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Aimee's Response Hello Franki,
I spent the day weeding, and I didn't use copyright. I decided that younger children need books with decent size pages and print. Many of my books have small pages and print. I thought those would be more difficult, on the whole, and began there. As I was doing this, I realized that many of the books I wanted to keep were books that I liked, not necessarily books that are appropriate for third grade. Catching myself a number of times thinking this, I began to weed those too. I kept a personal copy of them and gave the rest to a new fifth-grade teacher. So now I think I have plenty of room to grow. I may have to go back to those garage sales! : )
I keep a basket of books near my easel that I use as mentor texts. It's a revolving basket, in that the books change. I first make sure I read them to the class and then later use them for writing. In my video, the books displayed with post-its were books we had read as we prepared for our persuasive writing unit of study. We then used those same texts as mentor texts. Since any book can be used to model writing, I don't separate trade books other than how I described. I do have a basket of books with characters who write. And I have a shelf of books about writing -- including books with famous first lines, histories of words, how to write a paragraph, and information on the writing process. I keep these with other writing resources near the computer area. Actually, I just found a gem at my grocery store. It's a picture book version of Eats, Shoots, and Leaves. It's perfect for this section of books on writing.
I have a ton of magazines that our library discarded. They're within two years of printing and are on topics that won't change much -- like hurricanes, money, etc. I think I'm going to purchase some cardboard file holders -- not magazine holders -- that I can staple to a bulletin board. That way the magazines can face out and kids can be allured by the cover. I'll also ask for parents to donate a magazine subscription from a wishlist of magazines for kids I provide. I will have them send it to their home so their child can read it first and then bring it into share with the class.
What do you do with book jackets on hardback books? I hate how torn up they get. I used to laminate them, but that is a lot of trouble. Now I take them off the book, since most hardbacks have the same picture as the book jacket. I use the jackets as posters around my room. I also clip off the "About the Author" section and add it to our wall of fame. (That is where I keep pictures of different authors and information about them. One year I added students as they wrote books. I may do that again.)
I kept my nonfiction on the other side of the room. I thought you made a good point to help children understand the difference between fiction and nonfiction. I decided I wanted my kids in the poetry section more often, too. So I put two book cases together that have three shelves. On top of the bookcases I'm showing two of my favorite anthologies: School Supplies and Advice for a Frog. The first shelf has the letter trays I use to collect work and next to each stack of trays is another book of poetry. Then I have filled the rest of the bookshelves with poetry books and baskets. So children will HAVE to go there. Is that too manipulative???
What are you going to use as your first read aloud? I know this has little to do with classroom libraries, but now that we're talking books, I can't help but ask. Also, do you keep comic books in your class library? I don't usually, but I'm finding that I use comics a lot when we're talking about inferring. Also, I reread Kelly Gallagher's Reading Reasons, and he does keep comics in his classroom. Just wondering what your take is on that.
Another thing I'd like to pick your brain about ... I noticed many teachers have their books organized by levels. Our teacher book room is organized that way, which is helpful for teachers, but I am not sure I want to do that in my class library.
Getting close to organized with my classroom library.
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There are two reasons for this: first, libraries, media centers, and bookstores are not organized by level. If we are teaching children to become independent, lifelong readers they have to know how to find books. Second, no matter what system people use -- colors, numbers, letters ... kids always know. One year, I remember asking a child what his favorite book was from third grade. (I was teaching fourth grade at the time.) He said, "Oh, a level R." I worry about sending level readers off to the next grade rather than voracious ones. What do you think?
Happy book sorting,
Aimee
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About
Jennifer Allen
