Tales from a Loud Librarian

For about four years, the state of Louisiana has been using a system called Compass for the annual teacher evaluations.It is composed of three parts. First, the teacher must write a professional growth plan and submit it. I have been writing one of these plans ever since I began teaching in the public school system, so that is nothing new. I always set some new goals for myself each school year anyway, and I really don't mind putting that down in writing. See below for an example.  My professional growth plan for 2012-2013 click the picture above to enlarge it The second part of the evaluation is the observation. I am suppose to conference with my principal about a lesson that I am going to be teaching, and then she observes it. The administrator must make two formal observations a year. I have always done very well on these observations. You know, I should have learned something about the best way to present material to students with 35 years of teaching under my belt. ...

This is all about school librarians, not just school libraries. Let me start by saying that you could have a school library without a librarian but what would be the point. I am a professional librarian. I have over 20 years of experience, a Master's degree and awards to prove it. The years that I have spent honing my skills could never be replaced by a paraprofessional, clerical, or parent volunteer. You could have those people running a library, but it would not be the same as what a professional can do in managing the library, developing a program, collaborating with administrators and teachers, teaching lessons, providing reader's advisory, planning events to celebrate libraries and literacy, and on and on and on and on . I have no clue why lawmakers and school administrators think that librarians are not indispensable to an exemplary school program. There are numerous studies that have illustrated how students' test scores go up in schools with a certified librarian a...

Students spoke and BESE listened, sort of. BESE received more letters from students than anyone else in support of school libraries in Louisiana. What a wonderful testament to the librarians who run those libraries. Students know how much they have to lose if their school libraries are shuttered. Open here to find section 1705 (with the most up to date revisions) of Bulletin 741, the Louisana handbook for school administrators. The sections marked in yellow are the additions that were made after BESE received letters from the public. The first page of this document is in regards to school counselors, scroll down to the second page to read about the school librarians. Open here to read the summary of public comments that BESE received regarding changes to school counselors and school librarians in Bulletin 741. Again, the counselors are mentioned first, and you must scroll down to read about the responses to the school librarians. Okay, the librarians did not exactly what they w...

Today I got an email from the president of the Louisiana Library Association (LLA). Of course, I wasn't the only one to receive it. She sent it out to all members of LLA who are subscribed to the listserv. During our fight in December and early January to ask BESE not to change the language about libraries in the Louisiana handbook for school administrators, Bulletin 741 , I was working with the Louisiana Association of School Librarians (LASL). I am glad to see LLA on board with the movement to keep librarians in all schools. The president of LLA wrote a great letter imploring all librarians to begin a grass roots effort to write to local newspapers and state legislators about the importance of librarians in schools.  I am posting it in its entirely here. If you live in Louisiana, we need your help to spread the good word about school librarians.  February 4, 2013 My dear colleagues, In lieu of LDOE and BESE recent actions, we have much work to do to get Lou...

BESE will be voting on changes to Bulletin 741, the handbook for school administrators, on January 16th. You still have a few days left to tell the members what you think. It is easy to follow this link from the Louisiana Federation of Teachers  (LFT) and send an email to all eleven members of BESE. We do not want BESE to amend the bulletin and take out language requiring schools to have a professional librarian on staff. We do want the public school students of Louisiana to get a good education. The schools need a librarian in every building for this to happen. Please support this cause and write to the lawmakers who make decisions about Louisiana schools. 

I have mentioned in several earlier posts that in January the Louisiana state board of education (BESE) wants to amend Bulletin 741 that guides all school districts. My main concern with their changes to this document is the language about school libraries. In essence the document would no longer require schools to have a certified librarian on staff nor will schools and districts be required to provide a budget for library resources. It will now be only recommended, and districts would no longer need a waiver from the state to dismantle school libraries. I have written my own letter to all the BESE members, but I also asked the parents of my school to write to the BESE member who represents them. A parent sent me a copy of her letter, and I couldn't believe how supportive it was. An English teacher was so upset about these possible changes that she asked her 8th graders to use what they learned about writing a persuasive essay with logical and emotional appeals and write their ow...

2012   LAMP Keynote entitled -- define: Collaboration LAMP Tour: New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Rayne, and Ruston Find the wiki filled with resources here Here is the URL:  http://bit.ly/LALAMP2012   Lisa Valence is on the left and I am standing on the right This was taken after we finished the last presentation of the tour in Ruston, LA On September 10th, I started my tour across Louisiana as the keynote speaker for the  2012 LA LAMP  conference. LAMP is an acronym for Louisiana Association of Library and Media Professionals. It is free professional development designed for school librarians that travels to the librarians throughout the state. The vendors set up exhibits in the morning, and half the attendees attend the exhibits and half attend the keynote speech, and then they switch. Right before lunch, the vendors and keynote speaker pack up to go to the next venue. The local librarians have planned the professional development sessions for...

Click the picture above to enlarge it so that you can read our bios www.lalamp.org On September 10th, Lisa Valence and I will start our tour across the state of Louisiana to speak to librarians and hopefully a few teachers, too. We begin at home in New Orleans, then travel to Baton Rouge on the 11th, Lafayette on the 12th and finally, Ruston on the 13th. At each site we will give a 75 minute presentation two times. For the last three years, I have been the site coordinator for LAMP in New Orleans. I suggested that the keynote speaker this year should talk about collaboration. The powers that be said that was a great idea and that I should give the speech. If I decided not to give the keynote, then whoever is selected could pick the topic that interested them. I knew that for me to give a good presentation on collaboration, then I needed to have one of my collaborators with me. Lisa Valence teaches middle school English at PFTSTA. We have created some really excellent lessons over...

If you are ages 12-18 then click here to cast your vote for your favorite books. These are the books on the ballot:  Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson Iron Heart: The True Story of How I Came Back from the Dead by Brian Boyle Hate List by Jennifer Brown The Maze Runner by James Dashner Mare's War by Tanita Davis If I Stay by Gayle Forman Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia Ruined by Paula Morris Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater If I Grow Up by Todd Strasser