Why We Need School Libraries
I am a firm believer that we need to maintain our school libraries. As a teacher of young students, I see the excitement that students have when they check out books. All sorts of books... They may be drawn in by the book cover, subject matter or maybe having seen their friends read the same series. The kinesthetic aspect of reading is very important in my mind.
According to an article in the CEA newsletter, "well-staffed, well-stocked, and well-used school libraries are correlated with increases in student achievement on the order of 4 percent to 20 percent, as measured on student performance on standardized tests."
Our youngest students have an unprecedented amount of screen time at a young age. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended limits for screen time. "The AAP recommends that parents establish "screen-free" zones at home by making sure there are no televisions, computers or video games in children's bedrooms, and by turning off the TV during dinner. Children and teens should engage with entertainment media for no more than one or two hours per day, and that should be high-quality content. It is important for kids to spend time on outdoor play, reading, hobbies, and using their imaginations in free play.
There is something special about a student so absorbed in their book that they are walking into school while reading. I'm happy to say that I see this happening daily with multiple students.
References
Canada Education Association. Retrieved from http://www.cea-ace.ca/education-canada/article/ignoring-evidence-another-decade-decline-school-libraries
American Academy of Pediatrics. Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/pages/media-and-children.aspx
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