When I was a student I visited an elementary school media center where something happened that left an impression on me. A class was coming in and the media specialist told me that it was a "low" class. Obviously I belong in a "low" class because I turned around expecting the kids to be doing the limbo as they walked through the door. Instead it turned out that the students in the class were struggling academically, thus the "low" title. The classroom teacher immediately started yelling at a girl about a book that she had returned and claimed that she had read it. She had not read the book and the teacher was very angry about her lie. I started shelving books and I could not help but overhear the teacher demanding that the girl check out another book in the same series shouting, "this time you are going to read this book!" So much for free choice.
After I shelved the books I looked around the library and I spotted the girl sitting alone at a table looking at the new book that she had checked out. I walked over to her and casually asked what she was reading. She held up two books. I sat down with her and she told me that her teacher was reading one of the books to the entire class. She said she really liked the book. Then she grumbled about the book that her teacher made her check out. I picked it up and started critiquing the cover design—the art teacher in me makes me do this! I read the book's description out loud. I then opened the book and started reading it, thinking if I could get her started that maybe she would become interested. I did my best to read aloud so that the text would seem fresh and exciting, but unfortunately the book started out majorly dull. All the names were foreign and hard to pronounce. At one point the girl asked if I pronounced a name correctly and I said, "probably not." She suggested we substitute the name Peter instead and I thought that was a pretty clever idea. She followed along as I read and it was obvious that she could read well and pay attention. The problem was that the book was B O R I N G. I wouldn't read it if you paid me. It was clear to me that she returned the other book from the series because she didn't like it. I stopped reading and admitted to her that unfortunately she was stuck reading this book. I couldn't say anything to the teacher; I was a guest. There was nothing I could do for this poor girl. I would give the other educators present in the media center that day a "low" grade.
What is wrong with returning a book that you don't like? She lied about reading it because she was afraid that she would get in trouble. It wasn't a smart move, but she is a kid.
Yesterday I substitute taught at a middle school. A student came up to me in class and asked if she could go to the media center. I asked her why and she told me she wanted to return a book because she didn't like it. I asked to see it. I looked at the cover, read the back, and scanned a few pages. I told her that I understood (and I did) and to go pick out something else. I made a few suggestions too. I hope she found something she likes.
