Blog Archives

President's Column: A Letter to Members

10/6/2020

MSLA President Laura Luker is the Library Teacher at Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School in Hadley, MA.

Dear colleagues,

When last I wrote to you for the Forum, none of us could have predicted where we’d be today. That was May, and we were winding down a school year. We were finishing up something the likes of which we had never seen before and holding onto that ever-present end of year thought - next year will be better. We had dreams that the pandemic would be winding down and that things would be calmer and saner soon.

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Pandemic Notes from the Editors

10/6/2020

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Katherine Steiger and Reba Tierney are Co-Editors of the MSLA Forum
and librarians at Newton South High School and Waltham High School, respectively.

In these unprecedented times, school librarians are struggling with shifting schedules, developing lessons for in-person, hybrid, and fully remote lessons, and new challenges such as how to sanitize an entire library quickly between classes or how long to quarantine returned books. As a result, many of our scheduled contributors needed to postpone their submissions until a later edition. So this Fall 2020 Forum is a little lighter than usual, but you will still find some valuable articles.

In light of the current situation, MSLA has undertaken some initiatives to provide additional support to members. This includes moving professional development online and coordinating periodic jobalike Zoom calls so members can meet to share successes and brainstorm issues.

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MSLA's Reopening Plan PLC PD

10/6/2020

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Jen Varney is the President elect of MSLA and the Librarian at the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. School in Cambridge.

The beginning of the school year is stressful enough, even without the changes that a pandemic brings! Over the summer, many members were looking for resources and best practices for running and maintaining a school library within Covid-19 safety guidelines (and how to convince their administrations!). Therefore, during the week of August 10th, MSLA hosted a “Reopening Plan PLC.”

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Picture Book Column: Honoring Indigenous Peoples

10/6/2020

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Francesca Mellin is the Head Librarian at The Pike School in Andover

In these turbulent times, I find myself looking for silver linings and “small wins” wherever I can. I am encouraged by the increasing number of Native folks serving in Congress and the recent commitment by a professional football team to change an offensive team name. The number of books published by Native creators is on the rise, and recognition of problematic narratives is generating much-needed conversation. Just in time for Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 12, here is a selection of recent picture books that reflect a wide array of Native perspectives, identities, and activism.

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Academic Column: School Library Teachers "Pivot" : Becoming Leaders of Online Pedagogy

10/6/2020

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Georgina Trebbe is the Information Specialist/Librarian at the Minnechaug Regional High School.

The buzz word surrounding Massachusetts educators is “Pivot.” Expressed originally by Commissioner Riley, the term “pivot” has been used to describe the changes Massachusetts educators have done as they shifted to remote learning in March, returned to either full-online or hybrid learning, and plan for the possibility of future changes (Riley, 2020). One thing is for certain, benefits from online teaching and learning will continue to be incorporated into the education practices long after Covid-19 has been mitigated and schools return to face-to-face teaching and learning. Online teaching and learning have allowed educators to take a serious look at their role in this new online ecosystem. Similarly, school library teachers will have to consider necessary changes to their profession that will meet the needs of a new emerging education outlook that engages online even when face-to-face learning is once again the method.

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Elementary Column: Top 10 Things COVID Has Taught Me…So Far!

10/6/2020

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Samantha Silag is the Library Teacher at Manchester Memorial and Essex Elementary Schools
in the Manchester Essex Regional School District.

So we are all living through this new reality – regardless of whether you are teaching live, remote, hybrid, etc. It’s just a weird and kind of sad time in the world and certainly in the world of education. Typically, an elementary schoolhouse is the epicenter of JOY, LAUGHTER, LOVE – and yes, even HUGS! At the elementary level we have much, much less of the middle school students’ woes of puberty, understanding who they are, getting used to more independence and so on. And the elementary schoolhouse is definitely free of the stress of AP courses, college applications, competitive sports and “what do I want to do with my life” pressures of high school. So yes, this new reality has presented the elementary community – students, parents, and definitely teachers – a very different level of stress with very different challenges, concerns and pivots. (Umm…anyone taught K-2 how to use an iPad, submit an assignment on Seesaw, or press MUTE?!)

But I want to be an optimistic voice – don’t hate me if you’re sick of the “oh, it could be worse” or “I feel so blessed” contingent because well, it helps me get through the day to find silver linings each day. And, to be clear, many of my days have been hard, dark, frustrating, and un-fun and there have been some days when I have seriously contemplated quitting my job! Haven’t you?!

So here are the top 10 things this crazy COVID period has taught me as a K-5 Library Teacher and Team Leader:

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MSLA Free Online PD launches with Me and White Supremacy Book Study PLC

10/6/2020

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Alida Hanson is the Librarian at Weston High School, and
Co-Director, MSLA Professional Learning.

Why MSLA offers online PD

MSLA unequivocally denounces bias, racism, and hate of all kinds and is committed to examining our own practices so that we can be better allies and advocates for the Black community and for other marginalized groups. The vast majority of our members (and the library professional in general) are white women, who cannot be mirrors to or share a racial affinity with many of our students. Consider the rising proportion of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and people of color) in the US: In 2018, BIPOC were 40% of the US population, and by 2050 will be 60% (Poston and Sáenz). One of the ways we act on our beliefs is to offer professional development about anti-racism. MSLA has offered speakers and sessions at in-person MSLA conferences, like Debbie Irving and Andrea Pinkney Davis. Member feedback has always been “we want more.”

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Coping, Connecting, and Collaborating during COVID

10/6/2020

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Patsy Divver is the School Librarian at Millis Middle/High School.

This certainly has been a school year “for the books” (no pun intended!). We have met more challenges on so many levels over the past six months that we are truly entering the 2020-2021 year in almost ‘new teacher’ status.

In reaching out to others, I’d hoped to share some humorous and creative ways that we have found to adapt to our new teaching methods. Thanks to the folks who have shared their ideas and anecdotes.

From Barbara Gogan, Sudbury:
I don't have any students in person--they are all remote. When trying to talk to my students through opening a ‘New Tab’, I have found out not all second-graders know the difference between "x" and "+". So, instead of joining class, many of them close their Google Meet tab instead.

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President's Column: A Letter to Members

Pandemic Notes from the Editors

MSLA's Reopening Plan PLC PD

Picture Book Column: Honoring Indigenous Peoples

Academic Column: School Library Teachers "Pivot" : Becoming Leaders of Online Pedagogy

Elementary Column: Top 10 Things COVID Has Taught Me…So Far!

MSLA Free Online PD launches with Me and White Supremacy Book Study PLC

Coping, Connecting, and Collaborating during COVID

Forum Newsletter

Co-Editors
Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine

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Forum Newsletter

Co-Editors​Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine

Categories

Archives

Co-Editors
Luke Steere and Michelle Fontaine