May 30, 2020
Above is a quote from a 1st grade student, shared during my first year at Dapplegray. I told her I was keeping it forever. We had been talking about books and how they were a way of taking a journey—and when we began talking about what a journey is, this is how she defined it. I found her comment to be an insightful observation from one with a mere six years or so of life experience to draw from. But ‘it’s a truth universally acknowledged,’ that you can learn a lot from listening to the kids when they are in the library. We have great conversations together, but they also have remarkable exchanges with each other. They sometimes sit in front of the books together, considering their selections, discussing their thoughts on things, revealing their curiosities, complexities, and their compassion. Libraries have a way of drawing out thoughts and ideas and encouraging sharing.
But it’s not only conversations over books. In fact, one of my favorite things in the library is the globe—it leads to so many wonderful conversations. It is a standard size model, sitting atop a tall stand—about eye level for your average 3rd grader. You’ve probably seen it if you’ve visited. When I began at the Dapplegray library last year, it was in a corner near the reference books. But as I began shifting some things around, I decided to put it up front by the check-out line where the kids could get a good look at it. After all, there is nothing like a globe for getting some perspective on the world. I can’t tell you how many conversations it has launched. There is not a day that goes by that the globe doesn’t spark curiosity, prompt a child to explore and ask questions, lead to a discussion about someone’s unique interests, or—one of my favorites—open up sharing between peers about culture and family. These conversations fill me with hope. Though we are making our way through challenging times, reflecting on the kids’ wonder and curiosity and their open excitement as they discover and share with each other, I have to say, when I see the journey through their eyes and the world in their hands, the future looks mighty bright.
~Miss Jess