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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 > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by > copyright law. > > You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting > LM_NET postings > > by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail > address book. > > To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: > listserv@listserv.syr.edu > > In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) > SET LM_NET NOMAIL > > 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow > for confirmation. > > * LM_NET Help & Information: > http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ > > * LM_NET Archive: > http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ > > * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: > http://lm-net.info/ > > * LM_NET Supporters: > http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html > > * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/ > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > 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 ____________________________________________________________________________________ Never miss a thing. Make Yahoo your home page. http://www.yahoo.com/r/hs -------------------------------------------------------------------- Please note: All LM_NET postings are protected by copyright law. You can prevent most e-mail filters from deleting LM_NET postings by adding LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU to your e-mail address book. To change your LM_NET status, e-mail to: listserv@listserv.syr.edu In the message write EITHER: 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL 3) SET LM_NET MAIL 4) SET LM_NET DIGEST * Allow for confirmation. * LM_NET Help & Information: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ * LM_NET Archive: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/ * EL-Announce with LM_NET Select: http://lm-net.info/ * LM_NET Supporters: http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/ven.html * LM_NET Wiki: http://lmnet.wikispaces.com/ --------------------------------------------------------------------