I respectfully disagree that your English teachers should be your
primary users. After all, information gathering and use is a life skill.
Offer to teach research skills in relation to units teachers in other
disciplines are teaching. I think social studies is an ideal integration
area. How can you integrate library materials with the content standards
social studies teachers must cover? Similarly, what type of requirements
for research does the science department cover? Libraries are all about
information access in ALL areas. Meet with those departments that have been
primarily underserved. Do your homework and anticipate what their needs
are. They'll appreciate your attention.
As a wise person once said to me, "When the horse you're riding
dies, dismount."
Lynda Martin, MLIS
Brookhaven Elementary School
1215 Baker Street
Morgantown, WV 26508
lsmartin@access.k12.wv.us
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Cyndi Bowman
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2004 9:47 AM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Sec. Rant regarding teacher use
I know I've read many of these kinds of posts on our listserv -- and have
even
responded to a few. However, I'm at the end of myself in figuring out what
to
do next, so I welcome any ideas -- or even telling me to get over it and
keep
doing what I know to do!!
Here the situation: I'm in my 6th year at this high school. There are 1400+
kids, about 120 teachers/staff. My predecessor was here about 30 years --
quit
long before he actually left -- and left a lot of teachers with bad feelings
about library accessibility, services and resources. I've done all the
things
that I've read about, been taught, or layed awake thinking of. I do
newsletters, email about new resources, signs, website (this is new),
networking with teachers to find out what they're doing, offer to do
backflips
for their kids, etc., etc., etc. I should also say that we have laptop carts
on
every floor, one for each 6 classrooms or so.
So -- My problem is getting my English teachers to use the library!! I know
that they should be my primary users, but there are several who STILL think
that they know everything about research that their kids need to be taught
and
that the research can be done either on the internet or individually by the
students on their own time. If class time is given, I see students from
these
classes in small groups. I work with those kids, giving them the info about
the
databases and helping them find the info that seems to illude them
otherwise.
Almost every kid walks out of here having had his question answered/info
found.
My facility is small -- only able to hold one class at a time. I know that
has
frustrated some teachers when I've had scheduling conflicts.
One of the reasons I find this so frustrating is that teachers in other
subject
areas think that students are learning to research in the English
curriculum.
They get frustrated when kids don't know how to approach a topic for another
subject area and don't want to spend the time teaching them -- or allowing
me
to do so.
Teachers who do use my "services" are pleased and say that the kids use the
information I give them productively. But there are lots and lots of
students
who don't get the benefit of my expertise because the teachers don't/won't
use
me. When there have been scheduling conflicts, I've even taken "my show on
the
road" and worked with classes in their own rooms. At least we work through
how
they are going to approach the topic, even if we don't get to do it right
then.
This month, my usage is down by 10% from last year. I don't know what else
to
do or say. The department head is one of the "offenders," so going to her
won't
help. The principal won't mandate something like this ...
Thanks for "listening." Any suggestions will be welcome.
Cyndi
=====
Cyndi Bowman, Librarian Owner of Cozie, WCCC
Hutchinson High School (World's Cutest Chubby
Hutchinson, KS Chihuahua)
bowmanc@usd308.com
library_cyndi@yahoo.com
"Havin' more fun than the average bear ..."
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