Sunday, October 05, 2014

Flexibility

First, an update on the aftermath of last week's post.

After being told I'd have to do "library on a cart" I spent a considerable amount of time gathering scholarly articles correlating library access to various measures of student achievement so I could fortify my arguments for the students having access to the full library collection, not just the couple hundred books I could fit on a cart and drag around the school.  So as to not overstress the admins I highlighted key passages in the several dozen pages I printed out.  Folks were unswayed though one noted I had come prepared, to which I replied, "I work in a library.  I know how to do research."

However, I am glad to report an acceptable compromise was reached.  Our school is bursting at the seams.  I had to give up some geography in the library to accommodate another class being moved up there.  I was able to convince the principal that library on a cart  is such a piss poor excuse for library service that we cannot justify it.  He offered the suggestion of only having part of the class come to the library at a time since an entire class can no longer fit in the remaining space.  I agreed because the most important thing is that the kids have access to the full collection.  We've already lost librarians and library instruction.  We cannot afford to lose access to the collection.  So a certain degree of flexibility from both the principal and from me has allowed for some semblance of a solution.  It's not optimal or even desirable but it's preferable to library on a cart.

In other news, I spent this weekend of yoga teacher training learning how to safely give hands on assists to deepen stretches....so flexibility can be increased.

Bending one classmate in half.
Asking another classmate to walk all over me.



















I am learning flexibility in all sorts of contexts but I'd  still like to tell the people decimating urban public schools and their libraries to get bent.

10 comments:

stephen Hayes said...

Most schools these days, at least here in Oregon, have eliminated Art Classes, but at least our kids still have full libraries...for now.

(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip said...

It seems to me the folks who're decimating the schools are already bent.
Somehow, they need to be straightened out.

I get the feeling their attitude toward education is:
I got mine.
The rest of you are on your own.

Hilary said...

I'm glad the principal had at least enough sense to see the good in your passions. Kids have to come first. And I love the way you tied in both types of flexibility.

Craig said...
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Craig said...
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Craig said...

You remind me of when I used to volunteer at a summer camp for kids. The director was inordinately fond of cute little mnemonics like "The Four P's" or somesuch. The only one I still remember is "The Three F's" - Flexibility, Flexibility, and, uh, Flexibility. . .

Suldog said...

Hey, at least you got your point(s) across and you were saved from being the book-toting equivalent of a Good Humor man. Keep fighting the good fight. The kids you serve will always be better off with someone such as yourself battling for them.

Secret Agent Woman said...

I can't even quite tell what's going on in that first yoga photo.

But I'm glad for the compromise, even if it is less than ideal.

Unknown said...

I'm so glad you have the yoga as release from the frustration of the school job.

Speaking of that: GOOD ON YOU for working some diplomacy to get to a compromise that at least feels humane.

Unknown said...

It seems to me the folks who're decimating the schools are already bent.


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