I guess there are some advantages to being the only librarian in a PreK-12
rural district. I don't think I'll be replaced or downsized any time soon.
Why? Because of what I teach the students. I teach information retrieval
skills. Third graders I teach to use an index, fourth graders learn to use
dictionary guide words, fifth graders learn to use an atlas and how to read
a map, sixth graders learn to use an almanac. And when I say "teach", I
mean many, many weeks of lessons to learn to use the reference skill, much
more time than a classroom teacher has to devote to one skill. I also focus
a LOT on traditional literature. The PreK and kindergarten get exposure
every week to Mother Goose Rhymes with the kindergarten actually learning 15
by the end of the year. PreK through 3rd grade hear nothing but folk/fairy
literature from January through March. Unfortunately, many if not most of
our kids are not coming in with this knowledge base any more, and I have the
time to take care of that. The teachers appreciate it because they have so
many other things they have to cover, they would only give folk literature a
glancing blow. I guess what I'm saying is, that the job I do currently,
seems to be important, at least here. I also know that if they eliminated
my library job, I would still have a position in the district because of my
elementary certification. There would be a lot of mad parents, because
we've got a lot of good teachers I could bump, but, I'd still have a
paycheck. I can see why my technology skills could be replaced by other
people or machines, but I think my basic non-technoloby library skills are
still useful here, and hopefully yours are where you work.
Janet Perry, Prek-12 Librarian
Cerro Gordo CUSD 100, Cerro Gordo, IL
perrybros@hotmail.com
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