The image of a little grey haired
lady with glasses perched on the tip of her nose saying “Shhhh” as she paces
the floor is a stereotype that this generation of students will never
understand because yesterday’s crabby librarian
has evolved into today’s savvy media specialist. Modern media specialists are
much, much more than a keeper of books. They are innovators of technology,
instructors, collaborators, and organizers that claim a leadership role in
staff development.
With budgets shrinking every year
and positions being eliminated it has never been more important for school media
specialists to demonstrate their worth. Keeping up with trends and staying
current on new technology and upgrades to existing platforms is a crucial part
of the job. Being well trained in areas
of hardware, software, and applications is an invaluable asset that earns respect
and creates job security when the knowledge and skills are shared with others.
I have read a lot on the negatives
of training and staff development, but it doesn't always have to be bad. Yes,
classroom size grows larger every year and everyone is stressed for time, but
much of the new technology will actually save time while enhancing classroom
instruction. The key is knowing what is available, how it works, becoming
excited, and sharing that excitement. Creating excitement is the key turning
those negatives into positives.
Staff development does not always mean
to group lecture or training. Sometimes it works best when starting small. A
good way to begin is to begin with simple networking and conversation. Talk to
teachers, administrators, and other staff to learn what areas of technology
interest them and what they would like to know more about. Tell them about new
apps you've discovered or the newest digital camera. When you discover
something new that can be used in the classroom, send out an all-staff email or
put notices in mail boxes; and always offer to demonstrate it. It is easier to
get a small group of language arts teachers together than the entire staff and the
offer to “demonstrate” or “show”, rather than “instruct” or “train” them is
more casual and can be less threatening for the ones that object being forced
to give up more of their time. The key is to create excitement because
excitement spreads.
Much of the staff development today
is not mandatory. Many school districts coordinate staff development classes
that meet at night. For example, my school is hosting a class for novice users
to introduce educational apps and software such as Edmodo, Weebly, and Powtoon.
The instructor is the art teacher from my school, but the class is made up of
teachers from other schools in the area who would like to become more
comfortable using and implementing technology. Nobody required the teachers to
sign up and take the class. They chose to participate because our art teacher introduced
it in a nonthreatening, yet exciting way.
Training and sharing information
should not be limited to students and staff. It should encompass all
stakeholders. A great way to increase parental involvement and develop a solid
standing in the community is to offer parent training sessions. Many parents
are lost trying to navigate or even log into the websites that can provide them
with their student’s progress and other vital information. Some have no
experience with teacher blogs or even email. Offering a free night of training
for parents is a great way to network with others and fill a void that often
goes unnoticed. It also reinforces the important role a media specialist to the
school and the community.
Classes such as these should be
commonplace for all school media specialists. Most districts pay staff
development instructors. The one described here is a paid position. We must
never forget that as classroom instruction evolves, so does the library and the
role of the librarian. The job description has changed and will continue to do
so. The media specialist position should be deemed as crucial, and if we prove
that it is, it will be.
