Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Invisiblity - Thoughts from the Circulation Desk



Some kids really believe they are invisible. They come into the library with their heads down trying to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Kids don't start out being invisible. It happens over time and for a variety of reasons. These are the names I learn first.

We see hundreds of students every single day, and it can be easy to slip into complacency and let the crowd surge by, taking note of the kids who are good at making themselves known. They have the confidence to say hi, chat a bit, and the expectation that you will remember them.

The quiet, invisible kids don't have that expectation. Earlier this year I said good morning to a new freshmen using her name. She stopped in her tracks, looked at me with big, widening eyes, and said "You know my name?"

And you know what? That simple hello is like sunshine on a plant. I swear, they bloom. In the days and weeks that follow they say hi, chat, ask for your opinion, and they glow with the confidence of recognition. 

This is one of the daily joys of working in the CCHS Library.

Photo credit:
Flickr Creative Commons

Flower Starting To Bloom

Uploaded on June 12, 2008
by Zero Talent Photography

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1 Comments:

Blogger Susan Erickson said...

Thanks for doing that for kids! One of my new students told me that in her previous school, her gym teacher (of two years) did not know her name. It means the world to the students.

December 16, 2009 at 6:23 AM  

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