Frequently Asked Questions
Why did you become a school library media specialist?
The job merges my two passions: technology and reading! In addition to being an experienced computer resources teacher, I am currently a member of two book clubs and have a degree in English. I am passionate about the value of literacy and libraries. In California, I was a volunteer adult ESL and literacy teacher. I was the high school representative on my town library board, and am a contributing "friend" of the Williamsburg Regional Library. I have volunteered with summer reading programs at the Williamsburg library and with a local neighborhood program sponsored by my school.
What are your qualifications for the position of school library media specialist?
I have experience as a fully scheduled school library media specialist in a K-5 elementary school with over 765 students. I completed my Masters in School Librarianship coursework with a 4.0 GPA at Longwood University and received my degree in December 2016. I completed over 100 practicum hours working in elementary, middle, and high school libraries. I am a member of the American Library Association, the American Association of School Librarians, the Virginia Association of School Librarians, the Virginia Reading Association, and the Williamsburg Area Reading Council, and participate in state and local professional development for teachers, reading specialists, and librarians, in addition to continuing to pursue professional development in educational technology. My degrees include an M.Ed. in K-8 education and a B.A. in English.
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What experience do you bring to the job?
I have twenty years combined experience as a school librarian, computer resource teacher, and classroom teacher. I have experience working in middle and high school libraries through my clinical hours course at Longwood. I have taught reading and literacy skills as a classroom teacher and as an adult ESL teacher. As a librarian and as a computer resource teacher, I collaborated with classroom teachers and the school librarian to integrate technology into the K-5 curriculum while supporting the Virginia Standards of Learning for both technology and core academic subjects. I have been the team leader for second grade and centers teams, and have provided professional development for staff on a variety of topics.
How will you ensure that the library collection meets the needs of our school?
I am experienced in collaborating with teachers to locate resources and create lessons that meet the needs of students and teachers and that align with the curriculum. I have experience helping students find "just right books" for independent reading, and books and other resources that meet their learning needs and stimulate their interest in reading and learning inside and outside of school. I subscribe to a variety of publications such as The Horn Book and School Library Journal and read the websites, blogs, and newsletters of publishers, libraries, and librarians across the country to stay current on the books, websites, and other resources that will benefit the students and teachers with whom I work. I maintain relationships with both public librarians and other school librarians to get professional advice on library resources and new technologies. I am also a voracious reader and constantly read new and classic books for children and young adults so that I can make informed decisions about what to add to the collection and what to recommend to students, teachers, and parents. I use collection analysis tools, needs and interests surveys, and input from library users, including book request forms, to improve the collection and encourage the use of library resources by all patrons.
How have you encouraged students to read?
As a school librarian I have coordinated visits by authors, have sponsored reading incentive programs and the Battle of the Books team, and have created promotional displays, bookmarks, and bulletin boards for students. Students incorporate authors and favorite books into units on research and citation. As a classroom teacher, I held a “Screen Free Week” each year and created other special reading challenges and rewards for students throughout the year. My students produced and recorded readers’ theater pieces and classroom plays based on books and fairy tales. I collaborated with the computer teacher to create student-made ebooks. As a computer teacher, I frequently incorporated books and literacy skills into my lessons. My students produce book trailers, design book review bookmarks to place in the library, produce multimedia presentations about authors they research, create graphic organizers and animated story retellings about books, and made their own books, both paper and electronically. As the webmaster, I post curated lists of student resources for reading and other core subjects on our school website and maintain the library webpage so that students and parents can easily locate books and get reading recommendations.
Are you a team player? What collaborative experience do you have?
Yes! I sponsor multiple clubs each year and volunteer at school events. As the webmaster, I publicize school events and highlight staff and student accomplishments on our school website. I support the other centers team members (art, music, computers, P.E., guidance) with their classroom objectives and special projects (Family Fun Run, musicals, STEM night, Career Week, Fine Arts Night, etc.). I work closely with each grade to ensure that what I teach in the media center supports grade level benchmarks and SOL objectives and focuses on the areas that teachers feel would most benefit students academically. Examples of specific units that I have collaborated on include cyberbullying with the school psychologist, school climate with the school counselors, assessments with the math specialist, teaching nonfiction text features with the fourth-grade team, ocean organisms research and multimedia presentations with fifth grade, creating civil war timelines with the fourth grade, researching ancient Greece and Rome with third grade, and SOL test preparation.
What else can you contribute to our school?
I have sponsored many student clubs including technology, animation, Lego WeDos, yoga, Great Computer Challenge team, and Battle of the Books team. I secured a grant to obtain Lego WeDo kits and another to obtain materials with which to create a school makerspace. I participate in school groups and committees including the science committee and hospitality committee. I have volunteered with the mentoring, school garden, and summer reading programs. I have been the school webmaster for eleven years. I bring a dedication to the teaching profession, a love of working with students of all ages, and a belief in the power of public education, libraries, and literacy to transform lives.
How do you handle discipline issues?
I ensure that students understand and value the core school and classroom rules beginning on day one, as well as the basic consequences for not following the rules (such as taking a break from using the computers). I anticipate problems and prevent them by creating structure and connecting with students on a personal level. When a student violates the rules, I work with the student privately to understand why and to reteach why the rules are in place and how they benefit everyone, that student included. I believe in getting to know students as individuals, closely listening to them about their concerns and working with them to find solutions, empowering students to make appropriate choices and to demonstrate leadership, and in the ability of gentle humor and optimism to diffuse tense situations.
Who are you outside of school?
I am originally from Maine where I grew up reading, sailing, running, and skiing. I lived in Salt Lake City, Utah and Irvine, California before moving to Williamsburg, where I earned an M.Ed. at William and Mary, followed by a masters in school librarianship at Longwood University. I have lived in Williamsburg for 22 years. I enjoy spending time with my husband, our son, and our English bulldog, Tater. I enjoy mountain biking, yoga, kayaking, knitting, gardening, and participating in two book clubs.
Where can we learn more about you and see examples of your work?
Visit my library portfolio website: www.maureenm301.wix.com/libraryportfolio