(LONG) HIT: End-of-year reflection

[Jan <janbo19@IDT.NET>]

Hi gang:

I received LOTS of terrific responses to the question, what are you going
to do DIFFERENTLY/BETTER next school year?  Here they are, in no particular
order.  Thanks.  I know that *I* will be changing my ways, too.... You've
all been helpful!

Jan

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I will sort my lesson files BEFORE school begins.  All year it was: where's
my fifth grade graphing lesson?  Ninth grade periodicals lesson? Lit crit
pathfinder?  To top it all off, I bought a new computer mid-year and never
managed to transfer my document files from the old one.

I will try to give everyone (teachers AND students) my best service, even
though many of them "cash in all their favors" the first day of school and
abuse my service.

Maintain a regular exercise (walking/bicycling) program BEFORE I begin my
"homework."  What I mean to say is to pay at least as much attention to MY
needs as I do to everyone else's.

I am going to get all of the state award books (Dorothy Canfield Fisher
Award for grades 4-8) read this summer so that I do not have to franticaly
read all 30 of them in a week before I start doing the booktalks in
September.

Improve planning with my teachers!

I am going to host a tour/visit of our media center for ALL substitute
teachers and include our guidelines and expectations for students, esp.
concerning Internet use, signing in and out, etc.  I would also like to
give them a user number so that they have access to our computer network.
(And invite them to return for a few quick lessons!) It's the end of the
year...and I'm REALLY TIRED of subs sending the behavior problems to the
media center!!

I'm going to expect more of the kids!!

The little curriculum I wrote for this year just wasn't enough...each grade
knew inside out the things I'd wanted them to know -- by MARCH!!

I think I'll do some minor research with the younger ones.  One of the
teachers suggested giving each of the first and second graders time to
think of a question they wanted answered, and then give them time (and
help) to find the answer.  Then I figure I can use that to help them make a
book, and segue right into parts of a book.

Start up a library committee (composition to be decided) to help make more
collaborative library policies...

try to reach more children

More positive comments to students!

Keep better records.  Did pretty well but I want to do better. For example,
we thought the two batteries that went with our camcorders were lost or
stolen until we remembered we had sent them in for repair.  I want to
remember when I do inventory that Flatland (the book) is stored in the math
department workroom, not in the regular book storage closet--I always spend
time wondering where the copies are.  I know I'll be busy one day and use a
scrap of paper rather than the computer, but I can dream.

I plan to start by posting rules and being very firm about them. I was too
soft this year as a new elementary school librarian.

I'm changing jobs--going to private school and I hope to HAVE TIME to
adequately plan and do administrative chores.  I don't want another year
where everything was done only half-way at best!!

I just finished a course in bibliographic instruction, so I know I'm going
to do a better job getting instructional sessions more interactive. Let the
kids do some thinking and doing rather than just me talking and talking.

More booktalks at all grade levels.  Hope to encourage reading teachers to
schedule library time to hear them.

This was my first year as a library aide.  Next year as I switch to being a
"real" librarian at a new school I'm going to be "mean" at the beginning
ofthe year and do better with my discipline.  I deserve that respect and
peace of mind while teaching vital library skills!

I'm laughing as I type this:
I'm going to try, really try, to be more organized. I'm going to file what
needs to be filed and not let my desk pile up with papers, catalogs, etc.
And I'm laughing because I make this vow every year!

Actively promote recreational reading....even if I must break my reading
teachers' arms.  My MS staff is heavy into novels and sometimes can't
see the forest for the trees (or is that trees for the forest!)
ls

Try to meet more with teachers and continue implementing Big6 research model.

Can't do ONE, sorry.....
-Stay enthusiastic (entheos--means God within) all summer and get the
"programs" together this summer that I always want once school starts.
-Get Texas Library Connection training done for all campus librarians.
-A simple MLA citation guide for my lower ability students(any suggestions
here)--they are overwhelmed with all the "possibilities" when documenting
sources.
-Planning and executing a Power Point overview/guide of our library and
services for staff and students.
-Develop a library web page.
-Continue upgrading our ISD web site as I'm the web admin.
It goes on and on.......

I'm going to be more "regular" about publishing a library newsletter.  I
only did three issues this school year.  I don't like purchasing wonderful
new resources (books, CD-ROM, etc.) that get processed, put on the shelves,
and nobody is aware of them but me.  The "I don't have time" excuse will
(hopefully) give way to the "I'm going to make time" attitude.

Try to be able to see my desktop every day before I leave!

Trying to get students/faculty to appreciate having a library... rather
than a space with some books... which means more outreach, booktalks, etc.

I plan to keep better records - statistics, P.E. excuses (students then
come to the library and become my responsibility), all that sort of
paperwork stuff which I tend to blow off.

Figure out a better way to inventory classroom collections

Next year I'm going to do more to actively promote reading for pleasure. I
am in a 9 - 12 school.  Has anybody a success story they'd llke to share
with LM-NET?  I need a program that will run itself once I get it started.
I think you know what I mean....

The one thing I'm really going to try to do is to keep the desk clear so I
can work at it!   Second is attempting to keep up with the volumes of mail
I get daily.   (I had to list both, since one affects the other!)

Stay out of trouble ?!!

I want to try to sponsor and/or schedule more activities in the  library
that promote reading and love of literature.  We are a large  school and
scheduling any kind of event is a monumental task, but I  want to again try
to have an author visitation day, a library  readaloud day, perhaps an
after-school book club, etc.

Library Skills, got some great ideas at state convention this year.

The coursework for my MA in Education/Library Media didn't prepare me to
supervise staff members and volunteers.  With a year of experience under my
belt (this is my second year in a school library/media center, but my first
year with more than one part-time assistant), I hope to do this better next
year.  Can I cheat and include two things?  I feel like I've just been
taking baby steps towards more integrated lesson plans. I'm looking forward
to more cooperative teaching with classroom teachers.

i want to work harder at integrating into the curriculum.

Try to get more classes coming into the Media Center on a regular basis...do
more instruction of library skills (even with 8th graders!)...stop giving
detentions for gum chewing--it makes for bad PR...finally get rid of old A/V
kits...and on and on and on....

If I could do what I want to next year, I would choose not be used for prep
time - I would choose to have flex scheduling.  But I have no control over
that.  So what do I want to do differently next year.  I want to get the kids
to be better about reshelving their books - not to stick them just anywhere
but to really understand why they are supposed to use the book-shelf-markers
in order to return the books that they don't want to check out to the correct
place on the shelves.  Since I serve 1200+ kids a week - and am the only one
who shelves books in my library - I am really getting frustrated with the
carelessness of students returning the books to the shelves just any-old-way.

>Actually, 2 things come to mind immediately:
>
>1) not allow backpacks into the room to (I hope) cut down on book theft.
>2)  do inventory in January.

This will sound ridiculous but I intend to get out in the media center
and work with individual students more.  I always intend to but get stuck
fixing computers or some such thing.  My whole attitude, frustrations and
all, are better when I have worked to help students most of the day.

I'm going to find the hook that will get our ESL classes in the library
more frequently.  So, if you have a sure fire (or even occassional)
winner please let me know.

I think I said this last year and the year before, but NEXT YEAR I want
to do something fun for programming/reading promotion like I used to do
several years ago before computers took over my life.  I love
technology, but miss some of the things I did "before..."

My first thought is that I will not use a reward type program for behavior
in  my Media Center next year. That doesn't mean that there won't be rules
that will be consistently enforced. I just feel that it will work just as
well for students to work for the intrinsic rewards and pleasure from work
well done. Of course there is the added bonus of a media specialist who
will be happier and friendlier when rules are followed!

And finally, the FIRST response I received (but did not save,
unfortunately) came from someone who wrote that she was going to sleep in,
read the paper over a leisurely cup of coffee, work in her garden, travel,
and read WHATEVER she wanted, WHENEVER.  I thought the answer was off the
mark, until I read that she was going to be retiring.  So....
congratulations to you, and all of you brand new retirees!  Enjoy your "new
life"~!

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Jan L. Boling
Barberton HS Library
Barberton, OH  44203
janbo19@idt.net

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