Dear Staci,
Take a deep breath, and repeat after me -"I can't do it all." "I can't do
it all." Now list all the jobs you used to do when you had an assistant.
Now list all the jobs you can do on your own. Focus on the most important
jobs that you can do in your reduced capacity. Be realistic, and remember
you will burn yourself out if you try to do it all. Lastly, list possible
people in your building who can run jobs you can no longer manage (e.g., PTA
or PTO to run the book fairs for you; teachers who can run the reading
program, etc).
Next, take both lists to your principal, and let them know what jobs you can
no longer provide for staff and students unless you can get help for the
clerical work in the library. Negotiate with your principal, but be firm.
You can either do a few things well, or a lot of things poorly. Once you
have an agreed upon job description, then at the next faculty meeting let
the staff know why you don't have the time to do every activity you were
able to due last year, and that they need to be patience until you get a
part-time assistant.
There may be some jobs that will be dropped this year, and when students and
parents ask you why, then tell them you'll bring these programs back when
the staffing in your library is restored. If they ask what they can do to
help, then tell them to write to your principal, superintendent, and school
board on how disappointed they are by the cutbacks in your school. Parents
have the biggest clout, and school boards and superintendents hate negative
comments from the voters - who can fire them.
Good luck,
--
Peter G. Mohn, LMS
Snohomish Freshman Campus
Snohomish, WA
pmohn2001@earthlink.net
"You live and learn. Or you don't live long." -- Heinlein
On 10/1/06 1:21 PM, "Staci Nazareth" <nazarets@SALINE.K12.MI.US> wrote:
> Hello. I have gotten so many good ideas here, and I need another one.
>
> Situation: Year 2 being a librarian (although Year 9 in my building).
> Had part time clerk last year, which was slashed, due to budget cuts.
> Grades 7/8. 900 students, 55 faculty. Flexible schedule. Currently, I
> schedule out all the computer lab stations in the library. When a teacher
> wants to do a project, I have them fill out a class planning visit form,
> which outlines what they are doing, when, the major information literacy
> objectives and we discuss how I can help them. I gather book lists,
> create lots of web pages with links to help kids find info on projects,
> etc.
>
> I am by myself, and find that the administrative/clerical duties have me
> tethered to my desk. I started showing teachers how to check out books,
> so they could do that while I "mingle " with the students during book
> checkout. 1/2 of my teaching teams are bringing students down every 2
> weeks for book checkout, so this is a lot of books we are talking about.
> I am doing little to NO face to face teaching, other than the same old
> 'blurb at the beginning of every research project (why it's not healthy to
> Google all the time, how to use online databases). It's getting
> repetitive.
>
> My other problem is getting my principals on board. My main principal is
> retiring at the end of the year, and I don't think my VP will
> automatically fill in for him.
>
> I want to do stuff like run a book club, provide info for literacy
> circles, have fun programs, decorate, but I can't seem to fit it all in by
> myself.
>
> How do I get parents to participate and volunteer? What do I have them do
> regularly? How can I teach more and do less clerical?
>
> Those of you who have good programs and are by yourself-- how do you do it???
>
> Staci Nazareth
> Media Specialist
> Saline Middle School
> 7265 Saline Ann Arbor Rd
> Saline, MI 48176
> 734 429 8075
> nazarets@saline.k12.mi.us
>
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