[MOSAIC] Special Picture Book "Basket"

[Renee]

On Aug 1, 2007, at 11:53 AM, SDCTeacher at aol.com wrote:

> As I am setting up my room, I am once more stuck with a dilemma, and 
> that's
> whether or not to let my students have access to all of my picture 
> books, even
>  the ones that I know I will use for mini lessons in either reading or
> writing.  Right now I have a special basket of these books that I keep 
>  behind my
> desk.

I have always, always, always had some selected pictures books in a 
bookshelf near my desk, accessible only to me. I don't feel guilty 
about this. These are books I might want to read aloud but keep 
separate from the classroom library for a number of reasons:  the text 
might be well beyond "grade level" or the content needs discussion, or 
perhaps I just don't think they need to be accessible all the time, or 
they might be seasonal or specific.  These are some of my own personal 
books and, frankly, I don't want them torn, dirtied, or misused. They 
are mine.

Now, I also have a fairly extensive classroom library which I 
supplement with public library books to beef up thematic content during 
thematic units, and in some cases there are copies of the same books 
"out" in the student baskets and bookshelves.

I won't apologize or feel guilty for being realistic. :-)
Renee  (who is gearing up for Kindergarten this year)

"I take my work seriously, but it's not the only thing that exists in 
the world."
~ Viggo Mortensen