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This semester has been quite a roller coaster so far. Juggling a full time job, grad school, and parenting has really made my schedule like a jenga game, and about 3 weeks into the semester I didn't see how I was going to make it work. However the things I have learned through our office hours, readings, and just reading all your responses in the modules has really helped me gain understanding of the field. I have heard so many great ideas and cannot wait to implement some of them. It's going to be a slow process, but I have a much clearer picture of what is possible and where I want to take the library and the school.

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This semester started off very rocky for me.  I wasn't able to get into a school library until the beginning of this month, which made me feel like I was already behind and then I missed my first day there because of an unforeseen illness (when it rains, it pours!).  Now that I'm finally in the school library, I definitely have hit the ground running.  I was able to visit the elementary library to observe and I was able this week to attend their district school media specialist meeting yesterday.  A lot of what we're covering in this class I'm seeing in practice and that's great because it's putting everything into perspective.  I've learned that collaboration between the school media specialists and the classroom teachers is somewhat hard to come by. I've observed in the elementary school and there isn't any collaboration between the two - the school media specialist takes the time to ensure that what she's teaching related directly to what the students are learning in either English, Social Studies or Science.  In the high school, it's the opposite because my FE librarian is available for when the teachers might needs assistance but she doesn't have the classroom block set aside.  All-in-all, I'm gaining A LOT of knowledge in these few short weeks and I'm looking forward to see what else I'm going to encounter! - Jillian B.

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I think at some point in the beginning of this semester we talked about making a 5 year plan because we can't do everything right away.  I remember thinking to myself that I couldn't possibly think 5 years out because I had so much I needed to get done right away, which basically meant the lesson in there went right over my head.  I think now it is hitting me that, with 40 minute preps a day, I am not going to get everything I want to accomplish done so I really need to work on prioritizing and working on one thing to completion rather than partially doing lots of things.

I am learning about so many cool ideas in this class and in my PLN facebook groups, but I also need to step back in that arena and slowly add things in.  If I rush and dump all these cool things I don't fully comprehend into my classes it will show and the kids won't get the benefit of the cool new things or the benefit of the library class at all.  So basically I need to slow my roll on all fronts and just focus on having good, solid lesson plans and doing one or two priorities at a time. It's like juggling, if I try to add too many balls in at once it won't work.

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I really enjoy working in the middle school, more so than I could have imagined. I can see myself being very happy in that setting. To be honest, many of my concerns about relating to the students hasn’t been an issue. Jess is a Rockstar Teacher Librarian and I feel so thankful. The way she relates to her students is wonderful to watch. She has really worked hard to develop a reading culture in her school. The Keurig machine definitely helps get teachers through the door but students are excited to come. There is something to do whenever they come in, whether it’s putting in a piece of puzzle or entering a contest or listening to a read-aloud. I think it feels like the center of the school and somewhere where students can just be kids for a few minutes.

This year has been different and the emotional wellness of the students has been taken pretty seriously. In many ways, the library has been the center of that and it allowed me to see how the library can help a school thrive in bad situations. I’m very impressed with the willingness to try new things and the vote of confidence the library and its staff get from the administration. I know that this is the product of hard work and consistently showing up and doing what is necessary to run the show. I hope to one day build that kind of relationship and make a difference.

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I will have to reiterate others with the feeling of being overwhelmed. There is always something that can be done in my school library! Sometimes I force myself to take a seat and tell myself that I am doing just fine, and I am a qualified leader. My biggest takeaway is that you are never "too" prepared. You can never be too prepared in teaching or running your school library! If I could start this year over, I would've taken a week or so just studying the collection in even more detail, and start reviewing titles that I was interested in using in my classes.

I've struggled greatly with teaching, so being even more prepared when things go wrong is never a bad spot to be in. Teaching is my second AHA moment- being a great teacher comes in time, and it became a lot easier once I started building trust with my students.  At the same time, I wish that I spent more time in a classroom (either as a parapro or volunteer) before jumping into teaching! As an elementary media-specialist, I spend a lot more time actually teaching than being a librarian. Practicing patience has been vital for me. Somedays are easier than others.

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My biggest ahas this semester so far have been about how different the school library programs in my district are from those in New Jersey. I have loved being in an actual library and seeing theory in practice. I have conflicted feelings about graduating. On one hand, I am super excited to get into my own library and control my own program, but on the other, I am also super nervous about having to do all the things that make a good librarian on my own. In this class I have seen how important collaboration and curation can be, with the contrast of my FE where Raquel does neither. I have learned so much through this program and I am starting to teach my FE some of the new things, so maybe she will evolve.

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I think my biggest takeaway from this semester so far is the versatility of librarianship and how much schools and libraries have had to adapt in the face of the pandemic. This program did not have to change because we were always an online program but schools had to find ways to bring their in-person lessons to the online space and libraries were a huge proponent of that process.  In my FE, I have noticed that Ann has worked hard to ensure all online databases and ebook catalogs are working to help the teachers have the support they need but she did not have a big part in getting “Pingry Anyway” set up. I’ve really enjoyed learning about how other librarians stepped up and were an integral part of their schools integration to fully online and then hybrid as the pandemic has progressed. This just also showed how some librarians are seen more as leaders within the school community than others, no matter what level they teach at.  This difference of view shows how differently libraries are seen within a school district and shows that we need to continue to work on impressing on every community the importance of a school library and a school librarian.

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I don't know where to start. I guess this course so far has made me more hungry to enter into the world of the librarian. Not to just be teetering around it as the library teacher (really ELA reinforcer) in my building. I want to dive deep into a library and have collections of books and manage staff and still teach students. I want to weed material and put material on the shelves regardless if they may be challenged as long as they meet the needs of the students. This course has shown me how much a librarian truly does and how she wears many hats. Not only is she an educator, she is the person that holds everything together in her building. She is collaboratively working with administrators and teachers to ensure students are receiving all skills to get them ready for the world (college, their careers and their lives as a whole). I think an aha moment this semester when we read "A day in the Life". I honestly couldn't believe how much the librarians were working on their breaks and coming in early to make sure they were having the meetings they needed to ensure that the job was done correctly. While I am very familiar with hard work and rigor, I have been spoiled with focusing mostly on the teaching aspect and not as much hands on with the collections, orders, and budgets. I look forward to the rest of this semester and learning more about how to get my administration to be as interested in my library program as I am. I am looking to find different ways to get them on board.

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One of my biggest AHAs thus far is that the library has its own rhythm, just like classroom instruction has its own rhythm. The library day, at least in my middle school, has really busy times, such as before school, advisory time, the three grade level lunches, and then after school, and during these unstructured times it is still important to hold students to expectations.

Also, the library and librarian are sometimes (often?) used to fill “gaps.” For example, we are a middle school, but some of our students take classes at the high school because they need advanced math and language courses that are not offered at our school. This means that these students come to school partway through period 1 and need a place to go until the start of period 2. The place they have been assigned to is the library, so everyday approximately 45 students arrive in the library without a teacher or a purpose other than to wait for their next class. By default, these students have now become the responsibility of the librarian.

Finally, never underestimate the importance of the “tribe.” While you may be the only staff member in your library, you do not have to be alone. It has been my experience in this program that librarians are amazing collaborators and are incredibly supportive of each other. If you need something and reach out, someone, somewhere, probably has an idea for you.

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My "AHA" moment is deeply personal, and it honestly took me by surprise as it has happened little by little every day. My mom was a high school French teacher for over 30 years, and so much of her identity was wrapped up in her role as an educator. When I decided to make this career change, I thought quite a bit about my mom and wondered how she would feel about it. Every single day, when I'm teaching in the library, I think about her and how she might handle a particular classroom management issue like a chatty kid who can't listen, or how to connect her teaching to a kid who is hard to reach. While my mom is no longer with us, I feel her presence often, and I know that she relied heavily on her network of educators for support and guidance, so I will do the same as I continue to move forward.

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I have always been a visual learner, so observing a school library environment and witnessing an SLMS in-action has been a wonderful experience. Like Kaley, I didn’t realize just how much instruction is involved at a school library and am not entirely sure that so much teaching is a good fit for me. But we’re only halfway through, and I may discover that class instruction is in my wheelhouse after all.

I’ve really enjoyed watching the dynamic between Lisa and Kate as they discuss projects and problems to tackle in the library. Lisa has been the librarian at SBHS for 15+ years, and while Kate has been a school librarian for several years, this is her first full year at South Brunswick. Lisa brings a lot of knowledge about the school to the table while Kate helps to bring a fresh perspective. They’re great about bouncing ideas off each other and talking through issues until they find a suitable solution.

As much as I have appreciated learning about the inner workings of the school library (i.e., the curriculum, budgeting, the selection policy, etc.) I am much more excited about working on hands-on projects. I loved creating the Dystopian Novel Padlet for one of Lisa’s presentations and am looking forward to other similar work. Right now, I am working on the collection evaluation of a given topic, plus developing a social media action plan. I like creating practical deliverables may just be my favorite aspect of librarianship. Whether curated resources or devising lesson plans, I like knowing something I made will be used and appreciated by somebody else.

Overall, I’m happy with my time at my FE thus far, and I know I still have plenty more to learn. And fingers crossed that my eventual encounter with class instruction goes well.

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Throughout this semester I have learned a great deal about how a school librarian must advocate for and support the initiatives of the school.  A community scan provides a wealth of information about the community and programs the library supports.  It helps to identify areas where goals and objectives can be developed to make sure that the library is always exceling.  I have learned so much about the operations of a school library.  My field experience has allowed me to practice the responsibilities of teaching, technology assistance, and collection development/maintenance. I also have enjoyed exploring so many wonderful databases.

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Wow!  Can’t believe how close we are to graduating!  To be completely honest, I’m less sure I want to be a school librarian now than I was when I started the program.  I really didn’t know how instructionally focused school librarianship was.  I’ve never wanted to be a teacher.  That aside, I learned a great deal this semester.  The biggest takeaways are the importance of evaluating your community and its needs before taking action.  That’s probably my biggest takeaway from this program in general.  I used to approach situations and problems with my own ideas of what was best.  But in terms of serving schools or patrons, we have to put our own goals and preferences aside and dig into what our kids truly need.  The environmental scan was excellent practice for either a school or public library community.  As I dig into the needs assessment and the strategic plan, I’m learning how to scaffold planning and ground it in solid evidence.  These are skills that are transferable to any library setting.  Even if I do stay in the public library realm, my awareness of the standards and instructional approaches can inform my program and strengthen my partnership with the school library.

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My biggest "Ahas" has to do with how much schools really have to learn to adapt.  I know last year was tough but this year is probably more so.  As an example, I went to a CLT meeting to collaborate on a lesson with 7th grade LA teachers and a sub for a class next to us just didn't show up.  There was a whole class that couldn't even get into their room!  They had to do a school wide announcement and I still don't think the sub came.  (There is a huge shortage in the district for subs, bus drivers, ESOL teachers, and SPED and LD teachers.)  Another sub approved by the administrator has turned down most classes offered.  Most of the teachers and regular staff do additional duties - for example, my mentor is a testing coordinator, and the library assistant is a sub-coordinator and puts out the weekly newsletters for the school.  I see regular emails from staff that need to check with others to cover their additional duties when they have a scheduling conflict.  I sincerely hope something gives and more people (qualified people) take the opportunities to enter jobs offered by schools. Once I am done with my degree I have thought about subbing in the event no library jobs are available right away. It would give me experience in a classroom around the kids and I would be in a school. I really respect teachers and what they have to go through - but they need days off for personal reasons, appointments and mental health days too.  The staff at BMS really seem to come together in most cases and lend a hand where possible.  They make it look seamless, though it is likely a lot more chaotic behind the scenes - they handle it with grace.

On another note - I have noticed that the skills I have gotten from almost all of my other classes have really helped me. (I would say the skills in 550 would have helped me if I were following a different track.) YA/Kid Lit, International Books, Emerging Tech, Learning Theory, Search, and 525 have played the biggest roles in preparing me, and I could not be happier of my choice of programs to become a librarian.

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My mid-semester AHAs can really be summarized by a conversation that I recently had with my FE librarian.  I was telling her how surprised I was by the more “hidden” aspects of the job such as scheduling issues, budgets, and clerical work.  She mentioned that what she loves about her job, but what also makes it difficult, is that you have to fill so many roles.  She is a teacher, an administrator, an event planner, a secretary, and so many other things.  Each day looks different, which is both exhilarating and daunting at times.  I always knew that a job as a librarian would be much more than just checking out books to students, but I’ve come to realize how important it is to the community and culture of the school and how often it is overlooked.  I’ve seen my FE librarian have to be very humble and flexible when dealing with administrators, other teachers, and parents. She has been given jobs that she is not qualified for or is overqualified for and she does them all.  She has to get along with everyone, even if they are difficult to work with and she has to balance making the library an organized and effective environment for students with making it welcoming and fun to keep them coming back.  I’ve also come to really appreciate the different ways to approach the job.  All the school librarians I have met have different styles and different libraries that they have made their own.  There is no right way to “library”!

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Every day I learn a little bit more about what it means to be a school librarian. Whether it be through this class or by observing my field experience librarian. I am constantly surprised by the planning involved in every lesson, making sure standards are always incorporated either from ISTE, AASL, or the state learning requirements. My librarian knows so many of the students names and she has really only known the 8th graders from before the pandemic. Each school librarian is so different in how they do things and it's incredible how so many librarians can reach so many kids in different ways.  I hope I have some positive influence on the students, even if only for the few months during my field experience.

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Every day I learn a little bit more about what it means to be a school librarian. Whether it be through this class or by observing my field experience librarian. I am constantly surprised by the planning involved in every lesson, making sure standards are always incorporated either from ISTE, AASL, or the state learning requirements. My librarian knows so many of the students names and she has really only known the 8th graders from before the pandemic. Each school librarian is so different in how they do things and it's incredible how so many librarians can reach so many kids in different ways.  I hope I have some positive influence on the students, even if only for the few months during my field experience.

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I will say that I am feeling a little overwhelmed. There is just so much to consider when running a school library, and a lot of us are largely on our own! So one big take-away is that while I might be alone in my library, I am certainly not alone in this field. This field has so many brilliant, fantastic, kind and helpful people that it really is comforting and makes me realize that I have definitely chosen the best career path. I am also starting to see my strengths, and my weaknesses and what I need to work on. Having to write goals is very helpful for me since I tend not to plan like that unless I have to. I like to have a general idea of where I am going, but I have never been one to write goals. Another aha is just how many of us are in the same boat. Many of us seem to be dealing with similar issues, whether staffing, or collection development, etc. One issue that has often come up is diversity and equity. I would like to share a link to a documentary by the Ezra Jack Keats foundation that I found really interesting. I am looking forward to the rest of the class and continuing to learn from all of you!

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About the Film

"Tell Me Another Story," a 30-minute free access documentary, presents a compelling and lively portrait of the giants, past and present, who have advanced diversity in picture books, illuminating the reality that multicultural literature is critical to our children's quality of life and the health of our society.

Produced by the EJK Foundation, in association with The Office Performing Arts + Film, the documentary was created in celebration and recognition of the movement toward social equity. It was directed by Damani Baker and edited by Jon Henry Fine, with original music by Meshell Ndegeocello. Full list of Film Credits

Highlights

20th century giants featured include W.E.B. Du Bois, Augusta Baker, Pura Belpré and Ezra Jack Keats.

Contemporary champions presented include Pat Cummings, Chris Myers, Meg Medina, Grace Lin, Andrea Davis Pinkney and Marley Dias.

Children's book awards celebrating diversity illuminated include the Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpré and Ezra Jack Keats Awards.

Panel Discussion

Filmed directly after the film's first screening, this panel provides a precious backstage perspective on the making of the movie. This is your chance to meet the makers!

Discussion Guide

If you're a professor, teacher, student, librarian, parent organization, kidlit enthusiast or a casual viewer, this Guide will give you a deeper and wider insight into the subject. Take a look!
Discussion Guide
Watch The Trailer

Share this trailer with friends and colleagues who might love the film and/or be intrigued by the subject. Or watch it as a prelude to a group screening!

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Tell Me Another Story: Diversity in Children's Literature

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"Tell Me Another Story, " a 30-minute free access documentary, presents a compelling and lively portrait of the giants, past and present, who have advanced diversity in picture books, illuminating the reality that multicultural literature is critical to our children's quality of life and the health of our society.

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As we reach the midway point in our semester, I can safely say that this class, in conjunction with our field experience, has me feeling better prepared for a job in librarianship than ever before. From diving into learning standards more deeply to discussing school and reading cultures, to looking at applications of curation and how to mesh your own style of librarianship and/or teaching with others, I think there’s a little something in each lesson for anyone in the field to take something valuable away, even if they’ve been in the field for a long time (and sometimes even especially then). For myself, I’ve had several major takeaways thus far in the semester. One is the importance of using different methods of instruction and discussion, both as we’ve discussed concerning digital platforms and how they can be used in a variety of ways, as well as what we’ve seen in our own class, using methods like Flipgrid. This has helped me think outside the presentation of a normal written format more and make more frequent use of the tools available to us to explore. Another takeaway I’ve had this semester has been from our past couple of weeks - I’ve realized it’s often difficult for me to write and follow concrete goals with specific step-by-step instructions, as I view them as similar almost to planners or to-do lists (which I also find difficult to use). Partially, I believe this can be seen through the East dominant traits I favor, which can lean towards a bit less structure and more of a flexible environment. This is to say, I’m finding it really helpful to write out these goals with objectives and discuss ways to improve them - practically seeing listed out how we can achieve our goals through specific objectives has made achieving both long and short term goals less intimidating to think about. Overall, this class thus far has helped me see various aspects of the job in a variety of perspectives through seeing everyone’s thoughts through our discussions, and has helped me build upon my knowledge in a way that makes me feel more ready than ever to tackle this career. I look forward to continuing to learn from Dr. V’s lessons, as well as everyone else’s discussions, as the semester enters its second half.