Role of librarian, etc.

[YUCHT@ZODIAC.RUTGERS.EDU]

Several comments have been made about how teachers don't know what all our
behind-the-scenes work entails, and how visiting/helping aides have commented:
"I never realized..."     Well, I offer the following true story:
For several years my school had a substitute teacher we all depended on.  She
was bright, efficient, capable, and could handle _any_ class/subject.  After
subbing for me several times (I had a fixed schedule then) she mentioned that
she was considering going back to school to get an advanced degree, and what
did I think of her becoming a school librarian?  I thought she would be an
asset to the profession, but suggested that she spend a week "shadowing" me
to see what the job was really like.  (Of course, that meant she was unavailable
to sub, but she was willing)    After 3 days, she was wiped out... and then
she commented that this was like the famous experiment where the football
players had to "shadow" toddlers for a day, and the football players were
pooped before the kids were.
She had a new, and more more realistic appreciation of what our job entails
after our week together.   Oh yes... she did get her MLS, and is now doing a
great job in another school.  She also was frequently cynical about what she
was being "taught" in Library School, and was the gadfly/hardnosed realist of
the student body.
She now recommends the "shadow" experience for all student teachers, as well
as all MLS students, and she recommends that they do it as early in their
student career as possible!   Personally, I would also like to recommend the
experience for school board members and administrators.