St. Pat's library operates with block schedule in an open environment.
Here are some typical questions.
- Is my child able to get a library book during his class visits?
- How do I know when my child's book is due?
- Are there fines for late books?
- How can my child do a better job picking out books that he can read well?
- Should a child be reading his books all the way through?
- How can I improve my child's comprehension?
- What's the deal with Accelerated Reader?
- Can I take AR tests at home?
Is my child able to get a library book during his class visits?
No. We utilize a system called "circulation at the point of
need". Classroom teachers have times in their day for students
to visit the library for books. The library is open all day for
such short, independent visits that more closely resemble adult
library behavior. Some teachers build a full-class library
shopping trip each week. Ask your child's classroom teacher for
the times she allows for book selection.
How do I know when my child's book is due?
Students should return their books using the book bins in their
classrooms as soon as they are finished with them. That way,
more students have access to the most popular materials.
Students who read quickly, or who check out a non-fiction book
for quick reference will return them within a day or so.
Students who are slower readers have all the time they need. The
computer program alerts me when books have been out longer than
average, and I contact the student (or you, if necessary).
Are there fines for late books?
No. We try to encourage good library habits, but do not penalize
forgetful students. The library charges a replacement fee for
lost books.
How can my child do a better job picking out books that he can read well?
In the library, I teach several ways for students to evaluate
materials.
1. They use the "five finger rule", in which they test
the difficulty of the material by reading a page and counting on
their fingers the number of missed words. If they reach five
fingers before the bottom of the page, the book is probably not a
good match.
2. Students should know that the inside front cover (or back
cover of some books) have a blurb, or synopsis of the book that
helps them know the genre and general plot.
3. Students can share likes and dislikes with one another.
4. Young students should be sure that the book has enough
pictures to ensure that they can enjoy it even if they can't read
it.
5. In the "reading lists" section of my web page, you can see an
example of a typical reference intereview.
Should a child be reading his books all the way through?
Think of your own reading habits. Do you look through a magazine
quickly before you sit down to one or more sections that interest
you? Do you put a book down if you can't "get into" it at the
first chapter? Do you have more than one book going at once--one
in each room of the house? We should respect our
children's "authentic reading". School is a different matter.
Students should make sure they are meeting their classroom
teachers' criteria for reading.
How can I improve my child's comprehension?
Our recent DIBELS tests show that the speed and fluency with
which children read does not assure they can remember many
details of what they have read. Students should occasionally
stop while reading, and think about what they have read. When
words are difficult, students who sound out the words will
learn a new word--those who skip over an unknown word will never
learn it.
What's the deal with Accelerated Reader?
We use Accelerated Reader as an enrichment program here at St.
Pat's. Each classroom teacher has different requirements for his
or her students. The A/R lab is located in the library. Mrs.
Lehmuller is the contact person for any procedural or software
program questions. Classroom teachers are the ones to contact if
you have questions about your child's progress.
Can I take AR tests at home?
YES! YES! YES!
Our current AR system is web-based, and any computer with online
access can be configured to allow access. We have recently made
the decision to open the system up for at home test taking. With
a few exceptions (teachers may limit test-taking on classroom
novels), students can test at their leisure. The link is below.
https://hosted95.renlearn.com/39772/
Use your regular log in and password.
