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Home > Librarians@Random > A Word from Pat Scales

November 2009

Education for All

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

The National Education Association sponsors American Education Week each November. This year marks the 88th annual celebration of this special week. Schools all across America plan activities to make children and young adults aware of the importance of education. Such activities often include placing s a rose on each teacher's desk, sponsoring a reception before or after school for teachers, and holding school assemblies centered around an education theme. There are numerous other ways that education can be celebrated in school and public libraries. Here are a few ideas:

• Have a special program for parents of preschool age children and teach them ways to use books to interact with their children.

• Help the very young understand the power of books by reading aloud Petunia (ages 4-8) by Roger Duvoisin. In this book, Petunia becomes wise because she found a book.

• Use Cassie's Word Quilt (ages 4-8) by Faith Ringgold to introduce a word activity where children make their own word squares.

• All young children love Arthur, Marc Brown's charming character. Read aloud Arthur's Reading Race (ages 4-8) and then have children enter a contest to name the most book titles.

• Use this special week to help children of all ages understand learning differences. Whittington (ages 8- 12) by Alan Armstrong & illus. by S.D. Schindler and Eleven (ages 9-12) by Patricia Reilly Giff are two titles that accomplish this.

• Engage students in a discussion about literacy and why reading affects a person's overall performance in school. You might use the following titles:

The Book Thief (ages 12-up) by Markus Zusak

NightJohn (ages 10-14) by Gary Paulsen

• Since American Education Week focuses on quality education for all children, ask readers to take a look at novels that deal with main characters that require with disabilities. Random House offers the following books:

Tending to Grace (ages 12-up) by Kimberly Fusco

Small Steps (ages 10-12) by Louis Sachar

The Acorn People (ages 12-up) by Ron Jones

Deenie (ages 10-12) by Judy Blume

Quit It (ages 8-12) by Marcia Byalick

• Sponsor some type of writing project. Introduce readers to books that celebrate the importance of writing. Books from Random House include:

Read a Rhyme, Write a Rhyme (all ages) by Jack Prelutsky

The Fruit Bowl Project (ages 10-13) by Sarah Durkee

Harriet the Spy (ages 9-12) by Louise Fitzhugh

• Celebrate teachers by introducing books where some excellent teachers and some rather odd ones lead students in unique ways. Books from Random House include:

Magical Ms. Plum (ages 8-11) by Bonny Becker & illus. by Amy Portnoy

Pictures of Hollis Woods (ages 9-12) by Patricia Reilly Giff

Sarny (ages 10-12) by Gary Paulsen

The Fabled Fourth Graders of Aesop Elementary School (ages 6-10) by Candace Fleming

Evolution, Me & Other Freaks of Nature (ages 12-up) by Robin Brande

Scat (ages 10-12) by Carl Hiaasen

• Discuss the idea that education may also include learning a special skill from an older family member. It may be learning to cook a special dish, working on cars, or the art of sewing. Introduce the book Stitchin' and Pullin': A Geen's Bend Quilt (ages 6-10) by Patricia C. McKissack & illus. by Cozbi A. Cabrera. Then have readers learn a skill passed down from family members and document the learning process.

• Finally, have a discussion about "Big Issues," or "Big Ideas." A few suggestions from Random House are:

Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different (ages 9-12) by Kristin O'Donnel Tubb

The Loud Silence of Francine Green (ages 12-up) by Karen Cushman

The Giver (ages 12-up) by Lois Lowry

Before We Were Free (ages 12-up) by Julia Alvarez

Diamonds in the Shadow (ages 12-up) by Caroline B. Cooney

Ringside, 1925 (ages 12-up) by Jen Bryant

The Gadget (ages 12-up) by Paul Zindel

You may email me at pscales@bellsouth.net.

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Past "Words from Pat Scales"

February 2003 - Welcome