I think Tony is right about teachers thinking and treating us as 2nd grade
educators. The nice part of this for me is, and maybe I am still to young at this
job, that more people respect my knowledge, the STUDENTS think I am THE GURU on
tech issues, and because of that do better research after I introduced more
databases and not Google only.
So, as many have said, it is not because of our gender, but because of our
invaluable and professional way of handling research, library and technology
situations.
Danville Fourie
Librarian
James Monroe High School
Fredericksburg, VA
Tel: 540- 372 1100; ext 2415
dfourie@cityschools.com
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
Nelson Mandela
-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Doyle_Tony
Sent: Friday, January 11, 2008 12:58 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: Re: Because I'm a man?
No, it is not because you are a man. It is because you are a push-over. They ask
and you do. Until you stop doing they will keep asking.
I was the computer guy here for a long time: wrote tech grants, ordered equipment,
unloaded trucks, set up computers, installed software, etc. etc. etc. That was OK
when I started out. The library program here was anemic when I arrived and my
computer skills helped me get the job. We also didn't have that many computers to
deal with. As I built up my program and as the tech infrastructure here expanded
it became impossible for me to keep doing all of that. I will still help a teacher
who has problems mid-lesson, but generally I don't go out fix computers any more.
The level of district tech support is much better now so when teachers call with
problems I tell them to e-mail Frank. When I began weaning the staff of my tech
support it made for some tense times with some people but those people didn't get,
don't get it and probably never will get it. I have resigned myself to the fact
that some teachers will always see and treat me as a second--class educator. And
you know what? Most of those people are jerks anyway. They also treat
secretaries, custodians, students, and a lot of others as second-class people.
There's not much I can do about them.
In the last 4 or 5 years I have been able to change the perceptions of a lot of
teachers and students so that now I am the literature/research/computer guy instead
of just the computer guy. I like the balance and I think my program is much
healthier now. But it takes constant PR work. Every new staff member has to be
educated. We have had 3 different principals in the last 4 years so it has been,
at times, exhausting and frustrating. But it is definitely worth it.
Just say no,
Tony
--------------------------------------------------
Tony Doyle, Teacher Librarian
Member California Young Reader Medal Committee
Livingston High School
Livingston, CA
tdoyle@MUHSD.K12.CA.US
Http://www.lhswolves.org/library/index.htm
Http://lhsblog.edublogs.org <http://lhsblog.edublogs.org/>
"You don't have to burn books to destroy a culture; you just have to get people to
stop reading them."
Ray Bradbury
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