CLCD Through the Eyes of a College Student

CLCD Through the Eyes of a College Student
By: Natalie Hahn, Sophomore, Education major 
 

The use of children’s literature in education is no longer limited to the language arts classroom. Rather, the power of reading can be harnessed to reinforce learning in every content area. Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database provides teachers an incredible resource that allows them to find the literature that will best serve their students’ needs.

I am a work study employee in the Curriculum Library at Liberty University. This position has opened my eyes to a variety of resources that I was not aware of previously. Circulation of textbooks, teacher resource materials, non-fiction, and different levels of fiction have brought to my attention both old and new books that I plan to use in my future classroom. In addition to the physical elements offered by the university library, its website also promotes the benefits of electronic research through online databases. One such database that is listed and sponsored is the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database (CLCD).

Several of my class projects benefit from the use of CLCD. As a student in the elementary education program, I am currently in what is known as “the literacy block” at my school. The first class, “Teaching Reading,” emphasizes phonics, phonological awareness, and strategies for developing literacy. The second class, “Teaching Language Arts,” highlights the six different forms of language arts: reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, and visually representing. The final class is an experiential practicum in the classroom. This can either be fulfilled in a local public school setting or through the opportunity to teach in Jamaica over spring break. I was blessed with the latter option this year. In Jamaica, I showed students the many applications of summarization through simple picture books, chapter books, book synopses, character analysis, and songs. CLCD was instrumental in helping me find appropriate material for all of these classes.

What then is the role of Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database for English students and how can aspiring teachers (education majors) take full advantage of the services CLCD offers? Last semester, I took an English course dedicated to the exploration and discussion of a variety of children’s literature titles and genres. Two of my major projects for this class included a group presentation on the genre of science fiction and an individual research paper comparing the backgrounds of P. L. Travers and J. M. Barrie and their psychological influence on Mary Poppins and Peter Pan respectively. For me, the reality is that my world revolves around literacy. If our education systems are to reflect this truth, teachers must be equipped to locate materials that will both encourage and challenge their students as they grow.

CLCD offers teachers the discovery of countless pieces of applicable literature. Its specific search fields allow for results to be directly tailored to each individual student. Ultimately, CLCD opens the door for educators to a broad spectrum of available materials through which a love for literacy is kindled.