Massachusetts School Library Association
            MEMBER PORTAL                
​Join or Renew     Member Directory​
  • Home
  • About Us
    • MSLA Leadership 2022-23
    • Executive Board Meetings
    • Joint Statements: MLA, MassCUE
    • Spotlight Archive
    • Strategic Plan 2016-22
    • MSLA Constitution
  • Membership
    • Member Portal
    • Join or Renew Your Membership
    • Members Map
    • Email List
    • Regions >
      • Boston
      • Northeast
      • Metrowest
      • Southeast
      • Central
      • West
  • Conference
    • MSLA and PDPs
  • Resources
    • DESE Rubric
    • Certification & Licensure
    • Program Standards & Rubrics
    • Job Description: School Librarian
    • Job Listings
    • MLS Strategic Planning
    • Intellectual Freedom
  • Advocacy
    • MA School Library Study for Equity & Access
    • Everyday Advocacy
    • ESSA
    • Exemplary Programs
  • Newsletter
    • 2023 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2023
    • 2022 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2022
      • May 2022
      • October 2022
    • 2021 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2021
      • May 2021
      • October 2021
    • 2020 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2020
      • May 2020
      • October 2020
    • 2019 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2019
      • May 2019
      • October 2019
    • 2018 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2018
      • May 2018
      • October 2018
    • 2017 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2017
      • May 2017
      • September 2017
      • October 2017
    • 2016 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • February 2016
      • May 2016
      • October 2016
    • 2015 MSLA Forum Issues >
      • April 2015
      • November 2015
    • MSLA Forum 2002-2013
  • Awards
    • Judi Paradis Memorial Grant
    • Archive: History of Awards
    • 2019 Awards Pictures
    • 2018 Awards Pictures
    • 2017 Awards Pictures
    • 2016 Awards Pictures
    • 2015 Awards Pictures
  • Bookmark Contest
    • 2023 Winners
    • 2022 Winners
    • 2020 Winners
    • 2019 and 2018 Winners
    • 2016 and 2017 Winners
    • 2012 to 2015 Winners
    • 2009 to 2011 Winners
    • 2004 to 2008 Winners
    • Bookmark Judges

Advice Column: Ask a Library Legend

2/11/2020

0 Comments

 
Valerie Diggs is a former President of MSLA and currently works as a Senior Visiting Instructor at Salem State University, where she also serves as the Graduate Program Coordinator of the MEd Library Media Studies program. 

This column includes two questions from members. The first addresses a challenging situation with a paraeducator and the second, the struggle to get kids reading. 
I have a new paraeducator in the library this year. This is her first year working in education and while she is GREAT at supporting the academic needs of our students, she is struggling with the classroom management aspects of the job, especially enforcing student behavior expectations. She's young and close in age to my high school students, and because she started mid year, there has been limited opportunities for hands on training. How do I support her developing those classroom management skills so that she can help keep the library running smoothly while I'm teaching?
I am assuming that this paraeducator has no formal training in education, and has perhaps never worked in a school before? I would start with a serious conversation around expectations and her ability, or lack of ability, to manage the library environment successfully. We really can’t fault her too much for not knowing the ropes when it comes to classroom management.

Here are some pointers for empowering her to be more successful and for your expectations to be met:
  • A gentle discussion can go a long way.  She should also not have to “guess” what you expect from her and what your observations of her skills have been. 
  • Make sure that she has read and absorbed the staff and student handbooks at your school, particularly the sections on managing behavior and consequences. Being on the same page with the rest of the school is important. 
  • If your para is young looking and close in age to the students, that may, or may not, be problematic. More important is her ability to watch you and observe your skills with classroom management. 
  • As time allows, have her observe you teach. Let her sit in on a particularly difficult class and focus on how you maintain control of the class and deal with unruly behavior. The same can be true of general library periods, where just keeping crowd control can be a challenge. 
  • Often students who are in need of additional “corrections” need to be reminded that respect is key; that the library is a place of mutual respect, teacher for students and vice versa. This goes a long way in making students feel welcome and safe.
  • Share these resources (and of course there are many others)
"Classroom Management in the School Library" (from Teacher Librarian magazine)
"Classroom Management" (from ASCD)
  • Lastly, if you have the time to observe her with the students, pointers and advice from you would most certainly be helpful. 
Managing difficult students is a learned skill, and one even veteran teachers struggle with. Time and patience will help, and with it will surely bring a great measure of success. 

Is it too much to ask kids to actually read during their library time? I have so many kids that have no desire to check out books. I don't require them to check out books as I figure it's their choice.  But, I'm thinking of changing that. We have magazines they can look at too. If given a choice, they would much rather be on the computer or drawing.
Forcing students to check out books is never a good idea. Getting to the bottom of why they aren’t checking out books is a good idea. There are many roads to getting students to check out books. Are they seeing themselves in the books on your shelves? Are the books reflective of the culture and ethnicity of the school population? I am sure that you have examined all of this, but it never hurts to look at the collection again. Have a diverse collection, one that is not only culturally diverse, but contains different formats and reading levels. Even books with movable parts are attractive and eye-catching. These books have typically been avoided in library collections, but have a unique appeal. And think about the length of a book. Many reluctant readers see “big, fat books” and think that they will never get through all those pages. Offering books that are both lengthy, as well as shorter in length, can help some students over that hump. 

Create a survey for the students, asking them about their reading interests. If you are a Google school, the survey can be created using a Google form. If not, perhaps your district has access to another type of survey tool. Include a question asking them to talk about what it is, if they aren’t checking books, that they cannot find in the library. Do they want more graphic novels? Adventure? Mystery? And more. Keep a suggestion box at the circulation desk, using old-fashioned paper and pencil. Perhaps students, or even staff members, will drop a suggestion into the box. Use this information to inform future purchases. 

What types of items, other than books, can your students check out? Magazines? Comics books? Newspapers? Do you have eBooks that might be of interest? They certainly count as books checked out. Using the Commonwealth Collection, offered through the Massachusetts Library System, gives you a huge advantage here. Think about your magazine collection, and try new and different selections. And you might want to consider circulating all but the most current copy. 

Technology is a huge part of student’s lives. Of course many of them would rather be on the computer, but that is because they haven’t found that special something to read. Ask students about the last book that they read. Use Novelist, even if you have to grab the link from your public library’s website, and show your students how to find “if you liked this book, here is a list of books you might want to consider reading next.”  Using Novelist to find those “next best books” may spur their interest and help them make that leap. 

Start library class with a five or ten minute booktalk. Introduce new titles this way, or books that don’t jump off of the shelves. Hopefully, by incorporating some of these strategies, you can boost circulation and encourage those reluctant readers. Forcing students to check out books is never an answer, but doing what you can to promote reading and enrich your collection might make all the difference. 

Have a library problem you need help with? Submit your question here and get a response in the spring Forum. 
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Forum Newsletter

    Co-Editors
    Reba Tierney and
    ​Luke Steere

    Reba is the School Librarian at Waltham High School; Luke is School Librarian at  Wilson Middle in Natick

    Click to set custom HTML

    Categories

    All
    AASL
    Academic
    Advocacy
    ALA
    Authors
    Book Bans
    Book Challenges
    Book Trailers
    Cataloging
    Censorship
    Column
    Conference
    Copyright
    Culture
    Databases
    Dewey
    Digital Citizenship
    E Books
    E-books
    Elementary
    ESSA
    Ethics
    Evaluation
    Graphic Books
    Graphic Novels
    Inquiry
    Leadership
    Learning Commons
    Legislation
    Literacy
    Maker Space
    Nonfiction
    Orientation
    Planning
    PLN
    President's Remarks
    Professional Development
    Reading
    Research
    Science
    Secondary
    Standards
    Technology
    Union
    Volunteers
    Weeding

    Archives

    February 2023
    October 2022
    May 2022
    February 2022
    October 2021
    May 2021
    February 2021
    October 2020
    May 2020
    February 2020
    October 2019
    May 2019
    February 2019
    October 2018
    May 2018
    February 2018
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    May 2016
    February 2016
    November 2015
    April 2015

    MSLA Forum Past Issues:
    January 2015
    April 2015
    ​
    2002-2015 MSLA Forum
The Massachusetts School Library Association  works to ensure every school has a school library program that is fully integrated at all grade levels across the curriculum and has a significant and measurable impact on student achievement….Read more…..and Learn more about MSLA

Contact MSLA:
Emily Kristofek, Office Manager/Event Planner
P.O. Box 336. Wayland, MA 01778
ekristofek@maschoolibraries.org
​
508-276-1697 

Massachusetts School Library Association. All Rights Reserved.  Copyright 2023.