This week I was able to finally visit my third technology center and spend several days there. The media specialist at Harlem High School has been out on maternity leave for some time now. I wasn’t able to make it before she left, but we have been talking by phone and text this week. She was able to share with me what I should see when I visit and let her technology assistant know I would be coming by. Jimi Waters has been the media specialist at Harem High for 2 years. When she first came in she says that it was just a normal library and students didn’t come in for anything really unless it was to use a computer occasionally. She decided that she was going to go full force and turn this once boring library into a bright shining learning commons. With a new technology assistant, they began cleaning out all the shelves and reduced the circulation to around 10,000 titles in order to make way for new things like 45 Kindles, a maker-space, and even a coffee bar. They developed a new mission statement and began marketing their new services to students as a place not to just use a computer but a place to meet and collaborate with others. There are still places for students to come read quietly but I was able to observe the collaborative culture they are trying to develop at this level. When I talked with students they were happy about the changes that have been made. They consider this a vibrant part of their school now. Some just came in for a place to work on homework while others came in to collaborate with other students on projects.
I also continued to have discussions with my site supervisor gathering information for the technology center evaluation report and the brag sheet.
I also continued to have discussions with my site supervisor gathering information for the technology center evaluation report and the brag sheet.
Weekly Hours: 10
Total Hours: 64
Total Hours: 64