“Books are a uniquely portable magic.” This quote comes from famed author Stephen King. Speaking of books, let’s look at Fernando Rivera’s take. Fernando Rivera provides a huge variety of enrichments, including Read Runners, run by school librarian Nancy Zerner.
Students Yadira Huerta and Malachi Rivera were asked various questions regarding this enrichment.
Why did you choose this elective?
Yadira Huerta: I chose to select it because I love to read and I come here usually after school at lunch.
Malachi Rivera: Because I’m just used to the library. I was here last year, so I just kind of wanted to stay in the library.
Do you like this enrichment class?
YH: I like it because at the beginning we got to do free choice and then we started doing the play, which was pretty fun.
MR: I like it because it’s very easygoing and calm.
What new things have you learned in this enrichment?
YH: Yeah, the play about wayside stories from sideway school.
MR: Probably the play, I guess.
How is enrichment going for you?
YH: It’s going good.
MR: Yeah, it’s going good too.
Do you see yourself staying in this enrichment for the entire year? Yes or no, why or why not?
YH: I wouldn’t stay in it for my next enrichment because I’d like to try something new.
MR: I’m probably just going to stay here because I really like the library.
Is there anything you dislike about this enrichment?
YH: Everything’s pretty chill and fun.
MR: Yeah no, there’s nothing I dislike.
What is your favorite thing about this enrichment?
YH: Having a choice if you want to be a part of something or if you don’t
MR: Probably what she’s said.
Zerner was asked various questions about the Read Runners.
Why did you choose to teach this enrichment?
NZ: Because I think it’s important that kids have an opportunity to spend time in the library outside of their classes, to be more exposed to the books that we have here, to talk about books, and the library is always a really great gathering place, so it’s nice to have students be able to come here and feel comfortable that this is their second class.
How are you feeling about your enrichment class this year?
NZ: I think it was kind of piecemeal together at first. Students really wanted to come in and just do homework, and have a place to get their homework finished or read quietly, and then other students were busy doing other things and things because it’s like that at lunch, so it took a little wrangling to get them to a agree to do something together as a group, and it was challenging because time-wise, it was really not enough time to set things up and practice. As soon as you started, it was almost over, and then having it only three days a week versus four days a week, it just made it a little bit disjointed for us to come back on a Thursday after a Wednesday, and the same thing, Friday’s your last day and you don’t come back again until Tuesday. But I think overall it was successful because I think everybody here enjoyed it.
Are enrichments necessary?
NZ: I think it’s really important for students to have an option of doing things outside of the curriculum, but I also really think the time constraint wasn’t really helpful. I know that speaking to some teachers, some were too short in time and some had too much time, so I think I prefer personally, electives where you have a full period of a class that you choose. It would be wonderful to have a full-on music teacher. All year long, where they could do a drama or a glee or a jam session without it being so formal, and also maybe another kind of art where it’s more free-flowing art, or I know P.E. does kind of a curriculum, but more outdoor activities for kids. I also think it would be great to have outside people come in and teach because they specialize in it. So like having an outside person come in and teach a hip-hop class, or an outside person come in and do a chorus, or an outside person comes in. So I do think teachers, I know myself included, it just added a lot more work for their plate. So adding an extra prep, adding an extra thing you had to take care of. So I know that’s challenging for a lot of us, but overall I do think it’s important for students to be exposed to other fun things on campus.
Tell me what a typical day in enrichment is like?
NZ: A typical day would be coming in, they all want to be on their computers, they all want to do their homework, and then pulling them all together takes a few minutes to get them to focus on one activity, and the one activity we did are these three little plays. So a typical day would be getting everybody on the same page, getting everybody the same opportunity to share and do what they, you know, as a class. And then at the end, they have some free time to do homework or read or play together.
What is your goal for this class?
NZ: The goal for the class is to keep the library open for students to enjoy, and come in and do what they need to do to leave school at the end of the day, feeling like they were able to get their homework finished, or read, or play together, or talk, or communicate. I think that’s what the library is about through social.
Overall the Read Runner enrichment class is very serene and peaceful. Though it may be like this it can still provide a feeling of joy and happiness. This is only one enrichment class out of many, so my question is would you ever consider joining this enrichment?
