The Importance of Libraries in Charter Schools
The possible thesis is that there should be more libraries in charter schools to encourage reading culture and improve results. The notion that libraries are costly and redundant is unacceptable and should be denied to ensure that more buildings are designed and furnished inside charter schools. Any of the search keywords include "Charter School Vacuum," "Charter School Libraries," and "The Value of Libraries." Obviously, browsing through the internet using the words mentioned above produces a number of results that need to be narrowed down. As such, the two key terms to be taken into account are "charter schools" and "libraries."
The Use of Secondary Sources
One of the sources that will be quite instrumental in this research is “The Void in Charter Schools,” by Maria Traska. It is a secondary source in that whatever is entailed in the article was done ascertained by the author. Primary sources include face-to-face interviews, questionnaires, focus groups, or experiments. On the other hand, secondary sources rely on the primary sources since they do not entail firsthand information. In that regard, the resourceful article that will be utilized to substantiate the claim that charter schools require libraries is a secondary one. What makes this source credible is the fact that it is entailed in the American Libraries, which is a resourceful database containing articles on various topics. As such, it has been approved by the relevant experts (Traska, 2013).
The Impact of Libraries on Student Performance
The claim that charter schools require libraries is elaborated by the article which queries, “How can kids develop a love for reading without a library to nurture them?” Drawing from this query, it is evident that children are faced with substantial challenges in schools since they are not exposed to reading materials. As entailed in this resource, an adequately furnished library can improve student performance. The article further dwells on research from Stephen Krashen, Stanford University’s Research Center for Education Results, which affirm that a sufficiently stuffed library with adequate resources can considerably boost learning irrespective of the student’s situation (Traska, 2013).
Utilizing Primary Sources for Accuracy
As a way to make the findings more accurate, this study will also utilize primary sources in terms of questionnaires and interviews. For instance, questionnaires will be provided to some of the individuals with kids in charter schools, tutors, and even students. Interviews with policymakers and school heads will also be used to substantiate the claim regarding libraries in charter schools. For the claim to be verified, both primary and secondary sources will be utilized to provide the history and current situation in charter schools. As the secondary source implies, there are no libraries in charter schools. The first-hand experience with my daughter is a resourceful element that can be utilized to substantiate the claim. After three years in school, she still has reading and writing problems, perhaps due to the lack of libraries in their school.
The Gap Between Charter Schools and Public Institutions
As Maria Traska’s article illustrates, over 2.3 million kids attended charter schools in the 2012/2013 academic year. However, only 51 percent of the charter schools had libraries as compared to 92 percent for traditional public schools (Traska, 2013). Evidently, this source will be quite helpful in illustrating the gap between charter schools and other public institutions regarding libraries. The gap may also typify the educational difference between students who go through charter schools and those who go to public institutions. Overall, the study aims to bridge this gap by advocating for libraries to be constructed and furnished within the charter schools. This will improve learning in these institutions as students will develop a love for reading and researching, which are instrumental elements in the current globe.
References
Traska, M. R. (2013, August 7). The Void in Charter Schools: How can kids develop a love for reading without a library to nurture them? Retrieved from https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2013/08/07/the-void-in-charter-schools/
