It’s 2025 …

Things are looking very different at the governmental level. Protections have been taken away from book banners, and there’s a different field at the top of the country. Our school board is proudly MAGA, and has been posting about taking back control…

School librarians could quite possibly be at the top of the hit list. Although nothing has been said along those lines, and I don’t want to scaremonger anyone else, least of all myself!

Someone asked me if I was changing what I was doing in the library. My instinct was to say, “No,” but then I thought actually, yes. Not an radical way, but I have been purposefully strengthening my views and opportunities for students.

My Black History month display was up early and was more extensive. Only 10% of our school is listed as black in the reports, but that 10% need to see themselves, and know that the history matters. Even more importantly, in my opinion, the other 90% need to know that too.

This last week’s book talks were definitely an example of DEI - all the books I chose were at minimum by a Black author - and the kids Blind-date-with-a-book choices had plenty of diversity weaved in.

did I pay even more attention than usual to this? Absolutely I did. I may not be marching the streets, but at least I can show my students how important they are to me.

The sad thing is, as I was putting the books in place, helping the kids wrap their books, speaking in the book talks, I did keep thinking about about how I might get into trouble. Seriously? Trouble for using books that represent my kids? That’s crazy. But apparently that’s where we are at.

So yes, the current situation HAS changed some decisions and focus. Libraries should always represent 🥰

On The Road

Sitting in the airport, waiting for my plane to Manchester, on my way for a quick trip home (I know, the US has been my home since 1989, but....), and I'm meandering around and thought I'd take a moment to blog top of mind stuff. No plan. I'm not sure where I am going with this. But my immediate thinking was how nice it will be to be somewhere with no political signs.

I'm not going to lie, the election cycle was filled with so much joy until election day, and I am still struggling to come back from the realization that my bubble was well and truly popped. I'd experienced. such joy sign-waving and connecting with like-minded people. I met the school board candidates with education experience who were ready to support me and my kids. I saw the policies out there that would help so many people - and the opposite which would hurt us all. And then it was election day...and night...and the news was rolling in.

I was living in luxury at the time, in a very expensive hotel room while at GaETC (conference). I had to present the next day, and I knew that I had to go to sleep.

I woke up at 4:30am and had to look. All I had to do was open my Her Game Too WhatsApp chat to see my British friends up and about, horrified at the results. Checking in on me. Worried about Gaza, Taiwan, and the world. I lay there I disbelief. The school board results showed that the two candidates running on Project 2025 (that includes dismantling the BOE), one of whom is known to be in support of limiting access to books, had stomped to victory. What was going to happen to our country? What was going to happen to our schools?  

My presentation was OK, but there was a lot less positive energy than I normally bring. And I saw much of the shock and sadness reflected on my peers' faces. But I was so thankful not to be at school, facing educators who I knew would be thrilled with the results - and I still can't understand that.

Now, I know that educators are supposed to stay tight-lipped about politics and beliefs. And Georgia is a 'right-to-work' state, meaning we have no union support. But I tend to feel that around where I live, that's only if you have democratic beliefs, but perhaps I am wrong. Those days when we could have a healthy debate in the classroom and discuss opinions are long gone. Don't get me wrong, I quite agree that teachers shouldn't sway opinion - but surely we should encourage discussion?  How can you teach history without a connection being made between certain policies and fascism?  How can you stop bright children from noticing that pretty much every statistic is better in Democratic-run states? How can you create critical thinking if you aren't allowed to push students to think critically?

Of course, my daughter does say that she was Republican like her parents (classic Army family, following the crowd. We eventually learned better. Basically we were living the lives and thinking of Democrats while voting Republican out of habit) until she took a 'beliefs' test in civics. She found she staunchly believed everything on the Democrat platform. So maybe they aren't crazy to desire the end of political discourse and teaching in school. After all, supporting community and freedom, giving all people the same rights - if you hear THAT side of the story, surely you are going to question taking away support from those in need? Surely you are going to question losing programs that help kids? To be honest, I worry far more about parents, social media, and 'news' channels creating echo chambers. Isn't school the perfect great equalizer where we can actually study, compare, and think about our own beliefs?

Obviously, that will never happen. Just like we won't have truth guardrails on the news as other countries do.

And now I need to worry about my library. Our books. My students' freedom to read. Our newly formed Pride Club. One of the best teachers in the school happens to be gay and is wondering if she is safe in our county.

This is all so wrong.

I know that I have a week ahead of me where friends and family will share their shock and their pity. And I will be able to talk freely about my fears and concerns.

I just hope that innate goodness will overcome what I fear. I'm at a wonderful school with an amazing and supportive principal. As long as he is in situ, I know that I will be heard and our library protected.

Next blog, I'll up the positives. But right now, I'm out of the country, and I'm allowing myself a bit of a pity party before having a good time with my friends and my football!

Roll on the good times as I prep for what may lay ahead.

Everyone Should be a Student Once in a While...

 I had Tweeted post workout the other day - pointing out how you can learn a lot about teaching while in a group class in the gym. The more I think about it, the more classes I work out in, the more it shows me how to be a better instructor. 

1. Don't tell me what's coming 3 moves from now - there's no way I will remember.
2. Don't show me what to do and then expect me to remember 🤷 You need to reiterate and then personalize the instruction...
3. When I move to the other side, I will have forgotten the movement.
4. My body doesn't work like her body, and I think she should remember that.
5. No, I've never done that before. So I need instructions more than once...

Are you getting the picture here?

How many times have I given students 3-4 steps worth of instructions, then been frustrated when they can't remember steps 2 and 3?  Well, guess what, world? The very same thing happens to me too. I remember the first instruction and the last, but goodness only knows what was supposed to happen in the middle there.

How many times have students frustrated me because they can't remember something that I KNOW that I clearly and carefully explained? But am I making assumptions that they understood? Am I thinking that they knew what to do instead of realizing that I needed to explain more carefully, or even model one chunk at a time?  How many times have I expected students to respond at MY level...forgetting that they are only 12 and LITERALLY don't have that organizational part of the brain functioning.

And now I'm back at school, getting my master's degree online, and I'm still learning so much more than just the material. 

1. It's amazing how quickly you start 'playing school' and realize that 'that' teacher is going to check every citation, whereas this one just wants to see that you cited. 
2. What's with perfect citations anyway? I mean, I get the whole attribution thing, but is it really something that you should lose points for when you miss a comma or a period? Isn't the more important point that you give credit where it's due?
3. It's much more motivating to work for the teacher who takes the time to personalize feedback.
4. Oh, and when they personalize feedback, they comment on the positives and not just the mistakes. Because, really?  We like our work to be recognized, not just criticized.  
5. Grades really are nothing more than currency, are they? Earning points because a link is posted and shared correctly feels a bit like assigning grades for bringing in a signed permission form.  I mean, I literally just benefited from silly points, but it still strikes me as ridiculous. The professor didn't think one of my reflections fit with her instructions, so in theory, I only did half the work. I got 85% though because I got 'all the points' for formatting, linking, etc. Good for me, I guess. But that wasn't really what mattered.
6. Don't discuss your beliefs about point 5 in a reflection until you really know the teacher. They don't take well to it 🤣
7. For all the complaining some teachers make about students being allowed to fix their work and/or get a new grade - or at least feedback - I can tell you, it's hard to stay motivated when all you get is feedback and a grade, but no opportunity to learn from the mistakes, fix the mistakes, and have the corrections checked and the learning cemented. Maybe that's because I'm a good student, but perhaps we treated every student as if they could be good students, they would become what we ask of them.

So, I'm learning about being a better teacher librarian, but I'm also relearning how to be a student as well as living how it feels to be a student. 

Learning. It's all learning. It will only be worthwhile learning if I take it with me and offer my own students the opportunity to be better through my leadership and example.  Oh, and by only directing one step at a time and making sure that my instructions are understood.  Seems basic, right? But it is harder than it seems. Believe me! It takes forethought, planning, and patience.

Lots of patience.

It’s Been a While…

…and so much has happened!

Every week, I get a little reminder to update my blog. And each week, I manage to ignore the message. But I have no excuse this week. Home with Covid. Unable to do much more than vegetate in front of the TV with the dogs snuggled up, surely I can muse just a little about all things MLC so far this year?

🤩Positives🤩

📚 The committee has done stellar work and having Aides has added to our offerings in a magnificent way. 

📚 I’ve started my Master’s and so far am staying on track and using my homework in my work. 

📚 Julie, our new para has added a positive vibe that was definitely missing last year.

📚 We’ve had visitors from other media centers and counties visit to admire us & what we’re doing.

📚 Collaboration with teachers continues to go well. I’ve even taught a math lesson!

📚 My goal of community involvement has increased volunteer numbers (4 parents) and one visit (so far) from Mum’s Senior Living facility! 

🤔 Negatives 🤔

📖 30 students is 10 too many for the committee.

📖 I overcommit to teachers, leaving our para feeling overwhelmed by all the kid stuff.

📖 Yearbook is huge, and I needed a better plan.

📖 I’ve found it really hard staying on track and up to date this year. Partly, I think, because of the extra time and attention needed by Mum. Partly because we started this year with ALL THE THINGS (instead of building as the year went along) and Aides as well! 

So there are lessons learned, and I’m always searching for answers. I hate to say that I need to teach less - after all, most teacher librarians long for the type of collaboration I do - but I do need to start being structure with my time. I always say that, of course - but teachers want lessons when they NEED lessons, now necessarily when I’m available!

Keep musing 

How We Doubled the Numbers Part 2

 Last week I blogged about how circulation grew from a previous high of 20,247 to 45,445 in our middle school🔥. I shared my first ‘how’ … Celebrating readers - and our new reading classes 📚

This week is all about branding and marketing.  Changing the perception. Adjusting the vibe. Becoming the place to be. 

Because what’s a goal worth if it isn’t lofty? 

When I set my initial 3-year goal. It was all based around changing the perception of who we were and what we did.  

• We were a quiet space, often closed for random (unexplained) moments. 
• We were a place you could get books, but was a scary place to bring them back - don’t be late or have the book not in pristine condition 
• It was a place some students avoided 
• It was a place some students never visited 
• There was no teacher collaboration
• There was no person working there whose focus was on bringing kids in
• It was a great space for quick laminating and color printing services
• It was a useful space to put kids who didn’t have a place to go at whatever time for whatever reason

So you could say that the potential was huge, and quite frankly, the scope was enormous!  For all the kudos I’ve been given, it would have been very hard not to have made things better 😀

I set myself 3 main goals focused on changing our branding 

1. Change the name to help adjust the perception
2. Make it a teacher space so that they were involved and invested
3. Share the journey whenever and wherever I could - create a school of cheerleaders to support our mission 

We became the MLC. 

Media & Learning Center. 

A mouthful in full, trips off the tongue as initials.  Plus, if I can’t alliterate, I want to rhyme. So we got “The MLC is the place to be” as well as Media Mayhem.  It didn’t take long and admin and teachers were using it too.  A tiny name change helped to adjust perception.  

Bonus - less print on the label maker too 😂

The very first thing I did was create The Teacher Hub. I’d visited the coffee station at Piney Grove Middle School - a neighboring middle school - and liked it, but I felt like I needed more.  So I took the laminator and poster printer out of the ‘workroom’ and The Teacher Hub was born. Coffee, snacks, a nice table & tinted windows all installed as an escape space for teachers. Chocolate is always the good stuff (Dove, Ghirardelli) and I try for sweet and salty.  Between donations, a PTO grant, and occasional front office support, we kept it stocked all year - replenishing is even on my sub plans!  The teachers love it. I have my first-thing visitors, my every-planning visitors - I’ve even had a student or two stop in with a teacher request!  Coke donated a free glass door fridge with our vending machine, and every now and again it’s stocked as a surprise - it doesn’t stay full for long.  During testing I put little gifts each day, stress relieving toys, coloring books, and puzzles. During duty-free lunch, it’s always packed ☕️🍭🍪🥤

I built a fan base. 

They come, they support, they chat, they watch me teach, they see how others use the MLC.

Game-changer. 

New name. Market to teachers. Now I needed to share the brand with the community. 

Every presenter I saw at GAETC, every blog I read, and every link I follow on Twitter, stated the importance of sharing your successes with the world. 

So I did. 

Social media. LMS, parent news, teacher newsletters, anything I could think of or create.  From sharing success stories to advertising open calendar spaces. From advertising Top Ten Books for a given month to recognizing top readers. Teacher reading contests, morning announcements (ready by students), posters, hallway contests (vote between Jackson and Potter), and more…If there was nowhere to post something, we created something.  And of course, my biggest proponents were my MLCC - the committee. My 20 kids ran the show with boundless energy and excited intent.  To be honest, it was the committee that created the success - I just put the wheels in place ⚙️

In the past, we’d only advertised events and contests, now the focus was on sharing successes as well as letting folk know what was coming. 

Some celebrations we shared in multiple places were:

Top 10 Books Read

Top 10 Graphic Novels 

Top Reading Homeroom 

Favorite Genre 

Most Collaborative Content

Visiting Teachers

Everyone loves to see their name in print! 

Branding changed ✅

Teachers involved ✅

Marketing plan in place ✅

I knew that the MLC was the place to be…and the news was getting out 🗞️

Next week, my favorite topic - focusing on the experience, putting the students in charge!

My entire presentation from the GLMA Summer Institute, sharing what we accomplished this year, can be found HERE

 

How We Doubled Numbers Part 1

What a year it was -

It really was great.  

And now I turn to next year and think about fine tuning, tightening, and adding to what made our MLC adventure be so positive.  So here is my chance to reflect on what was as I focus on what will be. I started looking back as I created a presentation for the Georgia Library & Media Association Summer Institute, and now - as I revamp my blog for the thousandth time - it’s an opportunity to deep dive, remind myself of what I did and share the high points ⚡️

I had one real goal - to make the Media Center the hub of our school. It was suggested that I made a 3-year plan, and so I did.  And as the year went by, an awful lot of that plan was started and much of it became the norm.  When I created my presentation for GLMA, it helped me to gather my thoughts - which in turns helps me to plan for next year!

We grew from a previous high circulation of 20,247 to 45,445 🔥

So, how did we do it?  

1. Celebrating readers - and our new reading classes

2. Branding and marketing

3. Focusing on the experience - the students being in charge.

4. Making fun with makerspace 

5. Being visible and extending choice 

This week, I’m going to focus on celebrating readers and our new reading classes🔎

I definitively was not the one to double our numbers. I was one of a collective team striving to help our kids become readers. Most teachers will tell you our kids aren’t reading. Our average standards are below grade level - and WE are a good school in a respected county😳

So our principal listened and we started reading classes last year. Long overdue and well-received by all. We learned a lot and have much work to do, but even just having classes with a reading focus allowed us to give kids more reading opportunities, allow for more connection between reading classes and media center, and shoot up those circulation numbers.  We also took away fear of the library by taking away fees and increased opportunity with upping the checkout allowance. 

Boom!  More books circulated 📚

Plus we worked to create pride in reading.  

We celebrated reading 🎉

The first semester was about salesmanship, marketing, rebranding.  

👉Let’s not shout at kids to be quiet and hurry up. 

👍🏼Let’s celebrate their presence and build relationships.

🎈“The MLC is a fun place to be!”  

It sounds easy, but it wasn’t.  There was some history of the media center being randomly closed and students being chased down for fines - and let’s face it, negativity stays in our mind longer than positivity. It’s apparently how we are built.  

But, between a determination to change, a focus on our student committee being the messengers, and an opportunity to work with every reading teacher to bring kids in and change the vibe, things slowly but surely changed. 

Plus - we focused on the teacher experience. The rarely used workroom became the Teacher Hub with snacks, coffee, and the ‘good’ chocolate made available 24-7 ☕️🍫

Bring in the teachers, and the kids follow. 

The teachers who never visited suddenly saw the shift, got to hear and view the children, the classes, and wanted to be a part of things.  Teachers who traditionally didn’t include the media center in their sphere now saw opportunity.  

And we offered reading lunches and maker space passes … reward your students!  The MLC became a reward and not just about books.  

Then there were Prescriptions (thank you to the Cult of Pedagogy podcast How a School Library Increased Student Use by 1,000 Percent | Cult of Pedagogy that got me fired up and idea-filled) which brought more kids in and helped with our battles against prior perceptions).

But most of all, there was the World Cup. We had flags, contests, a voting board, the games at lunch time. Kids who avoided the library like the plague were now my best friends.  I wore my footie shirts and wandered around the cafe at lunch time giving kids drawing tickets if they were wearing theirs.  We gave away goodie bags and candy.  The World Cup was the gift I needed to duly change perceptions.  And it was glorious.  

Second semester came, and I looked for ways to confirm rewarding readers. After all, I had new readers now!  After attending GaETC, I had gathered more ideas and was even more fired up on making us the place to be. Most of my focus had been on encouraging those who didn’t visit before. Now I had to reward our old friends and new familiars!  We added opportunities with our Reading Passport and Brag Tags.  

Thank you to a Canvas template, the Reading Passport was born. To be honest, this didn’t take off the way I’d hoped, but next year I’m planning on encouraging our reading teachers to support it - I’ll provide the tools and prizes, they remind and encourage!  Next year we have teachers who entire focus will be on reading - that will change the emphasis from ELA teachers with 4 content classes and that 1 extra reading class. 

But those who ‘played’, loved it!

The Tome Student Literacy Society (Home) opened up doors for me with well-selected books and carefully created discussion points. And School Life  gave me Brag Tags to give kids goals and reasons to pick those books. They became a focus as I grew the opportunities to talk books with kids.  The BBC (Bryson Book Chats) allowed kids to create video reviews with me, while those who’d rather avoid the filming could send me reviews that I put up by their chosen books. 

Things got occasionally crazy. I frequently fell behind on my to do lists. But it was so much fun, and the kids kept coming!  

Goals were being met and the vibe was changing. 

Next week - assuming I stay on track, I’ll focus on branding and marketing, as I suitably pay homage to those great Media Specialists and Librarians who shared their wisdoms!

Here is the entire presentation from GLMA for those who attended and have been waiting for the link: GLMA Presentation Slides

I’m a TikTok-er 😂

 I tried TiKTok a while ago. A couple of lame attempts with a boomerang video of Toffee Girl when she was a puppy 🐶and I think one of my horse 🐴 Cute, adorable.  

No one cared, I found myself stuck in a TikTok loop of scrolling for random pointless hours, and no one looked at my videos anyway, so I stopped. There’s quite enough screen time in my life, I don’t have time, and the endless scrolling REALLY has to stop 🛑 

So my TiKTok career ended about a week after it started, and other than the occasional thought, was put to bed. 

But then I went to the GA Ed Tech conference and heard librarians extolling the outreach of TikTok.  I saw presenters sharing a TikTok QR code at the end of the slides, and I started revising the idea. I mean, if they can do it, surely I can🤷🏼‍♀️ 

You can’t give up on an idea. Never say never … and all that. 

After all, hardly anyone used to come into the MLC, but now they do. Teachers didn’t have the MS teach, but now they do.  You CAN make change with little more than excitements and a never-give-up mind-frame. 

Perhaps by seeking wisdom from others and focusing on books and the MLC, I can grow a TikTok account.  After all, teachers only visited the MLC to pick up their laminating. Now they pop in several times a day for coffee and treats ☕️🍩, see what I’m doing with other classes, and ask for support 🙋🏼‍♀️🙋🏻‍♂️Well, this would be the same thing, right?  I just need to decide what the TikTok version of candy and coffee is 🤨

So I formulated a plan. I’m following the plan. And even though I have very unexciting numbers and am not setting the world on fire 🔥, it’s growing.  

Here’s what I’ve learned so far.

• Hashtags.  Gotta do the hashtags. Don’t be creative, choose the popular ones.  Look at the numbers as they auto fill 
• #fyp  it’s a requirement. 
• Connect social media accounts - tweet it, Insta-it, Mastodon it.  The lot. 
• Tell the kids. All the kids. The kids will follow
• Don’t follow the kids. Never follow the kids 😂
• Long ones get 14 views, short ones get 200.  Keep it short. 
• Use the TiKTok tools - it makes you look cool 😎 
• Smash the apps. I use Clips & Green Screen by Do Ink to add features and fun
• Be constant and consistent. More is definitely more!

Check it out: @mediamayhemmlc