Keeping Busy

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Reflect

 

Whew, it’s been awhile since I took time to reflect on what’s going on in my library!

My principal put my library on a flexible schedule last year, after five years on a fixed schedule, and I’m thrilled with her commitment to keeping it that way.  I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to find that nine weeks into year two, I’m still figuring out how to squeeze in everything I want to do!  In the past, I planned six projects per week (one for each grade level at my K-5 school) and out of necessity ran the library on autopilot while I taught six Library classes daily.  Now, I’m usually working on six projects PER DAY as I collaborate with teachers, plan special library events, manage our school website, provide technology training, and continue to see classes for story time and research projects as needed!

Having the freedom to try new things with teachers and students is both exhilarating (so many ideas!) and frustrating (still not enough time!) in equal measures.  My primary concern right now is making sure that the activities I’m scheduling are not just cute and fun, but are providing real interactive learning opportunities for the students.  Working with teachers is crucial in supporting the classroom curriculum and addressing the common core standards, and planning time is something they don’t have enough of, either.  Fortunately we were able to add a Curriculum Coach to our staff this year, and she and I have been putting out heads together to figure out how we can best help teachers align their content with the standards, and integrate more technology into their lesson plans.

NetworkedTeacher
Frankly, I blame a lot of my problems on social media.  My PLN has expanded in the last two years from just reading blogs to following tweeps on Twitter and  pinners on Pinterest, and participating in monthly webinars hosted by TL Cafe, School Library Journal, and various other providers.  Consequently, I’m exposed to more great ideas than I have time to try!  Curse you, PLN, for thinking so creatively and sharing so generously!

So, how do I eat the elephant?  One bite at a time!  When I’m discouraged at the end of each day by how many things didn’t get done, I have to remind myself of all the things I did accomplish.  Toward that end, I started a Project 365 photo journal, but I have to admit that I’ve been too busy to keep up with it.  Do you have any tips for staying positive when things get hectic?  Please share them in the comments!

Creative Commons License Photo Credit: Alec Couros via Compfight

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