Veronica Folsome

On March 9, 2021 I had the pleasure of interviewing Mrs. Crump. Mrs. Crump is a Media Specialist at
Derenne Middle school. I chose this person because the Hodge Media Specialist referred me to her and
we use to work with her at Isle of Hope in Savannah, Georgia. Mrs. Crump has been a Media Specialist
for three years which one of those years she was on a provisional. Moreover, she was never a classroom
teacher she started out as a media clerk in the school system and because of that she was very well
prepared to enter the Media Specialist field because of her past experiences as a Media Clerk. The
reason Mrs. Crump decided to enter this field because in elementary school she was assigned to be the
library helper and that’s where she fell in love with books. However, it was not until her kids were in
school that she really had an interest in becoming a Media Specialist. She pursed her bachelor’s degree
in liberal studies and her Masters in Instructional technology. Her experiences as a Media specialist is
mostly technology related and computer and technology repair. Likewise, she introduces new
technology and cooperate with teachers monthly.

Similarly, she often gets veteran teachers to assist with helping reluctant teachers who do not want to
utilize the library. She states that for a library program to grow the Media Specialist will have to
incorporate the importance of literacy. At Derenne middle school she promotes reading by having
March madness and banned books week. Mrs. Crump leads professional development by asking
teachers at Derenne middle school at the beginning of the year what skills would you like to learn for
this year. She wants to continue her professional growth by increasing her knowledge in technology.
Moreover, she will develop an inclusive space in the library by incorporating books with different
languages and displaying pictures of people around her library with different ethnicities.

After reviewing Mrs. Crump interview, I was surprised that she was a Media Clerk just like me before she
entered the Media Specialist field. I also like the idea of March madness and banned books. When I
become a Media Specialist I will incorporate her surveys and asking teachers what will they like to learn
in the beginning of the year.

Interview with Amber Crump

1. Name of the Media Specialist being interviewed?

Amber Crump
Veronica Folsome

2. Name of school where the Media Specialist is employed?

Derenne Middle School
3. How long have you been a Media Specialist? She has been a Media Specialist for three years and
one year as a provisional
4. How long were you a classroom teacher before becoming a Media Specialist? She never taught
in the classroom and started out as a media clerk
5. How have your past job experiences prepared you, directly or indirectly for this position? As a
clerk she learned how to do tasks as a Media Specialist. Tasks that she learned was conducting
inventory.
6. Why did you choose to pursue a degree to become a school library Media Specialist?
As a child in elementary school she was a library helper. As her children grew up, she enjoyed
being in the library.
7. What educational preparation have you had for being a school librarian? What was your
experiences with that? She got her undergrad degree with liberal studies and her masters in
Instructional technology. Her experiences are with funding and what we purchase and learning
how to budget. A lot of our responsibilities is basic computer courses and repair and technology.
8. What experience have you had with cooperative program planning? With cooperative teaching?
She work with introducing new technology with online library with Sora and being able to
collaborate with the media technology team with collaborating with teachers.
9. How would you go about developing a strong team approach with other teachers? How would
you get reluctant teachers to utilize the library? Literacy is important in every subject. To take
strong teachers to help bring non -veteran teachers into the library
10. How do you see the role of the library in the overall reading program of the school?
Literacy is very important by incorporating the importance of literacy.
11. 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? By having book fairs, incorporating reader of the month, and recognizing them over
the intercom. Display books outside for instance banned books and March madness.
12. What is your experience in leading professional development? Especially in leading technology-
related professional development? Each year she asks teachers what they would like to learn.
Flip grid face to face recordings and teaching him how to use Destiny.
13. How do you ensure your own continued professional growth? In what areas do you feel you feel
you would like to develop your professional skills and knowledge further? To develop
professional skills FETC and Media Specialist. Get better with technology what best tools for
promoting.
14. Describe how you will create an inclusive space where diversity and equity are valued by all
learners in the school community? Public education by having books that incorporate different
ethnicity, different cultures, providing a safe place tables, desks and which will encourage
students, chrome books, I pads, and desktop computers.
15. 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? Request each year what do we have that you
like to have and what you don’t have.
Veronica Folsome