Re: Educators who don't like to read

[enosal <enosal@MSN.COM>]

I wince when I hear about stupid and unprofessional comments made by
educators, such as those mentioned by Steve.  Steve is fellow MLS student at
Southern Connecticut State University.  Well, actually I graduated with the
MLS in May, Steve, and I have only one summer course, plus Library Media
Specialist Practice remaining.
There will always be teachers and librarians who have no business being with
our children. My heart goes out to Steve's nephew.  But a love of reading is
only a small part of being a good media specialist.  If I spent all my time
promoting reading, I would totally miss connecting with many of my high
school students.  I do love reading, but as an "information specialist" with
an MLS, I know that my job is multi-faceted and complex.  While my book
displays and knowledge of literature and authors may be of interest to a few
students, the majority of them want to find the right information when they
need it.  Sometimes it's in a book.  Sometimes it's not.  Many students will
read screen after screen of information on the computer, yet say they don't
like books because they don't like to read.  I gently remind them that
reading the computer screen also counts as reading.
The important things are to be professional at all times, with students and
staff, and respect their needs.  Oh, and a smile goes a long way too.
Good luck, Steve!

Ellen Nosal, MLS
East Hampton High School
East Hampton. CT
enosal@msn.com



Date:    Thu, 26 Jun 2003 09:54:32 -0400
From:    Steven Patnode <Sun85@AOL.COM>
Subject: Re: Teacher who don't like to read

Unfortunately, burned-out librarians like that are
everywhere.  When interviewing my nephews for one of
my MLS courses, they told me they no longer used
their school media center because they had overheard
the LMS telling someone that she hated kids and couldn't
wait to reach her goal of collecting full retirement
in a couple of years. This was not an off-the-cuff comment
said on a particularly bad day...they said very few kids were
using the SLMC because they had felt unwelcomed by this
LMS for years.  This has all been corroborated by a
teacher friend in this school who also does not use the
SLMC if at all possible.

This is in New York State, where the state is now coming
up with more ways to keep enthusiastic new librarians
out of libraries by no longer granting provisional certifications and
doubling fieldwork requirements,
while honoring the tenure of miserable,
fed-up librarians who are coasting for their last
few years of their jobs and collecting fat paychecks
while ignoring and/or insulting the students.

Sad.

Steve Patnode
MLS student
SCSU
sun85@aol.com

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