One Librarian's Take on March Madness



Photo by Dan Carlson on Unsplash


March Madness is the time of year when most people become somewhat obsessed with college basketball. I do not watch basketball, but if I had to choose a team to win, I would root for Gonzaga because it makes me think of gorgonzola cheese.

March Madness made me start thinking about what the word madness means. The website for Merriam-Webster defines madness as the state of being mad, with  four parts to that definition: mental illness, foolishness, enthusiasm, and anger. Mental illness is not a joke. To be clear, when I refer to madness, I am referring to the other three parts of the definition. It seems to me that being an educator requires a lot of madness these days.

To be successful, dedicated people do things that some might consider foolish.  Verona school librarians Corisa Walker and Elissa Freda are often up past midnight working on the blog for A Boy Called Bat, the One District, One Book selection for this year.  Verona High School librarian Maria Mayo worked tirelessly to bring Kate Fagan, author of What Made Maddy Run, to Verona on April 1. Why not just go to sleep at a decent hour? How many people would really notice if the blog was not updated? Why work so hard to schedule a certain speaker? Aren't there other speakers who are easier to book? They might not be as good, but they would be good enough. Why try so hard? After all, try-hard is considered an insult these days.


  
"Blind Date" With a Book

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." That is one of my favorite sayings. In my nineteen years as an educator, I know it is the absolute truth. My fantastic parent volunteers, teacher friends, and student library assistants covered over 350 books with  wrapping paper over the course of a few weeks so that students could experience "Blind Date With a Book." I almost didn't do this lesson because I thought to myself, "This is a lot of work for something the students might not like." I did it anyway, and the lesson was a complete success. I circulated books to 320 students. I lovingly selected all of these books, and I felt like I was presenting each book as a gift to the reader. Books are gifts. To be able to read is a gift. To forget who you are and where you are and lose yourself in a story is a gift. Be amused. Cry. Laugh. Feel connected to a person who is real or fictional. Know that you are not alone in the universe. Feel your heart pounding in your chest. Nothing makes me prouder as a librarian than hearing a child say, "I really loved that book you recommended." If you are reading this and you helped me wrap books, thank you. It may have seemed foolish, but it was worth it.

Unwavering dedication and unbridled enthusiasm seem like obvious components to success, but can  anger make someone a better educator? Absolutely. What makes me angry? Unfortunately, a lot of things in this world make me angry. Apathy. Injustice. Complacency. Ignorance. Cruelty. Stagnancy. Greek yogurt. (I sounded too noble, so I had to throw in one of my ridiculous pet peeves.)  Of course, anger can be destructive, but I think anger can be useful, too. Let your anger be your momentum to do good.  Don't waste your anger on the small stuff. (I'm sorry, Greek yogurt. You don't smell that bad.) But the kind of anger that leads to social change? Channel that anger. It's powerful.

My good friend Tamara Gesario teaches at Forest Avenue Elementary School. At the end of every year, she gives out a personalized award to each student. Last year she had a run-in with her hot glue gun while she was making an award. A bit foolish? Her burned skin says yes. Enthusiastic? You betcha! Her glue gun injury has healed, but the impact she had on her students will last forever.

Have you ever found yourself doing something for your students that made you say to yourself, "Am I a little crazy for doing this?"  You may be right, but as Billy Joel says, "It just may be a lunatic you're looking for."  So if you are feeling a little bit of "March Madness," I would like to thank you. It sounds like you're doing something right.

Comments

  1. AnonymousMarch 23, 2019 at 9:36 AM

    I also thought you were a bit "mad". You prove it to us all the time by singing to our classes, performing as Henry B, writing songs for us when we retire, and supporting us all the time.

    The extra stuff does take a lot of work, but the kids remember that stuff, like wrapped books and some many other out of the ordinary things.
    Let's face it . Everyone that teaches has to be a little mad now-a-days, especially middle school teachers.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Be Somebody's Hero

Image
Photo by  Kat J  on  Unsplash We can craft the perfect classrooms School supplies neatly arranged Bulletin boards that deserve awards  But it’s our hearts that need to change. Lesson plans are all aligned to standards Chromebook lessons set to go. Google Apps?  We have it covered.  But there’s something else we need to know. Why does Joey seem so lonely? Why doesn’t Anna have a friend? Patrick stopped by to chat with me. Is he avoiding lunch again? Why is Carmine so impulsive? Something about Ella doesn’t seem quite right.  I’m worried about John again. What happens when he goes home at night? Future doctors, authors, and lawyers  They’re all sitting in our class. So, too, is that child who’s struggling Who just can’t seem to meet the task. Sometimes when we  think about students  We think that their problems must be small. They don’t have mortgages or bosses. Sometimes I thi...
Read more

You Matter

Image
Photo by Cole Keister on Unsplash I didn't feel like waiting for a special day to spread some love, so here are some shout-outs to all of the teachers and other staff members who make a difference in the lives of students everyday. In no particular order, I would like to thank you. Special Education Teachers You matter. You teach me that learning is NEVER "One size fits all." No one explains things better than you, advocates more fiercely than you, and appreciates every gain in learning more than you. Thank you. Classroom Aides and One-on-One Aides You matter. You are unsung heroes in my book. You do a million little things and don't often get the credit you deserve. You make sure students are ready to learn and help smooth out all the little bumps on the way to success. Thank you. School Nurse You matter. You boldly go where most of us fear to tread. Puke, blood, and mucus? All before 10 a.m.? Wow. You amaze me. You heal the little boo-boos and you...
Read more

The Do's and Don'ts of Raising Readers

Image
  Air conditioning taught me how to read.   It sounds crazy, but it’s true. We didn’t have central air conditioning in the home where I grew up. We could have afforded it, but we didn’t have it. What a blessing that I didn’t have everything we could afford. It gave me a reason to work for my dreams.   Anyway, let’s get back to reading and air-conditioning. I wanted to be like my big sister and my mom. On hot, sticky summer nights, they would lounge in my parents’ bedroom and read on the cozy bed under the loud but powerful air conditioner in the window. I knew how to read, but I  was not allowed into this exclusive reading club until I could master the art of reading silently. It sounds silly, but I didn’t know how to do this as a young child.   I sure learned fast, though.   My mom is a genius. She made reading everything it should be. Inviting. Special. Volitional. Thank you, Mom. You taught me to love books and more importantly, the poetry, the truths, a...
Read more