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...

      

Getting ready for the new year

      So 2014 is almost here.  I have decided not to make any personal New Year's resolutions because... well because I usually last about 20 days.  Then I dive into a bag of Cheetos, sleep in rather than walk, and watch all the healthy but perishable food wilt away in my refrigerator.
      But this year is promising a grand adventure.  The librarian in me always has to plan, plan, plan so I can prepare for what is to come.  In looking over my research of the past few weeks I realized I am reading A LOT of blogs.  Many of them are award winning from other librarians and several of them written by moms who are trying to juggle work and home successfully.
      And then my lightbulb went off!  Maybe someone needs to hear my journey.  My triumphs and successes and my attempts and inevitable failures.  My thoughts and feelings with honesty and humor.
        Welcome to the Scattered thoughts of the Marble-less Librarian.