Teaching social studies means distributing a lot of non-fiction reading sources. While it is a necessary skill to be able to read and decipher rigorous non-fiction text, it is also important to reinforce that reading can be pleasant, relaxing experience, too. Although I teach middle school, I use children's books every opportunity that I get to harbor a love for reading...and I would do so if I taught high school, too!
In our free-time to roam and discover the city, I ended up at the New York Public Library, which had an exhibit called "The ABC of It: Why Children's Books Matter." I think children's books have a sort of magic about them. Walking through the exhibits, I was channeling some of my fondest childhood memories of my parents reading stories like Good Night Moon and Winnie the Pooh. I could even imagine the weight, texture, and smell of the books. My hope is that when I gather the class on the carpet as I sit on my reading stool and read a children's book about Christopher Columbus' encounter with Native Americans (Encounter by Jane Yolen) or the founding fathers (John, Paul, George & Ben by Lane Smith) or the Constitutional Conventions (Unite or Die: How Thirteen States Became a Nation by Jacqueline Jules) that the experience, the illustrations, and the discussions we have resonate with them just as classic children's books do. I was really happy to have seen this exhibit, for it has given me more purpose and drive to integrate children's books into my curriculum.
W. H. Auden made the observation that, "There are no good books which are only meant for children." I believe learners benefit greatly from children's books sprinkled throughout academic, non-fiction reading and that they keep learners curious and excited to hear more stories from the past.
No comments:
Post a Comment