So I started the year with a powerful bang. Embracing my online presence, answering Library Girl's questions, tweeting instead of just lurking, etc. I even got a reply tweet from the Daring Librarian about my QR scavenger hunt. I solidly karate chopped the beginning of 2014.
And then I disappeared. Literally and virtually. This Marbleless Librarian had an awesome collection of resources, an incredible assistant who was an even better friend, teachers that would collaborate or at least cooperate, a technology facilitator who was calm and intelligent, was flipping her instruction, friends on staff that could always be counted on, and had kids who loved to talk books and life with her. Then I walked away at the end of January. Professionally it was the hardest thing I had ever done.
North Carolina was getting snow when I was supposed to tell my faculty and kids. If you are somewhere that regularly gets snow you cannot understand what a 1 inch snow can do in the south. Everything stops. I had delayed sharing my news because at the top of my list of things I don't do well is change. It is painful. Every kind look or hug sent me into tears when only 5 people knew. I was trying to guard my heart from, well I don't know from what. Hurt perhaps. Turns out it was an effort in futility. The worst is there are people, especially kids that I never got to share the news with and I know I hurt them. Way too much hurt going around when I regularly go out of my way, even to my own detriment to not hurt others.
Don't worry - I didn't leave the profession. This is not a political tirade. I traded in my almost perfect job to have more time with my son by being much closer to home. Every mother I have ever met said you will sacrifice for your child and I now get it.
After 17 years in middle school I am now in high school. I traded my new school for a 1960s model. A suburban population for a rural. It is so very different. Which brings me to why I am virtually back. Rather than hiding and figuring this out on my own which is what I tend to do when I feel overwhelmed, I am reaching out. Reaching out to you. I cannot do this by myself and sometime this morning when I finally had a very cathartic cry from being overwhelmed I remembered you were right here. Ready to help because that is what MCs do.
The MC who retired tried to prepare me but knowing what is coming and living it are quite different. Last week at my total circulation was...5. :( It appears the former MC had been tired and when the common core rolled out she decided to let someone else figure out how to get teachers and students in the library. Oh and for fun lets launch a 1:1 initiative as she retires and I arrive. My husband caught me cursing a chromebook in my sleep last night. I am dispelling the sexy librarian stereotype all on my own.
This afternoon I went back to Library Girl's 11 questions and had a conversation with my principal. Here is the answer to question 8 - Turns out the 1:1 initiative is affecting his sleep too. (maybe just not the same way) Library Girl and Doug Johnson are doing great research that should help me get a handle on those chromebooks. My principal needs help getting all the faculty to buy in - especially the math department. He wants the library to be the hub of the school and knows I am going to need some help. So we are giving the media center a facelift. Painters are coming and art and some comfy chairs. But I need to get kids back. Help me please. What has worked for you? Any epic fails I should avoid at all costs? I can find many exemplary programs but I just need little starting pieces to make this seemingly overwhelming task start to shrink.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Saturday, January 4, 2014
Spreading the word
I am still working my way through Library Girl's 11 questions. I have discovered that the questions where I had immediate answers also showed the areas where I am very comfortable. Then I realized there were a few questions which were just second nature to me and that I do without conscious effort. So here are a few more answers, some with more complex answers than others.
#6 How will you share this data with your administrators and community? My technology facilitator just wrote the local newspapers about our 8th grade students creating ebooks as their alternative energy research projects. The truth - I thought it was a waste of time. But since two papers ran stories on the projects and the NCLE picked up what was happening we have received more feedback from our county administrators than ever. (Click here to read article) We even had email from South Dakota this week. Not bad for our simple project in North Carolina. While I loathe begging for attention, I am going to have to solicit the media. Having other teacher librarian's know my thoughts won't keep our jobs. The public and the lawmakers knowing will help me stay employed and keep me doing what is best for our kids. So 2014 may be the year of the press release.
#3 How will you use student data to make instructional and programmatic decisions? I have always informally gathered data from my students - asking their opinions on lessons, having a book request box, allowing them to recommend books to each other, etc. I have listened to my teachers saying our low readers cannot access the literature their peers can and found hi-lo readers, exciting reads, audio books, and the like to add to the collection. Now I have to make the jump to looking at testing data and looking for correlations between those who check out books or participate in library activities and test scores. (How I loathe testing and what it has done to teaching, but I digress) Time to prove my worth to help silence those who look for reasons to lose TLs. Oops that accidentally answered #5 How will you connect the dots between your work and student learning?. Hooray!
# 7 How will you ensure your diverse population sees themselves in your space (as well as in your collection)? I have to admit I talked to a friend about this one and she laughed at me when I didn't know what else to do. Apparently I was overthinking this one. My displays reflect our different cultures throughout the year. Cultures helps encompass race, nationality, hobbies, and interests. The collection does the same. This is one of those I do it without thinking about it too much.
I must be off. My little man is wanting to check all the flashlights in the house just in case we ever get snow this winter. Til next time...
#6 How will you share this data with your administrators and community? My technology facilitator just wrote the local newspapers about our 8th grade students creating ebooks as their alternative energy research projects. The truth - I thought it was a waste of time. But since two papers ran stories on the projects and the NCLE picked up what was happening we have received more feedback from our county administrators than ever. (Click here to read article) We even had email from South Dakota this week. Not bad for our simple project in North Carolina. While I loathe begging for attention, I am going to have to solicit the media. Having other teacher librarian's know my thoughts won't keep our jobs. The public and the lawmakers knowing will help me stay employed and keep me doing what is best for our kids. So 2014 may be the year of the press release.
#3 How will you use student data to make instructional and programmatic decisions? I have always informally gathered data from my students - asking their opinions on lessons, having a book request box, allowing them to recommend books to each other, etc. I have listened to my teachers saying our low readers cannot access the literature their peers can and found hi-lo readers, exciting reads, audio books, and the like to add to the collection. Now I have to make the jump to looking at testing data and looking for correlations between those who check out books or participate in library activities and test scores. (How I loathe testing and what it has done to teaching, but I digress) Time to prove my worth to help silence those who look for reasons to lose TLs. Oops that accidentally answered #5 How will you connect the dots between your work and student learning?. Hooray!
# 7 How will you ensure your diverse population sees themselves in your space (as well as in your collection)? I have to admit I talked to a friend about this one and she laughed at me when I didn't know what else to do. Apparently I was overthinking this one. My displays reflect our different cultures throughout the year. Cultures helps encompass race, nationality, hobbies, and interests. The collection does the same. This is one of those I do it without thinking about it too much.
I must be off. My little man is wanting to check all the flashlights in the house just in case we ever get snow this winter. Til next time...
Thursday, January 2, 2014
Breaking stereotypes
When last we left out hero she was working on Library Girl's questions. So maybe hero is too strong a term but I have always wanted to use that phrase. So I am working on my online presence and growing my virtual PLN. So far so good. The encouragement from library girl did help.
Jennifer's question 8 is How will you dispel negative/outdated library stereotypes? Number one, I don't run a quiet library except when necessary. We talk about books sometimes quietly, sometimes with great gestures across the library. My media center has music playing. I leave the library. I help find resources. Not just books - resources. Ebooks through NCWiseowl, websites, primary source documents, audio clips, etc. Now I need to plan to collaborate regularly rather than letting it happen organically or by chance. Now I need to reach back out to the teachers who haven't let me help before at least one more time. I won't just create and deliver instruction, I will help assess. On a much lighter note, I will buy at least one pair of shoes that are not sensible since I simply must have my glasses and the occasional cardigan.
Jennifer's question 8 is How will you dispel negative/outdated library stereotypes? Number one, I don't run a quiet library except when necessary. We talk about books sometimes quietly, sometimes with great gestures across the library. My media center has music playing. I leave the library. I help find resources. Not just books - resources. Ebooks through NCWiseowl, websites, primary source documents, audio clips, etc. Now I need to plan to collaborate regularly rather than letting it happen organically or by chance. Now I need to reach back out to the teachers who haven't let me help before at least one more time. I won't just create and deliver instruction, I will help assess. On a much lighter note, I will buy at least one pair of shoes that are not sensible since I simply must have my glasses and the occasional cardigan.
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