Re: your mail (fwd) (Certification)

[Diane Durbin <dianed@TENET.EDU>]

I sent this message privately, but since the discussion is going on,
decided to send it to all.  I agree with everything Betty and Gail have
said.  I say below that I didn't like the administrator courses, but did
like the supervision courses.  Many courses for the two certifictions
were the same.  I took school law, finance, etc.  But the supervision
route had more (at least at the time) on curriculum and instruction and
less on management.  By the way, my library administration course counted
toward the supervision certifiction.  In fact, one of the things that
influenced me to go for it was finding out that at least two library
courses counted toward administrator/supervisor certification.

I agree that the courses helped me in my own work and gave me contact
with other administrators.  Also, several years ago I was browsing around
in the University of Houston library and ran across an article in an old
journal which I wish I had copied or at least written down the citation
(bad librarianship!).  The article was on librarians becoming principals
(there weren't many).  The researcher looked into the numbers who do
become principal, the similarities and differences in the roles, and what
from librarianship might help a person as a principal.  One of the main
points I remember is that the use of time is very similar - fragmented,
never finish a task, things always coming up unexpectedly.  It was
pointed out that the *KINDS* of things coming up were much different,
with the principal having more critical things such as discipline
problems, parents demanding to be seen immediately, etc., but that the
*PATTERN* was very much the same.

Diane Durbin
dianed@tenet.edu

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 3 Jan 1996 12:07:52 -0600 (CST)
From: Diane Durbin <dianed@tenet.edu>
To: Macedon Elementary School <macelem@TRANSIT.NYSER.NET>
Subject: Re: your mail

In my state (TX) our comparable certification is required in order to
become a district-level library supervisor.  I am Coordinator of Library
Services, and my certification is as a supervisor.  When I was certified
you could get either a supervisor's certification or an administrator's
certification.  This may have been combined in the past couple of years,
I'm not sure.  The adminstrator's certifcation was more versatile,
preparing you for any position except superintendent.  The supervisor's
certification was aimed at people interested in staff development,
curriculum and instruction, etc.  I knew I was not interested in becoming
a principal and, although I started to get that certification, did not
like the course work and focus at all.  So I went with supervisor's
certification.  However, I have several librarian friends who went the
other way.  Most of them have a position similar to mine, but a couple
have gone on to become principals.  One in particular is a very effective
principal - and it is great to know a principal who really knows
something about library programs!

Diane Durbin
Stafford Municipal School District
Stafford, TX. 77477
dianed@tenet.edu

On Wed, 3 Jan 1996, Macedon Elementary School wrote:

> Is there any value in a librarian getting a Certificate of Administration
> and Supervision?  For those outside New York State, this is a course of
> study, normally beyond the Masters' level, which would lead toward a
> position as a Principal.  Are there also library positions at this level
> in large districts?
>
> I'm interested in both your theories and your experiences.
>
> TIA  Holly Wolf, macelem@transit.nyser.net
>