Jana Jordan
FRIT 7734
Dr. Jones
Secondary Site Interview with Middle School Media Specialist
Q: Name of media specialist being interviewed.
A: Holly Brown
Q:. Name of School where the media specialist is employed.
A: Carver Road Middle School
Q: How long have you been a media specialist?
A: in my 5th year as a Media Specialist
Q: How long were you a classroom teacher before becoming a media specialist?
A: 0 years
Q: How have your past job experiences prepared you, directly or indirectly, for this position?
A: I have been a full time Children’s Pastor, Technology Support, and worked in
administrative positions within education.
Q:Why did you choose to pursue a degree to become a school library media specialist?
A: This position incorporates everything that I love. I love spending time with children
and being a positive influence in their lives. I love to read and share that love of reading
with others. I have a background in technology as well. All of these things are exactly
what a Media Specialist does everyday, so it is a perfect fit for me.
Q: What educational preparation have you had for being a school librarian? What was your
experience with that? What didn’t you learn in school that you wish you had?
A: I have a B.S. in Communications and a M.Ed in Media. I loved my time at West
Georgia and will return for my Ed.S next year. While the program prepared me for things
like how to curate a collection and how to create a budget, it did not prepare me for the
amount of salesmen that I would have to talk to (or avoid) in the fall every year or how
much time I would spend unjamming a copier or replacing laminating film.
Q:What experience have you had with cooperative program planning? with cooperative
teaching?
A: I honestly don’t have any experience with this.
Q: How would you go about developing a strong team approach with other teachers? How
would you get reluctant teachers to utilize the library?
Jana Jordan
FRIT 7734
Dr. Jones
Secondary Site Interview with Middle School Media Specialist
A: I always go about this with the “What can I take off your plate” and it always seems to
work. I tell teachers that I can “vet” websites and resources for them to save time. I have
also created Pathfinders for their students where I would find as many good resources as
possible for projects in their classrooms.
Q:How do you see the role of the library in the overall reading program of the school?
A: The library needs to do everything it can to support ELA teachers in the building.
Q:How would you go about: (a) promoting appreciation and interest in the use of resource
center materials? (b) promoting storytelling, story reading, book talks, and other resource
center programs?
A: In order to promote interest, you must show the importance of both. I know of a
Middle School Media Specialist that would tell spooky stories during the month of
October to promote story telling. Book Talks are easier now than ever thanks to our
iPhones.
Q: What is your experience in leading professional development? Especially in leading
technology-related professional development?
A: As the School Technology Liaison in Clayton County, I had to lead various PD’s
monthly. The biggest issue was teachers that thought they would never need the
information or wanted to work ahead of the group and would almost always get stuck and
need some additional support. One of the things I always tried to accomplish was letting
teachers know how the technology could be used to support what they were already doing
in class - it should never be a headache.
Q:How do you ensure your own continued professional growth? In what areas do you feel you
would like to develop your professional skills and knowledge further?
A: I have a large professional learning group because of Instagram and Twitter. I am able
to connect with Media Specialists around the world because of these two apps. We share
ideas, encouragement and offer suggestions of what has worked for us.
Q:Describe how you will create an inclusive space where diversity and equity are valued by all
learners in the school community.
A: My main goal is for students AND staff to feel like the Media Center is a safe place.
While in elementary, I had one particular student that would visit when he was having a
hard time and he knew there was a bean bag and some playdoh for him to use until he
could return to class safely. In middle school, I’ve purchased books that my students will
Jana Jordan
FRIT 7734
Dr. Jones
Secondary Site Interview with Middle School Media Specialist
see themselves in and the lives of those that they may not understand - books can start so
many important conversations!
Q: How do you ensure that you have appropriate resources for all learners in your school?
How do you include reading and instructional materials in both print and digital formats that
represent multiple perspectives and varying points of view?
A: I take into consideration the reading levels of the students in my building, and I also
make sure that I look to see what is popular for student their age.
