Category Archives: NEA; NEA Today

For the Education of Its Citizens

Part of my adventures in school librarianship is participating in professional development, such as attending the Maryland Association of School Librarians annual conference,  SLJ Leadership Summit, the MCPL Diversity in Children’s Literature Symposium, and the Enoch Pratt Free Library Storytelling Conference.  I have also become involved in my local, state, and national teachers’ unions, and am proud to be a delegate at the 2017 National Education Association Annual Meeting and Representative’s Assembly in Boston, Massachusetts.   As luck would have it, the hotel my state delegation is staying at is directly across the street from the Boston Public Library, and I was able to take their Art & Architecture Tour of this beautiful (and magnificent) set of buildings that comprise their central library.

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The original cornerstone of the Boston Public Library’s McKim Building was laid in 1888, and was completed in 1895. From the rose granite and the beautiful courtyard to the stunning two-dimensional murals and the mosaic vaulted ceilings, this building is a masterpiece of art – inside and out.  Restoration of the building began in 1980, and continues today – it is a must see for library lovers of all ages!

The McKim Building houses the Norman B. Leventhal Map Center, one of America’s top 10 map collections.  The map center’s current exhibit is entitled Regions and Seasons – Mapping Climate through History, and the website includes a virtual tour of the map center.   Also on exhibit is  Who We Are: Boston Immigration Then and Now – a celebration of Boston’s diversity.  Boston Public Library (8)   The map center’s Walk to the Sea provides a great virtual tour of the transformation of Boston.   In addition, they offer educational programs for students, as well as professional development for teachers, and there are many tools for teachers available, too.

The addition to the central library, the Johnson Building, opened in 1972 and  houses the BPL Children’s Library , the Kirstein Business Library and Innovation Center and Boston Public Library Studio.  The bright and open design of this building is stunning, and I plan to bring back to my school library some of the wonderful ideas that I gathered there!

 

 

 

 

 

Unite. Inspire. Lead. 

I just completed an exciting week serving as a delegate for the Maryland State Education Association (MSEA) the National Education Association (NEA) Representative’s Assembly in Washington, DC. There were more than 7500 educators working together to build strong public schools.

Highlights of the week were the impassioned speeches of the ESP of the Year, Doreen McGuire-Grigg, and Teacher of the Year, Johana Hayes, and the President of our union, Lily Eskelsen García.

“Continue growing, guiding and loving your students because you may have the next president, supreme court justice, doctor, lawyer, business owner, performer, volunteer, activist, or national teacher of the year sitting in your classroom.”  Johana Hays, Teacher of the Year, NEA RA 2016

It was fascinating to know that I was part of the decision-making process of the NEA.

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I, along with about 20 other educators, helped to revive the Libraries, Information Literacy, and Technology (LIT) special interest caucus, whose statement of purpose is to:

Increase the awareness and promotion of library media programs, information literacy and technology integration within the National Education Association.

Address and impact N.E.A policies that relate to library media, information literacy, and technology educational issues.

Provide opportunities for library media, information literacy, and technology educators to expand their professional awareness by sharing ideas and solutions to problems.

Provide opportunities for networking and professional growth.

(Updated 7/7/16 by NEA RA 16 LIT Caucus)

LIT

 

We encourage all media specialists, reading specialists, technology specialists, and other interested people to join us by visiting here . We’ll be connecting virtually throughout the school year and face to face in Boston for the 2017 NEA Annual Meeting. We hope you’ll consider joining us to reach NEA’s vision “to create a public school for every student” by joining our special interest caucus!

Hope to hear from you soon!

ESP of the Year: We Are the Secret Weapons in School and Student Success

Be Your Students’ Hero, Teacher of the Year Tells RA Delegates

Remarks As Prepared for Delivery by NEA President Lily Eskelsen García to the 95th NEA Representative Assembly