Professional Philosophy
“When in doubt, go to the library.” These famous words from J. K. Rowling truly embody my philosophy of the school library media program. I believe the school library is an integral part of the learning community. Library media centers provide support for teachers, students, and the community. It is truly a learning hub because learning is supported 100% by the library media program. I think the school librarian’s role in reading is to enhance the students’ appreciation for reading and reading skills. School librarians can teach students how to read non-fiction /informational texts more accurately. No, school librarians should not be reading teachers but they should be supportive of teachers and the curriculum. They should co teach with the other teachers, “School librarians partner with the classroom teachers, specialists, and other literacy colleagues to make decisions about reading comprehension instruction, and to develop all learners’ curiosity in, and intellectual access to, appropriate resources in all formats and media” (AASL 2009). I feel that traditional reading promotion and guidance has a place but it involves much more than it has in the past, “Literacy leadership, however, extends far beyond the promotion of reading.” School media specialists can develop their instruction and gain a deep understanding by joining professional organizations and reading journals like Reading Teacher, and English Journal.
Intellectual freedom is the right of any person to hold any belief on any subject and to express that idea in ways that he or she believes is appropriate” (Lamb, 2007). I believe students should be exposed to a variety of subjects, topics, and views. I do not think that students intellectual freedom should be inhibited by close mind ideas. As a media specialist, I will plan lessons about how to use social technology safely. In these lessons, I will instruct students on Netiquette . In addition, I will teach them about personal responsibility. Futhermore, I will help students and teachers learn how to evaluate social networks and make responsible decisions. Staying abreast of current literature and research is imperative to promote the principles of intellectual freedom in the school community. Students need to be exposed to different viewpoints and ideas. No one person should govern what everyone reads. We would be creating a communist society. The ALA is against filtering, “Filters make mistakes. They block constitutionally-protected speech, while still allowing objectionable material to be viewed. This makes filters impractical for libraries and offers a false sense of security to librarians, administrators, parents , and students alike”(Maycock, 2011). Students need to learn how to use the Internet responsibly and ethically.