[aisle] I Need Help! Angry Teachers, K-1 Lesson Ideas

[Karrie Fisher]

Hi Everyone,
Some of you may remember that my librarian position at the elementary
school was eliminated for this school year.  I am the sole librarian
for the elementary and the middle schools, which means my time is split.  I
have one full-time assistant, but she is in the library where I am not.
This decision and subsequent decisions for how this position was going to
work have been a disaster.

Bottom line: I am looking for fun, quick (10 minutes) library lessons for K
& 1 kids.  The K & 1 teachers are complaining to administration and the
union that I am only "reading books to the kids." They are demanding to see
my lesson plans and library standards because they are convinced I am not
teaching the kids anything.  My immediate supervisor is supporting me, but
this is really wearing me out; they keep bringing me up in their team
leader meetings to complain about me.

I have a CRAZY schedule this year. Every other week, I see the K-5 kids for:

   - 15 minutes to do a lesson and 10 minutes for a book checkout -- total
   time = 25 minutes
   - 15-minute book check out only -- total time = 15 minutes

The teachers have to stay with their kids because I do not have an
assistant with me; they see and hear me reading and teaching.  They resent
having to be there and are mad at me, even though I did not make the
schedule.

I am reading the Monarch Award nominees to the K-2 kids.  The K-1 teachers
know what I am doing because they hear me tell the kids every week that we
are reading a Monarch Award book and they will be voting for their favorite
one.  Teachers don't care and see no value in me reading to the kids.

I should mention that I embed lessons into the read alouds. Parts of the
book, importance of spine labels, where to find the book in the library,
book care, how text impacts the way we read the book both silently and
aloud, characters, etc.

I've been trying to read the Monarch Award books since the beginning of the
year...every other week.

To add fuel to the fire, I've had the flu, pneumonia, and covid this year
and administration was not getting a sub for me; classes were cancelled.
Some teachers are actually angry at me for being sick and have complained
to the admin about me being sick.  I know it's displaced anger, but this is
not helping my relationships with the K-1 teams.  I have managed to change
this policy and they are now getting a sub for me.

Sorry for the saga --

What do all of you do with K and 1 for library lessons?  I would appreciate
any and all ideas!

Thanks so much, everyone!

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Happily Ever After,
Karrie Fisher
District Librarian
[image: reading]
Winkelman School * 1919 Landwehr Road * Glenview, IL  60026
847-729-5650

Field Middle School * 2055 Landwehr Road * Northbrook, IL 60062
847--272-6884
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