Leslie Preddy is the library media specialist at Perry Meridian Middle School, Indianapolis. Leslie is an outstanding Indiana and national leader in our field. She is an enthusiastic teacher librarian with a long list of participation, accomplishment, and some well-deserved recognition.Learn more about Leslie:
Introduction at eduScapes http://eduscapes.com/sms/overview/preddy.html
Instructional Media Center Website: http://pmms.msdpt.k12.in.us/imc/index.htm
Leslie Preddy: Reading, Thinking, Learning, Living . . . http://www.lesliepreddy.com/
Leslie is a frequent presentor at state, regional, and national conferences. Look for her on the program of this Fall's AASL Conference and the ILF / IAME Conference.
This is another opportunity to discuss real issues, concerns, and experiences with a library media professional.
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your time. I am currently working a job share at Lawrence North High School as the LMS. I'm trying to feel my way through things. It's an unusual schedule, one week on, one week off. I would like to begin collaboration with some of the teachers, but am unsure how to proceed. The school is HUGE, 3000 students! Any ideas?
Thanks!
-Kim Thurston
Hi Kim! That is a huge school, but you can't let it get to you. I have approx 1200 kids and about 55 classroom teachers, with just myself and a clerk, so I know what you mean, but don't let yourself get overwhelmed. I realized that I couldn't let what I couldn't possibly do in a secondary school with such a large population (it would be a physically impossible goal for me to co-teach with every single classroom teacher, or even half the teachers) and focus on what was humanly possible to get done. Start with a person that you are comfortable with, then branch out from there. I started with somebody I felt relaxed with professionally, because I needed for us to be able to make mistakes as we learned how to co-plan, co-teach, co-evaluate together. You want somebody you're comfortable with so that you can work through everything (including mistakes:) without worrying about personality clashes, hurt feelings, or egos getting in the way. Also, no matter how hard I tried, I was not successful collaborating until I went to the classroom teacher with an idea in hand - a topic to research, what we could do together and how I would help her, what information skills the kids needed to learn how to do properly to become successful, information literate citizens and how we would incorporate them. I hope this helps!
ReplyDeleteLeslie Preddy
Kim,
ReplyDeleteTo move on to the second part of your question, I think it can still be done with one week on, one week off and there are a few possibilities that I would try. First, if my job share partner would be willing to meet one day, I'd discuss the possibility of the two of us and the classroom teacher working together, so there are no gaps for students, and the feasability of how we would coordinate and communicate. Another solution, though, is to spread the research out and pace it in such a way that the kids are encouraged to work independently on your off weeks, or taking that time off to 'think' about what research decisions they are making & mull things over. I have done this before when I knew I would be out for multiple days, or the classroom teacher planned to be out. We just paced our lessons so that when we had days off, it seemed right instructionally for the kids to have some time off as they focused on other tasks, or reinforced skills in the classroom that are useful with research. Students could use this time off to mull things over in their minds or to do some work independently.
Leslie Preddy
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteYour introduction notes that you are a frequent presenter at conferences. I am curious how you got started in that. Have you always been active in the library field outside of the walls of your specific library?
Thanks,
Melissa
How I got started being active & presenting? That is a good question, because it would have been considered quite out of character for me. I am a reserved person by nature-quite a home-body...until I feel comfortable and safe, then I can let loose with friends and family and be quite loud and obnoxious:) I am so reserved that I used to throw up or get sick to my stomach any time I had to speak to a group, so no, I did not start out a slms confident enough to make presentations. And at first I was not active outside of my library media center. My first few years I was floundering & quite a failure as a media specialist, but I knew I was bad and wanted to be better. I continued to attend AIME and tried to learn from the stars of the Indiana school library field, people like Nancy McGriff and Bonnie Grimble. Then one day I was offered an opportunity to participate on the YHBA committee and I jumped at it! That's when my involvement outside of my media center began to take off & my slow creep toward improving an an individual slms began. Speaking engagements? I think I started with AIME and DOE-OLR stuff. I was terrified-without exaggeration! I wouldn't be able to sleep for days before, I'd get sick to my stomach, etc. But I made myself do it. At the time, I figured I had to face my fears or be something less of a person for the rest of my life (I know sounds dramatic, but it's what I had to tell myself in order persevere and face my fear). And as in anything, the more I've done it, the better it's gotten, so that I've now overcome the major jitters and only have to deal with little butterflies in my stomach at the beginning of my presentation. I continue to do it because I know that the only way I grow as a slms is by learning from others, so I feel a great need to give back in return. So my advice? Get involved, make professional connection, share your experiences. It's made a world of difference for me.
ReplyDeleteLeslie Preddy
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your suggestions. I am currently working on a collaboration with one teacher, but it doesn't seem to me to be a "true" collaboration. Essentially, I am just locating materials for her and making suggestions. We are working from a grant that the other LMS received and I'm not sure how much co-teaching will be involved.
I have tried to begin forming relationships with teachers by asking for materials requests. I hope that my willingness to meet teachers' needs with new materials will help me begin to form relationships and that I will become more familiar with their lessons in this way.
My partner seems to use Follett fairly exclusively and the one of the things that has not been addressed in my LMS classes has been vendors. Do you have any thoughts on that? Is there a good way to seek out and familiarize myself with the various vendors?
Thanks!
-Kim
I notice others have questions about large schools. I have one about a small school- around 130 students 7-12. Within the next 4 years, we will be building at a new campus. What do you suggest would be 4 or 5 items or areas we should concentrate on equipping our library with?
ReplyDeleteLooking for expert opinion,
Alice Mullins
Kim,
ReplyDeleteI would ask a variety of slms how they handle vendors, because my guess is that every one would give you a different answer, but those answers would help you make your decision. For me, I want to spend my school day/time working directly with/for my patrons as much as possible. So instead of asking vendors out or accepting their request to come see me at school, I consider one of my responsibilities while attending AIME, ILF, AASL or any other educator conference, is meeting with vendors. I use my vendor time to touch base with the people/network, find out what's new, find out what specials are available, ask questions about specific topics I'm seeking resources on, look at their samples, etc. Then, when money's available, I follow-up with phone calls and/or emails to get any of questions that later occurred to me answered, their preferred ordering procedures clarified, and special prices or discounts confirmed. Any time a vendor calls and asks for a private appointment, I just let them know that I appreciate the offer, but I do all of that at the AIME Conference and will see them in the exibit hall.
Leslie
Alice,
ReplyDeleteWow! That must be a lot of fun!
...This sounds like an interview questions;) Priorities for equipping the library? ...As long as you understand I'm not an expert, but will give my best advice... Make it wireless - technology is changing too fast and we don't know how things will change or look in a short amount of time, so I think that might allow for the most flexibility. I would includes some comfy, casual reading seating/lounging areas. Have a library automation system that students and their families can access from home. Have a space designed just for working with 'small' groups - what would your groups need to sit, think, collaborate, work? And for #5 I would include the technology necessary to interactively connect this small population to the world.
Leslie
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, it's a question I am asking as many 'in the field' librarians that I can. I am getting a list of ideas to priortize.
On your answer about vendors... are there other time saving strategies you use so time at school can be spent with/for patrons?
Thanks,
Alice Mullins
I never thought about that! I am attending the AIME conference (it's on my off week) and will be sure to check out the vendors there. Thanks for your suggestions. I'll be sure and look for your presentations at AIME.
ReplyDelete-Kim
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing the advice about vendors. I will soon be attending my first AIME conference, and I had not thought about media vendors. However, I have been to the National Middle School Conferences, ICE, INFACS, and NECC, and have spoken to vendors at those places, so I should have made the connection! One tip I have learned is to ask for catalogs to be mailed to the school, instead of trying to lug them around at a conference.
I like your idea about going wireless. We keep getting told that our current media center will be turned into classrooms, and that a different libr. media center location will be placed where a central locker bay is currently. (However, that construction keeps getting moved further and further into the future.) We have heard that no water lines will be run into this new area, but I feel that sinks and water are needed for a workroom, as well as for the coffee gathering (informal collab.) place. Do you agree that we need such an area with water? Thanks, Bev
As a slms, our job has such a variety of tasks, it makes life fun, without being repetitive and tedius, but it does help if you can acquire a talent for multi-tasking & perpetually re-prioritizing your day based on your patron's needs. Some specific time-saving strategies I suggest:
ReplyDelete1. It can often be difficult to be knowledgable about all things and keep up with recent research and trends. I look through the professional journals as soon as they arrive. On a sticky note, I write down the pages of interest (articles, grant notices, interesting facts, etc.) and have copies of those pages made. I also give a copy to whomever would find use for that information. For myself, I immediately file anything that isn't currently pertinent to what I'm doing or am about to do. Then, later, when that topic comes up & I need to brush up on it, I pull the file & use it, then I'm fresh and ready for it when it's needed. What is immediatley important, I read right away & file what needs to be filed after I've read it, made my notes on it, used it, etc. I have to do this or I get overwhelmed with all the information that crosses by desk.
2. All educators have to work beyond the contracted day. For me, it works to come in early, get some administrative stuff done then, rather than plan to stay after work too much, when I'm already tired from putting in a full day.
3. I keep my electronic files of anything and everything for as long as I possibly can. I can't tell you how many times I've been able to use something I'd done previously, sometimes years previously, for something needed now. Sometimes it's as simple as repurposing the format or layout, which saves time on the current task/project. Other items you'll re-use every year, with some modification, like a student newsletter announcement about YHBA. When I make modifications for the current year, I save the changes under a new file name/year so that when I need to look back at something from a few years ago, I quickly can (I sometimes need to do this because maybe some changes didn't work, etc., so I need to look back at old versions).
4. I carry my files on a USB drive memory card, so that I can access them anytime I need, no matter where I am (I back up these files weekly at home).
5. I try to carry a book with me everywhere. The kids and teachers are always making recommendations to me and it's hard to keep up with all that reading, so I like picking up that book at the odd moments when I have a few minutes here and there while I have to unexpectedly wait.
6. I keep a schedule book. I put on there times and dates of things as a person normally would, but I also slap sticky notes in where need to remind myself to take care of something, look something up, etc. That way, when I'm not where I need to be to do that whatever, I've written it down so I don't forget (I admit it, I have to keep sticky notes by my bed because that's when I remember the odd to-do and some of my best ideas come to me just as I'm relaxing for bed), then just put the sticky note in my planner where it needs to be in order to get it done on time.
6. I take book reviews home whenever possible. I keep them by my bed and one of my evening bedtime activities I might do as I try to unwind enough to go to sleep is read through reviews. I put a sticky note on the cover & on the sticky note I write down the pages where I marked useful reviews. In the journal, I initial next the items I am interested in. Then, when I give the journal to my clerk, she doesn't have to dig all over the journal to find my notes, but instead has the sticky note to go by, and I don't have to worry that she missed anything.
7. I make a tradition out of things that were successful, so that the school gets used to it, looks forward to it, thinks of it as something I do for the school or we do together, but because it's something I've done before and I have those past files, I reuse what I've already created by just updating, revising, improving.
8. I have a love/hate relationship with email. It's made communication easier, but it also seems to take a lot of time to keep up with all the e-newsletters, e-journals, lists, announcements, then add to that the emails received from individual within by building, school district, or others in my educator network. If I'm not careful, my email can get 200 deep in just a day or two of neglect. So if I'm really busy co-teaching or working with a time-sensitive project, I try, at the very least, to skim through my inbox right before the kids arrive and right before I leave for the day. I'm looking for emails from individuals, especially building staff members so that I don't accidentally overlook something that mattered enough to them to ask for my assistance & needs immediate attention.
I'm sure there are more, but that's what I was able to think of at the moment:)
Leslie Preddy
Bev,
ReplyDeleteOur large renovation was done around 1998, so I'm not well-versed on what minimum facility requirements are today. I think a sink is still needed, but my opinion won't matter to your adminstration. What might matter to them, though, is what you are able to show them from the professional literature. Do some research and find out what's out there from ALA/AASL, Greenwood Publishing Group, Libraries Unlimited, and Inspire. Whenever administration doesn't seem to hear what I'm saying, that's what I do - research, find out what the experts are currently saying, then report my findings. In the end, they find that it's not me just pulling needs out of the air, but what the experts advise. Often I found that they weren't making appropriate decisions because they didn't really understand and my job was to make them understand.
Leslie Preddy
Leslie:
ReplyDeleteI see your name often (textbook for Information Inquiry for Teachers, your website, and I’ve noticed your name listed as presenter for conferences) and was excited to see that you were to be one of the notable media library professionals whose brain we would get to pick! I have to say that I was surprised to read your response to Melissa about presenting at conferences.
I have visited your website before and appreciated and use various links. Thanks.
I have taught elementary school for 14 years. In 1987, the first media specialist was hired for the 4 elementary schools in our corporation. This wonderful, sweet lady was on medical leave for about 1½ years and passed away in January. The 2 library assistants have done an excellent job of keeping the library going in the 4 schools. I was hired to replace her and started at the beginning of the year.
In the past, the media specialist met with students in the schools for “library skills lessons” on a fixed schedule – but only saw each class once a month (1300 students/70 classes). I’m doing about the same thing. Like Kim said about her “1 week on, 1 week off” schedule, it is difficult to have true collaboration when not in the building all the time. I talked with all the teachers the first few weeks of school and told them what I wished to accomplish with the students with information and technology skills, and we came up with a curriculum area that I will focus on. For example, in 6th grade, we are going to base their project on the ancient or new wonders of the world. 5th grade will be based on the 5th grade geography standards. I think this will work, but I really have to have lots of electronic communication going between us. So far, so good.
Obviously, the students would benefit if they had a LMS in their buildings more often. I am capable of managing all 4 schools and really enjoy it. How unusual is this kind of situation? Or maybe I should say, should I campaign for change in the future? (For the students' sake, not mine!)
Cindy Carpenter
Leslie,
ReplyDeleteThank you for your time saving strategies.
Have you invested in "sticky note" stocks?
I will be sure to do research into the professional writings so any recommendations or requests I present to the administration concerning the new library will be more persuasive.
Thank you for taking time to answer our questions.
Alice M.
Cindy,
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the warm fuzzies. I will definitely pull those out on one of those bad days we all have - when we wonder if what we do is making enough of a difference...
It sounds like you are having a lot of fun - being a slms is a great job, for sure:)
As to your question, it's not a matter of whether you are capable of managing four school, and it sounds like you most definitely are, but the question is whether that is the best situation for the students, and according to the research, it is not.
I would begin campaigning, and contually campaign as situations present themselves, for change. Working with elementary students, you are incredibly important. You are establishing the baseline of library use, reading interest and research skills these students will carry with them the rest of their lives. Without 100% of your time and attention devoted to one facility, the students and staff are being short-changed.
Use the data out there on the websites: AIME data, Library Research Service, NCES, and AASL advocacy. According to the research, having a full time slms with support staff has an impact on students achievement. Your district is moving in the right direction, and in educator time, 1987 is not that long ago, but hopefully soon they'll be ready for the next step forward. With you there, they are growing to further understand the need for a professional slms in the elementary schools, and now you can continue to do a great job, keep them aprised of the research related to the need for more of you, and help them understand how much more you could do for the students, staff and community if only there were more of you (slms) to help get it done.
So, yes, for the students' sake, yes, campaign away!
Leslie Preddy
Alice,
ReplyDeleteHa! Sticky note stock might be a good idea, but trust me, the only difference from when I don't have one handy and write on a notepad instead is that I use tape to hold the note in place later...Never underestimate the value of the little things:)
Leslie Preddy
Kim, Melissa, Alice, Bev, Cindy,
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if there'll be any more postings this evening, so I wanted to make sure to thank you so much for a wonderful time. You've had interesting questions that led to a conversation I've greatly enjoyed. Hopefully you'll keep in mind that teaching is not a static profession, and I tried to answer your questions to the best of my ability and as truthfully as I currently know it, but as we learn and grown and new information is presented to us, our ideas and opinions evolve and may even change, plus there is often more than one right answer.
Please, if you see me at the ILF/AIME or AASL conference, be sure to say hello.
Leslie Preddy