Yen-Chen Liu

LLED 6000
2014/5/1
Reader Reflection
Curator of Books
Service Learning Field Report: Athens Clarke County Library

LLED 5210. Children's Literature& Oral Language Gr4-8 encourages learners of

children's literature to explore this field in depth and width. Every week we have to
read different genres of children's books and have exercises to reflect on those
contents. Then, we need to fulfill service, observing how children learn children's
literature in class. In short, students have preliminary understandings of children's
literature in education in this class.

In Barbara A. Lehmans Children's Literature and Learning: literacy study

across the curriculum (2007), teachers are described as curators of literature
According to the statement, teachers (curators) are required to be highly
knowledgeable on particular works and also their connections to the wider world. And
teachers (curators) are becoming increasing proficient and enjoyable as they teaches
more literature for children. I consider this idea innovative, yet most of the time
curators do not have a first-hand contact with visitors, so teachers as curators seems
to be an ideal blueprint for educators. For me, it is better to say that teachers as
translators of children's literature. However, I find out that the authors three
suggestions can be taken in UGA. First, our Miller Learning Center has a Book Club
on childrens books. Second, we have annual Conference on Children's Literature and
Georgia Children's Book Awards. Third, students can take graduate courses in
children's and young adult literature in RWCDL program in UGA. That is, students
can be professional teachers of children's literature in UGA.

This semester I choose to be a volunteer in the Athens Clarke County Library, to

see how Latino American children learn to read. The project is conducted in English
as well as in Spanish. In this program, I have a chance to communicate with those
parents and children, to closely observe bilingual families in America. The program is
to give Latino children an opportunity to be exposed to bilingual childrens books in
the Athens Clarke County Library.

Besides my children's literature class and the idea of Curator of Books, I explore

my learning service in the Athens Clarke County Library. The program has some
activities for children and parents to participate in. First of all, the library provides
dinner for all. It is a time for all of us to talk with one another, among the participants
and the organizers. After then, librarians and organizers would like to take both
children and parents to tour the library (the first time) and in the following weeks,
present some bilingual books. Then children will be divided into two groups:
preschool group and students who have already attended elementary school. The tutor
uses some methods to teach preschool children primary Spanish, such as singing
Spanish songs on number, asking students the colors of animals in books, or pointing
to some objects in English and lets them translate them into Spanish. For the latter
group, our instructors have read aloud, performances, and other interactive activities,
in order to inspire students the arts of language. I also see that I can become a better
tutor for Latino American children when I am a passionate reader. To conclude, my
class participation, the idea of Curator of Books, and my service allow me to
explore children's literature in educational dimensions and ponder on what I can
devote myself in this field.