Professional Philosophy
“[I]n spite of her work as a reference librarian, she discovered that life isn't about knowing all the answers. The best we can do is make peace with our questions, learn who we are, know our strengths, and do the best we can with the gifts we've been given while we're here.” (Messner, 2015 p. 231)
― Kate Messner, All the Answers
Like Messner wrote, life isn’t about knowing all the answers. It’s about being able to help individuals find the answers that they need for various situations in their lives. I love to help young people navigate complex times in their lives, and believe that the Media Center will afford me an awesome opportunity to help in a wide variety of ways. In fact, you might say that one of my main strengths is my compassionate spirit toward the needs of children and families.
I come to the Media Center from a vastly different environment. For the past ten and a half years, I was a Juvenile Probation Officer in Athens, Georgia. As you could imagine, I had to help children who were in the throes of some of the worst experiences of their lives navigate these times with dignity and grace. Some of these experiences were so tragic and terrible that I know many adults (myself included) who could not deal with these circumstances. It brightened my life to be able to provide assistance to these children during the terrible times they were facing. This work could easily burn someone out in a short period of time, so, I decided to pursue further education in Library Science and School Library Media.
Making an impact by showing kindness to children is the most important part of my desire to change careers and become an educator. I want the Media Center I am entrusted to run to become an exciting place that all students are happily ready to visit. My Media Center will be a warm and inviting sanctuary for all children regardless of skills, ability levels, and other factors. So, what do the activities in this Media Center look like?
Reading for understanding will be encouraged. I love to read and want to pass my exuberance for reading on to even the most reluctant readers. I also want to encourage an understanding for other cultures through promotion of diverse books. I grew up in an incredibly small town lacking diversity. Reading helped to prepare me for interactions with a wide variety of people who might not necessarily share my personal values. Students will be encouraged to learn about a variety of cultures through reading for pleasure and as a result of inquiry based learning.
Students will be encouraged to learn through asking big questions. Rather than rotely memorizing facts, I will encourage students to seek answers that they can find information about through research and questioning. Librarians are the guardians of intellectual freedom. The American Library Association (2014) said it best when they established that “school librarians assume a leadership role in promoting the principles of intellectual freedom within the school by providing resources and services that create and sustain an atmosphere of free inquiry. Intellectual freedom is fostered by educating students in the use of critical thinking skills to empower them to pursue free inquiry responsibly and independently. Through resources, programming, and educational processes, students and teachers experience the free and robust debate characteristic of a democratic society” (para 2). Therefore, questions will be encouraged and expected within my Media Center.
While questions are encouraged, as the Media Specialist, I understand that learning is not “one size fits all.” I will do my best to find ways to personalize instruction through an increased usage of technology to reach all of my students. Technology must be embraced as part of the curriculum for Twenty-First Century Learners. One of the American Association of School Librarian’s Common Beliefs is that “today’s students need to develop information skills that will enable them to use technology as an important tool for learning, both now and in the future” (2007 p. 2). Technology usage prepares students for authentic experiences they will face when they enter the working world.
Students must also be prepared for experiences they will face in the Real World. As a Media Specialist, I can facilitate Real World learning by consulting with experts who can teach new skills to my students. Due to the changing demographics, unforeseen circumstances, and a wide variety of other factors, many students do not have a support system to ensure their success. As the Media Specialist, I can try my best to support all student endeavors through modeling, mentoring, and a wide variety of other preparatory steps.
After thinking about all that I want to accomplish as a Media Specialist, I have my work cut out for me. On top of it, I have to make an almost one hundred and eighty degree shift from the world of Juvenile Corrections to the Education arena. I relish the opportunity to make this transition because I love to work with today’s youth and hope to accomplish some tremendous goals in my future Media Center.
References
AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner. (2007). Retrieved February 24, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards/learning
Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program. (2014, July 01).Retrieved February 24, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/accessresources
Messner, K. (2015). All the answers. New York: Bloomsbury
Access to Resources and Services in the School Library Media Program. (2014, July 01).Retrieved February 24, 2017, from http://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/accessresources
Messner, K. (2015). All the answers. New York: Bloomsbury
