![Reading @the EIS Library]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1714746955/triassoc/ybzrvjwog4k5e1hqvbco/sp24_readingEISTH.png","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1714746955/triassoc/ybzrvjwog4k5e1hqvbco/sp24_readingEISTH.png","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_3/v1714746955/triassoc/ybzrvjwog4k5e1hqvbco/sp24_readingEISTH.png","width":800},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1714746955/triassoc/ybzrvjwog4k5e1hqvbco/sp24_readingEISTH.png","width":1080}])
One of our goals this year (and every year) is to get families involved with our school library, to build a strong community of readers and support learning that’s happening in the classrooms. One way we have pursued this goal has been through hosting a family/student book tasting event with one of our second grade classes. The wonderful Ms. Emily (classroom teacher) contacted parents and got some surrogate readers ready in case parents couldn’t make it.
The library staff set up 6 stations: 2 with non-fiction books, another 2 with wordless books and a 3rd pair with picture books. We choose books we know are popular and a mix of English and Spanish.
On the day of the event, parents were welcomed into the library, our library director Mrs. Fiallos had a mini-lesson prepared on how to read with children and then the kids showed up. Lots of excitement! Each adult and their student was directed to one of the tables and we set up a 6 minute rotation and then everybody was reading! It was great fun to see the interactions with the families. The teacher and librarians walked around and helped whenever we saw someone struggling, for example, we pointed out that you might not need to read every single word in a nonfiction book. After families rotated through each of the 3 stations, we had some time for families to choose books together to take home. This was an opportunity for the librarians to show parents the area where students choose books during their weekly class visits and to answer questions and offer suggestions.
Our hope is that through this shared reading experience, families will understand that reading together is both fun and important and can be done in the home language. We also hope parents feel welcomed into our library and feel more comfortable choosing and reading books together. We also celebrate the connections we can forge and the impact we can have on our community when librarians and classroom teachers work together.
Any Alfonso de Elvir
aalfonso@seishn.com
Teacher Librarian at Escuela Internacional Sampedrana, San Pedro Sula, Honduras
