One of the greatest surprises was in my FE library--I was completely unprepared for and totally blown away by how quickly I would build relationships and connections with the students and even some of the teachers. It broke my heart that the closure happened so quickly and I wasn’t able to tell anyone goodbye. To be honest, prior to this course, I thought being a school librarian was pretty much student interaction, digital literacy lessons, and planning with teachers when we had the chance. I never imagined the strategic planning involved! It was challenging writing up my action plan and breaking up my goals into a 3 year plan. I’m not a long term thinker, so I know this is something I definitely need to be mindful of. Even if it’s just starting small. 

Advice to students for next semester? Keep up with the timeline, remember it’s okay to take baby steps, take a few chances, ask all of the questions, and enjoy the ride! :) 

I didn’t realize last week was our last office hours time. I’m disappointed I didn’t get to say goodbye “in person” to everyone. There are a number of us that have been on this journey together and I’ve enjoyed our time together growing and learning. Thank you!!

I loved the way RU575 and RU592 complemented one another because I was able to apply my coursework to my field work, bridging theory and practice. I was surprised by how comfortable I felt with my FE mentor and the students and made sure to show my appreciation as my mentor, the students, and the classroom teachers all helped me learn. In RU575, in terms of preparing for the real world, I appreciated Dr. V’s feedback on activities such as the 3-minute elevator speech and the mock interview. The big assignments gave me opportunities to learn how librarians lead as strategists and presenters. I was excited to learn that there are different ways to lead! Dr. V’s quote from Peter Drucker and Mark Fields about culture eating strategy for breakfast continues to resonate for me. Without considering the culture of a school, all efforts to support the learning community may be moot. 

Some weeks were so busy and the modules so full that it was hard to read each post with the focus that it deserved. I’m hoping to go through some of the discussions, particularly where discussions spilled into subsequent weeks, and save resources from peers before we lose access to Canvas. 

 

I would advise students in general, but particularly for assignment 2, to find ways to dream big about your school library while also staying grounded in the reality of your FE school. Sometimes having practical parameters (and an awareness of a school’s culture) provides just enough structure to inspire creative solutions and collaboration! 

I have learned that although it wasn’t my preferred method, forcing myself to use Google Slides to create my professional workshop for teachers was worth it. It taught me all the ins and outs of to ensure all users in the district are able to access the information in our shared drive and folders. I shared my workshop with my FE mentor, and she asked if she could send it out to her teachers!

For future students taking this course, I would say use your skills as an online learner to your advantage when applying for jobs. You know what it’s like from a student’s perspective and you know the best tools to use to ensure quality interactions, teaching, and learning occur. We know things will never be the same in the world of education when schools do reopen. We are uniquely prepared for this situation and can be leaders in our schools.  

 

…let me explain.

I began my field experience about one month after accepting a full-time young adult librarian position at a strong county system. I am, admittedly, a lazy creature. Worse still, I’ve spent the past two years busting my hump to arrive at what I hoped would be a new period of professional stability. All told, there was a part of me that wanted to take my last semester of graduate school easy—and student teaching alongside a full-time job and other obligations didn’t strike me as a particularly languorous path. Initially, I’d planned to meet my 36-credit obligation without rounding out the school librarianship track despite the fact that I’d already completed every other requirement. Fortunately, I overcame my initial stubbornness, altered my course schedule, and plunged into my field experience.

 

I’m glad I reconsidered. I immensely enjoyed my field experience. I directly participated in a strong school media program, which I never had the pleasure of doing as a student. I acquired pragmatic advice and suggestions from a seasoned professional. All said, I remembered why I wanted to work as a school librarian in the first place.

 

At this moment, I’m not sure where my professional path is leading me, and that’s alright. The courses I took along the strengthened my youth services skill set; as such, even if I never work in a school library, I’ll still put the pedagogical prowess I’ve acquired to work as I collaborate with schools and interact with young patrons. Beyond these more immediate rewards, earning my school media certification has simply opened up additional options for me. As we speak, I’m applying to school media positions. I can only wait for the pandemic to play out, budgets to settle, interviews to proceed, and life to proceed along its inevitable course.

 

Though coursework at Rutgers could feel a bit standards- and theory-heavy, formal philosophies were always balanced out with actual learning products. Much of the work I completed for my classes transferred seamlessly to the field and, more importantly, the skill set I developed while creating school assignments allowed me to take up the same tasks on the job without inconveniencing my host.

 

It’s often said that nothing prepares you for a job other than actually doing said job. I disagree. In my opinion, there’s plenty one can do to prepare for a given gig, but nothing that can entirely prevent unforeseen events from transpiring. My coursework laid a pedagogical foundation for my practice; my field experience introduced me to the sort of interruptions that prevent a library program from proceeding unimpeded from a procedure manual.

 

To put it mildly, the past five months have proven challenging. I spent the first three doing my best to balance full-time work, part-time student teaching, and part-time coursework. I’ve spent the last two unsure where any of this effort would lead me. 

Ultimately, this course has taught me the value of informed flexibility, of preparation and payout, of practice for praxis.

 

At the end of March, I was supposed to marry the love of my life, my partner in everything for nearly a decade. In April, we were to take a short trip to California. In May, I was to graduate. In June, we were set for a honeymoon we’ve been planning for years. Today, graduation is the only certainty.

I hope my current library system isn’t beset by budget cuts and that I can continue to serve this community. I also hope that the applications I’m submitting may present the option for a change. In spite of it all, I find myself ready for whatever challenge life next throws my way. Thanks to this course, shifting to school library management is among the least of my problems.

However, if I had to give future students advice, it would be to not get overwhelmed. This is one of the most multi-faceted jobs I’ve ever had or heard of. Unlike most jobs with clearly defined duties, the duties of a media specialist are sort of like the opening credits of Star Wars, a never ending list extending into the horizon. You can pretty much always find an area of your practice that requires attention and growth, and you will never truly “master” your job. However, if you look at all there is to be done as a weight or a burden, you’ll quickly lose your mind. Focus on one or two things at a time, improve on them, then move on to the next thing. Your aim isn’t to master everything, but to always be growing and improving: your practice, and the media center as a whole.