Instructing Peers

Chad, making the move to his first big library job, posts this:

http://www.hiddenpeanuts.com/archives/2005/08/09/peer-instruction/

I’ve had a slight change in my job description. Together with another new hire, I’ll be in charge of most of UAH’s student instruction efforts. So glad I took a course on it last semester! I admit to being a bit nervous: In some cases, I’ll only be a year and a bit older than the students I’m teaching. Has anyone else been in this situation? Any problems or success stories? I’d love to hear them.

Chad – I must say this is a great position to be in and if I was working at your library I’d be tickled to have a fresh out of school, and yes, younger, librarian doing the instruction.Why, you ask?

I know you will bring a slant to the program that will include newer technologies, newer ideas and a Millennial outlook. Bring yourself, your interests and your persepctive to the classes you design, teach or collaborate on. I think there’s something to be said about reaching students in the library setting and who better but someone who probably gets them (because he is one).

You’ll understand how students interact, their collaborative nature and the way they look for information. Now, here’s the hard part: you may find resistance amongst people on the staff that “have always taught such and such this way” and are not ready for new innovation and methods of communication and collaboration.

Be cool. You can also learn alot from the seasoned staff and hopefully they will learn a lot from you. Those folks, open to change and the future, really rock my world. And take every opportunity you can to show them how our proffession has changed, how our new users are growing up and where the library might fit in the whole picture.

Good luck! An keep us posted with your blog!