One midnight gone...
May. 30th, 2006 08:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gementThis should really go in school journal. Oh well.
Last Friday I finished the presentation for 560 (instructional techniques) on the subject of how to structure a half-day inservice for K-5 teachers on the subject of information literacy by the Big6 method. I was the only one with handouts, the only one without powerpoint, and by far the only one to suggest including a craft project - I passed around a glitter-encrusted mobile to illustrate the point. I was memorable.
Today was the last class day of 586, Public Library Advocacy. I'm only writing this post, even though I have a lot of living to do in the next three days and I'm feeling a bit crazy, because I don't want to forget this.
I want to remember feeling like I can do it. Every session of this course has made me feel like I'm in the right place, that I'm going into a career that matters, where I will be successful. I can work for programs for immigrants and children and community groups. I learned how to begin working with local government and involving community organizations. I learned what leadership, strong effective leadership, can look like, and it doesn't take any shouting at all. Tireless meeting and talking and writing and researching and meeting again, but no shouting, no anger, no cynicism.
I know how to successfully design and propose a program that will be realistic, how to pitch it even from the very bottom of the hierarchy, how to improve my workplace from exactly where I am no matter where that is. And I know that if this results in a surprise promotion to Manager of Everything, I have the skills and talents to handle that if I choose. I know how to foster a sense of respect in a workplace.
I know how to talk about why this is important, how libraries build communities, childhood literacy, immigrant integration, a safety net during recession, quality of life for everybody. I know how to get invited to discussions where these things are actually changed instead of just rubberstamped yea or nay. I know how to start these discussions, and invite other people.
And I want to do these things now. I want to run a place. They've been telling us all year that the whole field is changing, reinvention, etc. etc. etc... It's going to change with or without me, and someone had better steer. When I'm really honest, I went into this program because I want to fight for something I care about, and this was the best personality match that would let me do it. I came in here wanting to steer. If it's already moving, maybe it'll be that much easier.
This may be the class that changes my world. I would like that. I like how my world is changed right now.
Last Friday I finished the presentation for 560 (instructional techniques) on the subject of how to structure a half-day inservice for K-5 teachers on the subject of information literacy by the Big6 method. I was the only one with handouts, the only one without powerpoint, and by far the only one to suggest including a craft project - I passed around a glitter-encrusted mobile to illustrate the point. I was memorable.
Today was the last class day of 586, Public Library Advocacy. I'm only writing this post, even though I have a lot of living to do in the next three days and I'm feeling a bit crazy, because I don't want to forget this.
I want to remember feeling like I can do it. Every session of this course has made me feel like I'm in the right place, that I'm going into a career that matters, where I will be successful. I can work for programs for immigrants and children and community groups. I learned how to begin working with local government and involving community organizations. I learned what leadership, strong effective leadership, can look like, and it doesn't take any shouting at all. Tireless meeting and talking and writing and researching and meeting again, but no shouting, no anger, no cynicism.
I know how to successfully design and propose a program that will be realistic, how to pitch it even from the very bottom of the hierarchy, how to improve my workplace from exactly where I am no matter where that is. And I know that if this results in a surprise promotion to Manager of Everything, I have the skills and talents to handle that if I choose. I know how to foster a sense of respect in a workplace.
I know how to talk about why this is important, how libraries build communities, childhood literacy, immigrant integration, a safety net during recession, quality of life for everybody. I know how to get invited to discussions where these things are actually changed instead of just rubberstamped yea or nay. I know how to start these discussions, and invite other people.
And I want to do these things now. I want to run a place. They've been telling us all year that the whole field is changing, reinvention, etc. etc. etc... It's going to change with or without me, and someone had better steer. When I'm really honest, I went into this program because I want to fight for something I care about, and this was the best personality match that would let me do it. I came in here wanting to steer. If it's already moving, maybe it'll be that much easier.
This may be the class that changes my world. I would like that. I like how my world is changed right now.
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no subject
Date: 2006-05-31 04:27 am (UTC)Remember to mark this baby so you can find it again.
no subject
Date: 2006-05-31 03:50 pm (UTC)