What's up with Whatsit

What I think kids ought to know

Do you know how hard it is to find library worksheets for children? Well, I don't guess you would, since this isn't an issue that would come up for everybody. You can print multiplication worksheets off the internet by the dozen, but library worksheets are rare unless you buy them at a teacher tool store. What I've done is come up with things I think these children ought to know and teach them that. Like:

1. The multiplication tables.

2. The fifty states, capitals, what year they were admitted to the union, etc. You can get lots of mileage out of the fifty states.

3. If it isn't on the standardized test they have to take at the end of the year to pass their grade, they may not learn it. One casualty of this is cursive writing.

4. I found out yesterday that the second graders have no dictionary skills.

5. For the little kids, fairy tales have gone by wayside. A couple of weeks ago I had a big time telling my kindergarteners The Three Pigs. They had a big time too!

I kind of enjoy thinking up what I believe kids ought to know, then teaching it to them. That's the good thing about the librarian not being under a specific curriculum. The only problem is coming up with the resources, because there are mostly just actual library books in here, and not that many teacher-resource type books. Next summer I can see I have a lot of planning to do. This year I'm having get ready for each week as it shows up, which is not something I'm crazy about. I like to be ready for things way ahead of time.