I was a reader growing up. I loved King, Tolkien and Howard
among others. As an adult I have often wondered what would have happened had I
been forced to take an extra hour of reading as the state wants to do with 300
schools and the county with 50. I might have felt like it was a punishment and
it might have impacted my love for reading.
I have very mixed feelings about the extra hour being
required. It’s probably great for families that need it and want it but
probably the opposite for those that don’t.
Last night the district announced that the families at
Holiday Hill will be able to opt out which begs two questions, why wasn’t an
opt out option available from the beginning not just at all Holiday Hills but
all the schools and this is where the district wanted to draw the line with
parents?
It wanted to make parents send their kids to an extra hour
of reading, which is weird because sending kids to school on time and
regularly, having them provide the basics and being involved with their kids
academics up to now had been optional for way to many of our parents. Who cares
about all that and so much more but they had damn better send their kids for an
extra hour of reading.
Oy vey.
The same people that manage with a straight face to say
parents know best with their kid’s education options, so they can justify
vouchers and charters, are often the same people that point out that all to
many parents have abdicated their responsibilities.
TIME IS MONEY. Send your union an email that we expect to be paid for the hours we work. We are currently paid for1483. hours per year. I expect to be paid for the 100 hours I work over that.
ReplyDeleteStatistics have shown that a full time media specialist in each school has a direct correlation to reading prowess. Many schools in Duval County do not even have a full time Media Clerk to check out books to students. Oftentimes the media centers are closed without media clerks and/or media specialists. The only way schools can get books is through book fairs. School libraries do not even get library supply money anymore. What kind of message does this send about reading? Actions speak louder than words. Open up,staff and supply school libraries! St. Johns, Clay, Flagler, Nassau and Baker County staff and support their school libraries. The budget process in Duval County is convoluted. Why are they hiring more chiefs in Duval County yet those with daily contact with students are not being supported or recognized as significant. Sad! Just sad!!! Sign me Retired but still Concerned.
ReplyDeleteI'm also retired but concerned and agree with the above comment about the need for media specialists and open media centers. It doesn't speak well to insist the children spend an extra hour for reading instruction - sounds perfectly dreadful to me. What a way to kill the joy of reading! Far better to let them spend time in the media center with a media specialist reading to them & discussing what they've read, then selecting books to read on their own.
ReplyDeleteThe library at my high school is open only after school, so if you ride a bus, you're screwed. It's now a Student Union, where students go to check in late or check out early. I cannot send students there with a library pass to check out a book. It's filled with books, but it's apparantly for display only.
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