u/Much-Confidence7947

Hi everyone! I've been posting so much here recently, but appreciate all the help so much. So I'm trying to find MLIS programs that have concentrations/tracks for school librarianship. I currently work in a school as a library clerk and want to achieve my MLIS to one day be the Media Specialist, but also want an ALA Accredited degree to have public libraries as an option. From my research, here are the schools I've found that offer this:

- Valdosta

- University of Alabama

- University of Southern Mississippi

- Indiana University

- Maybe LSU or SJSU? Not clear on these two

Are there any others that stand out? Or if you're a school librarians: where did you get your MLIS? I'm in Georgia BTW

Thank you!

Well.

Got denied from Valdosta yesterday. Honestly I was really confident I’d get accepted with my GPA, References & current job in a library but alas….I feel really dumb for not applying to other schools so I cried my tears and then locked in on the research I should’ve done a few months ago. I plan on reapplying to VSU as well as:

- University of Alabama

- Emporia

- Louisiana State University

- Indiana University

- University of Southern Mississippi

I really needed the affordable VSU tuition, but clearly I need to have more option so hopefully I can stay under $20k. My first (or second choice after VSU) choice is Alabama so fingers crossed.

Any other recommendations or suggestions? I am interested in School Librarian certifications/concentrations as that is the direction I am going in. Also might see if any other schools still have their applications open for Fall, I’m eager to start but I know it’d be smart to just wait the extra semester and not end up paying way more for a degree than I need to.

Any advice/suggestions would be wonderful :) Thanks in advance !

Starting my last 100km camino from Vigo in june. just thought about this now, can i pick up my pilgrim passport in vigo or would i have to start somewhere else to get it?

Writing this while the children are in their electives, but I finally broke and I feel so discouraged.

For starters, I'm not even a teacher. I'm a MEDIA CENTER paraprofessional. I am about to start my Masters program in Library Science, I want to work in the media center and be a librarian!!! This is also my first year and I work in middle school. I absolutely LOVE my job. What I don't love is constantly getting pulled to cover classes and becoming a substitute instead. It's multiple times a week, any grade. All year, of course there were moments where I was frustrated with behavior. Moments where I cried in my car after school. In disbelief about how disrespectful a 13 year old can be to an adult. But today, I was covering an 8th grade class. It's the end of the year, I was at school the night before until 9pm helping set up for our drama club performance that I helped direct and was met with my boiling point.

A group of 8th graders just about pushed me out of the door to go and see a fight (wasn't actually a fight) after i raise my voice and get them back in the room, they decide to get up again and run out and when I'm yelling what are you doing!!! they don't answer they just walk out. I shut my door and when they tried to come back I said No. Go to the office or go to another classroom because I'm not letting you back in here after the disrespect you just gave me. In response, total disrespect responses. More chaos. etc. This was all after we had to eat lunch in the classrooms and it was minutes before transition. I tried to hide my frustrations as the next class was coming in, but I completely lost it and broke down in tears. Before they could notice, I stepped in the hall and another para saw and immediatyl went to cover for me so I could breathe. Unfortunately in the hallway, I ran into our principal who immediately had my back and went to the classroom to confront the students. But I'm overall so embarrassed. Upset that I crashed like that.

The Media Specialist I work with is so amazing and talked with me, but she said something that hurt more than helped. She said I was very nice and relatable to the kids which makes them want to talk to me and open up (which i absolutely love) but that most of them will abuse my kindness, take advantage of me and don't see me as an authority. it broke my heart, I thought all year I had been doing so well. I did actually think I was being stern, had good boundaries, and that students respected me. I feel discouraged, i feel like maybe I shouldn't pursue this career that I love anymore. I hate that she thinks that and that many other teachers probably do too.

Mostly ranting since this just happened, but anyone who has been in a similar place and has words would be much appreciated.

i have book club today and im trying to think of questions for discussion for our april book “We Could Be Rats” by Emily Austin! if anyone has read it and has input!!! (loved it btw)