A Great Idea...
The lines below triggered this blog post and memories flooded my day...Indeed this is a wonderful conception...
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- New media centers in libraries for teens aim to extend learning beyond classroom
- Learning labs reflect shifting role of library to community center of active learning
- Many teen learning labs include recording equipment, workshops, A/V production
(CNN) -- On the third floor of the Nashville Public Library downtown branch, past the hushed rows of monochrome bookshelves and solid wood furniture, a door leads to a place where adult patrons are not welcome.
Instead of silence, laughter and chatter fills the room. Colorful bookshelves line the wall, holding graphic novels, manga comics and self-help books on bullying and applying to college. Teens sit in circles talking, reading and doing homework. Others play video games on their phones or on gaming consoles attached to televisions.
They talk and play games and do classwork/homework
They play music and sing in the library...GREAT!
They write and recite poetry...and Shakespeare...Wonderful
I came across this in the main stream media...
Read...again...
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- New media centers in libraries for teens aim to extend learning beyond classroom
- Learning labs reflect shifting role of library to community center of active learning
- Many teen learning labs include recording equipment, workshops, A/V production
(CNN) -- On the third floor of the Nashville Public Library downtown branch, past the hushed rows of monochrome bookshelves and solid wood furniture, a door leads to a place where adult patrons are not welcome.
Instead of silence, laughter and chatter fills the room. Colorful bookshelves line the wall, holding graphic novels, manga comics and self-help books on bullying and applying to college. Teens sit in circles talking, reading and doing homework. Others play video games on their phones or on gaming consoles attached to televisions.
***
While reading the above...
I remembered...
While growing up, my teachers impressed on us the age old adage… “Silence
is golden…” Of course, that was another way of insisting… “Shut up…” or “Keep
quiet…” or “Do not talk…” And this in turn was, of course, another way of insisting;
“Listen to me…and learn what I instruct...”
In all the academic facilities that I have been as a visitor or as a
teacher… be it higher learning, high school or simply a library…I have been
instructed to observe the rules and discipline and be quite…
Sometimes the librarian has “sh...sh....sh...”- ed us and held the index to the lips and other times kicked us out
because of loud talk…
After so many “kick out”s I abandoned the libraries...I did not like the
“golden silence” imposed on me by my elders…I felt more comfortable in the
university coffee bar…I had my table and my friends knew where to locate me…(remember,
we did not have mobiles…in those days…)
I wrote the best short stories in that coffee bar…and my thoughts
provoked the elders and they in turn gave me trouble…This was a beautiful
dialectic between youth and elders…This is the dialectic which propels society forward and
elevates it to higher peaks…
At times the principle admonished me, “If teachers to not observe the
rules, what do we expect of the students…?” Of course this was a rhetorical
question and she/he did not expect an answer…They wanted me to obey their dictate
… I did not heed…and that made me a pariah among the elder population…I did not
care much… After all, there should be exceptions to the rule…
…And now I run across an article that introduced a library…where part of
the facilities are off bounds to elders…Wonderful!
- The young people have colourful stacks and a different set up…
- They can sit on the carpet on the floor…
- They can read and complete their homework the way they feel comfortable with noise and music…
- They can use the computers and play games and do their classwork…
- Every week they organize poetry readings and friendly competitions open to the youth…
- They read stories aloud and have discussions…while others read and do their classwork…
- They play music while others learn and play video games...
Beautiful and intelligent…I love the idea…It is a GREAT innovation for
learning…
I always think that we may convert the hallways to learning facilities…where
the “hallway people” learn IN THEIR OWN WAY…and not disturb the classroom
people…
But admin and teacher must be convinced…and to convince them is a HUGE
PROBLEM…Mediocre people want their own way…Their power…and the rules and
regulations keep them in power…
To be quiet and keep silence is to conform to the “old ways”…and
perpetuate mediocrity…That is why Einstein dropped out…
This idea of youth libraries is a wonderful innovation…May be every high
school and university should emulate it…
Meanwhile….
The youth has the “divine right” to refuse to obey and rebel agains
everything which does not make sense…
The youth must rebel against unreasonable and illogical advice and
instructions…
Youth rebellion is a God given right…Whatever is not logical must be out…But
be aware…Whatever is not logical to you, may be logical to another…
Remember: There are more than one right…You’re correct, but so is the
other…
Rebel and discuss and debate and resolve…
What follows in the box is a sad note that a young friend emailed me recently…and while I
was writing about the wonderful idea of youth libraries…I decided to include it
too…Read below…and remember if you do not rebel and refuse…YOU WILL BE PART OF
THEM…or JUST LIKE THEM…
Hello Sir,
I know I have not
been very active for the past few months, but there really hasn't been anything
to talk about. However, recently a situation at school got me quite upset with
teachers but most importantly students.
Let me explain. One
of my classes had a quiz, a student was caught cheating... everyone was
stunned, the teacher ordered that the quiz must be re-done. The teacher did not
give a reason to why, but we all assumed because of the cheater. As students
usually do, we wined and complained about how it isn't fair. Which in my
opinion it wasn't. Why should the whole class and the other period class have
to rewrite the quiz because of the cheater. I understand that life isn't fair,
but in some situations it is very easy to make it fair. Anyways, the students
were furious and did not want to rewrite it, I was one of those students... BUT
even though everyone was saying they didn't want to...they still did... I stood
my ground and refused to write it, I did not do anything to deserve this...
Punish the ones who deserve to be punished. After the teacher said that it
wasn't only the cheater's fault... she mentioned that the quiz was the same
from previous years and that others may have had it... HOW IS THAT THE STUDENTS
FAULT. The teacher even told us at the beginning of the year that the quizzes
and tests are different and there is no point of looking at the old ones... and
even if they are the same, the teacher is taking that risk of being too lazy to
come up with a new quiz... Even though I think the actions of the teacher are
completely wrong, I still don't really care for the teacher as it is near
impossible to object them. What I am most angry about is how the students
responded. They did not stand up for themselves, they let the teacher walk and
laugh all over them. Later the teacher talked to me and said I was the only one
that didn't rewrite it, and for some reason I was proud of that... I stepped up
for myself, I did not want to be cheated. I just wish all students would have
stood up and said what was on their mind, just like how they stand up and
spread rumours like wild fires. It was the only way to stop the unfairness but
everyone was too scared.
In conclusion, I
think that the only way you can really succeed and achieve what you want is by
standing up and expressing your opinion, otherwise everyone will walk over you.
So what I'm trying to say is speak up, either if it's for world peace, peace in
your own country or something as meaningless as a quiz in highschool, make
yourself known and don't always be scared of the consequences, especially if
you know you're right.
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