Throughout my career in education, my goal has been to “empower learners to pursue academic and personal success” (AASL, 2018a, p. 12, para 2). As a school librarian, I will do this by “using a variety of engaging and relevant resources to locate and evaluate information, provide digital learning opportunities, and develop a culture of reading” (AASL, 2018a, p. 12, para 2). 

I am passionate about working with students in special education and I want to create opportunities for students to think critically, identify problems, and develop strategies to solve those problems, both academic and personal. I want to keep the school community up to date with the most relevant resources that are the best fit for the learners’ needs and goals. With the right resources, learners can learn how to persist in inquiry and advanced study, which can lead them to enriching professional work and a higher level of community participation (AASL, 2018b, p. 3).

Technology plays an increasingly important role in our lives. However, even with all of the digital resources and emerging technologies, students and staff need to learn how to utilize those resources. I look forward to supporting both students and teachers inside the classroom by guiding them in how to use the technology and creating a safe place where students can explore how to best use the technology for themselves. Many students would benefit from support available to them through the use of technology, but are unaware or don’t have the skills to properly use the technology to support them in academic career. As a teacher, I struggle to make time to learn how to use all of the different technology available, on top of teaching and giving the student time to practice how to use the technology. As a school librarian, I will offer that support to both students and staff inside the classroom and the library.

In my experience, many students in special education do not read for enjoyment or learning unless they are forced to. As a school librarian, I want learners to know the value of reading and understand that engaging with reading material can happen in a variety of ways that meet their diverse needs. The school system I work in provides numerous digital resources that allow students to access reading materials in both traditional and nontraditional formats. I will support both learners and educators in using technology to aid comprehension and increase access to resources to achieve their goals.

References

AASL. (2018a). The national school library standard for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. Chicago, IL: ALA.

AASL. (2018b). AASL Standards Framework for Learners. [Brochure]. https://standards.aasl.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/AASL-Standards-Framework-for-Learners-pamphlet.pdf