I think teachers and librarians are natural problem solvers. When we see something or hear something that needs to be solved, we spring into action. Which is why giving that responsibility over to students can be a bit of a challenge at times. And it's going to take practice.
Case in point. Yesterday, I had a discussion with a staff member about a reading survey she did with her students. A common thread with these sixth graders was "Could we have more graphic novels in the library?" My answer was "Yes, of course, I'll see what new ones I can find."
STOP!! Step back. Ask the guiding question: "What decisions am I making for my students that they could make for themselves?" Ah HA! I feel the tide turning toward student empowerment. Do they feel passionate about this topic? They sure do. It's time to put my money where my mouth is ... literally ... by way of the library budget.
I went back and talked to the staff member this morning about turning this into a project for this group of students. And she was all for it. Suddenly we were talking about presentations to the PTA, communicating to a wider audience to get ideas, leadership opportunities, etc. So, let the project begin! I'm excited to see where this first step takes us.
And, by the way, this idea was inspired, once again, by Joyce Valenza talking about innovative ideas at IASL. Andy Plemmons (@plemmonsa), a librarian in Athens, GA, has a "Student Book Budget Committee" in his library. So, a shout out to Andy for the inspiration! Maybe his students could give my students some tips and advice? Stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment