Who? ME? The New School Librarian?!

 Presented by:PSLA Students Committee

Session Overview

Part Two:Before You Begin a New Job

• Preparing yourself and the library• Budgets• Aides/Volunteers• What is your schedule like everyday?• Best Advice for working with Administrators• What do they not teach you in library school• Special Needs Students• Behavior Management• What was your biggest mistake?• What was your greatest success?• What to do with downtime/what games do you play in

the library?

Finally: PSLA Students Website, Tips and Tricks for the New Librarian, Overall Advice for the New Librarian and more resources to help!

Part Three:Your First Year

Part One:Right Now

Introductions

• Susan Hefley Co-Chair PSLA Students Committee and an elementary librarian, Moniteau School District, Butler PA (Hefley.Susan@gmail.com)

• Jenn Miller Member of PSLA Students Committee and an elementary librarian, Gettysburg Area School District, Gettysburg, PA (jmiller@gettysburg.K12.pa.us)

• Session Attendees please tell us your name

Session Format

Top Questions you SHOULD be asking• Feel free to add input• Feel free to ask additional questions or for

clarification• Top responses from ALL of PSLA members will be

shown on the screen. • Do you have a question? Feel free to let us know,

and we will try to answer it.

Survey

• This survey was sent via the PA-Schools List-Serv• Many librarians responded to share their knowledge and

wisdom• These are the most popular responses.• All responses are available online

Resources

Everything can be found online through our LIVE BINDER:http://livebinders.com/play/play/64789

Click on the Who? Me? The New Librarian?! Tab for this session’s materials and MORE.

PSLA Students Website:PSLAStudents.Webs.com

Questions you should be asking now

Did you know these things about being a school librarian?

• WiseGeek• Scholastic Article for Principals• ALA• Joyce Valenza

<---Meet the big names, network and become one of us.

<--- Become part of a larger organization!

We partner with the PTA and Principal and Superintendent groups and we KNOW what questions will be asked in the interviews and what they are looking for in teacher librarian candidates!

How do you make yourself stand out?

• Extra ClassesoTechnology, Reading, Special Ed, etc.oDid you know PSLA offers training both

online and in person? • Extra Certifications• Extra Capabilities• ANYTHING extra that you can do to help the

school’s stakeholders or make them look good.

How does PSLA help me now as a student?

• PSLA will help you find a job when the time is right

• PSLA will prepare you for the job (all the stuff they do not teach you in school)

• PSLA is your professional connection to real librarians right now

• PSLA looks great on a resume (PSLA Awards look even better….)

Why join a professional organization like PSLA??

Top Ten Reasons

Benefits of a Professional Organization

What else can I do NOW to help me be a better librarian later?

• Read all the kids' books you can• Read the literature and studies about libraries• Observe, and steal the best ideas• Learn what makes libraries a vital and important part of a

school• Learn what makes YOU a vital and important part of the

school• Join PSLA now, take advantage of everything we are

offering you and COME TO CONFERENCE!

How does PSLA help me with those EXTRAS?

PSLA offers student members many great learning opportunities:• Webinars• E-Newsletters

o Subscribe today!• E-Journals• Connecting you with the best

o Start with these links• Professionalism

What else?

• Student Chapters, leadership opportunities• Prepare you to find a job….come to Got Jobs

at the annual PSLA Conference• Support you in your first year and for years to

come• List-Serv• Facebook

BREAK

NEVER under estimate the power of NETWORKING.  You assignment during the break:

• Like PSLA on Facebook• Add your name to the PSLA Listserv for E-Newsletters at

www.pslastudents.webs.com• If you are a member of Linked In

o Look for people who can recommend you. 

o Most of all….PLEASE complete our short survey:http://tinyurl.com/4x3ewtt

What you need to know before you begin your first job

What is the first thing a new librarian should do?

1.Get out and meet the staff, the teachers, and especially the secretaries and janitors!

2.Get to know the library and the collection

3. Run Collection Analysis4. Make the library look FABULOUS!5. Become familiar with your circulation system.

What questions should a new librarian ask their principal before the new

school year?

1. Budget and Procedures 

  2. Schedule and

Duties   3. Discipline Policy

and Procedures

4. What are their expectations for you? For the library?

5. How can I help you?

Procedures for everything:*Lesson Plans

*Sick Days*Requesting Materials

What questions should you ask your Mentor/another teacher/the secretary?

1. How do I call off for a sick day?

2. Tell me about the Union. 3. How can I help the teachers?  Never underestimate the power of gossip, chocolate and a Keurig.

4. What can you tell me about the students?

5. What is your best piece of advice to have a great year?

What are the most important things to have prepared before the school year begins?

1.Knowledge of the Collection2.Procedures3.Rules4.Library Atmosphere5.The Circulation System

What should the goals of a new librarian be for their first year?

1.Survive.

2. Tread softly but carry a big stick. Develop discipline procedures early. It is easier to ease up on them than to try to get tough later.

3. Get to know the culture of the school.

4. Make the library a welcoming spot in the school.

5. Establish yourself with the faculty and get to know the teachers.

Explain library orientation in your school.

• Varies from school to school, the basics: Introduce yourself Explain the Rules and Procedures Provide them for teachers AND students

What are your best lesson ideas or resources?

1.Original ideas, your imagination

2.Upstart/Highsmith Books for librarians

3.Magazines

4. Collaboration with teachers5. Joyce Valenza’s books 6. PSLA Students Wiki: Lesson Plans and Ideas Page7. AASL: Best Websites

Recommended Reading

Show and Tell

• Books• Magazines• On-Line Resources• List-Servs• NoveList and AccessPA

What else you need to know before you begin

• Unions • NCLB • Learning Standards • Resume Building

oJoin PSLA, committees, Join other orgs. oVolunteer

What is your best advice concerning money and budgets?

1.Document Everything! (and keep a copy!)

1.Learn the game and play it well.

1.Keep a running consideration file.

4. Be armed with statistics (especially TitleWise)

5. Be vocal.

What do you do about aides/volunteers?

1.Decide and Assign Duties

1.Establish routines

1.Appreciate Unique Talents/Contributions

4. Choose carefully

5. Praise and Reward Constantly

Describe your daily schedule

Elementary School Middle School High School

FixedVs.

Flexible

How do you promote reading?

1.Displays, Displays, Displays!

1.Posters

1.Booktalks

1.Book Clubs

1.AR

Best Advice for Working with Administrators

Anyone who wants to approach administrators must be:  A)  Very polite  B) Very persistent  C) Show the value of what you are asking for D) Very concise E) Not afraid to continue asking F) Show results

Annual Report Examples

Annual Report Directions

What do they NOT teach you in library school?

Jennie Kiffmeyer’s list of the: Top 10 Things They Do Not Teach you in Library School

How to really deal with the kids:Behavior Management and Special Needs Students

What do they not teach you in ‘library school’ that you need to know?

TOO Much to list, but here are some of them:1. That “ideal” conditions do not exist and you must make

the most of the situation you are in to promote your program.

2. How to memorize 600 names each year; how to break the stereotyping image; how to multi-task; how to beg for funds; how to speed read; how to teach special needs children…

3. What I learned in library school has little application to what I do now (33 years) Keep learning.

What tips/tricks and ideas do you have for library promotion to share with a newbie?

1.Eat with the staff

1.Partner with your public librarian.

1.Create a newsletter, especially for staff

4. Read the new books before anyone else

5. Keep the lines of communication open with students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators

What was your biggest mistake?

“Remember, the brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.”-Randy Pausch, Last LectureCMU, September 18, 2007

What was your greatest success?

“You've achieved success in your field when you don't know whether what you're doing is work or play.”• Warren Beatty

What do you do with downtime?

• Library Games• Games to play in line• Time Fillers/Ice Breakers• Reading!

What overall advice would you give to a new librarian?

1.Enjoy your job.

1.Smile. Stay Positive.

1.Take it slow, you can’t do everything your first year.

4. Don’t try to do everything at once.

5. Stick it out.

Any other ideas???

• Help break the librarian stereotype…try to dress and look stylish. 

• Celebrate your uniqueness! You have chosen a noble profession that serves the needs of other professions and helps prepare students for the rest of their lives.

• It gets better every year.

Homework

Visit vista print and make yourselves some business cards NOW.

Join PSLA NOW.

Plan to attend the 2012 PSLA Conference.

    Also plan to attend Conference 101 online ahead of time.

Read the e-newsletters and participate in everything PSLA has to offer!

Classroom Management

Some Slides Copyright Dr. Lisbeth Brown, D. EdClarion University of Pennsylvania© 2005

The First Days of Teaching By Harry Wong

PSLA Students Website:Behavior Management Survey

Answers to the following questions from a survey of PA school librarians via the Schools List-Serv in 2008:

1. What works for you in the library to control and manage student behavior?2. What tips and tricks do you have for new librarians in terms of behavior management?3. How do you deal with difficult students?  How do you deal with difficult students with IE

Ps?4. What are the consequences for misbehaving in your library?5. Are there any rewards for behaving in the library? How do you encourage good behavi

or?6. Are there any resources you recommend to new librarians on this topic?7. What do you do when you encounter more serious infractions (physical fighting for exa

mple)?8. How do you work with the teachers to encourage behavior management?9. How do you work with parents to manage behavior?10.Do you have any warnings for new librarians about behavior management?11.Other thoughts

Ppt 14: Lisbeth J. Brown, D.Ed., Copyright

Basic Principles of Classroom Management(Levin & Nolan, 2004, Chapter 1)

1. Teachers’ verbal and nonverbal behaviors influence student behaviors.

2. It is the teacher’s responsibility to use techniques that maximize student on-task behavior.

3. Teachers who have a high percentage of on-task student behavior have clearly developed ideas of:o * the relationship between teaching and managing classroom

behavioro * what motivates student behavior;o * their own personal expectations for student behavior; ando * a systematic plan to manage misbehavior.

• 4. A preplanned decision-making hierarchy of management strategies increases the likelihood of appropriate student behavior.

Classroom Management: Other Resources

Support Personnel

• Special Education Teachers• Regular Education Teachers• Aides (What are you to do with

them when they are in your classroom?)

• Administration• Guidance and Psychologist• IST Teacher/Team

Other Resources

See Website for List of books

Websites: NEA Works for Me Behavior Advisor

ProTeacher

Search for the PERFECT jobWhether you are just starting out and looking for your first job or you are moving on to a new career or just something new, everyone faces the same challenge of first finding the jobs to apply to. This site will provide you will information about school librarian jobs in the PA area but you should not use this as your primary source of job information and it definitely should not be your ONLY source. There are so many online job posting sources for you to check, in some ways there are almost too many. While PA-Educator and PA-REAP are the two most frequently used sites for teachers (and school librarians) to find jobs we also recommend some of these other job search strategies and sites.

1. Make a list of the districts and schools you would consider working for and frequently check their websites.2. NETWORK! Talk to fellow librarians, current teachers or even parents or library vendors. Learn where the upcoming openings are and will be and follow up.3. Go to PSLA's annual conference! You will never find a more concentrated group of librarians in Pennsylvania, and they know exactly where the openings are. Walk around the exhibits, or before and after sessions, even in the bar and ask "Do you know of any upcoming openings?" Don't forget to check the PSLA job board at the conference too!4. Come to Who? Me? The New Librarian!? the double session at PSLA to learn about more jobs.5. Work with your school. Most universities have career services departments that list openings and they are frequently sent job postings looking for new graduates, find out how to access these. Some are already online like Mansfield, and Drexel.6. Find someone on the "schools@hslc.org" list-serv, many postings come accross this list-serv but it is reserved for current librarians. These postings will also be posted on this site.7. Search huge job-finder services like Monster or CareerBuilder8. Also check out these library specific sites:LIS JobsALA's Job ListLibrary Journal JobsLibrary Job Postings: Compilation of even MORE sitesLibGigSL Directory

• 9. Here's a helpful link to look up teachers' salaries: http://php.app.com/PAteachers0607/search.php. You can also find out how many years a teacher (or librarian, in our case) has been working, so we can use it as a guide to which districts may have openings coming up!

PortfoliosOverviewWhat is a Teaching Portfolio?It is an organized and documented testament of your knowledge and experienceIt is NOT merely a collection of artifacts or a scrapbook of your teachingWhy keep a Teaching Portfolio?MOST IMPORTANT REASON: A portfolio has become a standard interviewing tool, you want to have one to share at your next interviewNEXT IMPORTANT REASON: A portfolio helps you focus and reflect on your teaching and experiencePortfolio Contents, Organization and PresentationFirst you need to decide HOW YOUR PORTFOLIO WILL BE ORGANIZED, although this is your choice here are three popular options:*Organize by State or National Standards*Organize by Charlotte Danielson's Framework for Teaching*Organize by the Tasks of a Librarian (Collection Management, Teaching, Technology, Etc.)

Contents:Once you have determined the organization of your portfolio, you can then determine what to include in each organizational category.  For example if you are using Danielson's Framework you might consult PDE428 or Danielson's book for examples of what documentation belongs in each domain.  You could use Information Power if you are organizing according to National Standards (please note that this is now out of date and you should consult AASL's Standards for the 21st-Century Learner as well). Here are the basics that you MUST include:

• Table of Contents• Resume• Letters of Recommendation• Clearances• PRAXIS Scores  (if you are a recent graduate)• Teaching Certificate• Transcripts (if you are a recent graduate)• Awards, Commendations and Certificates

Presentation:A. All candidates should have a paper/physical copy of their portfolio to refer to in an Interview.  Most candidates choose to present this in a small binder using paper protectors inside. Although it should not be a scrapbook you should also remember to walk that fine line and that presentation and first impressions of your work is important in an interview. B. Strongly consider creating an electronic portfolio to leave with interviewers.  There are several popular options to consider including:                    * Power Point (use this with a little caution, as more people move to Macs not EVERYONE will ALWAYS have this program, although it is still very standard and this warning should be taken with a grain of salt.)                  * A Website: these are becoming easier and easier to design.  Sites like pbwiki or wikispaces are very easy to use.  Also recommended is weebly.com                    * Website on CD-ROM, anything you can leave in an interviewers hands like a CD is a great option, and saving websites to CDs gives you more file  space and more control over organization and management.  You can use programs like Dreamweaver, FrontPage or open source NVU to help create these sites.

What else can I include?Samples of student workCarefully selected excerpts and artifactsPhotographsRefelctions: The University of Central Florida developed the three R's of Reflective Writing that will help guide your writting or view the Portfolio Guide for School Library Media Specialists, Chapter 2Classroom Management Philosophy and situationsComputer software and technical equipment mastery listLesson PlansLibrary Policies and ProceduresNotes and comments from teaching peers, parents and studentsTeaching philosophyCommunication between teachers, parents and studentsProfessional articlesWork from graduate classes or professional developmentAssesment toolsCommittee workPortfolio Tips and TricksMy your portfolio your own, make it stand out and be a visual representation of who you areKeep examples brief, use excerpts instead of the complete work with summaries and reflections if neededMake sure that each element of your portfolio is included for a reason.  Make sure that if someone flipped to a random page and asked "Why did you include this?" you could answer their question.Example PortfoliosElizabeth Cook: a great example of how a blog can be used as an electronic portfolio, also view this link for more help with this routeJo Ann Floyd: a website example using the Information Power StandardsKrissy Venosdale: a creative example using NETSEast Carolina University: contains many different web based portfoliosMcDaniel College Example: this is an example of how Power Point can be used to create a portfolio, organized by Information Power StandardsResourcesLISJobs SiteHow to Develop and Professional Portfolio: a manual for teachersLISCareer Site with example portfoliosPortfolio Guide for School Library Media Specialists: This short book is only 24 pages long making it a great quick read but it is concise and well written and a perfect reference for school librarians creating their portfolios.Painter, Bryan. Using Teaching Portfolios.  31-34. Educational Leadership, February 2001.Creating the Ultimate Teaching/Interview PortfolioCreating an Electronic Portfolio Webquest

Making the Most of Fixed Schedules

Benefitso Predictability

You know what classes are coming when

Easy to plan foro Face time

You will see every student every weeko Job Security

Administrators see you’re scheduled for every minute of every day

Drawbacks to Fixed Schedule

• No planning time with teacherso You’re the ‘drop’o You feel like a babysittero No time for all the collaboration you’ve been taught

to doo You’re teaching library skills in isolation

• No Timeo To maintain libraryo Create exciting, relevant lessons

How to get a Flexible Schedule

Approach your administrator with:o DATA

Lance Studyo An alternative to covering a class if you’re a prep

periodo AASL Policy on Schedulingo Talk about what is best for the students, not the

librariano Be prepared for resistance from administrators

and teachers