The work week may have been a short one, going to school only two days due to snow, but it was quite the busy one! Even though I was stuck at home instead of at school celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday with my students and colleagues during the first few days, I still managed to get alot accomplished.
Bum bum-bum bummmmm: I finished the Portfolio Planning Document! WHEW! Now that everything has been figured out, all I have to do is put everything together for my portfolio! Oh wait, I still have to write the Reflection Essays...
As much as I tried to write them as I filled out the PPD, I just could not get it all done. Looking back, it seems that somehow I managed to take the most demanding classes during the summers throughout this program, leaving the ones with less actual written work for me to take during the school year. It worked very well. Granted, the past two summers did not feel like a break whatsoever, but I always managed. The work load of the Practicum, however, is wearing on me! I LOVE getting to learn everything, and I am truly excited to get to be so hands on, but keeping up with teaching full time, being truly involved in the library now and the extra activities that goes with it, and using every bit of my weekend to get caught up on grad school work- *Sigh*. Thank goodness for loving family and coffee!
Now back to the library. When we returned to school Thursday morning, Seuss-fever had hit JTA. Proof:
Yep, that's me! I was Cat in the Hat all day! The rest of the students and faculty participated as well, dressing up like their favorite characters from various Seuss books. Even our administration got in on the fun, each one of them dressing as either "One Fish", "Two Fish", "Red Fish" or "Blue Fish". We even made the Hardin County Schools' website! Check it out!
To go along with various activities taking place throughout the building during the day, I was asked the previous week to draw up a worksheet for students to use. I was given an example and here was my drawing. My worksheet was emailed to all faculty within the building.
During the day, our administrators had a little fun, interacting (causing a scene, really) with the faculty and staff when they brought around each of the teachers a mug:
Below is a picture of Ms. Allen, a star-bellied Sneetch, with her always helpful Cat in the Hat.
Friday went back to normal, whatever that may mean at JTA. Ms. Allen and I, along with several students in her morning class, created these fun shamrock decorations to prepare for St. Patrick's Day in the library.
Yesterday I also was able to FINALLY get my hands on Destiny. It was not my first time using the program, but it had been awhile. Throughout the week, Ms. Allen has student library aides that help out with the checking in of books and shelving them, so I do not get to help with those tasks very much. When asking one of my students that happened to be in the library how I looked behind the desk, she replied with "Well, you still look like an art teacher, but I think you look okay doing that, too." Oh, middle school. What was really awesome is that she took my picture so I could see what I looked like as well:
Apparently it was something I had to see for myself. What followed our photo shoot was something I hadn't noticed before- or at least to the degree that it currently is. When insisting on shelving the books myself, I was appalled to find that the fiction section was not fully alphabetically organized. For instance, the "L"s would all be "L" authors, but "Lau" may be right next to "Lup". The ENTIRE fiction section was like this. AHHHHH!!! When I asked a student aide next to me if it was always "like this", he informed me that it was. When expressing my extreme discomfort (I tend to be overly organized by nature) with the lack of organization of her shelves, Ms. Allen laughed at me, and with a shrug of her shoulders simply said "Priorities!". She explained that without any hired assistance, keeping the shelves neat is incredibly difficult- especially when she has up to three classes in the library at once. She said that she does shelve them correctly multiple times a year, but quickly realized that the time used to shelve books is best sacrificed in order to meet other, more immediate needs of our school.
Looking back on this experience has me thinking about sacrifices I, too, will make when I become a LMS. Being a LMS means that my choices will directly impact my school. Will I choose to let my natural tendency to keep everything "just right" overpower my work I do with my students and faculty? I must be sure that it doesn't. This makes me look to the following CEBS Disposition:
Values professionalism:
Commitment to self-reflection and growth. Recognizes personal limitations and strengths and uses them to best professional advantage. Actively seeks suggestions and constructive criticism. Regularly practices critical thinking. Regularly engages in learning through self-reflection.
Being a reflective person, I find that I often reflect on my performance, my mindset, etc. As a librarian, I must continue to practice this, as well the flexibility I have been learning throughout my Practicum experience. What a revealing, encouraging week I have had! I'm already excited for the next!
No comments:
Post a Comment