I've been reading the posts about our impending doom or rebirth, however it
goes. I appreciate the wisdom and thought going into the discussion. Yet, I
know it's the time of year that I can use a laugh, or at least a smile. Here
is my post from my blog yesterday. I apologize for the reposting, if you
will, but some might appreciate it.
I'm thinking about summer. I've never read (Thank God) the Elizabeth
Kubler-Ross book On Death and Dying. But I have pop-culture knowledge of her
five stages of grief.
. Denial and isolation: "This is not happening to me."
. Anger: "How dare God do this to me."
. Bargaining: "Just let me live to see my son graduate."
. Depression: "I can't bear to face going through this, putting my
family through this."
. Acceptance: "I'm ready, I don't want to struggle anymore."
As sure as there will be dandelions in my backyard; I'll work through the
stages as summer slips by.
Stage one: Denial and isolation. Those darn kids; if they only listened, if
they only tried harder, if they only cared. Get with the program folks, I
was brilliant, spellbinding, even mesmerizing at times. Those lessons were
cutting edge. This is important stuff. If only the other staff and
administration could get a clue as to the wonderful work I'm doing here.
For me, this stage is the most embarrassing. I can't believe I think these
things. But I do. One of the benefits a summer day home alone is that only
the dogs hear these rants. They never tell: good dogs, good, good dogs.
Stage two: Anger. That's it, I've had it. No more Mister Nice Guy. I'm just
going to be hard-nosed about this next year; with kids, teachers, parents,
and administrators. They are going to get with the program or else. I'm not
running a model program here just for the exercise. I want support! I want
interest!
I think I really want a standing ovation! I am one of the luckiest
librarians I know if you want to talk about support. Sure, there are the
occasional complainers, whiners, and pains in the neck; but for the most
part I work in a pretty wonderful environment. When a kid writes in their
journal that they don't want to leave school, they want to stay in the
library; I mean, come on now. That is pretty awesome.
Stage three: Bargaining. If I can just get one grade level on board next
year, it will be better. Let me get some buy-in by that problem grade level
and I'll have all the kids tracking Pre-Med. If I take cookies to the
lounge, I'm sure they will all bring their classes to library on time!
Who am I kidding? Everyone has curriculum to teach. Half of my colleagues
are, unfortunately, judged by how their students do on one test. Add to
that, it is a test taken in late May or early June; just when long days,
late nights, and Little League sap the energy and attention right out of
kids. The staff members who get it will work with me, be on time, and help
make the library important to their kids. Those that don't won't. Convert
one a year, make a little progress, get one more ally, it'll be fine. I will
bargain to put a couple more on my side, but I'm not jumping off the bridge
over the stragglers. I don't need spectacular, just give me steady.
Stage four: Depression. I wonder if I could sell houses or life insurance.
No, No, I've got it! Short order cook! I have no business toying with these
kids' futures. They need so much and I'm just not getting it done. I look in
the journals, look online, read the list-servs. Everyone else is doing
fabulous work; collaborating, partnering, why they're teaching Web 2.0
skills to preschoolers. Here I am tickled to death when everyone sits still
around the rug and listens. Why did I waste all of that time reading folk
tales to kindergarten? I should have had them blogging! Why aren't my first
graders hosting virtual conferences and collaboratively webbing solutions to
the Arab-Israeli conflict?
This is the toughest time for me. I really do think I've failed. Strangely,
I think I need this stage the most. It's like dropping a tennis ball. The
impact on the pavement sets up the positive acceleration to stage five.
Stage five: Acceptance. Wait a minute. It wasn't that bad. We did some good,
even great things at times. Sure there were a few swings and misses, but
even DiMaggio struck out a few times. 2.0 schmoo-0. My kids have a great
grounding in the collective cultural consciousness thanks to those folk
tales. Yeah, we cut out and pasted with glue and scissors, but those kids
learned a lot about color and design. They discovered it, it sticks better
that way.
This is where it gets golden. When I get here, I find myself basking in the
warm glow of accomplishment. Wouldn't it be cool to set up a wiki as a
virtual book club? How about bi-lingual pod casts of book reviews? I really
like it when Anansi fools Elephant into thinking the melon talks. I can't
wait to get started!
Herb Wilburn
NBCT Library Media
http://www.user.shentel.net/hwilburn/herb/herb.htm
http://letsjustsuppose.blogspot.com
hwilburn@shentel.net
hdwilburn@shenandoah.k12.va.us
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