And so it begins....part 2

The role of a library media educator is unique in so many ways.  We work with the entire school, supporting curricular roles of classroom teachers, and yet are the forgotten ones.  Few teachers have to advocate for their jobs on such a regular basis.  I wonder how many teachers would stick to it, if, on top of their lessons, they had to be advocates for their jobs.  Few other teachers are faced with blank looks of "What, exactly, do you teach?  The Dewey Decimal System?"

I will have to constantly re-invent my role.  However, looking at my life, that role will make me happy; I don't like doing the same thing day in and day out.  Ironically, that is the image most have of the job of a librarian.  They couldn't be more mistaken!

I have learned of so many amazing resources, I hope to keep them all straight.  I have started a Google Site that I intend to keep updated.  I am, however, already rethinking the format. 

Change is good!

Implementing change in the world is even better!

Take what you get and be happy!

"Take what you get and be happy" seems to be the attitude of many library professionals.  I have experienced both public library budget processes and elementary school library processes, and they both had that in common.  I, personally, tend to work with what I have.  However, after reading The Blue Skunk Blog, I had an epiphany.  I need...no...am morally required to do the best that I can for the school library because, in doing so, I am benefiting the entire school!

Advocacy, not customer service

Advocacy....such an important word.  It is amazing that I can be really good and really bad at it, simultaneously.  As my previous post stated, I have no trouble being enthusiastic about my role and about helping others with tech.  I see that as customer service, and, that is truly my talent.  True advocacy....fighting against opposition for what I believe.  That is not my comfort zone.  I was forced to do so, to clear up a misconception, and am so glad I did.  However, even as I was walking to the principal's office to have this important conversation, I nearly turned back.  I naturally want to keep my head down, do a good job, and hope that all will turn out well.  I have to change that tendency in myself. 

The AASL offers advocacy support that I must remember;

On my way!

I had opportunity in my very last education class to talk to beginning GTL students.  The purpose of the discussion was to present our online professional portfolios to them, so they can have an example of a completed one.  Two enlightening moments:

1.  Most I talked to had no idea what a teaching librarian was or what they would do!
2.  I ended up spending most of my portfolio discussion time explaining the exciting role of teaching librarians, or, alternatively, demonstrating cool tech tools they could use.  Sliderocket, Weebly, and Prezi were new to all the beginning GTL students.

As I review the discussion on being a technology advocate, I never realized how naturally I am one, or, how much I learned in the last 4 semesters.  I believe that I will do well integrating tech into the media specialist position.

Don't Panic, Stick to What I Know

In reflecting on the 21st-Century Services our library provides, the list is pretty thin.  As I read other posts, I realize I have a big job bringing the library into the 21st-Century.  I need to start with my strengths:  tech skills, programming skills, local connections.

Ideas:
CRAAP -
Tech Smackdown
Breakfast with Books (Collaborate with local bakery?)

For completely personal reasons, I have been going through some materials that I saved from my days as a Children's Librarian.  I had some great ideas:  Chocolate Fantasy Program, Gaming with Tweens (OK, not really my idea, I was just the implementer), a drum line in the library!  I will have to connect that creativity to collaboration and content.

I floated the idea of self-checkout, and was surprised at how quickly it was shot down.  I heard everything from the possibility of errors to students intentionally checking items out on the wrong account.  Am I too optimistic?  The most careful students we have are the youngest.  If they were scaffolded properly, I still believe it is possible.  Could there be errors?  Certainly.  Are we error-free now?  Certainly not.  I think I want to try it...it works for WalMart.

Hugo Cabret Lesson

Brian Selznick interview

Cost of Life

I found a wonderful opportunity for students to play an online game that will connect them to the global issue of poverty and how health and education impact a family's chance for survival.  The game is call Ayiti: Cost of Life.  This game has been developed by students working with software professionals to address issues of social justice.  The game will be a real chance for students to connect with a serious global issue, and then, hopefully, be inspired to TAKE ACTION.  In this way, they will learn to participate ethically in their world, and work to solve the problems they discover.  The game can be accessed through this ning:

Cost of Life Portal

Ayiti: Cost of Life

I have created a podcast that students would listen to before the lesson:

Coming together.....and falling apart

I started this class fairly confident in my life experience in school library management.  These discussion have made me realize how different my experiences are from those of education. On the other hand, the classes I am taking are truly coming together.  I'm learning about teaching digital natives from the essays of Marc Prensky.  I'm learning to differentiate lessons and to weave literacy into every lesson.  All this comes together with the roles I am learning about media center management from Woolls.  Still, the more I'm learning, the less I know...

Education and sales

In researching the pros and cons of leveling books, as well as the other topics such as using AR, grouping by series, using the Dewey decimal system, my thoughts turn to the dichotomy of a school library.  Our mission, as discussed earlier, is to educate, teaching critical thinking skills and ethical use of information.  Yet, unlike almost all other teachers, we also have to market a product.  Sometimes education and sales are at odds with one another.  The short article I read by Timothy Shanahan (2012), challenges some of the myths around the importance of connecting readers to texts within their level.  My thinking, however, from the "sales" side, is damn the level, connect them with something, ANYTHING, they want to read.   Our textbook supports that when it says "we are responsible for students having ready access to good books." (p. 185).  How do we make the two roles work together?  And, on which side do we err?

Shanahan, T. (2012). Common Core Challenges the Myths About Matching Students with Books. Illinois Reading Council Journal, 40(4), 5-6. 

Purely academic

Some topics I feel at more of a disadvantage because I am not working as a LME currently.  Facilities design is definitely one of them.  I have ideas if I get the job I want, but there are no guarantees.  I also believe that some issues are only addressed once in a blue moon:  lighting, design, windows.  Many of these things are expensive to change outside of a huge remodel.  I HAVE bookmarked the resource page of the MEMO ning for future reference:

http://memotech.ning.com/page/resources


I wish these discussion weren't purely academic for  me.

Information...best defense in the world

In discussing 6-8 word missions phrases, I am inspired by some of the words that my classmates used:

Jennifer:  encourage
Bruce:  appreciation of learning
Gina: Amazing
DeAnn:  Endless possibilities
Tiffany:  Global thinkers
Janeen:  Connecting
Michelle:  Helping

These are all fabulous words to have connected to my future!  I hope that I can embody them!

What's in a Name?

I just changed the name of my blog from Learning Reflections to Reflections of a Work in Progress.  I did so for two reasons.  First, the new title is more reflective of my life right now.  I truly am a work in progress.  Second, I am using this blog to reflect on more than just my learning, although that is still a large part of the process.  I think the new title frames this blog properly. Join me on my journey!

Maud Hart Lovelace in the 21st Century

A major focus of library media education is teaching students to be ethical users of information.  In the traditional library setting this meant teaching about plagiarism and citation of resources from the library.  In today’s world, with the world available to each student, it becomes so much more.  Plagiarism is still and issue, perhaps more, because there are so many casual references made to information gained from others.  To begin to teach students how to participate in an online community appropriately, I would like to set up a Maud Hart Lovelace program online.

Background:  Currently, the Maud Hart Lovelace Award is presented annually to the books Minnesota students in grades 3-8 select as their favorite from a previously vetted list.  There is a division I list for grades 3-5 and a division II list for grades 6-8.  At Bluff View, the process for participating in this vote involves reading at least three selections, taking an AR test to prove a selection has been read, and then voting on paper.  The media specialist tallies the votes, announces who wins for Bluff View as well as submits the votes to the state-wide contest.

Future plan:  I would use Edmodo to create a MHL group.  Students interested in participating would first be asked to sign a Code of Conduct document outlining the rules of participating in this discussion.  They would then be given a lesson on using Edmodo, either live, or via a webcast for latecomers.  Then they would be given access to the group.  On it, we will discuss the b  oks they’ve read.  I would ask them to consider specific questions, rather than post generic comments such as “it was awesome.”  Questions to consider:

I liked this because….
I didn’t like this because….
I was surprised to read……
I connected with a character because…..
This book reminded me of…..
I would also consider thoughts suggested by students.

I could use the features of Edmodo to help students learn responsible online discourse during the course of the school-year-long discussion.  I would then use the polling features to have the students vote for their favorite.

As this project develops I can see it expanding:  state-wide discussions and student-created booktalks are just two I have currently.  Assessment would be formative through discussion coaching.

The path of a digital immigrant

My history with the internet closely follows that of the general public, as I graduated high school in 1985.  I actually started my college education in computer science.  I hated the programming courses, but, loved hacking into the internal communication network and, essentially sending renegade e-mail messages to fellow classmates.  I switched my major English and briefly lost sight of computers and the internet.

My next encounter came in the business world.  My post-college professional development led me first to database management.  In this case I managed the marketing database for a company that sold to a niche market.  I was learning the language of mass marketing and using information intelligently.  My focus was gathering information about individuals that we could use to successfully marketing our products.  I remember a co-worker talking about CompuServe and I couldn’t imagine needing that level of contact with people I may have never met.  Our company, however, was already using those connections to benefit our marketing efforts, and, ultimately, sales.  This would have been during the early 1990’s.

I next moved to the world of technical support.  Because this was the mid-to late 90’s, I supported a company in transition from the old model to the new.  I worked on every possible platform: mainframe, AS/400, Oracle, LANs, pcs, a few Apple computers, even phone systems!  It was the very beginnings of instant communication and the potential for linking remote sites.  We were able to take remote control of computers in San Francisco, upper New York and even Canada from our corporate headquarters in the Chicago suburbs.  I learned all about cables, IP addresses and network cards.  This foundational knowledge has helped me understand the workings of both software and the internet.

While my career up to this point made me more comfortable than most with technology, I am not by nature drawn to technology.  In 2000, my husband and I moved away from the Chicago suburbs and I stayed home with our daughter.  I also disconnected from tech for awhile.  I had a cell phone, e-mailed and occasionally accessed the internet.  However, I found my connections more at the playground and in the library.

As I moved back into the working world, I feel that the internet became my biggest resource.  It has also become my community.  Not only did I glean all sorts of ideas for my new career, I also used it as a means to communicate with my colleagues as well as customers.  As I move into the world of library media education, using the potential of the internet has literally made this transition possible.  I would not have the time to complete this degree if I had to commute to a campus for all the classes that I am taking online.  I have also used it to collaborate through Google docs, Skype and even Facebook.  I am excited to use all this potential in teaching students to be successful and ethical users of information.  I want to channel from my students those urges that made my classmates and I figure out how to communicate clandestinely way back in 1985.

Is blogging different?

I find myself in an interesting position when I think about blogging.  I have used resources from blogs in my academic research.  I have found great ideas to use in the classroom from blogs.  I have started a Pinterest board of books I want to read based on blogs that I follow.  I absolutely benefit from them.  Having said that, I find it ironic that I find the idea of creating my own blog uncomfortable.  The reason for this, for me, points out the big difference in writing for a blog.  While the process of writing, for me is the same, the audience is not.  Who am a writing for?  I am not comfortable simply throwing my thoughts out there for the world to read.  I need direction and a sense of purpose guiding my writing.  At this point I don't consider myself an expert in any field, so that excludes me from the blog-world of some of those that  I follow, like Joyce Valenza: at http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/neverendingsearch.  And, perhaps because I'm a digital immigrant, I am not comfortable simply throwing my thoughts out for public consumption.  That, to me, is the biggest difference in writing for blogs:  the purpose and audience.  Perhaps, someday, when I have a classroom, I will feel differently.

I only have experience with Blogger and found it very easy to use.  I have created this blog to hold required learning reflections.  I also used Blogger when I was the Children's Librarian at the Lake City Public Library to maintain their website.  It was an economically efficient (free) solution, and it was easy to maintain with no particular training, and, it looked professional.  They have since moved the blog to WordPress:  http://www.lakecity.lib.mn.us/
Many small libraries use the blog as a website, such as this version, also from WordPress: http://www.wabasha.lib.mn.us/

There is much potential in the thoughtful use of blogging!

Experience and Enthusiasm

Out of all the roles of a library media educator, the one with which I feel most comfortable is that of program administrator.  This is because of my past experiences.  Unlike most in my online community, I am not yet a teacher.  So the part of the job that is least familiar to me has to do with writing lesson plans and designing instruction to meet standards.  I served as children's librarian at the Lake City Public Library for 5 years before I resigned.  In this capacity I:

• Coordinated the summer reading program for preschool through 7th grade
• Planned all events and activities associated with summer reading
• Booked educational performances
• Created promotional materials
• Solicited funds (tripling the budget from 2006 to 2010), and kept an accounting.
• Spearheaded the junior high summer reading program and high school volunteer program
• Planned and presented preschool storytime
• Coordinated children's programming volunteers.

I would rate my ability to provide equal access to resources at a 3.  I am, perhaps, more aware of accommodations because I spent a year and a half as a one-on-one paraprofessional with a wheelchair-bound student.  I became much more aware of the difficulties in navigating the world with a wheelchair.  I may be ahead of the curve in awareness of issues of physical disablity, but I am not terribly familiar with promoting diversity.  I just haven't had that much experience with diversity.  I have become more aware of displays within the library, making sure I represent people of all types.  However, I am not very forward-thinking in methods of promoting diversity.  I could use some ideas on that.

Having worked in the world of marketing, and on various community boards, I would rate my ability to co-develop a mission, strategic plan and policies at a four.  I know the drill and am a better than average writer.  I can't give myself a 5, however, because I haven't yet done this in a library setting.

Because of my experience at the public library, I would rate my ability to manage staff, budget, and physical space at a 4.  I would rank my budget ability at a 5, but not quite so positive on staff and physical space.  I do believe, however, that I am fairly good at connecting people to tasks that they do well, and would be more than willing to solicit assistance, especially in the use of physical space.

My success in two summer reading programs leads me to give myself a 5 in partners with stakeholders and other organizations.  I was able to solicit $6000.00 grants for summer reading, more than tripling our original budget of $1500.  I also started a Wednesday afternoon program that partnered with different entities within the community to promote not only reading, but Lake City.  One summer the children visited the local high school and toured the drama department and put on a student-led play, got a visit @ the library from the drum line (nothing like a drum-line performance in a public library), and planted flowers with the community garden group.  Another year they got to tour the new marina and learn about the history of the harbor from our harbor master, build sandcastles at a local beach and even got to ride a paddleboat and learn of the history of Lake Pepin.  I have proven my ability to work with the community, and look forward to working with teachers and staff in my next position.

The only topic with which I feel more comfort than library administration is my love of children's books and literature.  In the end, enthusiasm and being willing to work with others will carry the day!

I can't think of a more important job!

As KSP635 winds down, I found these last few weeks really underscored how important collaboration and self-advocacy will be.  I used many different tools for my collaboration arsenal including Skype, Google docs, a frustrating trip with Voice Thread, and others.   Awareness of these tools and willingness to use them will be critical as a Library Media Educator.  I also will need to package statistics and information so that I can advocate for myself with administration.  Our district doesn’t seem to place the media center as essential to the success of students or teachers.  It will be my goal to help them see that it is!

Cumulatively, this course has helped me connect with some important information education resources.  I had already found the MEMO standards as part of my Planning, Instruction and Evaluation class, but wasn’t as familiar with the Standards for the 21^st Century Learner.  They provide a framework into which I can fit all that I do as LME, while the MEMO standards can be used for specific ideas on what can be taught and at what level.  I also learned many different plans for Search Processes from Kuhlthau, “FLIP IT,” and Big6. Together, they help define a process that students can use not only in research, but in problem-solving.  Woven throughout these discussions have been introductions to Web 2.0 tools that can be used in the classroom.  I have a growing list in my Teaching Tools folder!

Even more important than the curriculum or the process is the idea of the importance of these skills for today’s learner.  As a LME I will have the duty of not only promoting a love of reading, but developing critical thinking and collaborative skills in my students.   While the work was sometimes overwhelming, it reaffirmed the importance of the end goal.  As the AASL Standards for the 21^st Century Learner (2007) states:  “The continuing expansion of information demands that all individuals acquire the thinking skills that will enable them to learn on their own.”  I can’t think of a more important job to have!

Excited and nervous

I am both excited and nervous about this career to which I've committed time and money.  I am excited because everything I am learning supports what I always felt.....LME is important and relevant.  I am nervous because I REALLY want to use this knowledge to benefit Lake City.  I hope I can be the right balance of assistance, knowledge and enthusiasm to get the job when I am finished.

NCLB across the miles

I had a great time using Skype to work with Amanda on the NCLB project!  It was an amazing opportunity to make the distance between us literally insignificant.  And, our daughters got to say "hi" to one another.   Oh, and I learned some ways to use NCLB.  I will be well armed to provide relevant statistics on the value of a well-funded library media program!

So much to do....no time

I have learned about so many great Web 2.0 tools for the classroom!  This is when it really sucks that I am not yet a classroom teacher.  I have these great ideas and no way to use them.  The teacher with which I work is one year from retirement and doesn't have a real interest in learning new tools (can't say I blame her).  I will just have to keep my ideas organized for future use.  Tools to remember:

Doodle Pool for MHL voting among others
Edmoto
Prezi
Collaboration using Google Docs
The list goes on........
I have also saved the links to classmates library websites.  These will be a great resource in the future...too bad it can't be now!

It's true because I saw it on the news.....

In investigating the L.O.C primary resources I was actually surprised by not only the impact of 100-year-old film, but also with the immediate relevancy discussing it provided.  Learning that some of the "documentary" was staged was a great way to open the door of thinking critically about what we see on TV....and this is an election year!  It exhausts me so much that I tend to avoid the news....but as a participant in teaching 21st-Century learning skills, I must tackle this issue....being a critical consumer of information.

Personal fear:  My natural response to complication seems to be avoidance...I need to resist the flight instinct.

Thoughtful Participants

This has been a semester of highs and lows for me.  When people ask me how the studies are going, I consistently say, “This semester is kicking my butt.”  At the same time, I am truly inspired.  A year ago at this time I was going through one of the worst professional situations of my life.   In fact, I resigned from a job I loved because of it.  However, that struggle is what led me to finally make a decision about the direction my life needs to go.  No more taking the easy route.   

Building on the foundation of learning theories and standards, we started investigating more ISP models.  As we got into more skills-based models like the Big6 or Yucht’s FLIP IT! model, I found myself inspired once again.  I seem to get bogged down with the more esoteric theories.  I know I am a very hands-on, concrete learner, so it was a relief to find some research methods that I could imagine using from young children, with the Super 3, to collaboration with teachers, with variations of FLIP IT!

We worked also with tying real-life ideas with standards as found in various resources.  I explored the Library of Congress teachers area, which offers vetted plans connected to primary resources available online in the Library of Congress.  It was another chance for me to truly see how standards can be linked to exciting lessons.  This, again, echoes what I am learning in KSP608.  Understanding by Design, developed by Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, begins with looking at standards.  Classes are coming together.

Next we explored collaboration.  We reviewed great forms from other resources used in collaboration.  There were many practical forms discovered.  However, when I interviewed three current library media educators I was surprised to find that they unanimously preferred a face-to-face meeting tailored for the teacher with whom they were working.  They liked to make each encounter personal.  I used their information, as well as inspiration from other forms to create a form I think could be used to track each contact and to ensure everyone is on the same page.  I also got explore Google Apps and create my first form.

Then, the roller coaster screamed down the drop.  I was completely overwhelmed by all the information in Chapter 7.  So many models, so many issues, so many children…I actually doubted my ability to effectively manage this.  Discussion encouraged me and helped me realize that the best strategy is to treat each student as a separate person, to try many different techniques, and to communicate with teachers and special ed.  I cannot teach every student individually, but I can modify my presentations and activities enough to engage all types of learners.

And then, the roller coaster moved back up the next hill.  I found the work on media literacy hit home for me.  I found Faith Rogow and the ideas of “habits of inquiry” and “skills of expression” inspiring.  Again, it is important work that I will be doing as a library media educator.  It’s not just about books, but about teaching our students to become thoughtful participants in the conversations of the world.

I still worry about having a job when this is done…

Add to it:

Am I a critical thinker?  If not, how can I model this behavior, let alone teach it?

Does it mean I’m not cut out to teach if I’m not inspired by theory?

Future Chief Inquiry Officer

I have always wanted a cool title....Chief Inquiry Officer, I like it.  I was inspired by Faith Rogow (faith is about inspiration, is it not?).  She taught me to look for learning opportunities in different applications such as story time.  It is important to integrate inquiry standards with students of all ages, even Kindergarteners can make connections to real-life, rather than just a report that will be forgotten.

Quote to live by:
“...information is not the same as knowledge and that facts are not understanding.”

 

Overload

This module kicked my butt.  The chapter in the book simply overwhelmed me.  I honestly started doubting my choice to try to become a teacher because I can't possibly remember all the different jargon and interventions.  Discussion helped ground me a bit.  In the end, it is about looking at each student as an individual.  I think of it as a form of customer service...how can I help this student succeed?

I learned of some great tools:

Encyclopedia Britannica online
National Geographic Kids
Kids Click
International Children's Digital Library
MN Video Vault

It's collaboration, collaboration is cool

We investigated how schools formally collaborate.  I found a form from my ISP creator, Alice Yucht.  Again, I liked it because it was simple to follow, was explicit about duties, and included timelines and student responsibilites.  I didn't like that it was a form that had to be written on as it was an Adobe file.  Even a Word file could at least be completed on the computer and printed.  I also don't think the fields allowed for enough room.  There were many great forms

WJHS Media Center / Teacher Collaboration Form (I liked that it was online):  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG1LYmNsVkFmUVNoZ296eTgxcEhfa2c6MQ

Iowa City Planner - liked the layout.

There are so many ways to start the conversation.  A form would make sure that everyone is on the same page.


As I was reading collaborative articles, it seems important that there be buy-in from the top down.  If not, it can only be implemented slowly, with enthusiasm.  Results will be key!

We also discussed how to motivate students, and it seems it is another form of collaboration - this time with the student.  Make the project interesting for them and they will come.  This is accomplished through student choice, using cool presentation mediums, having the project directly impact their lives, or, all of the above.

Not just resources...standards

So many ideas from all the presentations.  The important point for me, a teacher-in-training, is the tie to standards.  I makes the work not just fun, but have impact.  In my KSP608 class we are learning about Understanding by Design and the base of all plans is always standards.  We look at standards, decipher the important questions, determine how we will assess that the skills have been mastered...only then do we plan the lesson.  This exercise aligns with that.

Added some sites to my teacher tools:
Minnesota Learning Loop - http://www.informns.k12.mn.us/MN_Learning_Loop.html
Research Project Calculator - https://rpc.elm4you.org/

This module really allowed me to see all the different ways resources can be used. 

There's More Than One Way to Skin a Cat

We started looking at other ISP models.  The Big6 was a big hit.  It seems to work because it is simple, it is skills-based (something to DO), and it is easy to remember.  Condense it to the Super 3 and it's even easier (PLAN, DO, REVIEW).  Even this visual learner can remember three steps!  BTW, they must have heard our complaints about their site as it has been redesigned.  While it looks better, I'm not sure it's more useable.  This is the link I will use most:

http://nb.wsd.wednet.edu/big6/big6_resources.htm

There are so many other models as well KWL, Handy 5*R, I-Search....I looked into Yucht's FLIP IT! model and found it very easy to remember and adapt. 

http://www.aliceinfo.org/flipit

All the models seem to direct one through basically the same process.  Try one out, see what fits!

Kuhlthau......and questions

I wasn't nearly as inspired by the work of Kuhlthau as I feel I should of been.  Her Information Search Process (ISP) model works because she backed it with data.  To be clear, she interviewed many students, over many years, and, using this data developed a process that models what she discovered was happening.  I think the most important factor is that it is backed with research and that the model still holds true in the digital age. 

The stages are:  task initiation, topic selection, topic exploration, focus formulation, resource collection, presentation.
Feelings move through:Anxiety/Uncertainty, Optimism, Confusion/Frustration/Doubt, Clarity/Interest, Confidence, Satisfaction/Relief/Disappointment.

Students don't move one direction along the continuum, but back and forth as information is discovered and ideas change.

Also read about some important research:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA377858.html

Am I the only one that wonders how anything can be approved by over 90% of those surveyed?

I am nervous about being able to provide the right level of scaffolding in a busy media center.  This is something I will learn with experience.

Also, how can I be a good teacher and provide good "customer" service?  I believe it CAN be done.

Standards and VERY BIG ideas...

I'm happy that there are standards for LME.  Trying to decide what to teach has always overwhelmed me.  Now I know that I have many different sources for LME standards.   Some that inspire me are:

MEMO
http://memotech.ning.com/page/memo-information-and

Standards fro the 21st Century Learner
http://www.ala.org/aasl/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/standards

They included, besides the research skills and literature skills, ethics, participation in a global society, collaboration......important skills for life.

This ain't a bookstore....but it could be like one.

"The mission of the school library program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information.  The school librarian empowers students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information"  AASL (2009a)”

My words to live by.  I found the second chapter in about the role libraries hold to be exciting.  I am working in a more traditional setting and would really like to see the shift to teaching life skills.  Sometimes it seems like too much, especially since the skills are so important.

Teaching life skills connects nicely with Stiggens Assessment FOR Learning that I am learning in my Edcuation course, as well as with the idea of backwards design in lesson planning.

Inspired by the Anythink Library

http://www.anythinklibraries.org/location/anythink-brighton

Imagine how user-friendly a library arranged like a bookstore would be!   Especially if the staff had the same service mentality of a B&N!

Don't blink.....

Watched the video below:

http://tedxphillyed.com/2011/09/video-post-dr-joyce-valenza-see-sally-research/

Not only was it humorous (OMG), but it illustrated the shift in the role of a library media educator from the 80's to today.  The role of library media educators has shifted from that of the "gatekeeper", to one of a coach.  In the beginning, the LME would vet resources, only selecting the most appropriate for the library.  Students would really only have access to the information that was already deemed authoritative.  Now, information is immediately accessible, so the job of LME has shifted to that of making meaning of, determining the validity of, and using information.  The most amazing shift, however, was the audience for this information.  In the 80's, when I was a teen, the purpose was a report for the teacher.  Then, at the turn of the century (yikes!), the audience was the class with the use of PowerPoint.  Finally, today the audience is the community, or even the world.  It sure makes the impact more meaningful for the student.  I was a little overwhelmed with all the tech terms mentioned that I not only didn't know, but had never even heard of.

I am comforted that I am not alone in feeling a bit overwhelmed!

More roles for the LME:  cheerleader, lifeguard, implementer of Bloom's Revised Taxonomy.

So much to do.....

I was struck most by the philosophy of Patricia Bryan Knapp, that library skills are best learned in context.  This was proven by the shift in library culture championed at Earlham College in the 1960s.  With the involvement of administration, staff, and students, the library became a critical part of the learning process.  I find the idea of teaching library skills in conjunction with actual classroom projects nearly a no-brainer.  Of course students will "get it" if they use it to improve academic scores.

From the working teachers of our cohort, I am learning that the importance of the library in curriculum development is undervalued.  Besides teaching, I will need to quantify and present the impact an integrated library program can have on performance and lifelong learning.   I'm also learning that the library media educator is positioning itself to become the tech guru for schools.   We also must convince teachers of the value of working with the LME as part of their curriculum.  I also learned that I need to look into what, exactly, ELM provides.  I have heard the term, but never looked at it in depth.

http://www.elm4you.org/about

OK, I see now, it's awesome for reasearch.

http://www.minitex.umn.edu/Training/SelfPaced/KIB/KIB.html

Here's the upshot:  library media educators must be collaborative, champions, self-promoting and tech savvy.

Doubt and Fear.....and resources

As I begin to connect, or reconnect, with the online cohort, I realized that I am the only unlicensed teacher.  Among by cohort are:
2nd year teacher
Junior High Media Specialist
Media Specialist/Communications teacher
Media Specialist K-8
Former teacher/current substitute
Media Specialist - High School
English Teacher - High School
I worry that I am taking a huge risk.  I have no guarantee of a teaching position, just a passion for what I would teach.  I know that at least one position will open in my district, but, of course, can't be guaranteed anything.  It will be difficult to pay the student loans if I keep my current position of part-time library aide and part-time administrative assistant at the police station.  This is what happens when one dithers.

However, I also realize that I have amazing connections with all sorts of different experiences from which I can learn.  Hopefully, I will take proper advantage of this and not succumb to doubt.

And so it begins.....

I have never personally blogged anything, nor had any desire to do so.  However, I am being asked to use blogging as a tool of reflection as I progress through my graduate studies.  Being a non-journal writer, it will be an effort to get in the habit.  Hopefully I am better at this than I am at keeping up with Facebook, or keeping in touch with my long distance friends.