Inclusion in the Mathews Elementary School Library

 Inclusion in the Mathews Elementary School Library

Beth Beale - School Librarian

    At Mathews Elementary School, 51.4% of the student population are African American, 27.2% are White, 18.5% are Hispanic, and 2.3% are Multiracial. 100% of the students are on free or reduced lunch (Niche, n.d.). Niche.com states: "According to state test scores, 36% of students are at least proficient in math and 36% in reading" (n.d.). Beale and a first grade teacher reported an increase in reading scores over the past two years. The scores have improved so noticeably that teachers from other districts are coming to observe ELA lessons being taught at Mathews to implement them in their own district. I chose to ask Beale about the AASL shared foundation of inclusion due to the diversity within the school district and based off my observation when observing a few of her classes.

    One way that Beale is incorporating the learner competencies of inclusion within the Mathews Elementary School Library is through her book displays. Beale displayed books with characters on the front cover that represented the students in the school. Beale tries her best to do read aloud of diverse characters and themes. Resources in the library include a diverse collection of books and materials, some sensory "friends," which are stuffed animals to help soothe sensory seekers, and adaptive seating. There are bean bags and chairs to chose from. Beale states that it can sometimes be a challenge to implement inclusion and that it has to be a conscious effort to do so. She wants there to be something for everyone which can sometimes be difficult when on a fixed schedule with that many classes. It can take a lot of planning, but it is worth it.

    There was a deaf student in one of my observations of one of the lessons in the library. The student interacted with the book that Beale displayed on a large screen in the lesson center. The student continuously went up to the board and pointed to the turkey, "finding" the turkey in the story each time! Beale interacted with the student using some of the sign language she knew. 

    In my future library, I plan to make a conscious effort to promote inclusion by providing lessons featuring diverse characters and themes. I hope to provide my students with a diverse set of perspectives and viewpoints from the time they enter the library until they leave. I also hope to collaborate and share with teachers about the importance of representation in books and lessons that they can carry over in their classrooms.

Mathews Elementary School in Greenwood, SC. Niche. (n.d.). https://www.niche.com/k12/mathews-elementary-school-greenwood-sc/