Have you ever wondered what happens in an elementary school library? I know way more happens than what I see or know about but here are a few things I've observed:
- Children go to the Magic Tree House section (an entire shelf of books); they rearrange them in NON-alphabetical order. I think just to drive me crazy.
- They try to look up words/pictures/definitions/websites that they shouldn't.
- They glom onto a few favored subjects and check out every book they can get on: pets, sports, how to draw, reptiles (again, to drive me crazy) and hidden pictures.
- There are new favorites like Magic Tree House, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter and Rick Riordan, but they still love Amelia Bedelia, Beverly Cleary, Roald Dahl, Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and Bunnicula, too.
This is only my second week back volunteering but the library is nice and familiar. Not as easy is helping out in Alex's new classroom. It is a 2nd and 3rd grade mix and it's a whole new ballgame. The subjects (and kids) are more serious and it just feels different being there. Today we worked on book recommendations. I helped them describe a book they'd just read in class, whether they liked or disliked it and three reasons why. My first struggle was explaining indentation, and why there was a need for it. I really didn't have a good reason for them, beyond the fact that it was on the teacher's instructions. Luckily they still accept that as a reason. I wonder what grade they'll be in when they stop taking that for an answer?
It was interesting to hear what they REALLY thought about their books. There are some first-rate critics in that group. I had to convince one second grader that "lameness" wasn't really a reason to explain his dislike. He clarified that there was no "acshun" and that was why it was lame. Fair enough.
That group provided my most interesting conversation of the day. H, One of Alex's classmates mentioned how excited he was because his dad was coming home from a trip today. "Oh, where has he been?" I asked. "Canada." At this answer G, another boy in the group, looked up with concern, "Canada? It's really dangerous there!" H and I exchanged a glance, "No," I said, "not really." G said, "They have battles there!" "Not now," I said, thinking maybe he had confused it with something in history. H was looking a little concerned but added, "We're going there next fall." Everyone went back to their work. Then, all was explained. G looked up and asked, "Hey, did you know that Clemson has a football player that fought in the war in Canada?!" "Do you mean Afghanistan?" I asked. "Oh, yeah!" G replied, and went right back to work. I for one am pretty relieved that we don't have to fight off any rowdy Canadians from the border!
Alex's behavior's been pretty good this week (knock on wood). He did pull a stick for "inappropriate behavior" yesterday. The first time he came home with that news I admit it kind of freaked me out. I was thinking some really horrible stuff fell under "inappropriate behavior". Apparently it's different for second and third graders: it involves talking and making noises when you shouldn't. That's kind of Alex's specialty. We talked about not making noises, talking in strange voices, etc., when you shouldn't, then he and I went for a walk. We planned on meeting Art a few blocks away when he returned from his walk. When we spotted him a hundred yards or so ahead of us, Alex did this really loud wah-wah-wah-wah noise (like Braves' fans - I have no idea what to call that). I looked at him as he grinned up at me. "Is THAT an 'inappropriate noise'?" I asked. "It's one of them," he said. Heaven help me through the second grade!
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