Are you TALL?

By Jacqueline Higginbotham, Lead Media Specialist, White Oak Middle School, New Caney ISD

Walk into any school during the month of December and you are bound to find circles under the eyes of the educators, extra cups of coffee, and kids hanging from the ceiling (well, maybe not literally, but it might feel that way). I have 2 daughters in elementary school and I work in a middle school so the holiday chaos in elementary school looks a little different than it does in secondary school, but there is one thing in common -- we are counting down to the winter break! Ahhh. Quiet mornings, sleeping in, and checking some things off of our list. If applying for the TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute isn't on your to-do list, I would encourage you to add it! TALL Texans is not a secret society (nor is a group of librarians over 5'10"), but it is an opportunity for professional and personal growth as you reflect on your career and set goals for the future.

Every summer, the Texas Library Association spends four fabulous days with Texas  librarians as part of their TALL Texans Leadership Development Institute. 25 librarians from across the state and different library types are selected to participate in the institute each year. Led by Jack Siggins & Maureen Sullivan, these librarians learn about themselves and how to make a greater impact on their community through their jobs as librarians. They work with mentors, reflect on how they can be better, and set goals that they want to complete over the next year. During these 4 days all of the participants and leaders form long-lasting bonds that will help them to continue to grow over the coming years.

So, are you ready to apply? The application WILL take some time and thought so don't wait until the last minute. Applications are due January 25th, 2019. On the TLA website, you will find a link to a webinar that will give you some great tips for your application. If you want more information, please feel free to reach out to me at mrshigginbotham@gmail.com.

It is a true honor to be selected to participate in the TALL Texan Leadership Development Institute. And most graduates are proud to call themselves a TALL Texan! It is a badge of honor! Many of the TLA movers and shakers got started in TALL!

Collaborating with Code

by Linsey Taylor, Librarian at Carpenter Elementary in Nacogdoches, Texas

In the winter of 2017, there was an article in the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel newspaper about the (Half) Hour of Code club I do in my library.  I was super excited to have my school in the paper for something positive.  Having it be about something I was doing was in the library was an added bonus.  After reading the article, Dr. Lauren Burrow an Assistant Professor in the Elementary Education department at Stephen F. Austin State University emailed me asking if I'd be willing to demo my Code Club to her future teachers.

I didn't really know what to expect during our time together. So, as any good teacher does, I wrote down some things I wanted to highlight about our club and planned to be flexible.  During this brainstorming, I decided to ask six of my Code Club students to join us.  I wanted the kids there to help teach the college students.

I chose six students who had never missed a club meeting. I also selected a range of students from GT to high functioning Special Education.  I wanted my students to experience being the ones who know the most in a situation.  I also wanted the college students to see what a student with an IEP could do if given the chance.

My initial plan was to highlight a few points about my Code Club and how I knew nothing about code when I started.  I wanted to show the college students www.code.org, have them create an account, have my students walk around and help and show the college students where they were at on their own courses.  Everything went as planned until I turned my students loose. 

My Special Education student immediately broke the college students into groups and picked the college students that she was going to work with based on the color of their shirts.  She took control, showed them the website, helped the college students create an account then started walking them through the courses.

I was shocked!  She took control and became the teacher.  She did not hesitate.  She used her manners and her polite words.  She was a different student than I had ever seen.  She was in her element.  This was exactly what I wanted the college student teachers to see!

When Dr. Burrow and I did an informal sit-down evaluation after our two sessions we were both thrilled with the way the demonstration went.  In the past when Dr. Burrow taught a lesson in a college classroom setting on code her students left evaluations saying they didn’t think coding had a place in their future classrooms.  They were frustrated and their confidence was low.  After our time together the college students wrote evaluations that stated they thought about integrating coding into their classroom now but were still a little uncertain about how to go about doing that.  Their frustration level was lower and their confidence increased.

My students learned they could be leaders, they had the knowledge to share with others, and they wanted to continue to teach others.  They realized they were a part of something to be proud of.  Some of them also learned that they could shine in different educational settings even if learning was hard for them.

My advice: Collaborating can be hard. So if someone contacts you say “Yes!”  Have your students lead as much as possible.  This isn’t my club, it’s their club.  I wanted them to shine.  Which leads me to this--- expect the unexpected.  I did not expect my students to take over the way they did.  They were awesome!  Also, reach out to others, don’t wait for them to reach out to you.

Dr. Burrow’s advice: Always be looking and listening. If she hadn’t read the newspaper that day we would have missed this awesome opportunity. Leave time to actually talk with your community partner and acknowledge their contributions.  Share the partnership success with your students so they have an incentive/a model to partner with community members when they are teachers. 

This started out as a Service-Learning Project for the college students but it turned out to be a reversal of Service-Learning.  Typically, the college goes out into the community and shares their knowledge.  This time the community taught the college students.  This collaboration model could be used with any topic that students know more about than college students.  The sky’s the limit!

Because of this collaboration, Dr. Burrow submitted a proposal to the International Association for Research On Service-Learning and Community Engagement Conference.  It was accepted and in September 2017 Dr. Burrow and I presented a lighting presentation at IARSLCE in Galway, Ireland.  All because I said “Yes!”

Linsey Taylor has been an elementary teacher librarian since 2013.  She graduated from Sam Houston State University with a Master of Library Science in 2002.  She also graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University with a Bachelor of Hearing Impaired Education.  She has been a member of Texas Library Association since 2013.  Taylor has presented at various conferences and trainings as well as has an article published in Teachers Net Gazette.  She started a LEGO club, a book club and a code club at her current school.  The code club took her to Ireland to co-present at the International Association for Research on Service-Learning Engagement conference. Linsey Taylor lives in Nacogdoches with her husband, their daughter and their lovable black lab.

Why I'm Thankful

By Kristi Starr, Librarian at Coronado High School in Lubbock ISD

In between the stresses of a year that always brings the unexpected and leaves too much still to do at the end, we find ourselves in a season when it's common to pause for reflection. What is it that makes you most grateful when you contemplate your professional life? If nothing is coming to mind, consider these.

• I don't know about you, but I have the most amazing PLN. I work in a district with fabulous librarians and friends, and I network across the state - and even beyond - with remarkable women and men. If you haven't begun taking advantage of Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook groups to expand your learning, it's time to give them a try! While it can seem overwhelming at first, you might be missing out on a professional game-changer. We are truly better together.
• As part of my PLN, I look forward each week to #txlchat and the opportunity to learn from and share with librarians at all grade levels and from different regions. Whether you join the Twitter-based chat on Tuesdays at 8:00 PM or check out the archives, you're in for a treat.
• We are part of a remarkable organization. I'm thankful for the leadership at TLA, for the advocacy conducted on our behalf, and for the folks who step up to lead and serve in divisions, on round tables, and with committees. It takes a huge number of volunteers to fill all the roles in TLA, and I appreciate everyone who sacrifices their time.
• There are so many opportunities to learn and grow! I can't imagine missing the annual conference. Annual Assembly is a time to connect and plan. Fall district meetings allow us to deepen the connections we have in our regions, both within our divisions and with librarians who work in other settings. The TALL Texans Institute provides in-depth leadership training, allows for relationship building, and opens doors to new avenues of service. And then there are the ESC-based sessions and conferences as well as a growing number of Edcamp Library events. It's enough to make any Muggle wish for a time turner and apparition abilities.
• I love working in a dynamic profession. So much is changing that we should never complain of boredom or stagnation. There are always new tech tools to learn, new students to teach, new teachers to work with, and new books to read. And each day, each week, is often different than the one before.
• We have the opportunity to work with everyone on our campuses. How many others can say that? Whether on-level or advances, special needs or gifted, students or teachers or administrators or parents, we have times when we can interact with any- and everyone.
• We are teachers first. Librarians don't leave the classroom, rather we move into bigger, different classrooms. We still teach. We help students engage and explore. Being a teacher isn't something we do, it's who we are. We love our students and we want what is best for them. We help provide physical spaces, resources, instruction, and support to help them succeed. We specialize in information literacy, inquiry, reading and digital learning - it's a one-stop shop! And even better, we love to collaborate.

So yes, I'm thankful for my job. I'm grateful to work alongside some amazing educators. I appreciate the support I get from my campus community, my PLN, and my professional organizations - especially TLA and TASL.

If you want to be the best advocate possible for your program, love what you do. Do what you can to the best of your ability. Others will take notice. Yes, there might still be a lot left on your to-do list, things you hoped to accomplish in 2018. The year isn't over and you still have time, but don't stress. Remember, you have the best job ever!