As I begin my new journey, this time as a Library Media Specialist (LMS for short) I have created yet another blog.  My previous creations have been requisites for courses and workshops and although I thought of using one of those, it didn’t feel right to document the learning, mishaps, victories, fun times, and growth on a blog that was not originally created for this career shift.

I have been having so many mixed feelings about this transition.  I moved to the library in order to have a platform that afforded me to influence not just a group of 20-30 kids a year, but ALL my school’s kids. However, I will miss the close relationships I developed with my homeroom and their families, I will miss children being “Mine, mine, mine!”  I also want to ease the pain, anxiety and frustration that testing can cause teachers and students by creating a reading culture.  Falling in love with the written word and finding books you are passionate about will develop high order thinking skills, problem solving skills, and just a warm and fuzzy feeling about reading that will make test taking just another part of the school year, not the center of it.  But, there are days that I wonder how I will be able to do that for 500+ kids ranging from K-6th grade.

I have thrown myself into reading blogs, following educators on twitter, and asking questions to anyone I meet that has a wealth of knowledge on how to affect positively and create a love of reading and a reading culture in our schools.  I am inspired by them and also supported by many.  I have reached out to fellow tweeters and they have always been there to answer my questions and suggest resources.

As the big day approaches I hope to successfully deal with my homeroom teacher “empty nest syndrome”, and focus on developing relationships (and remembering so many names!) with the students and teachers at my school.  I have planned and hope to successfully follow through with before/during/after-school library programs that will attract many interests, abilities, questions, answers, and ideas.  I am counting on the support of my PLN, PLC, and above all, my students, to enlighten me on what works best for them not only academically, but personally.