For Those Who Are Not Teachers
Your ability to teach is critical to your success as a school librarian. You teach everyone. This means you must be able to teach children of all ages and abilities. Also, you will be responsible for instructing teachers on technology and ways to incorporate it into the curriculum. Children and adults must like you and see you as a leader. If you do not have teaching experience, please consider a classroom position before continuing graduate studies in this field. At the very least, consider substituting or working as a school library assistant. Current classroom teachers will be expected to have outstanding teaching evaluations.
If you do not have teacher certification, you will need additional coursework to obtain MSDE certification as a school library media specialist. These courses, which may be graduate or undergraduate courses, should be taken prior to beginning the SLM coursework. They should be in the following areas as specified by MSDE COMAR regulations:
If you do not have teacher certification, you will need additional coursework to obtain MSDE certification as a school library media specialist. These courses, which may be graduate or undergraduate courses, should be taken prior to beginning the SLM coursework. They should be in the following areas as specified by MSDE COMAR regulations:
- history and philosophy of education
- student developmental levels, learning theory, and strategies for identifying student information and learning needs
- theories, principles, and methods of instructional design and delivery
- inclusion of special needs student populations