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I am just getting around to responding to this --

While the idea of sitting down with an administrator
in a constructive  atmosphere sounds wonderful -- in
reality it the vast majority of cases -- it isn't
going to happen -
Does that sound negative -- perhaps so --
but unfortunately you sometimes have to accept
reality.

Now before someone sees that I am the Director of
Technology and dismisses me as an ivory tower person.

I spent 23 years as a building level media specialist
and moved to the district office so that I could fight
more for media specialists and the importance of their
role.  but I have learned some hard lessons -- 
and unfortunately this discussion on standards is
going to be based on those lessons.

1. Building level administrators -- have too much to
do. They are dealing with problems that the majority
of faculty members have no idea about -- meetins,
phones calls, irate parents, upset teachers, budgets,
broken equipment, upset teachers, test scores, new
mandates from the federal government or state, test
scores, attendance issues, discipline issues, special
education students, lunch problems, bus problems, etc.
etc.

Believe me -- go in and tell them you  want to discuss
these new standards -- then if they read them -- do
you actually think they will make sense to them? That
is not an insult to the building administrator -- but
a statement of fact -- any standards should be written
so that anyone can understand what they mean -- and
what they are supposed to do...
And I just don't think that is the case with these
standards.

The principal then will say -- are they tested? -- is
there any funding tied to this?

Enough said --

2. District level administrators --
you can use pretty much the same list as above -- but
make it more global -- then add lawyers, NCLB reports,
a whole variety of other paperwork that will make your
head spin, and more..

Folks this is not to be negative or defeatist -- but
we have to accept reality and then try to move from
there --

Take the standards and make them more readable for the
end user -- 

Find the standards that are being tested and see how
you can fit these standards into them.

There are just too many standards out there -- ISTE
standards, Math standards, English standards, the list
seems to go on --

and I think if I read one more set of "standards" I
will scream --

There are just too many things for everyone to do --

One question I always ask media specialists when I
talk to them --

If a principal could only have one position -- a
technology coach, literacy coach, or a librarian --
which would your principal pick...

If it isn't the librarian -- find out why --
do you support teachers -- are you a leader in
technology? what are you doing to promote literacy and
get kids to read?

If you are the stumbling block -- you will be gone

Stop and think the next time you get angry that "your"
standardsd are not being used - or when you won't let
kids check out books because they owe a fine -- (do
you realize that's why some people have put in
classroom libraries -the media specialists don't want
kids to read -- they are too worried about fines) or I
don't have time to help that teacher with that
computer -- they should know how to use it...

If you want change -- sometimes you have to change.

My former principal used to say to me

"Their perception is their reality and it is your job
to change their reality"

I have used that premise for everything I do --
Think about it

and as we hash these standards -- keep this thought in
mind

Do you want to create life-long lovers of libraries?
or Do you want library haters?

Food for thought..

Paula

 








> 
> > Like others who have written in response to
> Sharon's well thought out
> > critique of the new AASL standards, I too hope
> this provides inspiration 
> > for
> > discussion. I am quite concerned however, that the
> discussion seems to be
> > starting off with a rather negative, defeatist
> tone. For a library leader 
> > to
> > state that "the new standards from AASL and from
> ISTE give an easy out for
> > not using them at all" is, I can only hope, an
> unfortunate misstatement 
> > that
> > was not intended to be as dismissive as it
> appeared.
> >
> > Through our involvement in this national forum, we
> have all assumed the
> > responsibility of a leadership position. Part of
> that responsibility, and
> > indeed a part well supported by the beliefs and
> standards of the document 
> > in
> > question, is to engage in a reflective review and
> critique of information.
> > It is entirely appropriate for that critical
> review to be shared with your
> > administration. Documents like this should never
> be placed in mailboxes or
> > dropped off on desks, they need to be shared in a
> carefully constructed
> > social context that includes your professional and
> expert thoughts on how
> > this broad national document will be applied in
> the local environment. An
> > unwillingness to share the new standards because
> "they do not compellingly
> > and clearly support the role of the library media
> specialist as it has
> > evolved in [a] district" leaves me wondering what
> exactly the role might 
> > be
> > in that district.
> >
> > I would like to extend Sharon's initial reference
> to my May 2006 SLJ 
> > article
> > on School Library 2.0 to clarify that the real
> theme of the article is 
> > about
> > finding solutions. I do like to speak about the
> "Google Effect" to build 
> > up
> > suspense, but the underlying purpose of bringing
> up that concern is to
> > provide a platform for the exploration of possible
> ways to overcome the
> > problem (one answer is to become a Google Ninja
> that teaches people how to
> > actually use Google and its massive suite of
> tools). In the past couple of
> > years, AASL seems to be re-awakening; becoming
> increasingly focused on
> > finding solutions. As with most situations,
> however, those solutions are 
> > not
> > always perfect. National documents must be written
> broadly; then 
> > supported,
> > extended, and applied locally. Given the massive
> national organization 
> > that
> > is AASL, is it any wonder that the very first
> publication in this 
> > multi-year
> > process of re-writing our "handbook" has some room
> for improvement?
> >
> > The answer, though, is to rise up as an active
> membership and take on a
> > leadership role in helping to find solutions to
> the concerns we identify. 
> > I
> > would issue a challenge to LM_NET to frame this
> discussion moving forward.
> > When you identify a concern, try also to identify
> at least one possible
> > solution. If you need help finding a solution, let
> us know and we can all
> > work together to brainstorm some possibilities.
> None of us has all the
> > answers - I certainly would love some help in
> looking forward to
> > implementation - but I do feel very strongly that
> our conversation must be
> > framed in a more positive light.
> >
> > Christopher Harris - infomancy@gmail.com
> > Coordinator, School Library System
> > Genesee Valley BOCES, Le Roy NY
> > Vote Chris! - ALA Council Candidate 2008
> >
> >
>
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> 
> 
> 


Paula Yohe
Director Of Technology/Library Media Center
Dillon School District Two
405 West Washington Street
Dillon, SC 29536
Phone: 843-841-3604 Fax:843-774-1214
paula_yohe@yahoo.com


      
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