Head Tale

My Grade Two
teacher is my favourite teacher of all-time.  Her buying the class
doughnuts on a monthly basis has a lot to do with it.  But I think
we've got a new champ. 

Proof? 
– give a kick-ass introductory class and an even better wrap-up class that draws tears from many in the class
– use PowerPoint so effectively that a so-called tech guy (ahem) takes
a couple weeks to realise he's even looking at PowerPoint slides
instead of some unique, no-projector required type of overhead
transpencies due to their black text on white background minimalism and
lack of stupid caveman graphics (a technique that will inspire his own
PowerPoint presentations from this point onwards.)
– make
your students realise they're part of something bigger than themselves,
bigger than their jobs, because of their choice to become librarians
– draw on your vast real world experience for practical examples
– know your material inside and out
– show the full range of your reading (without being showy)
– be funny with quips, ad-libs, stories and self-deprecating stories
– explain the material in a logical, well-paced, engaging manner
– be a firm, demanding marker but provide extremely constructive
criticism.  (One classmate put it to me like this: “When I do
poorly on one of her assignments, I want to apologise for disappointing
her.”)
– inspire your students so much that they spend hours coordinating a homemade group gift
– inspire your students so much that many of them sign up for your
advanced cataloguing even though you assure them that it will not be fun.

PS – thanks to all who read this blog and especially those who leave
comments.  I'm in a time crunch pretty much all the time these
days so I'm not responding.  But I do read and appreciate your
thoughts.

PPS – I've also got a few e-mails since posting my Alberta user fees
article.  I do plan to respond to everyone but it may take me some
time to get to it (one week of classes left, two major assignments left
to do = Jason is a very busy guy!)  I do want to clarify a couple
things though – I have lived in Alberta (2001-2004) where I did
work in the arts community so I am very familiar with the dynamic arts
community that exists in the province, mainly Calgary and Edmonton but
in other places as well.  I was also part of the Amnesty
International Observer Team for the G8 that was held at Kananaskis so
I'm also aware of the activism that does exist in the province. 

I don't think I portrayed Albertans as “cowboys” or “rednecks” anywhere
in my paper – the “cow cliche” thing that runs through it and provides
the sub-heads stuck around even after I changed my title from “The
Two-Headed Buffalo” because I liked it and honestly thought of it as an
homage to my Western roots (what is The Calgary Stamede anyhow except
the biggest two week long celebration of Western Heritage in
Canada?) 

The only time I use the word “redneck” in my paper is to refute this stereotype by showing that Alberta does have  progressive ideas – especially The Alberta Library Card in the context of my paper. 

“Despite it’s “redneck” reputation,
Alberta is home to some extremely progressive organizations and ideas.
For example, the Alberta Library card is unique in Canada allowing
anyone to borrow books at nearly any public, academic or special
library in the province.”

I know a lot of Albertans are extremely sensitive about their
reputation, especially outside their province, but I am originally from
Saskatchewan, I have family in Alberta and visited there at least once
a year every year of my life plus, as mentioned, the three years I
lived there.  I love Alberta.  I love its energy, its youth,
its beauty.  I just think the extremely conservative nature of the
province in general is unfortunate because it keeps the province from
being probably the best place on earth to live.  Seriously.