by April Sicola Stone, Librarian at Four Points Middle School in Leander ISD, TxASL Talks member
Librarians
serve in an expansive capacity within schools because not only are they focused
on their school-aged patrons, but they also support the adults in their
building. This support may include collaborating with teachers to provide
quality resources, co-teaching opportunities, and implementing innovative
learning experiences for students that may or may not include a heavy dose of
technology. During the past 2 months, it has become apparent that librarians do
not need the walls and shelves of the physical space of the library to continue
their duties. These experts are utilizing a virtual library space to reenact
similar learning experiences from the traditional school day while maintaining
student privacy, offering easy access to reliable sources, and demonstrating
digital tools for teachers to incorporate for their new role as a distance
educator.
As I
conclude my 13th year as a Texas librarian, the instructional support component
of my career has been a strength that I have had the opportunity to build upon
consistently. With that said, I have had a concern slowly bubble up from the
pit of my stomach as I witness the overwhelming aspects of education. The
mental health of teachers is an issue that has been circulating on various blogs,
journal articles, and social media groups more and more often. Teachers are
stressed, work long hours, and often place their needs very low on their
perpetual daily task list. I began to question what my options are as a
librarian to assist my adult coworkers in managing their mental health.
Because
of one of my personal hobbies, an idea slowly blossomed that entailed no
expense and little preparation. My thinking was that if I could carve out one
hour a week to host an after-school yoga class, then teachers could gather to
socialize, exercise, and de-stress. Don’t get me wrong, I am not an instructor.
Austin, Texas has a famous YouTube yoga teacher who offers the perfect videos
for our purpose. After I polled interested staff in regard to the best day of
the week, we agreed to meet in the library with our mats every Wednesday after
most of the students had hopped on their buses. The rules were that all levels
were welcome; participants could come late or leave early, and judgments of
right and wrong were not part of the vibe.
The
first Wednesday was interesting. One teacher showed up, and we quickly realized
that we needed to postpone the start time for a few minutes. (Encouraging
students to leave the building, changing clothes, and answering the call of
nature took more than 5 minutes.) The following week, more teachers joined us,
and I learned that the myriad of light fixtures in the library offered the
perfect soft glow for our time. The large media screen projected our videos at
just the right angle for our mats on the ground. Throughout the year, we
continued to honor our spirits with deep breaths in and out. Spring Break was
right around the corner. When we returned to school, we were going to finish
the year strong.
 |
| Clyde enjoys time on the mat in front of the camera. |
Y’all
have probably figured out that things didn’t go as planned. Our yoga group was
sad while simultaneously attempting to navigate the new waters of distance
learning. Then, a teacher offered an idea. One of our school’s teachers was in
fact a REAL yoga teacher. She graciously donated her time and energy to teach a
weekly yoga session to teachers via a Zoom video call. We can make special
requests that would help relieve tension caused by staring at a computer screen
all day. My Pekingese pooch zoom bombed the class during our first experience,
so we added a new rule: Dogs are welcome — especially down dogs. Mrs. Canino,
the lone attendee at the very first session in September, shared, “Yoga was a
way for me to bond with my coworkers in a setting that didn’t involve a PowerPoint
slide or awkward ice breakers.”
This
practice is beneficial in so many ways. It brings a group into the library
weekly to strengthen their mind/body connection; builds rapport among
colleagues, and we collectively enjoy the calming space. My plans next year
include inviting the neighboring high school teachers to join us, challenging
our administration team to participate, and incorporating a consistent virtual
class as an option (Just in case.)
Using
the school library as an expansive part of ourselves is not a new concept.
Teachers and staff participating in physical activities together isn’t a novel
plan either. Observing a need, creating a space, and honoring others’
wholeheartedness in a way that serves your patrons at just the right moment in
time is a valuable human experience that we can all appreciate… even in the
time of COVID-19.
