teaching experience

["Norman E. Bagley" <nebagley@MAILBOX.SYR.EDU>]

Hello -

I have been very interested in all the responses I have received
regarding my posting on the meaning and value of "prior" teaching
experience.  I have read strong opinions both supporting and rejecting
the need to have been a "regular" teacher before becoming a library media
specialist.  My chief observation is this:  it seems that those who
became LMSs without having taught professionally before feel that they
have done just fine and have been successful at their jobs.  They seem
to feel being a classroom teacher, while it certainly would have been
useful, is hardly a necessity for being an effective school librarian.
However, those who have previously been classroom teachers have came out
strongly in favor of this, some even suggesting it be mandated.  I
suspect that these outcomes could have been predicted.  I appears to me
that more than anything, this is a philosophical difference based
primarily on the background of the individual who is responding.  I doubt
that this is an issue which will be easily resolved.  My overall
conclusion is that no one can speak "in general" about this topic.  I
think things such as respect from other faculty depends largely on the
individual media specialist, the attitudes of administration, and the
attitudes of other faculty members in general.  One could perform the
same activities in two different places, and have respect as an equal in
one, and not in the other.  Anyway, at this point, I am hardly prepared
to go get ANOTHER educational degree, and teach in an environment which I do
not want to be in, just so I can then become what I want to -- a library
media specialist.  I guess I will just have to work extra hard to prove
to my future collegues that I am an instructional equal.  I welcome
continued comments, suggestions and advice.  If there are any librarians
out there who have not been teachers before, but agree that it should be
a requirement, I would be especially interested in hearing from you.


--Norm Bagley
  Syracuse University
  nebagley@mailbox.syr.edu