One of my college professors (back in the early 1980's) advised our
"Teaching in the US" course that we were "embarking on the MTV generation of
instruction." He WAS cutting-edge in his time about how to teach because he
encouraged us to teach for 8-10 minutes and then provide a "commercial
break" because today's students expected it. We had to model this format by
teaching 3 minutes, dramatics 3 minutes, teaching 3 minutes, break for 2
minutes or less. Those breaks would be a diversion---- a sample story, a
personal experience, a joke, etc. The results were dramatic because we (as
college students) realized that once we discovered how to "perform" we could
then interject our personalities and actually keep a group involved,
entertained, and hopefully, educated about the topics.
After using his techniques my first year, I realized that it was exhausting
to be "on stage" all the time. In fact, I even enrolled in several drama
courses (post graduate) to learn how to be "bubbly, charismatic, and
enthusiastic" in a drama-like situation. I hoped it would transfer to the
library. I guess it may have....
Ten years after first learning this technique, a psychologist friend wanted
to test her new psychological program on some guinea pigs....and asked
several of us (teachers) to answer the questions from the test for her to
score. After taking the test once, she asked me to take it once again. She
then called me into her office (it was almost like being sent to the
principal's office) to discuss my results.
She told me that my results on both tests showed that I was an introverted
personality but her perspective (as well as from others within the school, I
later discovered) was that I was an extrovert. I told her that I truly WAS
an introvert...if left to my own choices, I liked being alone, doing my own
thing, working on projects without assistance, staying home...etc. But I
then explained that in order for me to perform my job as a librarian (for
grades K-12; a storyteller, a dramatic enthusiast for books, a 'cool
librarian' for teens) I knew I needed to be an extrovert....so I learned how
to do this through drama and speech courses.
I believe that we can adjust our personalities to meet the needs of those we
work with and being a librarian / teacher requires that we be our unique
selves while adjusting our personalities to reach out to those who don't
know how to interact with us. Sometimes making changes can actually lead to
a better understanding of the "other side" of personality characteristics.
And while all of this can result in a dissertation of personality types if
we aren't careful, I think that sometimes we, as the educator, need to
re-think ourselves; to re-evaluate our behaviors and our reaction to others;
to learn how to adapt to our situations; to re-invent ourselves through our
experiences and reflections on our successes and failures; to create a
chameleon-like response to an ever-changing educational environment that
expects more than a Great Brain or a Sage on the stage.
We are beyond the MTV generation and are now working in an Internet
2.0environment. Everyone has access to the same information; it
starts in the
college classroom and runs its course until we, as students, receive our
degrees and begin looking for that all-important teaching / librarian
position....that's when others finally see the what they can buy (hire).
When it comes down to final choices, it's the packaging that can make a
simple product more inviting and appear to be more "user-friendly."
Are we creating a bubbly (user-friendly) personality package or are we just
another average packaged product from the Educational College shelves? In
an ever-changing environment are we also changing to meet the needs of a
business-influenced educational program?
Just some thoughts, observations, and opinions....
~Shonda
On 8/2/06, Lisa Hunt <lisa3moon@yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I taught Reading before I became a school librarian, and I've always
> believed that teachers "perform." Your advice about adopting another
> personae when performing, er teaching, is good advice. Some days (usually
> PreK lesson time) I really MUST rev up my energy. I don't want to, I don't
> feel like it, etc. However, I'm a pro and these students have a reasonable
> expectation that I make their learning time worthwhile. I think that means
> engaging, interactive, and usually thought provoking. So, in my library the
> "show must go on." I do "turn on" and sometimes its exhausting.
>
> I know my most influential teachers performed their craft well. Their
> teaching was art-like. That might translate into bubbly or energetic or
> maybe mesmerizing. However, they made me want to know what they
> knew. They created a desire in me to want to learn. I do that as an
> educator, and I happen to work in the library. I also know that I teach
> everyone in my building, not just those young children.
>
> Our job is tiring, taxing and stressful. Maybe that's because we are "on"
> all day every day when we are teaching. I believe many teachers believe
> this, too.
>
> Gail K Dickinson <GDickins@ODU.EDU> wrote:
> I have given a lot to the posting below and it asks a really good
> question.
> I don't know what the definition of "bubbly" is either, so I'm afraid I
> can't help with that. It does raise a question about the relationship
> between personality characteristics and personal professional strengths
> (or
> dispositions). Do you have to be a out-there, out-going, over-the-top
> person in order to be a good school librarian? I don't know, and
> although my first reaction is to say "no, of course not", I have to come
> back with a big BUT......
>
> I have watched videotapes of my school librarians=to=be telling stories
> and
> teaching information-skills, and I have also watched lots of booktalks
> live
> and on-tape to students and adults. And, yes, I have counseled some
> reserved and quiet librarians that they needed to adopt another personae
> when performing...that no matter how well prepared they are, if they sound
> like a teacher doing a booktalk it won't go over nearly as well as if they
> sound like a friend who has just fallen in love with the bestest book. I
> have a student who told her first story....something about porcupining for
> a wife, and she broke into bad country music every time the porcupine sang
> his sad song. It would not have been as good if she had slowly read it
> with expression, no matter how great her expression is.
>
> It bothers me somehow to say that you don't have to be bubbly, but you
> have
> to act bubbly. (of course, not knowing what bubbly is). I don't
> know...but this one I am going to have to think more about.
>
> gkd
>
> Gail K. Dickinson, PhD
> 249-6 Dept of Educational Curriculum and Instruction
> Darden College of Education
> Old Dominion University
> Norfolk, VA 23529
> gdickins@odu.edu
> 757-683-6683
>
>
>
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> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 19:08:46 -0400
> From: Molly Clark
> Subject: Vent
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I just need to vent a little. Feel free to hit the delete key. =20
>
> I've been told for the second time this summer that I am not getting a job
> =
> because I am not "bubbly" enough.
>
> I'm told that my qualifications and experience are great - the only thing
> =
> that kept me from the job was that I was too low key. Not bubbly. Yes, =
> the word bubbly was used. "We're sure you must have that passion and =
> zeal based on your accomplishments, it just didn't come through in the =
> interview" "You are very low key, not positive or bubbly."
>
> I call it professional. I did smile and make them laugh. But no, no one =
> would call me bubbly. I am the only librarian in the county to join Batle
> =
> of the Books, my license plate says READ2M, but that apparently does not =
> indicate enthusiasm.
>
> To be honest, I am "Not completly out of the running" for the second job,
> =
> but they have decided to look at some more candidates for the reasons =
> stated above. I am so sad right now. I am a great librarian, even in a =
> less than ideal situation. My teachers and kids love me. Parents love =
> me. I feel guilty about wanting to leave them, but I want to be closer to
> =
> home. And of course, now I am questioning everything I thought I had =
> accomplished. Maybe I'm not as good as I think I am?
>
> How many of you would call yourselves "Bubbly?" (or at least not be =
> surprised if someone else did?) Just curious.
>
> Thanks for letting me vent. No need to respond, I just needed a large =
> shoulder to cry on for a minute. I feel better now.
>
> I'll just have to make sure my Battle of the Books team kicks butt this =
> year .... if any bubbly school dares challenge us. :-)
>
> ~Molly=20
>
> Molly Clark
> Intermediate Librarian
> Michael Maroun Elementary School
> Phoenix, NY
> mclark2@phoenix.k12.ny.us
>
> "What a school thinks about its library, is a measure of what it thinks=20
> about education." Harold Howe, former U.S. Commissioner of Education
>
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> Lisa Hunt
> School Library Media Specialist, elementary
> National Board Certified Teacher
> Moore, OK
> lisa3moon@yahoo.com
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--
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
Technology Librarian
Fort Worth Country Day School
Fort Worth, TX
http://www.fwcds.org
sbrisco@gmail.com
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