"Find Your Marigold"

 "Surround yourself with good people." ~Jennifer Gonzalez

One of my most favorite posts by edu-blogger Jennifer Gonzalez is "Find Your Marigold: The One Essential Rule for New Teachers." In it, she discusses how challenging it can be as a new teacher and illuminates many of the various "roles" individuals take on in a school setting. She warns the new teacher of the walnut trees--the toxic colleagues who make the teaching experience miserable and want nothing more than to suck you in with them. After all, misery loves company, right? She further breaks down the walnut trees into a variety of species. I couldn't help but think about individuals I've worked with over the years that align so perfectly with her descriptions; and, sadly, I could think of at least one person for each one. There sure are quite a few walnut trees.

But I'm still here, and I remain positive and hopeful for the most part. Twenty-four years into my career. And the walnut trees haven't gotten to me yet.

That's because of the marigolds. Gonzalez notes that marigolds are the protectors and the encouragers. Just as we plant marigolds in our vegetable gardens to help our crops grow and bloom, the marigolds in the school are there to support, offer advice, give a hug, and help us weather the storm. I was extremely fortunate to have had many marigolds in my early career. (I should mention that while this is my 24th year in education, it's also the 24th year in the same middle school I started at right after I graduated from college.) 

This was incredibly apparent to me last spring when our staff and our school's retirees gathered with the family of a retired staff member who passed away due to COVID-19. We hosted an outdoor memorial and dedicated a bench to the school, which was installed just outside the office where this staff member worked for decades. I had helped organize the entire event and was aware all of the details. But when I stood there and looked around at this sea of incredible human beings who had helped me get to that very moment, I was overwhelmed with emotion. I realized that if not for all of these strong, dedicated, compassionate, supportive teachers I was so fortunate to work with over the years, I wouldn't be where I am today. It was especially meaningful seeing them having lived through last school year--one chock full of pivoting from remote to hybrid to in-person teaching. On the day of that memorial, I was more exhausted mentally, physically, and emotionally than I had even been before, but somehow in that very moment, being surrounded by my marigolds from my early years made it all better. I would liken it to feeling a bit like when you're sick and your mom is there to help you through it and make it all better.

Now that I'm well into my education career, I still have my own marigolds in the school, but I still reach out to the marigolds who helped me build such a solid foundation in my early days. Sadly, some are no longer with us, but their teachings and advice echo in my head when I am faced with a tough situation. After all, a marigold's effect can last a lifetime. 

As I think about Jennifer Gonzalez's incredible blog post, there are two ideas that I would add to the conversation. First, while she notes that it's new teachers that need marigolds, it's really ALL teachers that need marigolds. I'm nearly forty-five years old with quite a few years of teaching under my belt, and I still have moments where I need someone to turn to for support and encouragement. Granted, these moments are few and far between now since so many of the marigold lessons from the past still guide me and I'm fortunate to have experience on my side. Regardless, everyone still needs someone to lean on from time to time. 

The other idea is that at some point, if we've been around long enough and still believe in the magic of the work we do, we finally become a marigold. It's hard to pinpoint precisely when this moment happens. It's not really a specific moment but rather this gradual transformation that happens over a lengthy period of time. Suddenly, I find myself listening to colleagues and helping them navigate stressful situations such as classroom behaviors, difficult parents, or a conflict with a colleague. What's interesting to me is how finding a marigold or being a marigold all gets down to the same things--empathy, understanding, and compassion. The educational landscape continues to evolve--especially with the pandemic--so it's vital that we acknowledge the hardships educators face today while work together to move forward.

"Find your marigold"...or BE a marigold.

First Fridays Open Mic

 "Find the good. It's all around you. Find it, showcase it, and you'll start believing in it." 

                                                                                                                            ~Jesse Owens

Today was the first Friday of October, which means in the Shepard Learning Commons, it's First Fridays Open Mic! This showcase event is a wonderful collaboration between our school library and the fine arts department and allows for students to share their talents with our school community each month. In the past, students who wanted to share their interests and talents had to hold out for our school-wide talent show in the spring.  The talent show, while amazing, isn't for the faint of heart; it requires students to perform in front of the entire school, which could feel like a sure death for some middle school students. First Fridays is a on much smaller scale and therefore attracts many more students as well as a wider range of talents; over the years, we have had students sing, dance, recite self-composed poetry, share a STEM project, and even teach us about insects! Just when we think we can't be surprised by an act, something comes along that's unique. Today that was an ASMR act as well as an Irish dancing performance. 

What I love about this event each time we host it is how it showcases the good in our school community--students who are their authentic selves despite the pressures middle school students feel to fit in; students who are willing to share these unique and wonderful gifts with others; a kind, positive, and celebratory performance environment created by all who attend; and staff members who are willing to go above and beyond their call of duty by taking time out of their day to attend First Fridays and support and connect with their students.

Due to the pandemic last year, we had to flip the switch and turn First Fridays into a virtual affair. Each month we created a Padlet where students posted videos and images showcasing their talents. Some even got their pets and family members involved, which we absolutely loved. When we returned to in-person schooling this fall, we decided to go back to our in-person events but allow for the virtual platform to remain as well. By offering both in-person and virtual options this year, we can meet students at their own comfort levels and continue to attract a wide range of talents. 

While our first event this year was on the smaller side compared to events in the Before Times, it was a perfect start to First Fridays this year. There was so much buzz among students and in the hallways today that I wouldn't be surprised if the enthusiasm for this event continues to grow and grow and attract even more participation in the upcoming months. I'm excited to see where this takes us and even more excited to see how this helps students feel more connected to their school community! 

Beginning Anew: A Reflection

It's been nearly six years since my last blog post. I'm back at it thanks to a graduate course I'm taking as part of my Ph.D. coursework at Northern Illinois University this fall term. Before composing this blog post, I couldn't help but scroll through my past posts while reflecting upon the nearly six-year gap between then and now is honestly a bit surreal. After all, my blog journey began when I had just taken on my role as a certified library information specialist at Shepard Middle School, a school I have worked at since August 1998 with most of those years spent in the classroom teaching 8th grade ELA and 7th grade social studies. Here I am in 2021, six weeks into my seventh year as the school's no-"shh" librarian. In the many years since my last blog post, it's no surprise that a great deal has happened. Some highlights include the following:

I've been part of a nearly million dollar school library transformation that gave students a voice in the kind of school library they'd like for our school and now am grateful to work in a gorgeous, innovative learning space each and every day. 

I've even created a digital twin of this space with the help of Matterport! You can explore this space virtually here. 

I was fortunate to be sent to Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to represent American school librarians along with the incredibly talented Laura D'Elia at the Sharjah International Library Conference in November 2019; there I met librarians from all over the world who continue to inspire me today.

And, of course, I've survived months as a "dining table librarian," navigating the pandemic as best I could while supporting students and staff, so the learning could continue despite everyone learning and working remotely.

There's obviously much more that's happened in this time, but these are the three big highlights that stand out most to me over these nearly six years. It's the good, the bad, and the ugly--but all are part of my library story and all have transported me to right here, right now. I honestly wouldn't change any of it as I have learned a great deal all along the way; I now carry these lessons with me and continue to strive to evolve as a school librarian who wants to make a difference in her corner of the world and break the mold of the stereotypical school library.