I have been working on scheduling our site's twenty classes all this week.
Seventeen teachers are assigned with only three left. Because i only have ten
paid hours, i am trying to keep the classroom visits within the morning hours
Mondary through Thursday. Our principal agreed to that last June. Now she is
trying to get me to allow visits in the afternoon. She says,
"A number of teachers have asked if they can have library hours in the
afternoon. So I have two thoughts.
1) Can you alter your hours to cover some afternoons instead of having all
library hours in the morning?
2) If not, can we get parents trained on the library system so they can help
check out and check in books? OR figure out some way for check out check in to
happen in the afternoon?
A lot of pull outs are already in the morning hours which disrupts
reading/writing/math which is taught almost completely in the morning hours."
I replied that i feel she should support me and those last three teachers
should choose one of the 30-minute blocks of time in the morning.
Then she came up with this: "We can talk about this tomorrow. There are more
than just 3 teachers that want afternoons. I trust your judgement with the
library since you have years of experience, but I also have classroom teaching
experience which tells me that the best teaching time is in the morning before
lunch--which is why if it were up to me ALL the pull outs would be during the
afternoon. As it is right now, some teachers have all of their pull outs in the
mornings--leaving little time for consistent daily instruction of reading and
math. It really is ashame that the library is closed during the afternoons.
When I used to teach, the library was always open (even though the librarian
wasn't there). We were not allowed to check books out, but we could go in there
and read a book to our students or do research from a cart of books the
librarian already pulled out. I'm wondering if there could be a compromise -- like
the teachers use the library in the afternoon but not check books out or leave
the books they want to check out on the counter with post-it notes with
student names or have the teacher leave a list of the books and the student who
borrowed the book on your desk. You have done wonders with the library--the small
space you have and creating a great resource for students and teachers.
However, I'd like to find a way to make the use of the library more effective and
flexible by working together. Believe me, I have no trouble standing my ground
when need be. Why do you think so many teachers were unhappy last year? In this
case, I think the teachers have a valid point. We can talk some more
tomorrow."
There is something wrong with this picture. I would like some ideas from you
professionals before i go in and speak with her. I feel very hurt and angry
that she asked me to come up with a procedure for the teachers to set protocol
and miscommunication and speak before the faculty before all of this. She even
proofread my scheduling packet and said it was "fine." I want to be there when
classes come visit. I am trying to change the practice of sending students to
the library with just a parent volunteer. I want to make the library an
extension of the classroom . . . Help!
Phyllis Libbe
CVUSD
Stanton Elementary
Castro Valley, CA
If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need. ~Cicero
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