EXPLORE Interview

This interview was conducted with a librarian of twenty plus years in a Title 1 elementary magnet school in a suburban area of Columbia, SC. There are over 450 students in grades 4k through 5th, with a sizable self-contained special education population. Ms. B has been at this school for seven years after previously serving a school in Orangeburg. 

The following questions guided our discussion:  

1. What are some of the ways that you implement the “explore” foundation into your library program?  

a. Do you feel that your schedule is beneficial or detrimental for implementing this foundation? Why?  

 

2. What are some of the resources you use to help implement the competencies for this foundation?  

 

3. Do you ever collaborate with teachers to implement these competencies? Can you give me some examples? 

 

4. What are some of the challenges you face when trying to implement the competencies of this foundation?  

 

5. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about your experience or general thoughts about the “explore” foundation and its competencies? 

 

A great deal of our conversation centered around makerspaces. Ms. B has had to adjust her approach throughout the years, as mandates, standards and procedures change, but they have a prominent place in her library program. When she first came to this school, the library was open in the mornings for students to build and make with a variety of reusable materials such as different types of blocks, magnetic tiles, etc. With the onset of Covid, that setup was shut down and Ms. B was added to the morning duty schedule. When she was finally allowed to reopen, makerspace time got moved to recess and kids could choose to come instead of going outside. Ms. B had to pivot again when the SC law was passed that teachers had to have 30 minutes of unencumbered time. She and her assistant are required to help cover lunch duty multiple days a week.  

Needless to say, these constant changes are one of the biggest challenges she faces with implementation. 4K, 5K, 1st grade, and 2nd grade now have a specific time once a month to come for makerspace activities. Other grade levels can schedule as they wish. Sometimes they create with Legos, blocks or Hot Wheel tracks, other times they use art supplies to make things like cards or an artistic representation of a book they read together. I like that she keeps it varied to pique their interest. She also has expanded my definition of what a makerspace could look like. I am also thinking about funding. Many of the materials used could likely be donated from families who no longer need them. I have started taking mental notes even of the toys my own child has that could possibly be used in my library some day! 

 It is also admirable that even though she has had to adjust so many times, she believes in the power of this programming enough to make sure kids have access to it. That gives me motivation for my future library—if something does not happen the way I envision it, it does not mean the goal cannot be reached a different way. I think that will be important to keep in mind, as things are constantly changing in education. 

This school is an arts integrated magnet school. This means the arts are infused into all parts of the curriculum. The makerspace is helpful for this, as teachers approach Ms. B to collaborate on artistic creations related to curriculum. One example she gave is when second grade students were studying habitats. They came to the library to create the habitats with cardboard, paper and other similar materials, before molding their animals with Model Magic. This stood out to me because these types of collaborations would be excellent to present as part of evidence-based practice. Being able to show that access to the makerspace enhanced the learning for a unit is concrete data and underscores the necessity for the approach.  

The other big way that Ms. B implements this foundation is through the physical space. The library is in the middle of the school and open on three sides, so almost everyone goes by it multiple times a day. She and her assistant (she gives much of the credit to her) have created an eye-catching and inviting space. Students are invited to explore the collection through many different displays and she has put many popular series or topics in front facing bins so students can find them quickly. One of the things she does to get ideas for displays is to Google search “Macy’s window displays.” I would never have thought to search for that! It makes sense to think about stores though because their primary way to get a person to come in is through their front window. If I end up in a middle or high school, I think this strategy could be particularly useful as I try to entice kids who no longer have structured visits to come through the doors.  

Ms. B’s experience with this foundation is the embodiment of “monitor and adjust.” If something does not work, try it a different way. She said the increase in structured curriculum has stifled collaboration and not having as much consistent time with the kids, but she does as much as she can. Her best advice to implement this foundation (and others) was “Do the best you can with what you have and who will do it with you.” I will take those words with me into the next chapter of wherever my journey takes me!