Can We Pick Sticks?

#sol19- March 6, 2019

Before school starts students drop off their backpacks and go out to play, but every day there are a few who creep in to return books before hurrying off to join their friends.

Once the bell rings the classroom fills and soon I hear, “Can we pick sticks?”

“Not yet,” I respond.

After morning meeting I hear it again, “Can we pick sticks?”

“Later,” I answer.

Throughout the day there is the same chorus. During quiet time a few know the routine and just grab what they want, knowing that they will need to return it later.

Finally, when everyone is getting restless I ask, “Jackson, can you spread them out?”

Jackson eagerly does and the stick picking begins. I call out names from the cup where all names are written on popsicle sticks. One at a time there are cheers when students hear their name and make their selection. There are groans when someone chooses what a classmate had their eye on. Before long the sticks are all chosen and happy students go out to their backpack to stow their new book.

When books are new to the classroom they are usually in high demand, so the only fair way to distribute them is to pick sticks. Then students borrow the book for a night or two and return it to the pile for other lucky readers. Last weekend I was in Bangkok and I bought 12 new books for the classroom. Monday was extra exciting. Here we are two days later and many of the books were back in circulation joining the other “hot reads” who waited for a name to be called.