Reflection+Product

For the most accurate description of my project [book drive] from start to finish, please refer to the journal I kept throughout with my personal thoughts and reactions, as well as everything I accomplished. I did not say any particular goals in terms of how many books I hoped to collect, because I honestly did not know what to respect – I had no idea how members of the community would respond to my drive. Thus, I did not want to pull a random number out of the air, per say. However, I did aim to appeal to both the school population and the neighborhood community, both of which I did through flyers, announcements, advertisements, etc. I also planned to donate all proceeds from the drive to Philadelphia Reads, which would in turn make the books available to teachers and librarians from underprivileged schools in the Philadelphia. Just this week, I personally delivered all 496 books I collected to the organization. One goal I had was to involve the whole school in the efforts. This was slightly more difficult to achieve. Though I made flyers and hung them around the school, I could see that the flyers were not bringing about results. So, I wrote an announcement and had the drive advertised every morning throughout November. Though the increased advertising didn’t really help the cause, at least I tried multiple forms of connecting with the students. Looking back, perhaps I could have used some form of social media – facebook, email, etc. – to alert people of my project. I am however, extremely proud that I met my personal goal of involving the entire community. I knew I would probably have more luck collecting in the township library, but by going door-to-door with flyers, hanging some up in places such as Acme, and making handouts available to all library patrons, I feel the community really responded enthusiastically. Through my research and hands-on experience, I learned a lot about the reading process in children. I have been fortunate enough to witness the children’s librarian at the Free Library of Springfield Township interact with little kids when reading and discussing picture books, and now I more fully understand the reason behind the questions she asks and the emotion she portrays. It is important to encourage children to develop a love of reading from a young age, in order to allow them to remain proficient in school, when the focus often shifts, especially in the early grades, to pronunciation and vocabulary rather than content alone. These aspects are important as well, but a balance between all elements must be achieve for the most beneficial experience. Additionally, read-aloud sessions with children, set up in a specific format with emphasis on pre and post-reading discussions, allow children to connect to their personal experiences and explore a higher caliber of thinking. I have always known myself to be a diligent worker. However, this project really helped me in terms of time management. Often times I am able to complete a project fairly close to the due date, but my book drive and research products allowed me to understand the importance of meeting a deadline. I have never completed a project that occurred over such an extended period of time. It has also allowed me to become more confident when talking to and interacting with professional adults. Though it is sometimes difficult to focus in class, I have become better at blocking out what is going on around me and concentrating solely on what needs to be done. I enjoyed being able to focus on something – reading – that was so important to me as a child. I now appreciate my parents and teachers even more so because I realize all they have done for me throughout the crucial stages of development. My love and understanding of reading will be helpful when I am completing volunteer service at the library, particularly during programs for kids. Meeting deadlines and managing time and multiple aspects of a project is something I know I will have to do in college when taking multiple classes, so I am glad to have had the opportunity to ‘practice’ now, per say. Additionally, I know that public speaking is something that is important to almost every career choice. Thus, the actual presentation part of the project will prepare me for college and beyond.