After a year-and-a-half of applying, seven interviews for seven different libraries in two districts, and hearing the words "it was between you and one other" a few of those times...I was offered a job in an elementary school library in the same district in which I work.  This accomplishment would not be possible without the fantastic tutelage of my SHSU library science professors, the overwhelming support of my administrators these past three years, and the encouragement--and tolerance--of my family, friends, and colleagues.  

I was offered the job less than a week ago, so I am still trying to wrap my mind around the idea of leaving the classroom and my students.  That is the tough part of being a support teacher; we often see the same students year in and year out, unlike our general education colleagues who get a "fresh start" each school year.  We become family in our support rooms, and those I've had the pleasure--and heartache--of teaching these past three years make it hard to say goodbye.  I also work with an amazing staff of teachers and administrators, who recognize the needs of children from all angles and strive to lift them up as high as we can take them.  To leave them for mostly unknown territory makes my knees quake a bit.  But their support will carry me through, I know; I have learned so much from their examples of professionalism, camaraderie, and compassion that I can only be successful, wherever I am planted.

To the readers of this blog, thank you.  Thank you for being there, thank you for considering me for jobs, thank you for helping me get this new position.  I'm not sure if I'll continue posting on this site, with the active web presence the library already has and will need to be maintained.  As soon as I am established there, I'll post the links in this blog, in case you want to follow my continuing escapades in education...only this time, as a librarian.

(Photo courtesy of Round Rock ISD)

This is my own children's alma mater, Anderson Mill Elementary School, as well as my current place of employment.  I am wrapping up my third year as a special education teacher here at AME.  I do some inclusion support, but the majority of my experience on this campus has been in the resource room, working with scholars in small groups on their individual educational objectives.  I have spent time interning and subbing in the library, covered classes for bathroom breaks (we had a passel of expectant teachers in my wing one year!), and I've sponsored the Chess Club on Mondays during this past school year.  

Today, however, I was fortunate enough to substitute in a fifth grade classroom in the morning, and a first grade classroom in the afternoon, in order to give those teachers some much-needed time to use as they needed.  It was an eye-opening, exhausting, and educational experience!  

Eye-opening:  Seeing how scholars perform in the general ed classroom, and ways in which they are the same as and differ from my caseload.  I am reminded once again that my students' goals should be the same as their peers, even if they are met on timelines as individual as their learning difficulties.  Learning differences abound in the general ed environment, too, and I applaud the teachers who differentiate for classes with dozens of students to accommodate.

Exhausting:  Working with, and monitoring, a dozen or more students at one time keeps a teacher on her toes!  Fifth grade was involved in group activities much of the morning, and the temptation to socialize instead of solve word problems is tough for that age group, especially with eight days of school left.  On the bright side, I've never been told "Yes, ma'am" that often in one class period; it was refreshing!  In first grade, the scholars were so eager to read and write and share their learning, they were practically standing in line to present their work!

Educational:  It was evident that both teachers had routines and class environments that nurtured their scholars and made them feel safe at school.  The fifth graders allowed me to group them for their activities without complaint.  When they needed to switch classrooms for their big final project work, everyone knew where to go and what to do.  The first grade teacher had a lovely windchime that, when brushed against, immediately cued the scholars to clean up their current projects and scurry to the listening carpet.  They pointed out the helper charts in the room, did not hesitate to lead the partner-read chant, and thoroughly enjoyed sharing books with each other.

What a great, heartwarming experience to be had today, right outside my classroom door, in the school that's been part of my life for 14 years now!

I wish I had a picture of my classroom door bird bombing last month, but unfortunately it didn't arrive in my inbox from the tablet-camera that took the picture.  The story is still fun:  I put the holiday du jour on my door each day, and on National Bird Drawing Day, Ms. Selby and her students took it upon themselves to draw birds on sticky notes and cover my door with their artwork.  What a fun way to end the day!  I did save the notes and taped them to construction paper for posterity.

Since then, I have been the lucky recipient of a Region XIII education intern in my resource room!  We just wrapped up week one of two, and it's been wonderful having an extra teacher for my students.  She is doing so well, and feels so comfortable teaching, that she's going to take over for an entire day next week.  I'm sharing as many resources with her as I can:  professional and children's book recommendations, websites, social bookmarking, my self-created open-ended reading and writing work for students, anchor charts, etc.  We've reviewed our electronic special education paperwork program, talked about developing PLAAFPs and IEPs, attended an SSI meeting and an ARD (with parent permission, of course), behavior plans and modifications...We've done a lot in one week already!

The picture above is of my coffee table, from last year.  The piles of books have changed titles, but they still remain.  We are a family of readers, and I'm already saving book recommendation emails to spur my summer reading into action.  Four more weeks, and I'll be basking in the sunshine of my backyard with book in hand, enjoying our summer break!

The big news today in my classroom was "We got mail!"  If you've read my blogpost on The Three Ninja Pigs  then you'll know that the author, Corey Schwartz, commented on my post. This led to an email exchange, bookmarks for my students, and her offer to respond to any letters they wrote to her.  What teacher can pass up a real-life writing assignment like that?  So my students went through the writing process, produced their final copy letters, and I took photos of their papers using our document camera in the classroom.  I then emailed Ms. Schwartz the jpegs--easy peasy!

And today, Ms. Schwartz was kind enough to send her replies!  Not just one letter to the class, but a reply to each individual student and our one group letter.  I printed out duplicates so we could keep one of each in class and the students could take their own copy home.  I've distributed half of the letters; the other half will go out later this week, when the students are done with content focus groups.  Ms. Schwartz has asked them some questions of her own; I think we'll be writing more letters soon!

I love this avenue for exhibiting our IB learner profile of "communicator"!

Another morning spent in the stacks of Anderson Mill Elementary School!  This time, I was on my feet almost the entire morning.  There were loads of books to check in and shelve, students to help, an online resource lesson to teach, and another read-aloud.  With computer practice and checkout going on at the same time, it was great to have the assistant there to help monitor the students.  I was really impressed with the class who heard the read-aloud; they were making connections and asking very insightful questions for second graders listening to a creative nonfiction book.  During the quieter moments of shelving books, the assistant (a degreed librarian herself) and I enjoyed booktalking about our latest reads and to-read lists.

I spent a lot of time in this library last spring, fulfilling the required 130 hours of internship for my MLS degree.  The librarians here and at the Westwood High School library were generous in sharing their time and talents.  Two vastly different settings, collections, and patron populations gave me insight into the full spectrum of the school librarianship experience.  I have professional experience at the secondary level due to my eleven years as ARD facilitator at our district's DAEP and my teaching experience has primarily been at the elementary level, so I've spanned the PreK-12 grades with my "paying gigs" as well.  I have found that good service in the educational setting doesn't differ from one grade level to the next.  Connecting with staff and students is the top priority across the board; otherwise, why bother to come to work?  I love helping students and teachers find the resources they want and need.  This is the same whether I'm teaching, at a desk job, or behind the circulation desk.  Connections make my work relevant, increase my personal learning network and broaden the scope of resources I can provide for others.  Connections, drawing on the expertise of colleagues and students, and sharing all that knowledge is what 21st Century Learning is really all about.  And that makes me smile!

This picture was taken during my library internship last spring, and it shows one of my favorite parts of librarianship--sharing books with young scholars.  It is in the same library that I get to substitute, as I did this past Thursday morning.  

I truly enjoy my days in the library.  The routine of booting up the computers and checkout programs is soothing to me.  Greeting student "librarians" as they turn in their class' books, chatting with them about their recent reading, helping teachers find books for their classroom...even inspecting returned books for damage and checking them in just seems productive in ways I don't always experience in the classroom.  Shelving books allows me to catch up on the collection and discover new material; this time, I found out that the librarian and assistant had changed the  arrangements and started putting paperback nonfiction on the shelves with hardbacks, instead of a separate paperback section where they had once been housed.  

It was a very "quiet" day to work.  Only two classes were scheduled to come in that morning, and I had to attend an ARD (Admissions, Review, and Dismissal special education meeting) as part of my "paying job" during the kindergarten time slot,  so the assistant got the pleasure of reading to them.  I did get to read to a second grade class, an Armadillo book selection titled Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman, and the students were great at connecting what they already knew about the president to what they heard in the book.  After they left, I started working on checking in a pile of books brought in by the fourth grade, but had to leave shortly after the librarian came back to attend to my afternoon teaching schedule.  

My internship taught me that there is much more to librarianship than circulation tasks and storytime.  But until I get my own library position, I'm happy to continue practicing the basics whenever I get the chance.  What a great Valentine's Day gift, to work in a setting I love! 

My I-DO modules may be done, but I am still learning from my professional development workshops (see my "Continuing Education" page), from my colleagues, and most of all, from my students.  This past week, we had a collective "wow" moment when an author of a book I blogged about actually responded to my post!  The author of The Three Ninja Pigs, Corey Schwartz, not only offered to send bookmarks to my students, but is willing to respond to their letters, so we spent the latter part of the week forming questions, writing rough drafts, and starting on the final copies of the letters to be photographed and sent to Ms. Schwartz.

As for "library learning", I will be fortunate once again to substitute for my librarian this week.  My principal and librarian are solid supporters of continuing my library practice, and it was my principal's suggestion that I sub for the librarian during some planned meetings she needs to attend.  I have subbed twice already this school year, and it always feels like returning home.  I look forward to blogging about my experiences in the coming weeks.