, they have to go back and the librarian (and I) inventory them. If any are not there, we put out an APB until we find it (haven’t had to do that since–it pays to be organized!).
I’ve been doing book talks for the last two weeks. I give the kids a list of all my favorite books with space for them to take notes. Every day I read parts from two or three books to get the kids hooked. For example: Look at this book, kids. [Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse.] Looks a little boring, doesn’t it? “Yes, Mrs. Whiz.” Well, it’s NOT. The girl in the book, Billie Jo, (pause for dramatic effect) KILLS HER MOTHER. “Gimme the book, Mrs. Whiz!” (Ok, ok, I admit that’s a cheap shot–she doesn’t kill her on purpose, it’s totally an accident–but hey, if they read it, I’ve done my duty!) I bring in the books from the library and let them read parts. They BEG to read. (Ok, permission granted.) They BEG to take the books home. (Nuthin’ doin’.)
I feel like such a witch when I tell them they absolutely cannot take the books home. I mean, COME ON. Can you imagine? Kid WANTS to read and I say NO. It’s not that I don’t want them to read, it’s that I can’t trust the book will come back. This is killing me!!!!!!!
So, I’ve been begging and groveling any place I can for books. I have a nice little stash now, although I don’t have many of the nice, flashy, new titles. Still, I have a lot of the oldies/goodies. During the auction, I will sell off “rights” for book picks. Kids will buy “picks” and then get to pick out whatever book they want in descending order. I hope it works.
In the meantime, I think I’ll have to get a new job or maybe sell plasma to get more books into my kids’ hands…
4 responses so far ↓
institutrice // June 18, 2009 at 8:40 pm |
Have you tried Scholastic book orders? If even just 3 or 4 kids order each time, you will earn enough bonus points to get books. When you look through the flyer, any book that is a dollar is 20 points for you to buy. I have gotten tons of books for my class library, and I’m also able to give each kid a book at the end of the year. This year I actually had too many – almost 50 books for 25 kids.
I had the same problem with books going missing. The one that still makes me angry (three years later
) was a really cool kids’ astrology book; they went nuts over it. At the end of each day it was supposed to be back in the front of its basket, and one day I missed it and then it was gone. No one ever returned it, and it was a bargain book from Barnes and Noble so I couldn’t even try to replace it. This year I lost only two (that I know of). I tried a “library card” from The Mailbox magazine. I glued it to construction paper and on the back was a sticker explaining the procedure. They had to write the date and title on a Post-It note and put the note on the card. It worked well, and even helped catch two people who had ruined the books they had when they tried to deny even reading the books – there was the check-out slip in their own handwriting! One got replaced, the other (brand new book!!!) did not. Next year I’m going to try having the classroom Librarian actually do book check-out and keep a log of what books each person takes. (Now they just straighten up the books.) Part of it is I need more jobs if I’m going to try Rafe Esquith’s plan! 
asbestasican // June 22, 2009 at 1:31 am |
I have tried Scholastic. It didn’t work. We have about 85% free and reduced lunch at our school. Our kids just do NOT have any money. When I do field trips, I tell them WAY in advance if they have to pay. My most expensive field trip this year was $6.00. I literally had children bringing in nickels and dimes and paying me over weeks. It is so sad. Especially when I get the permission slips for MY children’s field trips: “Please send in $40…” “The cost of this trip is $150…” Etc. What is WRONG with this picture???
institutrice // June 27, 2009 at 4:40 am |
Oh my gosh, that is really sad.
I don’t remember what news show I was watching (I think a local one), and they were talking about the monetary inequity between urban and suburban schools, and I thought, “Oh my gosh, I think they get it…” Now what are they going to do about it?
Definitely check the for sale section of your local libraries. Ours offer books for 25 cents each or a bag for $2. Back in the spring I got like 10 Goosebumps and 2 brand new Judy Moody’s for 2 bucks. This week I got 18 books, including the complete set of Little House books, for two dollars!!! I was giddy.
Check all your local branches because this library puts out a better selection than the main/bigger branch in this area. Someone else snagged a hard copy of one of the Harry Potter books! Crazy!!
Ooo, and do you ever get the Scholastic Warehouse sale near you? There was one in New Jersey, but I don’t remember if it was north or south. Check their website because it was in the last week or so.
asbestasican // June 27, 2009 at 7:31 pm |
I LOVE libraries, for all these reasons. Trust me, I am at their door, begging and sniveling for books. Thankfully, our librarians rock. I’ve been a faithful patron for many years (way before I was a teacher) and they know me pretty well. They are SO GENEROUS to me. Last week I called one of them and asked for books. She put together a box of wonderful/almost new and gently used books that were slated for the book sale for me. And I’ve gone to library sales and told the librarians WHERE I teach and they surreptitiously pull me aside and say, “It’s on the house…” Our local bookstore (which ROCKS) is also very generous. Barnes and Noble? Fuggedabodit. They won’t give me the time of day. But our local book store is the best. (Truly, I’m a loyal patron of the local one!) Finally, I have all my friends and neighbors on the prowl for me. They, too, are very generous. I do so want to books into my kids’ hands. And yet, I’m conflicted. If *I* can do all this, why can’t they, or, more importantly, why can’t their parents??? (I’m going straight to hell for that one.) I know sometimes why they can’t, but it’s a matter of priorities. Their kids wear better clothing then my own children and they drive nicer cars, etc. Yet their kids are hungry and they can’t read. I am a mess about this, my friend, I tell you. It’s so complicated…