HIT: Part I - question when I start

[Richard Vance Carson <zyg@WORLDNET.ATT.NET>]

Hi all!

Wow, there have been a lot of different approaches to the
question I submitted to the listserv (quoted below):

> How does a new media coordinator maintain discipline in the
> media center. How much responsibility for discipline should
> the teacher take and how much should the media coordinator
> take? What consequences are generally employed?

> Richard Vance Carson
> LIS Student getting Media Coordinator certification
> University of North Carolina at Greensboro
> zyg@worldnet.att.net

A few of you asked me to post a hit so here it is. A line
with nothing but consecutive X's (XXXXXXXXXXXX) means that's
the end of one person's comment and the beginning of
another. Thanks, everyone, for all your answers. If anyone
is left out, it is an oversight and not intentional.
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Generally, I deal with the minor problems that cause me
difficulty along with the teacher, but the teacher deals
with any major disruptions.
--
 In literature as in love, we are astonished at what is
chosen by
others.--Andre Maurois
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My advice is this -- if your space is being violated in some
fashion and
the teacher is doing nothing about it, don't hesitate to
stop the behavior; however, if its general nastiness, let
the teacher take care of it.  I had one teacher last year
that would not take responsibility for her students, and I
stepped in over her head.  Other than that, teachers usually
took care of their own.
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This can be a real can of worms.  We library media folks
walk a very
fine line between allowing the teacher to maintain
discipline and making
a colleague look bad by stepping in.  When I was at the
building level,
I would always start a class with a quick review of
acceptable behavior
in the media center AND say I know this may be different
than your
classroom.  If I was working with a teacher who was
stricter, I followed
that guideline.  If the teacher was more lenient, I always
asked if
he/she wanted me to handle problems or preferred to so do
themselves.

No straight answers on this one  :-)
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Hi,
If it is your "classroom" you had better be in control of
the learning
going on.  A media specialist can not expect the kids to
behave only
because the classroom teacher is "making them".  I find
there are very
few behavior problems if the learning content is meaningful
and
provides active involvment (like decision making etc. not
necessarily
physical movement).  Yes collaboration means both teachers
are working
with the students, but the media specialist must be able to
controlthe
group and have their respect.
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Hi Richard and Group,

I will tell you the method that evolved for me that seemed
to work
best.  Because I was a disciplinarian in the classroom, I
had already
learned the methods of moving into a troublemaker's
territory without
bringing a lot of attention to us and other subtle ways of
discipline
without being grouchy.  I also like order and consideration
in a
learning environment; therefore, I frequently could not wait
for a
"relaxed" teacher to discipline his/her students.

What I learned to do was at the beginning of the year, I
would announce
to each group as they came *in the presence of their
teacher* that "this
is MY classroom" and that MY rules had priority.  I
explained that when
there was more than one teacher, of which I am one, that
students might
be confused as to which one's rules to abide by.  Therefore,
MY rules
applied in the library, regardless of the kinds of behavior
that is/was
allowed in the individual classrooms.

Then I softened my statement by explaining that there would
be days when
we might have as many as 3 classes in the library at once
and each class
would have a teacher.  If I detected a problem, I would wait
to see if
the student's teacher saw the problem and would correct it.
If he/she
did not, then *I* would step in and do it.

By the time I had oriented all of the classes, the teachers
pretty well
knew how I expected discipline matters to be taken care of.
Because our
library is so spread out, they usually were greatful that I
had firm
rules that students knew they had to follow.  It was very
hard in a
"different" environment for them to see everything at once.
I was
accustomed to the area, so I could head problems off before
they
started.

In short....MY rules had priority in the library because I
had to make
sure the facility was functional for everyone in the
school.  I
recommend that you establish that idea early.

Good luck!
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How one maintains discipline depends on your style, the
students, and
the activity. If it's study hall a quiet reminder that
silence is the
accepted mode in the library should be enough. Removal from
the study
hall is the consequence.

One always begins the year tougher than one ends it so make
sure you
don't start too loose...it will only get worse!

Since most classes don't "have" to be in library, I remind
them it's a
priviledge and the priviledge can be removed....
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The kids in my school are really a good group.  We don't
encounter many
problems.  When classes come down to the library to do
research, we do a
brief intro or lesson on whatever they are using.  If the a
student is
being a disruption, the teacher usually gives the kid a
look, and I often back it up with a "I am only going to be
up here for 5 minutes, so I would appreciate your
attention."  Once the lesson is over, the classes disperse--
some kids go to the technology room and some go to the
reference stacks.  Our library is very spread out and it is
impossible for one person to monitor all the
activity.  Whomever is near the student who acting up takes
care of telling them to calm down.  If someone does
something that needs to be written up (very rare) the person
who witnesses it writes them up.

To be honest, I do not have rules that I go on and on
about.  I suppose it is different in an elemetary school.
By HS the kids know proper behavior. We have notices posted
near all computers with our computer rules (don't change
settings,  etc.)  I never thought about it, but for a place
with no real rules, I encounter few discipine problems. The
more rules you make, the more  rules they break and the more
they want to break those rules.  Perhaps I am just a
softie.  :)   The library in my school, however, is always
clean, happy and we always have a crowd.
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Since we are at an elementary school, we try to keep it
simple!  I have my Media Center rules posted so that all of
the students (and teachers!) can see them.  They are:

1.  If I'm talking, no one else should be talking
2.  Treat others the way that you want to be treated
3.  What "goes" in your classroom "goes" in the Media Center
(this is a
good catchall rule for raising hands, not running, etc.)

Whenever students were talking while I am reading aloud or
teaching a
lesson, rather than single them out, I will ask the class as
a whole, "What is rule #1 in the Media Center?"  It works
like a charm!  I was impressed - by Halloween of last year,
even the youngest Kindergartners could tell me all three
rules.

For noise level, I have a "three strikes and you're out"
policy.  Students are allowed to speak in "normal" voices,
but if a class gets too loud, they will hear one ring, which
signals that they must start speaking in a whisper. If they
hear two rings, there should be silence.  If they hear three
rings (heaven forbid!), the entire class is sent back to
their classroom without checking out books.  I should add
that we have never gotten to three rings!

The teachers, TAs, and parent volunteers also know these
rules and (maybe as a result) like to reinforce them.  If a
class is getting too noisy for a teacher's taste, she will
ring that bell!  In fact, last year, one of the teachers
asked if she could borrow my bell for her classroom!

I have found that the best steps to take regarding
discipline are to make your expectations about behavior
clear to the students from the beginning of the year and to
reinforce them throughout the year.  I hope this helps!
Good luck on your M.L.S.!
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I think it's important for the LMS to understand the
classroom teacher's
discipline policy and work within that framework.  The
teachers and
students need to understand that behavior in the media
center doesn't
"stay there", it has repercussions in the classroom.  Most
of the
teachers at my school use the "progressive" approach.  I
have and do
tell students that they are to "flip a card" when they
return to the
classroom.  I know that I have to follow up with some
students.
Specialty teachers also have the option of sending a student
to the
office without it being a major offence.  If someone is
having a really
bad day they may be sent to the office to wait out the
period without
discipline referrals.
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Dear Richard:  I feel that it is as much your responsibility
for discipline as the classroom teacher's.  I would never
sit back and wait for the teacher to deal with a student -
you are partners when a class is in there.  Also, you need
to show that you do have authority even though you aren't a
classroom teacher.   In my school we stress to students
that  ALL adults are to be equally respected and "obeyed."
This goes from lunchroom worker to custodian to principal to
teacher.  We really work on squashing the attitude "I don't
have to listen to you because you aren't my teacher."

 I have found that when kids are misbehaving it is usually
for one of three reasons.  First, they have come to the
media center with an attitude problem - fight with the
teacher, problem at home, etc.  These big issues aren't
always something you can completely deal with or control, so
you may just need to give the child a "time out."  That is a
negative phrase to many people so you may not want to call
it that.  You want to make what you are going to do into
something that will help them, so  you should just say you
want them to sit outside the room or whatever until they are
in control of themselves. Make it their responsibility for
gaining control.  It is up to them to stop yelling or
fooling or whatever - you give them the space and the
opportunity to accomplish it. The expectation is that they
will be quiet
and pleasant and work when they are in the media center, and
until they are ready to do that, they need to sit outside or
in a corner and get composed. Sometimes it is necessary to
send them to the office - although that is a last resort.
The second reason they misbehave is a bad seating choice.
We all know which students don't work well together, and
making sure they sit far away from one another will
alleviate a lot of fooling around.  If I have to move a
student, again I try not to make it punitive or accuse him
of being a problem - I tell him I have a place where there
are fewer distractions or it is quiet, or whatever, so he
doesn't feel like he's being punished, but that I'm helping
him.  (He will still know he's being moved because he's
messing around, but you are making it seem like it is for a
good reason, not a bad one.)  The last reason I have found
is that they either don't understand what they are supposed
to do or don't know where or
how to get the information they need.  Many times it is
easier for them to just sit and fool around than ask for
help.  I always go and check in on off-task kids and make
sure they have all the materials they need, know what they
are supposed to do, and ask if they have any questions.  If
they are all set, and they have made a good seating choice,
there shouldn't be too much trouble.  I am talking
elementary level here, but the principles should be the same
in any media center.

Your school probably has a discipline code or policy, and
you should
definitely follow it.  I only send one or two kids a year to
the office,
and a lot of the time I can see that it's when I am frazzled
and they just push a button.  Just be really clear from the
beginning that they are in there to work, etc.   I have
sometimes kept kids in for recess who come in without their
class and then don't work, or I make a point of telling
their teacher if they come in and don't settle down.  They
think they aren't accountable out of the room, but of course
they are.  Nail them once or twice and they get the idea.
Good luck
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