I attended a workshop with Allison Zmuda. She said something that really resonated
with me. "YOU are responsible for the learning that occurs in your space." She is
a classroom teacher, and it was most interesting to hear her point of view. She
said she was one of those teachers who always came up with last minute plans. She
said her librarian would bend over backwards to accommodate. Then Allison asked
herself - during the time the librarian was scrambling to accommodate last minute
needs - what was happening to the children that were in the library who needed the
librarian? It was obvious to Allison that the children were paying for her (the
teacher's) lack of planning. Allison says no matter what - teachers will ask
outrageous things. They often don't know better. It is we librarians who need to
keep the mantra in mind - "YOU are responsible for the learning that occurs in your
space." An ill-timed (and ill- conceived) plan such as you describe, is taking
away from the children who have a right to have your best and most focused
attention to their educational needs. It makes a great deal of sense.
Yes - helping a teacher can be a way of reaching out to someone who doesn't use the
library effectively. However - this request was beyond the scope of what we should
be providing as assistance. It sounds to me as if she asked the children what
they were interested in and her plan was simply to gather books for them. What is
that teaching the kids? If you are responsible for the learning that takes place
in your library - then you are responsible for teaching those children how to
locate books to satisfy their interests, or fulfill the requirements of the
teacher. With even just a week's lead time - a wonderful educational opportunity
could be designed for those children. That teacher is putting up road blocks to
education in your classroom. She is not in charge of your classroom. You are.
Once ruffled feathers have settled down - it might be a good idea to approach her
asking what projects she is planning in the next few weeks so that you can figure
out how to teach her students about locating information in your library. If your
attempts fail, it would be time for a conversation with your principal. Perhaps a
policy could be written up and shared with the faculty with the approval of your
principal.
Jacquie
"The Librarian, whose job is to heal ignorance, to keep life safe for poetry and to
put knowledge smack dab in the middle of the American way." ~ The Philadelphia
Inquirer, 9-20-03
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Jacquie Henry, MLS
Ruben A. Cirillo High School (GHS)
Gananda Central School District
3195 Wiedrick Road
P.O. Box 609
Macedon, NY 14502
315-986-3521 x 3144
jhenry@gananda.org
Library Page: http://www.gananda.org/library/mshslibrary/indexgcl.htm
Blog: http://nlcommunities.com/communities/wanderings/default.aspx
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