Where do we come from..."

["Dennis M. Wade" <dmwade@EONET.COM>]

Dear LM_Netters,

As I've read through the interesting stories I've found threads of
commonality and ones of diagreement from my own beliefs, so I knew I had to
write also!

Like many who wrote, being a librarian or media specialist wasn't my first
educational job. Classroom teaching in middle school, kindergarten, and
fourth grade allowed for lots of views of curruiculum and development
levels. My last year in fourth grade I had a technologically enriched
classroom, and the work level was overwhelming. It was impossible to keep up
with the kids as well as all there was to learn in the area of technology.
That summer the librarian retired as her job was cut in half, and I moved to
the position.

Realizing this is not a popular statement, it doesn't take a master's degree
to run the LMC. It takes someone willing to learn what they do not already
know, someone who knows curriculum, technology, and literature, and a person
who works well with staff and administration to develop a program that leads
our students into the next century. I did study hard with another gal to
pass the NTE for media specialist, and yes, I couldn't have done it without
the help of a wonderful assistant, but coming from a classroom also allowed
me to know what the other side was like and what those people were dealing
with on a daily basis. Regardless of degrees and certification, a person has
to be willing to learn and grow. Rather than worrying about who has a
masters in library science and who didn't earn the right to be in the LMC
(and I have been told this...) let's work together to fill in each others
weak others and share our strengths. In our district wonderful opportunities
for sharing have been lost because of a individual or two who has been
unwilling to work together as a group. In closing, I find it interesting
that people in LM, at least a few with whom I've discussed this locally,
don't have a problem with a LMS going into the classroom but object to the
reverse.

Thanks for letting me voice this area of concern.

Lorrie Wade, LMS
Sunset Elem, Hermiston, OR
dmwade@eonet.com