Saturday, February 28, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
Kids and Books
I haven't done anything with kids for almost a decade, and I learned quite a bit yesterday. As I mentioned in my last entry, I volunteered to read to six year olds at the local girls club for about half an hour. I was asked to get some books from the public library and was told that they would be brought in for some reading time before getting picked up to go home. So I thought that I might have time to read one or two books and then they'd be gone. When I arrived, the folks running the girls club told me that this was an 'experiment' and we would see how it went. I had figured this was a regular occurrence and expected the kids to think this was routine, which was an incorrect assumption. Also, the girls club folks did not tell me that the kids would not be picked up by their parents until much later, and that there were other activities for them. So I dutifully tried to read to them for an hour, waiting for their parents to arrive, while these poor kids just wanted to go outside and play. Eventually it came out that the kids didn't have to stay with me and I dismissed them immediately.
As for what I learned, apparently six year olds have the attention span of a gnat. Also, they complained that they don't like to be read to because it's boring. And I don't blame them. At the end of the day, they should have been outside playing instead of trying to sit still listening to me read. At an older age, they might be more interested in listening to a story and using their imaginations. But the interesting thing that happened was that while they were busy not listening to me, they started to find their own books to look at (I'm not very good at corralling kids). So, I really think that if you're going to have a reading time with kids in the afternoon, you should read only one book and then let them explore the books for themselves.
My husband brought something else to my attention after I told him the story. At the beginning of the reading session, the lady in charge of the kids made a bargain with them that if I told her they were good and everyone paid attention to me, they would get a prize. So the whole time I'm trying to read to them, they are asking me over and over, "Are you gonna say we were good?" My husband reminded me that child behaviorists warn that this tactic should be avoided because it placed the responsibility on me instead of on the kids. The kids didn't behave because they didn't associate their own behavior with obtaining the prize. When their caretaker asked me in front of them if they behaved, I gave them two undeserved thumbs up, because I couldn't blame the kids; they were as set up as I was.
While the experience was not at all what I expected, it was valuable, and I'm glad I did it. At the very least it was some practice for the kids to pay attention, even if they mostly didn't. I'd volunteer to do this again, but next time I'd try reading just one book and then tell them to find a book they like and tell me about it. Then they should go play!
As for what I learned, apparently six year olds have the attention span of a gnat. Also, they complained that they don't like to be read to because it's boring. And I don't blame them. At the end of the day, they should have been outside playing instead of trying to sit still listening to me read. At an older age, they might be more interested in listening to a story and using their imaginations. But the interesting thing that happened was that while they were busy not listening to me, they started to find their own books to look at (I'm not very good at corralling kids). So, I really think that if you're going to have a reading time with kids in the afternoon, you should read only one book and then let them explore the books for themselves.
My husband brought something else to my attention after I told him the story. At the beginning of the reading session, the lady in charge of the kids made a bargain with them that if I told her they were good and everyone paid attention to me, they would get a prize. So the whole time I'm trying to read to them, they are asking me over and over, "Are you gonna say we were good?" My husband reminded me that child behaviorists warn that this tactic should be avoided because it placed the responsibility on me instead of on the kids. The kids didn't behave because they didn't associate their own behavior with obtaining the prize. When their caretaker asked me in front of them if they behaved, I gave them two undeserved thumbs up, because I couldn't blame the kids; they were as set up as I was.
While the experience was not at all what I expected, it was valuable, and I'm glad I did it. At the very least it was some practice for the kids to pay attention, even if they mostly didn't. I'd volunteer to do this again, but next time I'd try reading just one book and then tell them to find a book they like and tell me about it. Then they should go play!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
What's next?
As an experientialist, I revel in adventure and discovery, but I prefer experiences that have a predictably positive outcome. Selling our house during the housing slump was an intense, consuming experience which I appreciate for what it taught me, but I'm more than relieved that it's over. Now that it's done, I'm really not sure what to do next. I feel like a house cat that sneaks out the front door only to freeze on the stoop, overwhelmed by the infinite possibilities that lie ahead.
So, I thought, why not write a blog about discovery beyond the burden of a major life change? I'm going to revisit some interests that fell by the wayside, and in the process share my observations of whatever I notice that's cool. There are a few subjects that I'm especially interested in pursuing now, including entertainment, art, travel, philanthropy, and science.
Today, I'm giving back to the community by volunteering at the local girls club. I'm a member of an organization that supports the club and I've been asked to read to the kids this afternoon. This is a first for me, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. I've never read to a group of kids before, but I'm sure it'll be fun. This little project renewed my husband's interest in writing his own series of books for beginning readers. At the library, I found that there are a gazillion books for kids to read, but there are remarkably few books with brightly colored illustrations on topics that are uplifting and not just instructive. So I think there is room for a few more kids books.
So, I thought, why not write a blog about discovery beyond the burden of a major life change? I'm going to revisit some interests that fell by the wayside, and in the process share my observations of whatever I notice that's cool. There are a few subjects that I'm especially interested in pursuing now, including entertainment, art, travel, philanthropy, and science.
Today, I'm giving back to the community by volunteering at the local girls club. I'm a member of an organization that supports the club and I've been asked to read to the kids this afternoon. This is a first for me, so it'll be interesting to see how it goes. I've never read to a group of kids before, but I'm sure it'll be fun. This little project renewed my husband's interest in writing his own series of books for beginning readers. At the library, I found that there are a gazillion books for kids to read, but there are remarkably few books with brightly colored illustrations on topics that are uplifting and not just instructive. So I think there is room for a few more kids books.
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