Monday, July 15, 2013

My life philosophy: 
Life is a smorgasbord. The hardest part is choosing what to do in the time I have.
My education philosophy:
In the classroom, students need to feel safe and welcome. 
Instruction must be clear, one step at a time. Model teaching.
As an instructor, don't be afraid to show your students THAT you are learning and HOW you are learning. Model learning.
It's OK to let students teach you. Encourage students to teach others as well.
We all learn best by teaching others.

I love life.  There is so much to do!  There are so many wonderful experiences to be had.  When I go to a conference and see someone presenting I think, "I could do that!"  When I see a fun activity in the newspaper, I think, "I could do that!" I organize my extended family's vacations, I chair committees at church, I participate in a choir and a handbell choir, I'm involved in extracurricular clubs and activities at my school,  I try to get to know all the new teachers and I take care of my family.  I wish there was time to do MORE, because it ALL looks interesting.  There isn't enough time to do all of it well.  So... I need to pick and choose.

I'm the librarian at Abbott Tech.  It's a busy place, especially now that CTHSS is implementing the Accelerated Reader program.  I AM the library staff.  
My goal is to make the library a place where all feel welcome.  It is.  The library is also a safe place.  There is structure, and the rules are enforced, but with a smile and humor - MOST of the time!  

Even thought I come across as a know-it-all and tend to speak precisely and with more authority than I often intend to, I work hard to let the students and staff know that we're all in this "learning" thing together.  No one person knows everything.  We all need to collaborate to get the business of learning done.

My "Excel" and "Word" skills come from a course I took back in 1988 and trial and error.  I can flounder through a chart/graph if I need to, but there are often students in the library who can help their peers.  They are pleased to do it.  

Students often haven't been taught how to find a book.  I guide them through the OPAC, write down the call number, and talk/walk them through the process of finding their books.  They become independent that way.

And those "cheats" that allow kids to bypass the security system on the computer?  The best way to turn the screen upside down? The students happy to teach me something new when I ask.

I come from a public library background, and I see myself as a facilitator at this time.  I'm ready to be a leader at school, so I am stepping out of my comfort zone and taking this 6th year coursework.

1 comment:

  1. Thanks for sharing Sally. I sat in a training for Excel last week. It is not my strong suit. We had a couple of my colleagues that are awesome in using Excel sit amazed when I said that I wasn't good at it.

    We've all got something.

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