Alongside teaching, social science teacher Jonathan Wilson becomes a teacher-librarian at SCHS
Jonathan Wilson adapts to his new position as a teacher-librarian in the SCHS library.
As the 2022-2023 school year started, social science Jonathan Wilson took up the part time teacher-librarian role at the SCHS library, alongside teaching AP European History.
Having taught numerous subjects within the social sciences in his time at SCHS, Wilson was interested in the teacher-librarian role to explore new opportunities and responsibilities.
“After doing the same thing for 10 years, you start to get itchy feet,” Wilson said. “As I go through the job, I learn so many different things.”
In order to become a teacher-librarian, Wilson is in the process of obtaining his teacher-librarian credential in the upcoming spring from San Jose State University. He noted that the position allows him to experience education beyond the classroom.
“It opens you to two different realms of teaching,” Wilson said. “It opened up my eyes to different parts of education that isn’t just teaching.”
While the position is new for Wilson, he finds a sense of familiarity in it. For three years prior to teaching, Wilson worked at a stock photo agency for a nature company, allowing him to gain experience in the field.
“I have really been drawn to running a collection, archiving and cataloging,” Wilson said. “That has always interested me in addition to getting to know library operations.”
At the library, Wilson is able to interact with both current and former students and is intrigued by the selections students make when choosing books.
“Interacting with students helps me figure out what they look for in fiction and non-fiction,” Wilson said. “Especially being exposed to the world of literature, especially young adult literature, which I have become more aware of.”
Wilson enjoys interacting with students, but sometimes his work at the library can be confusing for his students.
“I would describe it as confusion. They see me, and I have gotten a variety of strange questions like ‘Are you volunteering?’” Wilson said.
For Wilson, one of the new adjustments with the position was the degree of classroom management that comes along with overseeing a space larger than a regular sized classroom.
“You are managing a larger space and students you do not see regularly, so it doesn’t allow for a lot of relaxation,” Wilson said. “It requires you being on your toes and being aware as you are running a space that has a size of eight classrooms.”
As the semester has progressed, Wilson appreciates his role at the library and the ability to experience new responsibilities. He is especially grateful for fellow teacher-librarian Seana Shelby’s support throughout the process of taking up the new role.
“Mrs. Shelby, in my opinion, is the library. She has made it a really smooth transition for me because there are so many different facets about the job,” Wilson said. “She has been really understanding and slowly bringing me along and not having me learn everything all at once.”
