"Before a budget crisis hit neighboring Dearborn Public Schools in the 2009/2010 school year, every K-12 school had at least one half-time certified media specialist, says a Dearborn staff person who also requested anonymity. Now, 32 buildings in that district share about eight librarians, the staff source says."(Barack, 2001)
Barack further points out that many districts are choosing to place para-professionals in the school libraries to save money.
References
Barack, L. (2011, March). Detroit's proposed school closures to impact librarians. School Library Journal , 1.
Greg Hayes
Greg Hayes
Hi Greg,
ReplyDeleteIt's a sad state we're in. Here in South Dakota we don't have it "as bad" but it's not good. In my library system, our children's/ya department lost over 50% of their budget! Of course, while being told to keep up good customer service. Needless to say, summer reading programs suffered, as well as a hindered book ordering process.
I agree that it is an unbelievably sad state of affairs especially, as Diana Senechal (2010) points out in “The Most Daring Education Reform of All,” a great clamor is being raised for "21st century skills" (p.4). I found it even more interesting that she first quotes John Dewey and his cries for the modernization and reform of education. He decried geometrical classrooms and the positing of students as listeners and teachers as experts. Ironically, this traditional view of education, an expert filling an empty vessel full of knowledge, while decried close to 100 years ago, is still the predominant mode of education. Thus, these "particularly vocal reformers" that demand that we infuse learning with “21st century” skills, i.e. technology, lack the understanding that technology, although “intriguing and promising” can also “distract” and does not always serve “the lesson well” (p.4). This then, is exactly why schools need librarians/media specialists. School and library media specialist should be, and frequently are the expert on the appropriate uses of technology. They are the teachers of the 21st century skills being called for. However, they are also one of the first people cut when a budget must be downsized. Ridiculous. I guess as Professor Janik stated in her lecture, it is up to school librarians and media specialist to market themselves, to prove their worth not just to students and teachers, but to the school board and the public and given Senechal’s article and the public sentiment for reform through technological modernization, this shouldn’t be too hard.
ReplyDeleteResource
Senechal, D. (2010). The Most Daring Education Reform of Them All. American Educator, Spring 2010. Retrieved from Blackboard Course Documents, Week 6.