How Parents of Home Schooled Students Can Get Their Children to Use the Library

How Parents of Home Schooled Students Can Get Their Children to Use the Library. Describes lessons and activities that can help home schooled children learn to use the local public library.



From the site:



Let's Use the Library!



The local public library is a valuable resource for parents who are home schooling their children. Despite this, many of them fail to take advantage of the resources offered by the library. Further, many home schooled students are resistant to using a library if they are accustomed to getting all of their research from the Web.



Most public libraries offer a wide variety of children's books and magazines, with many in Spanish and other languages. In addition to printed materials, libraries often lend audiotapes and videocassettes of children's' books and movies, and more libraries are making computers available to the public. Many libraries also sponsor special programs, including children's story hours, summer reading programs, and homework help. If your child has special needs, be sure to ask about services the library offers for the blind, the deaf, and those who are gifted or need remedial help. Many libraries have specially trained librarians for children. Feel free to ask them for help.



Here are a few lesson plans and ideas that can help a parent get a home schooled child into the library:



- Include children--even toddlers--in trips to the library, and go often.

- As soon as you can, help your child get a library card.

- Borrow recordings of children's stories and songs, cassette tapes, compact discs, videotapes, even puppets and educational toys.

- Find out if your library has computers and how your children can use them to learn or upgrade skills.

- Encourage your children to use the library to find information for their homework.

- Encourage your children to ask for help from you and the librarian in finding books and materials.

- Work with the librarian to teach older children how to find things in the library on their own.

- Teach your children how to take care of themselves in public places, especially if they use the library alone. Stress common sense guidelines for behavior in the library.