Summer Project #2
For the last month, I have been spending about an hour every Friday morning volunteering at my son’s daycare. I have mostly been reading English books for the kids, singing songs, and playing games. It has been loads of fun, and I look forward to it each week.
This has had me thinking about what I could do for the kids in my tiny village to help them out, beyond just going and reading them stories, and playing games with them. I have decided that what I want to do, is to create a portable library for them. I have found that my private students LOVE to read my son’s English language children’s books. These are mostly Dr. Seuss, and other very low level books, but they love the challenge. I want to harness that motivation and give them to tools to explore English. The local schools have NO English books on the bookshelves, so I figured that it is my job.
While I am back in New England during summer break, I am going to scour used bookstores, yard sales, and Goodwill for any children’s books I can find. Now, I do not have an unlimited budget, but I am hoping to gather a good amount. I will get far more for my money shopping in the US, than if I bought the books back here, so I want to take advantage of the opportunity. I will also be asking all my friends and family if they have any books that they no longer need. I figure I should be able to create a rather diverse library this way.
Now, I am referring to this as a “portable” library, as I am not sure where I am going to keep it yet. My wife suggested the trunk of my car, that way I can bring it from school to school, but I have yet to decide. Right now, my intention is to share it with the daycare and elementary schools in my small village. If I can get enough books, I will share it with the surrounding towns as well. One step at a time. Of course, I cannot just throw these books at the kids and say “Read!”, I am going to have to teach them how to read first…this makes the collecting part look easy!
I think I am going to have a busy vacation…