PACO CATHOLIC SCHOOL - 2ND WEEK
- CHRISTIAN NOE BONGALBAL
- Mar 18
- 4 min read
Updated: Apr 9
(JANUARY 27 TO JANUARY 31)
A. MEANINGFUL EXPERIENCES
So last week, I mentioned that there were no students since it's their examination week and said that it's less challenging. I take that back. This week was so challenging yet vigorous, fun, and fulfilling as students were having on-site classes and already visiting the library. This was the week when I realized that “this is it” and “this is the actual time that I act as a librarian”; thus, I provided reference services through assistance in locating books, responding to their book queries and recommendations, and other activities related to that. I also had the opportunity to announce the Top Readers and Visitors for Senior High School students and faculty on the Intercom, where I humbly channeled my inner Inka Magnaye.
There, I realized that being a school librarian is more than just book and library management. There, I was able to use my talent and background in radio broadcasting, for which I received a lot of compliments from faculty and students. I also had the opportunity to award the certificate for most library visits and top readers for grade school on a room-to-room basis, together with Sir Darren and my co-interns.
However, what I found the most meaningful experience I had this week was the Library Instruction Program, which burned my passion for teaching and ignited the fire within me to become a teacher-librarian. I also enjoyed cataloging 20 books, which I found a “full-circle” moment because my mentor in cataloging and classification during 2nd year was Sir Darren, and now, he is one of the librarians who assessed my work.
B. LESSONS LEARNED
This week taught me to believe that in this profession, we will hear remarks that will belittle us, but it is up to us how we are going to handle it and prove them wrong. I remember that when I took up this program, I heard snide comments saying that we only tend to books. But being immersed in this internship program, I can debuff all of those, as librarians are more than just “books”. This week, I have been able to extract all the talents I have in my body. I also understood why librarians are considered jacks-of-all-trades. From crafting a lesson plan to finally constructing a library instruction program to being able to channel my inner radio-broadcasting background in announcing to the intercom. I also learned that teaching and librarianship are somehow intertwined with each other and do not have a thick demarcation in the sense that both of them teach and share information with the students with whom we performed the library instruction program.
I also liked and valued how librarians kind of use the concept of reinforcement of Operant Conditioning by B.F. Skinner in education, in which they use certificates and awards to retain and boost the confidence of the students, and even teachers, to encourage them to still read and access the library–similar to that of what teachers do.
C. BEST PRACTICES / BEST FEATURES OF THE LIBRARY
Since the very start of my internship, it has been engraved in my mind that Paco Catholic School’s Instructional Media Center is the only school library we have. Thus, I have been looking at and observing the activities and services, practices, and collections in a school library that we have discussed in our previous courses if it is visible on PCS-IMC. Fortunately, it is very evident, particularly in the Library Instruction Program we made. Sir Darren and Miss Marie highlighted that they regularly conduct instruction programs to ensure that students learn information literacy, and most of the time, they partner with the faculty on what topic they should suggest. In my case, I taught the Grade 11–STEM 2 the Referencing and Proper Citation as suggested by Miss Marie and Miss Ly, their research adviser, deemed substantial in their subject.
Also, I think that one of the best practices of the IMC that I discovered this week is that students with learning disabilities are allowed to perform mini-library tasks like reshelving with proper guidance from us and the librarians. It made my heart melt since it is a one-step progress to make sure that they are included, and I like this week so far since I met John and Johan, who are grade 9 students with learning disabilities who are currently in the mainstream classes. However, what I think is the highlight of this week is how librarians in PCS-IMC encourage their students to visit the library and read more books since they conduct awarding ceremonies. Grade school students and faculty, who are supervised by Sir Darren, were awarded via a room-to-toom basis. Miss Marie handles the senior high school students and faculty, I announced their top readers and with the most library visits in their intercom. Both are great practices in convincing students to continue using the library.
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