Cathy Belben, Librarian, Burlington-Edison High School cbelben@be.wednet.edu
ü If you
don’t, it may appear as though a full-time librarian isn’t needed; also, if you
agree to teach once, there’s a likelihood they’ll ask you to do it again.
ü Approach
the Powers That Be with a calm and dignified, “I’m flattered that you’ve
offered me this opportunity, but…” and then list specific examples of how
students will not be served if you are not in the library full-time. Put this
in writing, and file a copy with your union.
ü If you are
unsuccessful in persuading your supervisors to change their minds, approach
your union about grieving the decision. Most contracts allow principals to
reassign people with 30 days’ notice, so you may be out of luck, but check your
contract language anyway.
ü Try to
focus on what you and the students are gaining from the experience; focusing on
the negatives will not improve the situation, it won’t help students, and it
will impact other areas of your personal and professional life negatively.
ü Find
colleagues and friends who will share ideas and offer support, both within your
school and in the educational community at large—join the WLMA listserv and
find others who are also assigned to teach. http://www.wlma.org/Association/listservs.htm
ü Be honest.
Write down the good stuff and the bad stuff.
ü
At the end of the semester, write letters to your principal,
your school board, and your superintendent. File a copy of the letter with your
union.
ü In the
letter, mention the benefits of the experience, but emphasize how it robbed you
of your ability to do your library work as well. Focus on what it robs STUDENTS of.
ü If there’s
a way you can show that it’s actually costing the district money to have you
out of the library and in the classroom, include that information.
ü Include
research about the connection between schools with full-time, certificated
librarians and higher standardized test scores (hint: the research says that
schools with full-time, certificated librarians have higher scores). Here’s one
link: http://www.ala.org/Content/NavigationMenu/AASL/Publications_and_Journals/School_Library_Media_Research/Editors_Choice_Resources/Information_Power_Resources/select_lance_html.htm
ü Enlist
volunteers and student aides to make copies, grade papers (when appropriate),
assist with filing, and help keep you organized.
ü Make sure
your department head knows specifically what you need in terms of curriculum
and supplies, and ask them to recommend other staff members who can offer you
guidance and support throughout the semester or year.
ü Find good
listeners. Vent. But don’t spend your
life doing it.
ü Contact
WLMA about advocating for yourself.
ü Make it
clear that you are unavailable during the period you are teaching and politely
ask folks (including your assistant) not to call you or contact you regarding
library business during this time (you’ll have enough stress without someone
calling to ask you where they can find a copy of A Child Called It).
ü Remember
that you can’t be two places at once.
Although bringing your class to the library for silent reading while you
teach Mrs. McGilicuddy’s class about the Dewey Decimal System doesn’t sound
complicated, it probably won’t work as well in reality as in your dreams.
ü Remind
teachers that you will need to leave the library unscheduled for some periods
so that you can get your contracted planning time in. Encourage them to see the
principal with their concerns about the lack of a full-time librarian.
ü Create a
corner just for working on lesson plans, grading papers, etc.
ü Don’t let
that stuff crawl into your library work space or you’ll end up spending your time
working on it.
ü Segregate
your classroom materials from your library stuff and visit it during one 30-45
minute portion of the day that you have set aside exclusively for working on
your classroom responsibilities. (The
amount of prep time will vary from district to district, I know).
ü Get a
portable hanging file folder box and label each folder with the title of any
assignment you give. Always type a
clear explanation of any assignment you give, and hand that out to students
(I’m stunned by how many people give assignments verbally, and then don’t
understand why students didn’t do them correctly). Also, make extra copies of
assignment explanations. This will save you much time and frustration later
when students are absent or lose the assignments.
ü Set up
classroom routines. These are good for
students, and they make your planning easier.
Examples: start each class
period with a 5 minute roll assignment, such as a journal write or a vocabulary
word; do the same activity every Friday (such as reading day), etc.
ü Create a
3-ring binder just for your classroom stuff, with sections for grades, seating
charts, roll sheets, discipline notes, and masters of all assignments.
ü Set aside
time on the weekend to grade papers and plan lessons for the week so that you
aren’t interrupted from library work by the need to do these task.
ü Eat
breakfast (there’s a good reason people are always saying this).
ü Exercise
regularly (this helps you use up some negative energy, and combined with a
healthy diet, you’ll feel better mentally and physically). If you set an
exercise goal (“I will run that 5K in e LaConner in early March”) you’ll have
something to focus on besides your extra workload.
ü Get enough
sleep.
ü Read some
good, inspirational books about teaching. They will help you feel better and
offer strategies for staying sane. I
recommend Two Parts Textbook, One Part Love by LouAnne Johnson, The
Passionate Teacher by Robert Fried, Small Victories by Samuel G. Freeman,
and Teaching as a Subversive Activity by Neil Postman.
ü Read for
pleasure, go to movies, and for heaven’s sake, start getting those monthly
massages you keep promising you’ll treat yourself to.