| August
2006
Dear
Fellow Book Lovers:
THE
NEW KID
Many
kids all over the nation will begin a new school year feeling
like a “new kid.” To be a “new kid” doesn’t necessarily mean
that you have to have moved to a new state, town, or even
neighborhood. It may simply mean starting at a new school,
or being placed in a classroom without many of the same classmates
from the previous year. The “new kid” feeling is sometimes
traumatic, but there are things that we can do in libraries
to help these children feel more comfortable. Sponsor a back-to-school
party in neighborhood branches of the public library. Form
a newcomers club that meets in the school or public library.
This could be done by school level--elementary, middle, and
high school. Invite students from various schools to serve
on a panel and offer pointers for adjusting to a new school.
Ask each panel to begin by addressing all the positive things
about their schools. This may include social events, clubs,
sports events, etc. Participants might also reminisce about
their own feelings when they were “new kids” in school. This
may include experiences that tend to bring anxiety, such as
making friends, adjusting to new school rules, dress codes,
etc. Make sure that newcomers understand how to get a library
card, the library hours, book mobile schedules, homework hotlines,
etc. Ask a local business to provide cookies and punch so
that the event is social as well. Some type of “getting to
know you” game for the younger children could be fun. This
may give them skills they can use on the first day of school.
Offer a bibliography of books that deal with being a “new
kid.” Encourage young patrons to read some of the books and
come back to the library to discuss the titles. What feelings
did the “new kid” in the book have? At what point did he/she
adjust to the new situation? What advice might kids take from
the character in the book? The book list should include various
genres to accommodate all reading tastes, as long as the each
book deals with the emotions of being new. Random House offers
the following titles:
Consider
having follow-up programs or club meetings throughout the
school year so that kids will feel that the library is a place
where they always belong. They may then become a core group
for future library programs, and can serve as interns for
a similar program for the following year.
You
may email me at pscales@bellsouth.net.
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