THE BEAR & THE DOG & THE DODO-BIRD
I've actually been trying to post this for four days now and keep having it rejected because of some prefix or somesuch. It's been constantly rejected. I'm wondering if it has anything to do with preparing in Word and copy/pasting into the blog. Well here's try number seven or eight?
[song]
The bear went over the moiuntain.
The bear went over the mountain.
The bear went over the mountain
To see what he could see.
And what do you think he saw?
And what do you think he saw?
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain
So what do you think he did?
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain -
So what do you think he did?
He went back over the mountain.
He went back over the mountain.
He went back over the mountain
To see what he could see.
And what do you think he saw?
And what do you think he saw?
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain;
The other side of the mountain -
So what do you think he did?
He went back over the mountain.
He went back ov . . . . .
[ad infinitum: ad nauseum . . . . .
Anonymous
I feel like that bear!
Like the proverbial dog that expends huge amounts of energy chasing its tail - and never catching it, I work non-stop in the library on my three days but at the end of each day I feel as though I've achieved absolutely nothing - - - Does this end when you're an experienced librarian? - - - Can I look forward to looking patronisingly at new librarians and tell them that there is a light at the end of the tunnel - they just can't see it yet? - - - Are there things that I'm not doing that everyone else is, that are successful? - - - Are there things that I am doing which really 'stuff-it-up'?
As I think I've mentioned before, before I began working in a school's library, I'd always consideres teacher/librarians to be 'minders-of-books' and largely peripheral to the business of educating students. I seldom used the library spaces other than for debating and tghe thought of collaboratinhg with the librarian in programming and/or presenting learning, never crossed my mind - or wouldn't have had I had one!
Further; the concept that those teacher/librarians were actually experienced teachers with extra skills from whom I might be able to learn was anatheme.
Unfortunately, this has come back to bite me. I find that I am frustrated by the "me"-clones who still inhabit the classrooms in my sc hool. I can't seem to convince them that collaboration is an option. I can't seem to convince them that "real" resources can be programmed into a unit as an integral part, rather than inserted superficially after programming to meet a requirement or to engage the ". . . kids who finished the work before everyone else" as a reward. I can't seem to convince them that resource-based learning is actually student centred and teacher facilitated and monitored; rather that teacher structed and directed, and student completed - apathetically.
# I need to become annoyingly visible.
# I need to invite everyone to come up to use the library - anytime.
# I need to target some poor, unsuspecting soul and so 'cultivate' her/him that he/she will accept some help and ideas. [in short - collaborate]
# I need to seek out the 'dots' on the 'i-s' and the 'crosses' on the 't-s' of the units and topics and subject matter being presented; and then create a number of alternative ideas for RBL.
# I need to work out how to become a 'doer' rather than a 'gunna'.
# I need to find out how to overcome a dibilitating case of "Solitaire Syndrome".
See you soon
noel
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
ETL510 Study Visit Day 1
What a fantastic, though rather tiring, day!
I am totally impressed - note, NOT 'surprised" - by the breadth and professionalism of the library staff at the State Library. I was unaware that there were so many different departments of specialist librarians. Working as a T/L I'm used to one librarian (not yet fully trained) and one Library Assistant - and that's only because I'm in a secondary school! Admittedly SLNSW is a trifle larger than ours, so they probably need the battalion of staff they have.
When I do the sums I get $1,900,000,000 (I'm sure that they use the Americian billion rather than the real one) divided by 6.5 million (population of NSW) = $229.31 per head of population, plus 'I-don't-know-how-much' for each local library (but I'll forget about that) and compare it with $[confidential] divided by [confidential] I get $[confidential] - but actually considerably <$20 but [confidential], it suggests the necessity for some creative prioritising.
The presentations were excellent, relevent, interesting and quite diverse in topic. Loved the Shakespeare room but that was pure self-indulgance. Fascinated by the research into original materials.
It seems to me that the State Library is probably the state's most important cultural resource. It contains the very essence our society's existance, both pre- and post- European habitation.
I find that I'm becoming increasingly enthused by librarianship. There was a time when I saw the job as a "minder of books". I don't any more!
"Books" = technological miracles for storing information which can then readily be retrieved for use. (adapted from Cox, M, 2002. The incredible internet, London, Scholastic Children's Books)
Just rambling, but it was James McKenzie in an issue of his Now on: The educational technological journal, who suggests that we worry too much about the technology but ignore the inservicing of teachers in how to use it "TO TEACH" - remember the kids can use the technology better than most of us but it is we who can teach the kids how to utilise the base date that they can so easily access.
I'll get out of our hair now.
noel
I am totally impressed - note, NOT 'surprised" - by the breadth and professionalism of the library staff at the State Library. I was unaware that there were so many different departments of specialist librarians. Working as a T/L I'm used to one librarian (not yet fully trained) and one Library Assistant - and that's only because I'm in a secondary school! Admittedly SLNSW is a trifle larger than ours, so they probably need the battalion of staff they have.
When I do the sums I get $1,900,000,000 (I'm sure that they use the Americian billion rather than the real one) divided by 6.5 million (population of NSW) = $229.31 per head of population, plus 'I-don't-know-how-much' for each local library (but I'll forget about that) and compare it with $[confidential] divided by [confidential] I get $[confidential] - but actually considerably <$20 but [confidential], it suggests the necessity for some creative prioritising.
The presentations were excellent, relevent, interesting and quite diverse in topic. Loved the Shakespeare room but that was pure self-indulgance. Fascinated by the research into original materials.
It seems to me that the State Library is probably the state's most important cultural resource. It contains the very essence our society's existance, both pre- and post- European habitation.
I find that I'm becoming increasingly enthused by librarianship. There was a time when I saw the job as a "minder of books". I don't any more!
"Books" = technological miracles for storing information which can then readily be retrieved for use. (adapted from Cox, M, 2002. The incredible internet, London, Scholastic Children's Books)
Just rambling, but it was James McKenzie in an issue of his Now on: The educational technological journal, who suggests that we worry too much about the technology but ignore the inservicing of teachers in how to use it "TO TEACH" - remember the kids can use the technology better than most of us but it is we who can teach the kids how to utilise the base date that they can so easily access.
I'll get out of our hair now.
noel
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Sorry it's been so long!!
It's been a little too long since the last blog. Don't know about anyone else, but I find that time is a premium resource which I don't have sufficient of and which I have never been trained to manage; a skill in which I also do not have a natural ability.
I've been up to Townsville with my wife recently on family business. Whilst there I visited Aitkenvale Library - a branch of Townsville's Library Services.
It's a relatively new building I think, one story with a very 'open' feel to it (I've no idea what 'relatively' is in this situation - that's just the feel I got). It has a number of dedicated areas which glided effortlessly into one-another but are quite distinct. There's a young-people's area designed for teenagers [+&-] to sit, work and converse. There is a children's area which has activity space and resources for toddler to 'tween'. Fiction and non-fiction print shelving of course. Magazines and ephemerals scattered throughout. A couple of open nooks (yes! I'm aware of the oxymoron - but that's the only way of explaining them. Only one discussion/study/tutorial-type room (I got to use that quite alone as I wrestled with an assignment) One computer area with about a dozen terminals. A balcony-like area with a table or two and chairs to sit at and chat, read, contemplate your navel or whatever you wished to do whilst drinking a cup of coffee or other - (available from machines in the library). You could drink in the library! And finally, a massive and welcoming front desk area.
Outside the front door were tables and fixed chairs. These were for people waiting for opening time or, as in my case, having some lunch between study/writing sessions.
Interestingly, I discovered that this "suburban' library branch was quite heavily patronised - well 'heavily' might be overstating a little - but that more than two thirds of the clients were in the computer area. This reinforces what we have been reading as being noticed and quantified in the literature about the future of 'virtuality' [sic.] in libraries. This 'virtuality' is essential, but must only be another ["able-to-be-used-remotely"] service which may well, and probably should, eventually eclipse its print sibling.
BUT!!! ONLY FOR NON-FICTION!!!
I'll 'soap-box' about fiction in a later post! I'll also post photos of the library for all to see - if I ever work out how to a.) do it and b.) find the time to work out how to do it and c.) find the time to do it.
I'll get out of your hair now.
noel
I've been up to Townsville with my wife recently on family business. Whilst there I visited Aitkenvale Library - a branch of Townsville's Library Services.
It's a relatively new building I think, one story with a very 'open' feel to it (I've no idea what 'relatively' is in this situation - that's just the feel I got). It has a number of dedicated areas which glided effortlessly into one-another but are quite distinct. There's a young-people's area designed for teenagers [+&-] to sit, work and converse. There is a children's area which has activity space and resources for toddler to 'tween'. Fiction and non-fiction print shelving of course. Magazines and ephemerals scattered throughout. A couple of open nooks (yes! I'm aware of the oxymoron - but that's the only way of explaining them. Only one discussion/study/tutorial-type room (I got to use that quite alone as I wrestled with an assignment) One computer area with about a dozen terminals. A balcony-like area with a table or two and chairs to sit at and chat, read, contemplate your navel or whatever you wished to do whilst drinking a cup of coffee or other - (available from machines in the library). You could drink in the library! And finally, a massive and welcoming front desk area.
Outside the front door were tables and fixed chairs. These were for people waiting for opening time or, as in my case, having some lunch between study/writing sessions.
Interestingly, I discovered that this "suburban' library branch was quite heavily patronised - well 'heavily' might be overstating a little - but that more than two thirds of the clients were in the computer area. This reinforces what we have been reading as being noticed and quantified in the literature about the future of 'virtuality' [sic.] in libraries. This 'virtuality' is essential, but must only be another ["able-to-be-used-remotely"] service which may well, and probably should, eventually eclipse its print sibling.
BUT!!! ONLY FOR NON-FICTION!!!
I'll 'soap-box' about fiction in a later post! I'll also post photos of the library for all to see - if I ever work out how to a.) do it and b.) find the time to work out how to do it and c.) find the time to do it.
I'll get out of your hair now.
noel
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)