[CASL-L] your support would be appreciated

[Cathy Andronik]

Jane, first of all, I applaud your district administration for taking a BIG step.  

You didn't specify what the union issues are, but I can guess.

1)  Break/prep/lunch coverage for classroom teachers.  It's time the union people started thinking outside the box.  Even better, it's time for more library professionals to step up to union positions.  Yes, classroom teachers need preps and lunches and such.  Is that the library professional's problem?  No.  Unions and administrators find other solutions.  We library people have been too acquiescent for too long on this issue.  Back in the handful of years when I worked at the elementary level, when I did a lesson with the kids (and, since I was the only professional in four schools, I saw them once a month on average, with volunteers doing book circulation the rest of the time), I asked (couldn't require, but STRONGLY suggested) the classroom teacher to be there.  No, it wasn't because I couldn't handle a class of kids (which I believe many teachers assume when we make this request), but because I wanted the teacher as well as the kids to take back to
 the classroom the skills I was covering in that lesson, whether it be that people write books and that profession is called "author" (kindergarten), the difference between fiction and nonfiction (Grade 1), or the basics of databases (Grades 4-5).  And of course I had those teachers who said they were running out for a bathroom break but they'd be back--thirty minutes later.  Fortunately, I also had a good number who saw the value and stayed, even if it meant mad dashes to the bathroom afterwards.

2)  Don't get me started on unions.  Why aren't the unions more concerned about the issues we library professionals COULD bring them, but too often DON'T?  I'm at the high school level.  There are days I've worked with classes eight periods out of...eight periods, because the teacher and I agreed that's the prime date for me to do the lesson.  (Lunch?  LOL.)  Those eight classes could involve two U.S. History, two World History, one 9th grade English, one AP English Lit., one Child Development, and one Culinary.  Where's the limit on the number of preps in a day there?  But I do it because teachers and kids are using my library, and that's what I'm there for!!  I've been told "You don't get a prep unless you have a duty."  Most days I have EIGHT duties (yes, supervision of kids who come from OTHER TEACHERS' study halls IS a duty of sorts), AND I also may be teaching a class during some of those "duties!"  (Name another teacher who does THAT!  I dare them
 to try.  A few times I've supervised kids from study halls and worked with TWO or THREE DIFFERENT classes at the same time.  Once I had to put up a major fight for coverage pay because at the last minute and without a phone call for a heads-up administration sent me an entire study hall when a teacher's sub didn't show up--AND I was teaching a class that period, AND my paraprofessional assistant was out sick.)  Our contract says we get a daily lunch free from student interaction.  Again, LOL.  I take my "lunch" in my library office.  I'm the only library professional.  If there's an important phone call and I'm the one who should take it, my assistant knows she can interrupt me and I will take it.  (She's very good at screening out pushy vendors from start-ups no one has ever heard of, versus a question from my colleague across town.)  If a kid has a reference question my assistant doesn't feel comfortable handling, I come out and work with the kid.  I
 can probably count on the fingers of both hands the number of times in the past 14 years I've truly had an uninterrupted lunch period--and those are the ones where I've put off my lunch until 8th period and there's an assembly.  The union knows about most of these issues.  It has no clue how to deal with them, so it tells me they're not really union issues.  (In other words, I'm under the teachers' contract unless it's inconvenient for someone else.)  But teacher preps it can deal with.  Send the kids to the library.  (All the librarian does is read books anyway.  Give him/her some real work to do!)

In case I sound negative, I LOVE BEING A SCHOOL LIBRARIAN.  I've been doing it for 30 years, through a ton of changes, and I still love it.  What I DON'T love is being taken advantage of, by ANYONE, administraiton, student, teacher, or union.

Jane, go forth and do great things, with your administration's incredible support!  

Cathy Andronik
Teacher librarian
Brien McMahon HS
Norwalk, CT
--------------------------------------------
On Sat, 10/4/14, Jane Martellino <janemartellino at gmail.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [CASL-L] your support would be appreciated
 To: "CASL_L" <casl-l at mylist.net>
 Date: Saturday, October 4, 2014, 8:25 PM
 
 Sorry-
 here is the link: http://mrsmreadsandmore.blogspot.com/2014/10/without-doubt-collaboration-impacts.html
 On Sat, Oct 4, 2014 at 8:25
 PM, Jane Martellino <janemartellino at gmail.com>
 wrote:
 Please take a moment to read my blog and comment
 in favor of flex schedules.  My district is getting
 pushback from union.Thanks,Jane
 Martellino
 
 
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