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Civic Engagement
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From: Karen Leggett <leggett_at_comcast.net>
Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2012 18:00:58 -0400
I would encourage teachers and librarians to consider using Skype to discuss shared books and issues around civic engagement with students across state and even international boundaries.Susan Roth and I had the interesting and thought-provoking opportunity to organize a Skype session while celebrating the launch of our new book, /Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books./ It is the story of Egyptian protesters holding hands around the great library in Alexandria to protect it from vandals during last year's revolution.
The subject of the book opens the door to a discussion of all the reasons Egyptians were protesting -- and the role of the library in promoting values like free speech, free assembly and voting in a democracy.
The Skype session included 9-11 year olds at Burgundy Farm School in Alexandria, VA, and at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt. The American students heard the Egyptian librarian speak of voting for the first time, and "saying yes or no without any fear." An Egyptian youngster asked the Americans, "What does democracy mean to you?""People are the government," said one boy. Another noted that in a democracy "any individual person can make a difference."
There are more discussion topics on our website and other books being shared on this list could also be the basis for such cross-cultural or inter-state discussions - from fourth grade right through high school or college.
Karen Leggett
Leggett_at_comcast.net
Author, /*Hands Around the Library */Co-Author/illustrator Susan L. Roth/ /
/www.handsaroundthelibrary.com /
Received on Fri 05 Oct 2012 06:00:58 PM CDT
Date: Fri, 05 Oct 2012 18:00:58 -0400
I would encourage teachers and librarians to consider using Skype to discuss shared books and issues around civic engagement with students across state and even international boundaries.Susan Roth and I had the interesting and thought-provoking opportunity to organize a Skype session while celebrating the launch of our new book, /Hands Around the Library: Protecting Egypt's Treasured Books./ It is the story of Egyptian protesters holding hands around the great library in Alexandria to protect it from vandals during last year's revolution.
The subject of the book opens the door to a discussion of all the reasons Egyptians were protesting -- and the role of the library in promoting values like free speech, free assembly and voting in a democracy.
The Skype session included 9-11 year olds at Burgundy Farm School in Alexandria, VA, and at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt. The American students heard the Egyptian librarian speak of voting for the first time, and "saying yes or no without any fear." An Egyptian youngster asked the Americans, "What does democracy mean to you?""People are the government," said one boy. Another noted that in a democracy "any individual person can make a difference."
There are more discussion topics on our website and other books being shared on this list could also be the basis for such cross-cultural or inter-state discussions - from fourth grade right through high school or college.
Karen Leggett
Leggett_at_comcast.net
Author, /*Hands Around the Library */Co-Author/illustrator Susan L. Roth/ /
/www.handsaroundthelibrary.com /
Received on Fri 05 Oct 2012 06:00:58 PM CDT
