Role Of The Teacher/Librarian

As someone who has no classroom experience, it is imperative that I soak in as much information and experience as possible. Fortunately, I learn best by doing and by watching. Observing classrooms, workspaces, and school libraries are fantastic ways for me to get a clearer picture of what exactly I am paying thousands of dollars to get myself in to by studying to be a school librarian. In doing so, I have not only learned that I am going deep into debt for a career that I love, but also that there are common bonds that tie the process of writing together across all settings, grade levels and types of assignments. The teacher/librarian has a responsibility to each student they instruct, and even more daunting than that, they can have a profound impact on each student they instruct – either negatively or positively. While not a cure-all answer to behavioral issues, lack of motivation, less – than – thorough prior knowledge, and a myriad of other things that have the potential to make instructing so difficult, I find that I can confidently conclude that, generally, instructors’ levels of respect for the students, honesty, creativity and liveliness have a direct impact on how their students respond to writing. It is imperative that an educator truly love the field of work that they have chosen. As the New Radicals said, “You get what you give.”

As I witnessed in my observation of a fifth grade language arts classroom, the task of teaching writing is one that requires some instructors to step outside of their comfort zone, and if not approached creatively, can cause disruption in the classroom. It does not seem possible to adequately teach someone how to write well by having him or her memorize a set of rules, so logically it would...

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...aze, I smiled in what I hope was a way acknowledging that he had, indeed, been treated unfairly. He slunk back to his seat with his eyes on his shoes.

In summation, I have learned that writing can be a powerful tool for exploring tough and controversial issues issues, and I have learned that the technicalities of writing and research have the potential to be an enjoyable challenge, or what feels like a very long portion of curriculum, if not approached creatively. I have learned to be myself with my students. I want to be honest, open and supportive. And most importantly, as stated above, I want to be respectful. I never want to make a student feel unnecessarily embarrassed or belittled, whether it is by ignoring them or being too critical or not offering them the praise and validation that they deserve. All I can hope for is that I will, in fact, get what I give.