Yesterday I learned that I, along with several other far more amazing Teacher Librarians, have been nominated for a Bammy Award. If you're not familiar with the Bammy's here's how they describe themselves:
The Bammy Awards is a cross-discipline honor that identifies and acknowledges the extraordinary work being done across the entire education field every day-- from teachers, principals and superintendents, to school nurses, support staff, advocates, researchers, school custodians, early childhood specialists, education journalists and parents. The Bammy Awards were created to help reverse the negative national narrative that dominates the education field.
The Bammy's seek to honor educators in the same way that Hollywood honors celebrities because, in their opinion, teachers are the real rock stars in our society - an opinion I happen to share by the way.
Anywho, I mention this because this is the first year that Teacher Librarians have been included as a category for Bammy nomination, an honor that, if nothing else, just helps reiterate the fact that Teacher Librarians are.... (wait for it!) TEACHERS.
This may seem obvious, but so many states still classify TLs as "support staff" making them ineligible for state awards like "Teacher of the Year" or even paid substitutes when they are out with the flu. And yet, these same folks, often teach six classes a day with no break, no planning and, very often, no complaints.
Why? Well, because that's just what teacher's do.
But this is not a grumpy, complaining, rabble rousing post. (Ok. Maybe it's a smidge of those things). This a post about celebrating! And yes, it's about celebrating ALL of the amazing librarians who have been given the Bammy nod this year, but it's also, and far more importantly, about celebrating the multitude of others out there who will spend their entire careers devoted to great teaching and learning without ever getting an award.
No matter who you vote for, go give a nod to your favorite Teacher Librarian and, in doing so, you'll be helping to acknowledge the universal (and yet so often ignored) truth that Teacher Librarians TEACH.
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