Competencies Engage, Jennifer Thrift, Charles Pinckney Elementary

 Being a champion for a flexible schedule Jennifer Thrift never sits down (unless going under a table to find a power source).  Thrift is constantly looking for ways to cultivate an environment that will engage learners with the collections and lessons.   Everything has to be set up and planned for things to go well.   If the system is set up it makes it easier to pivot when something goes differently.   Thriving in activities and resources for Escape rooms, Makerspaces and her newest graphic novel area she is always looking at the systems she is providing and noticing how effective they are; making changes when needed.   

Recently, she did a biography project with the 4th grade and made it a point to teach the importance of information literacy and how to handle crediting sources.   Showing that accountability for ideas and sharing of information offers teaching moments that are clear and accessible.    

Thrift does this in everything she does. Making sure the students are set up for success, she feels that the competencies are clear and are better worked with in concert of each other.  This, I wholeheartedly agree.  

She collaborates with teachers on the daily and it is important when you have a flexible schedule.  Using inquiry skills she meets their and their students needs in a better way.   Using the topics of the classroom enable her to piggyback library standards in an organic way.  

Just like many Teacher Librarians I have spoke with Time seems to be a challenge to her whole program.  "There is never enough time and not enough of me."  You can see through her energy that she is where she should be and she isn't ready to be done.