After looking at another article, The Importance of the Classroom Library, in Early Childhood Today (2001) it says that a teacher should not only keep books in classroom library, but where various centers are, place books there, too. For example, in the housekeeping center, put books about babies, food, etc. In the building block center, keep books about construction work or trucks in a crate. I never thought of that idea before, well, mainly because I was teaching second grade, and we had centers based on word studies, but if I am in a Kindergarten class or younger, that will be something to implement.
As far as the amount of books I formerly had in my classroom, there were a lot. But, I worked at a school that had a huge mix of demographics, and I believe I needed more books that suited them. I initially sorted them based on Fountas and Pinnell’s Guided Reading Levels, but after my first year, we changed to a basal, so I simply sorted them into fiction and nonfiction, then subcategories.
Something else I am definitely going to do, if I am indeed in the classroom compared to my desired occupation of a school librarian, is to display a collection of themed books in an appealing way on top of the bookshelves. Showcasing the books more creatively will create more of a desire to read. Some ideas include placing drawings of characters or animals surrounding the book, appealing signs, and according to the season, objects that go with both the topic of the books and what we will be celebrating that month or week. It will be as creative as a great bulletin board display.
Writing within the classroom library is not something I considered in the past, but after reading the assigned article, I am excited about having a collection of materials to do so.
One topic I would like to bring up is the insignificance of the teacher’s desk. When I was in the classroom, my principal asked someone within each grade level to come with her to a school that was performing very well and observe some of their strategies. One of the strategies was to take out the teachers’ desks so the floor can be used for more student work. That appealed to me so much, but at the time, I could not see letting my desk go. When I return, I will definitely look into that possibility. Using the space for the classroom library appeals to me. More seating and a larger and more inviting theme could be set up. When I really think about it, I could keep my personal supplies of pens, paper, notebooks, etc. in the closet or a filing cabinet and grade papers at the students’ tables while the students are at an extracurricular activity or after school. IF a desk is absolutely needed, why not use a stand-up desk and keep a stool handy for when you want to sit at it. A simple podium with a wooden box attached at the side to hold pens and paper could also work.
The Importance of the Classroom Library. By: Neuman, Susan B., Early Childhood Today, 10701214, Feb2001, Vol. 15, Issue