Welcome to the Principal’s Office.

March 5, 2010




I remember our conference with the school principal before we started our second shifting; it was all about positive and negative comments; and suggestions.

One of my comments (not so bad, but it would be a big help), was about the school library. I give comments of the unused reading materials in the library.

By the way, let me describe first the mini-library of the school. A ‘Welcome to the Principal’s Office’ and a ‘Please come in’ would be the first sign to greet when you get inside the principal’s office where you will find the school library occupying a small portion of the office. Facing the door of this office are two cabinets where learning resources can be found such as unmovable (pardon of the word) dictionaries, complete volume of encyclopedia, story books and other reading materials. At the center is a round table with chairs.

When I opened this concern to the principal, she told me that the reading materials are just ready and waiting to be used by the students but no one dare to use them. She told me that one teacher conducted her storytelling activity in that library but the session just ended up there.

March 5, 2010, I approached the principal to borrow some reading materials for my lesson on library resources. She agreed. I decided not to use the library anymore for our discussion since it was too small to accommodate large class size. So, I just tour my students as motivation and have them bring complete volumes of encyclopedia and other reading materials for our classroom discussion.

I asked them, how many times they have ever visited the school library. Few answered once and the other said, not at all. And when I asked them why, they relied, “takot kami ki Principal.” I got the point. According to the principal, the reading materials are just waiting to be read by the students, but the mini-library is being affected the entire atmosphere of the Principal’s office which is not accommodating because of her strictness. So, instead of enjoying the freedom to read and have a research, students are afraid that they might be scolded by the principal.

I was embarrassed to see the books well-arranged yet being feasted by dust when we borrowed it at the library. I saw at their eyes how they have the eagerness to touch each of them and read so I told them; we will return the books before lunch so that you can read them during recess time. They were very happy.

When the bell rang, they run fast to get a volume of the books particularly encyclopedia. They were laughing at pictures they saw as they turned the pages and shared with their seatmates or friends. And then, they exchanged their books to the other classmates.

Before lunchtime, we returned the books on its original and depressing position, standing, stable, fixed and dying.