Catch ‘em doing GOOD
One of my favorite activities in the summer is to visit the various public libraries where my students go and reward/recognize them for being good citizens. In years past I’ve carried tiny treats to reward. I often talk and praise them during the school year in front of their peers for using the public library. It’s amazing how simple it is to make visiting the public library “cool.” This year I have a notebook that I am jotting down names of families when I run into them in the library. I try to name-drop during the school year and make sure that students know they can add their names to my notebook if they were there on days I wasn’t. I trust them. They are honorable. Visiting the library is a “cool” activity. It’s also a wonderful opportunity to share new books we are enjoying and to let them catch me reading and listening to books on cd.
We keep it pretty informal, but I want them to talk about visiting the library like my teens talk about going to the mall. I announced to my fam today that I would be heading down to the main branch to set up for a conference tomorrow. They immediately started changing into their cool clothes to tag along. When I asked them if they were going to help me lug in boxes, they gave me that teen look and said there were far cooler things to do down there in the teen section than help their mom with boring stuff. Can’t say that I blame them. I’m going to go hole up with a Kathy Reichs book as soon as I can ditch all the people trying to hand me work. See you at the public library.
