Active Learning

From Melissa Johnston’s post on the Creating a Culture of Collaboration blog (emphasis added):

Yesterday morning in the School Library Media research SIG session [at the ALISE conference] Elizabeth Burns, a PhD student at Old Dominion University, presented her dissertation research on advocacy: Practitioner Perceptions of School Library Advocacy: A Pilot Study. Burns questions school librarians’ perception of advocacy, their experiences with advocacy in a school setting, and their preparation relating to advocacy. I think Burns gets to the heart of the matter in that there is a lack of definition of advocacy and very little research in this area. It reminds me of many concepts and ideas (such as my own research into “be a leader in technology integration”) that we as school librarians as taught and constantly reminded by AASL and ALA that we are “supposed to do” but are only given a vague definition or idea of what that entails…

Her presentation left me with two big questions. For myself as an educator I have really been thinking about how I educate my students, future school librarians, on advocacy and how can I do a better job defining, giving real world examples, and stressing the importance of evidence. Also how do we as school librarians PROACTIVELY work to create these meaningful partnerships with the various stakeholder groups? Because as well all know when the cuts come it is already too late.

Melissa and Elizabeth’s articulation of “supposed to do” list hits me hard as well. Sometimes, for new professionals and veterans alike, the authority of a grad school classroom or national organization puts pressure and an assumption of performance on them without really delving into a few issues. Like Melissa, I’m always thinking about how to approach big issues in my classes, how to keep students inspired by the big ideas while still being realistic about the rocky paths.

Some thoughts:

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1. Change is hard.
2. Trying to convince an entire building of grown-ups that they should change what they do and do it your way is really hard.
3. “Thought leaders” and model practitioners aren’t always strong in every facet of the profession; their readers just assume they are. These well-intentioned assumptions sometimes mean we’re holding ourselves up to standards nobody has achieved.
4. Superhero mentality inevitably leads to a mid-air realization that you really can’t fly; a better alternative might be to better teach how to rig up a pulley so you look like you’re flying. In other words, look for tools, strategies, and a practical mindset instead of staying in dreamy-but-impossible mode.
5. In today’s schools sometimes, your job future rests entirely on your shoulders. Sometimes, it’s due to factors outside your control. This is a marked change from the way things were at the start of the recession. Now, the combination of high-stakes accountability, continued strained budgets, and other pressures of reform and finance mean that no one is immune.
6. Maps and blueprints are powerful. When we see action steps that lead to the desired outcome, they help us move from vague idea to a clear vision of reality and  instill confidence that the outcome is achievable. Whether someone adopts them verbatim, modifies and adopts, or chooses to opt out becomes an informed choice.

Thanks, Mel.