CarolineHaavik LBSC744 December7,2013 Expectationsof,andReflectionson,FallLibraryMediaInternshipExperience AmericanAssociationofSchoolLibrariansdefinestherolesofaschoollibrarian/media specialistasteacher,leader,instructionalpartner,informationspecialist,andprogramadministrator. Clearly,muchisexpectedfromthelibrarian,butitisimpossibletoaccomplishanyoftheseroleswithout theskillsanddispositionsnecessarytofulfilltheposition.InstinctivelyIwasawareofthisbefore steppingintotheroleforthreeweeksateachschoolAnnapolisHighSchoolandGuilfordElementary School.However,itonlybecameclearwhenIhadachancetoreflectonmyexperiencesateachof theseverydifferentschools,withverydifferentmentorlibrariansfillingthepositions,thepointtowhich variousskillsanddispositionswouldbeutilized,challenged,anduncoveredduringmyinternship experience. InmyexpectationspaperIwrote,IneedtomakesureIprioritizemytimeandmakethe mostofeveryminute.

ThereisnodoubtIaccomplishedtheaboveduringmytimeatAnnapolisHigh School.Ihadnochoicebutto!LenoraPuglisiisatakecharge,outgoing,energetic,forceofnature. Myfearthatmystrongpersonalitywouldoffendsomeonewascompletelyoutofline.Inthiscase,I thinkitkeptmefromblendingintothebackground!Iwasnotassuccessfulinprioritizingmytimein GuilfordElementarySchool.Iamnotsurewhatledtothis.MyexperienceatAnnapolisHighSchool wasveryfreeandopentoanythingandeverything.FromthebeginningtotheendofthatexperienceI wasnonstop,withmyhandsbusyandmindatworkatalltimes.AtGuilfordElementarySchoolIwas giventheexpectationthatIwouldobserveforthefirstweekorso.Thereisalottosayabout

beginninganelementaryschoolmediaspecialistinternshipinobservationmodeclassroommanagement, fixedschedule,routines,etc.However,whenitcametimetoworkonmyrubric,theteacher relationshipswerentinplaceformycoordination/collaborationsoIhadtoimprovise.Also,bythe thirdweekIwasn'tfullyconfidentIcouldhandleafifthgradeclassandhesitanttotry.Debbiesensed myanxietyandencouragedme.Withhersupportwegotthroughthelessons Ialsowrote,IwanttomakesuretheworkIamdoingismeaningfultothelibrary,school,and itsstakeholdersandmakesagoodlastingimpressiononmymentorlibrarians.IfeelIaccomplished thisatAnnapolisHighSchoolbyconnectingwithandworkingwithteachersandstudents,creatinga PhotoStorythatdetailshowtousePhotoStory,andcreatingtworesearchresourceswebpagesforthe libraryswebsite.AtGuilfordElementarySchool,IwitnessedmyaccomplishmentsinthelessonsI taught,thebooksuggestionsImade,andthehugsIreceived.Debbiehasaskedmetocompletethe substituteapplicationsoIamavailabletoherinthefutureandIhopesheiscontinuingtousethe morningannouncementplanningcalendarIcreatedforherandtheteamofstudents. TheskillsImentionedinmyexpectationspaperwereofgreathelptome.Iknowmyselfvery wellbynow,enoughtoknowwhatIdon'tknow,inasense.Bothmyadministrativeandretail/people experiencehelpedimmensely.Myadministrativeskillsaidedmyunderstandingofandabilitytotalk aboutbudgets,collectiondevelopment,andvariousother"programadministrator"tasksinthelibrary. Mypeopleskillshelpedmetotalktoandlearnfromavastarrayofindividualsintheschoolcommunity thejanitors,principals,andeveryoneinbetween. IwasalsospotonwiththeweaknessesImentioned.Myinexperienceinclassroom managementwasnotchallengedgreatlyinthehighschoolenvironment.Thestudents,forthemostpart, werefairlywellbehavedfortheirtenminutelibrarylessons.Withthatsaid,Istillhadanincidentwitha

tenthgrademale.Hechallengedmyhelpandchosetoargueandfightwithme.Thewordshesaid wereextremelyhurtful,astheycanbeatthatage.Isteppedawayfromthesituationandsoughtout Lenoraforadviceonhowtohandledifficultstudents.Itispossibletoreadnumerousarticleson classroommanagementandstillfreezewhenfacedwithadifficulthighschoolstudentforthefirsttime. Lenoraassuredmeittakestimeandexperiencetocorrectlyhandledifficultstudents.Iwatchedher takethestudentasideanddiscusshowhebehavedwithme.Iteventookhersometimetoreachhim andmakehimrealizehisinnapropriatebehavior.Wediscusseditafterwardsandshesaid,"heisthe sonoftwolawyers."Thismademelaugh. IlearnedagreatdealaboutclassroommanagementfromDebbieTarash.Iwouldsaythisisby farherstrongestskill.Shehasherclassroommanagementstrategiesscaffoldedforeachgradelevel.It reallyisfascinatingtoreflecton.Inoticedthatherkindergartnersenterthelibrarysingingasongthat endsoncetheyhaveallsatonthecarpetinthereadingcornerwiththeirhandsclasped.Withthelittle onessheusescutesysayingsandsongstobringthembacktoattentionwhentheygetoutofhand.She altersthisstrategyslightlyforthefirstgraders.Whentheyenterthelibraryshehasthemwalkrightto theclassroomareaandputtheirheadsontheirdesks.Wheneveryoneisseatedandsheisreadyto beginthelessonshecallsoutthemostbehavedtablesfirstanddismissesthemtothereadingcorner carpet.Thesecondandthirdgradersdon'thavecarpettime,butarerequiredtoenterthelibraryinthe samemanner.Thefourthandfifthgradersareexpectedtobehavethemselvesandenterthelibrary quietly.Iftheyareoutoflinetheyareaskedtoreturntothelibrarydoorandtryagain.Onceattheir seatssheuseshumor,disappointmentorsilencetobringthestudentsbacktoattention.Ihadafabulous timelearningherclassroommanagementsongsandpracticingtheskills.I'veheardmultiple inexperiencedlibrariansrefertokindergartnersasterrors,buttheyaretrulytheopposite.Ifyouhave

controloftheclassroom,allstudentsareengagedinformationseekersandtheexcitementontheirfaces astheylearnistrulyoneofthemostrewardingthingsofall. Finally,IreturnedtoGuilfordElementarySchoolforFieldDayattheendofOctober.Even thoughtherewerenumerousvolunteerspresentforthefestivities,therestilldidntseemlikeenough volunteerstotrulymeeteverychildsneeds.Iranandpacedtheturkeytrotwithvariousgroupsof students.Itwasthefirstyearinsixyearsthekindergartenersasanentireclasscompletedthetrot together.Imnottakingcreditforthis,itshouldgotothephysicaleducationteachers,butIcanthelp butfeelsomeprideforbeingapartofit.IthinktherelationshipsIbuiltwiththestudentsandteachers helpedmetofeelapartofthecommunity.Ihelpedseveralchildrenfindtheirlostpartners,helpedone girlfeelbetteraboutherhairdowhenanothergirlmadefunofit,andfoundaboytocompeteagainst V,anautisticfirstgraderwholivesinawordofrainbows,inthepotatosackrace.Shewonbya landslideandhersmileisbrandedintomymemoryforever.

Reference EmpoweringLearners:GuidelinesforSchoolLibraryPrograms.Chicago,IL:American AssociationofSchoolLibrarians,2009.Print.