Underwood, A. (Oct. 3, 2005). The Good Heart. Newsweek.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9467735
The above article from Newsweek reports on the mounting evidence suggesting that psychological outlook is just as important to health as are diet and exercise.
Now, how might those factors be interpreted in shaping a healthy school library media program? Yes, I know many school media specialists could lose some weight (especially myself) . . . but that is not what I mean.
Think about the health of a school library media center in terms of diet, exercise, and outlook - - the diet of the library (inputs, what is taken in), exercise (activities, what gets done), and outlook (attitudes, climate, and atmosphere). Reflecting on our discussions and the course content of this semester, provide examples that represent a healthy program approach? Share your ideas and how they fit within the healthy school library framework.
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The first thing that came to my mind when I read this analogy ('good heart') was that to keep a media center healthy and fit, one absolute necessity is open, honest, tactful communication. I know that this topic was not necessarily a major focus of our class, but I have seen first hand this fall (at a school that shall remain nameless) how poor communication leads to assumptions...assumptions lead to resentment...and resentment builds walls between staff members. And then, of course, who always loses when adults can't work together? The kids!
ReplyDeleteMrs. X, the media specialist, and Mrs. Y., media assistant, have asked that faculty sign up in advance to have media fed through AV central. Yet Mr. Z., a young enthusiastic teacher, hasn't gotten the message. He's a last minute kind of guy...yet he's a creative teacher and the kids love him. Do Mrs. X. and Mrs. Y. attempt to talk with Mr. Z. (who does not even realize that he isn't following 'protocol')? Nope. They just get grumpy every time they see him walk in the door. They assume that he knows the policy (after all, they told everyone at the opening faculty meeting) but arrogantly disregards it. Mr. Z.? He's oblivious...and just thinks those media women aren't very friendly--and avoids them.
Uh oh. It's later in the year and Mr. Z. needs to show a DVD on the BIG projector screen in the LGI. Guess who has the remote and all the instructions? Yep. Those unfriendly media women. Mr. Z. can't fathom that they would trust him with the remote, so he takes a deep breath and goes to ask them for assistance. He'd actually be happy to run the projector himself--he can read instructions as well as the next guy--but he assumes that 'protocol' is for only the LMS to handle such expensive equipment. Assumption wrong again. This request for help is seen by 'those media women' as imposition, as a teacher trying to dump his responsibilies off on them. And the saga goes on and on and on, with many other teachers, and many missed opportunities to do the best for kids.
Addressing a difference can be hard, but I'm convinced that 90% of teachers, when they see that you care about them and are willing to bend for their benefit, will respond to open, tactful dialogue. "Wellness" for media centers? Take one capsule of kindness, one capsule of humility, add some tact, and communicate!
I think good personal health and the health of your media center both require a little bit of chocolate. At lunch today with the fourth grade teachers, we were talking about dieting. One teacher is starting a new diet tomorrow. We had amazing chocolate cake today. My comment was, "what is the use of living without sweets?" I don't smoke anymore and haven't consumed a full alcoholic beverage in years. Chocolate is my only vice! And it keeps me cheerful. It also helps keep my teachers cheerful. I have a drawer by my desk usually (when I haven't lost control) full of chocolate. The teachers come in for their fix. Which is a good time to communicate lesson ideas, ideas, even concerns. So for good health, I say eat and serve more chocolate! You think I am kidding?? No way. We have to, as Susan aluded to, be proactive and reach out to teachers by doing whatever it takes to help them and make their lives a little easier/more enjoyable. Chocolate is my way! I remember getting this idea from the high school media specialist at Bloomington North. I also know Avon's own Robyn Young has a basket full of goodies she takes with her to teacher meetings.
ReplyDeleteCatherine Trinkle
I found the closing statements of this article to be the most meaningful. "Someday that may be the model for treating heart patients: an approach that integrates lifestyle changes with a new outlook on life. It will involve a collaboration among cardiologist, nutritionist, psychologist, the patient and his family, bound together by the realization that the heart does not beat in isolation, nor does the mind brood alone." The most important word in this paragraph is collaboration, and based on our class readings and discussions, I would say that collaboration is also the most important word for a media specialist. A healthy media program does not happen on its own by having a good media specialist. It takes the collaboration of the administrators, teachers, parents, volunteers, and the media specialist to develop a healthy program. Just like the heart can not work in isolation, neither can the media specialist. Another part of the analogy that I thought about is the fact that getting your heart and mind healthy are a process that takes time and dedication to change, which is also true of the media center. You cannot expect to turn your media program into a healthy, functioning, and effective program overnight. It is a process that we will all work on throughout our entire careers.
ReplyDeleteJulie Mansfield North
I love a good analogy and Dr. Johnson has certainly provided one.
ReplyDeleteIf we think of the media center as the heart of a school, then perhaps the students become the life blood running through the heart and picking up nourishing oxygen in the form of excellent materials and dropping off old tired notions, ideas, and prejudice.
I believe our most important job as (the guiding force of the heart) media specialists is to serve students, staff, and curriculum by selecting excellent materials, knowing the curriculum, understanding student needs, and creating a pulsating, enriching, information environment.
We know the heart is not an independent organ. It needs to be kept in shape by outside influences. The heart needs exercise to be dynamic (good programming); the heart also needs good nutrition to function at its best (a generous budget); the heart needs a good solid framework and support to carry it along (administration); and lastly, the heart needs partners (teachers) that work in collaboration with the heart to keep the whole system going. Health is a communal affair and I think this analogy helps us to understand exactly how dependent we all are. It is possible for one person to make a difference. However, a group of people working together can create an enduring, dynamic system.
I leave you with two quotes from Ralph Waldo Emerson that relate to this discussion.
Write it on your heart that every day is the best day of the year.
Great hearts steadily send forth the secret forces that incessantly draw great events.
Have a terrific holiday season,
Chris Somers
I really like analogies, they make me think. Let's look at the article - the physical heart is as greatly affected by your mental attitude as it is by the physical things like diet and exercise. If the Library is the "heart" of the school, is it as much affected by attitudes as it is by physical things, like the budget and physical space? I think so, a positive attitude draws people in. If you are always glad to see whoever shows up at your door, more people show up at your door. If you act like you are glad to see everyone you find yourself actually being glad to see them. If you are constantly saying "look how great a job we are doing" Everyone tends to see you doing a great job. If you are always excited about what's going on in the library everyone seems to think the library is exciting. Can mental attitude become reality? I think that to a great extent mental attitude is reality. Everything bad keeps happening to pessimists and good things constantly happen to optimists. I don't want to sound like Pollyanna but I do think that if you are grouchy and pessimistic your library program will not be as successful as it would be if you were positive and optimistic. Attitude is not everything but it is a very big part of a successful program.
ReplyDeleteSusan Robinson
Nancy McGriff
ReplyDeleteSouth Central
Doesn't this just say it all? Absolutely psychological health in the media center is crucial. Being positive, inspiring trust, having high expectations, being fair, flexible, approachable, and a team player. To me those are the attributes of a psychologically healthy media center.
We could argue cart and horse - do you become negative because you don't have a good budget, staff, resources, respect of your peers or do you not have them because you are negative. I agree with Carl, be proactive and prove that the students are learning and could achieve more with better resources, more staff, more collaboration.
I especially liked Chris's interpretation of the analogy. She stated if the media center is the heart then the students "become the life blood running through the heart". So true! Isn't that why we do our jobs, at least it should be. The article also talked about maintaining the heart. I see the media center this way too. If left neglected, it isn't going to serve the "body"(school) like it should.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with Catherine and her philosophy that chocolate is required. I have a stash hidden in my drawer and one that is out for teachers to get their fix. Glad to know I am not the only one!
Kelly Bordner