The media center is essentially the heartbeat of the school, with its patrons flowing in and out at a steady and flexible pace. It is a place for reading, writing, utilizing technology, conducting research, creating and completing projects, or playing games. Sometimes it is merely a safe haven for students who need a non-judgmental or non-biased space, but it is always a place where students can make success a reality within an environment of mutual respect.
The school media program is about helping all members of the school community – students, teachers, administration, support staff, and parents – one person at a time – until the patrons’ needs have been met. The media specialist is a teacher, a leader, a listener, a nurturer, a go-to technology specialist, a friend – one who instills in students the love of reading, empowers them in their pursuit of knowledge, and supports life-long learning. Students must be proficient in study and research skills in order to be able to make decisions and solve problems in preparation for the 21st century. The media specialist must be adept at partnering with teachers to integrate information skills into the curriculum so they are of value to the students. The media specialist must also be knowledgeable about the potentials of emerging technologies, as well as skillful at teaching students and teachers to utilize them. Reading remains critical to the success of the students, but reading is now done in many formats: electronic devices, the Internet, e-books, and a variety of on-line resources. The media center is always evolving, and to maintain a quality media program, the media specialist must ascertain future needs and keep abreast of the current trends, ensuring that students and teachers have the resources that they need.
Because of the rapid expansion of global information, it is crucial for students to find, evaluate, and use information from numerous sources, print or digital, in order to learn and create. A variety of resources must be available, with equal access, about many topics, popular or unpopular, from all points of view for our diverse student population. Our media specialist and the media support staff are a team that supports intellectual freedom for the patrons, advocating for the right of the students to seek and view any information that they find of importance to them. The media specialist also uses professional selection aids, firsthand review of materials, and teacher recommendations to select quality resources related to the curriculum, while keeping students’ in the forefront.
The school media program is about helping all members of the school community – students, teachers, administration, support staff, and parents – one person at a time – until the patrons’ needs have been met. The media specialist is a teacher, a leader, a listener, a nurturer, a go-to technology specialist, a friend – one who instills in students the love of reading, empowers them in their pursuit of knowledge, and supports life-long learning. Students must be proficient in study and research skills in order to be able to make decisions and solve problems in preparation for the 21st century. The media specialist must be adept at partnering with teachers to integrate information skills into the curriculum so they are of value to the students. The media specialist must also be knowledgeable about the potentials of emerging technologies, as well as skillful at teaching students and teachers to utilize them. Reading remains critical to the success of the students, but reading is now done in many formats: electronic devices, the Internet, e-books, and a variety of on-line resources. The media center is always evolving, and to maintain a quality media program, the media specialist must ascertain future needs and keep abreast of the current trends, ensuring that students and teachers have the resources that they need.
Because of the rapid expansion of global information, it is crucial for students to find, evaluate, and use information from numerous sources, print or digital, in order to learn and create. A variety of resources must be available, with equal access, about many topics, popular or unpopular, from all points of view for our diverse student population. Our media specialist and the media support staff are a team that supports intellectual freedom for the patrons, advocating for the right of the students to seek and view any information that they find of importance to them. The media specialist also uses professional selection aids, firsthand review of materials, and teacher recommendations to select quality resources related to the curriculum, while keeping students’ in the forefront.