I am a first year librarian. We have 12 elementary libraries/schools and =
six librarians. Each librarian splits her time between two elementary =
schools. We have no aides, only parent volunteers. In many cases, our =
flex time is actually SCHEDULED, either because the principal wants it =
that way, or because teachers complain that they want scheduled library =
time. When flex time is scheduled, that means you are teaching six =
classes a day, with one prep plus lunch, and seeing 700 students in a =
six day rotation (we work a six-day rotation of A-F days rather than =
Monday through Friday). This leaves virtually no time for library =
maintenance, let alone circulation. Some of us do ten minutes of =
circulation at the end of each class period. The rest of us have parent =
volunteers do circulation on the days we are at our other school. I =
think this has happened because of both funding issues, and due to a =
lack of understanding that a library is not a turnkey operation.
Amanda Power
Librarian
Middletown, NJ
amupower@yahoo.com
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications =
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]On Behalf Of Hal Simon
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2004 6:42 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Time spent teaching classes
Lorraine's message could have been written by me. I am a first year
librarian at a Pre-K - 4th campus of 700+. I, too, have no aide. My =
campus
was on a fixed schedule, and I "tried" to get the teachers to try a flex
schedule. We didn't even get teachers signed up for an entire week, so =
we
went back to a fixed schedule. These teachers did not want to have to =
sign
up every week for a time in the library, because it was easier for them =
to
just put in their lesson plans the same time every week. My principal
wanted me to teach lessons, while the teachers checked their kids books =
in
and out. I told her I was not comfortable with that (that is my job!), =
so
we decided to go to a fixed schedule on MWF with some classes coming 2 =
at a
time for 30 minutes, and TTH reserved for lessons. We have open =
checkout
every day, where 2 kids at a time can come to the library to check out
books. This seems to work out for everybody. I do get some time to =
shelve
books and do the other library stuff, but it's never enough.
I think it's a sign of the times and that libraries will continue to see
cuts in staff and money. I am very fortunate to have parent volunteers =
help
me and a high school student for a short time in the afternoon, but I =
can't
always depend on someone coming in during the times I am the busiest. =
It
doesn't seem to affect me as it does others, because up until June of =
this
year I was a fifth grade teacher with 31 students. Talk about busy!
Lorraine, I understand what you are going through. According to the TEA
standards, a school with our enrollment (701-1050) should have 2 =
certified
librarians, and 2 para-professionals in order to be rated Exemplary. =
Even a
rating of "Below Standard" says we should have 1 certified librarian and =
.5
para-professional. That makes us "below" Below Standard - not even on =
the
chart. I don't know what the answer is, except to start with the =
principal,
and go up from there. Until schools and districts start taking the =
library
and library standards as seriously as curriculum standards and the TAKS,
things will not change. In the meantime, I am just trying to keep my =
head
above water and still come up with fun library programs and activities =
these
kids need and deserve.
Joy Simon
Librarian
Bill Brown Elementary School
Comal ISD, Texas
hlcjs@msn.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Lorraine Smith" <l_k_smith@MSN.COM>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2004 12:47 PM
Subject: Re: Time spent teaching classes
>> Dear LM_NETers,
>>
>> I find it quite interesting (according to the responses to this post)
>> that
>> so many elementary schools are on fixed schedules which is in total
>> opposition to the AASL Information Power standard. I, too, am on a =
fixed
>> schedule because I could never make flexible scheduling work the way =
I
>> envisioned it. I have decided that the problem is twofold:
>>
>> 1. In order to do flex schedule, there needs to be two librarians as =
a
>> regular fixed schedule is also necessary to keep in close contact =
with
>> the
>> classrooms (desirable) and/or cover teacher prep time (not =
desirable).
>>
>> 2. There is never enough money to pay for 2 librarians, therefore, =
most
>> of
>> us are either forced into the fixed schedule by the school and/or our =
own
>> desire to be sure we see all of the kids on a regular basis. I think
>> that
>> having more professionals on staff is the answer (along with a big =
enough
>> space to carry on two activities at the same time) in addition to a
>> clerk/aide or at least good volunteers.
>>
>> Of course, most of us can't even get prep time and/or an aide, much =
less
> another librarian,
>> but I can dream. What you all say that we lobby for more school
>> librarians
>> in every building? Maybe then I won't feel guilty all the time about
> having a fixed schedule and exhausted because I also do flex and open
> library...all without an aide and 750 students.
>>
>> Lorraine Smith
>> Librarian
>> Lake Pointe Elementary, Lake Travis ISD
>> Austin, TX 78738
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Linda DeVore" <linda.devore@CGELEM.K12.AZ.US>
>> To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
>> Sent: Friday, October 01, 2004 2:23 PM
>> Subject: Time spent teaching classes
>>
>>
>> > Thank you for all of the responses. A couple of days ago I
> posted
>> > the question "How much time is spent teaching classes?" for an
> elementary
>> > librarian in my district. The average number of classes being =
taught
> per
>> > week is 30.5 with most classes being 30 minutes in length. School
> sizes,
>> > where given, ranged from 650 to 850 students. Most people are on =
fixed
>> > schedules and are the planning period for their teachers. A couple =
of
>> > people have fixed schedules but also have some flex time built in =
as
> well.
>> > There were only a couple of responses where people had more
>> > than
>> 200
>> > minutes a week allocated for prep/planning. There was one person =
where
> by
>> > contract where they had to be given a prep and another where the =
state
>> > legislature had gotten into the fracas by mandating that teachers =
would
>> have
>> > a guaranteed 40 minute uninterrupted prep every day. One person =
had no
>> prep
>> > and was expected to do administrative duties before or after school =
on
> her
>> > own time. One person is down to 3 hours a week and another is at =
40
>> minutes
>> > a day. The good news is that the majority of the respondents have =
at
>> least
>> > a part-time aide and in a lot of cases a full time aide/assistant. =
No
> one
>> > said that they had enough time for doing "library stuff". Most of =
the
>> > respondents are exhausted and are feeling frustrated.
>> > Once again, thank you for your responses and I hope that =
this
>> > information can be used by this librarian when she speaks with her
>> principal
>> > and that the second librarian can be allocated some "prep" time of =
her
> own
>> > and maybe even give up her PE class!
>>
>
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