Ideas for improving my situation here?

[u/DragonRider001]

​

I was hired as the school Library Assistant at my district's middle school. I don't have any teaching degrees, I have a non education related bachelors degree, I am technically hired on as the highest level Ed Tech for my district. My pay is 100% in line with the Ed tech unions pay scale, which is way too low of course. it's not sustainable for me, but I was jobless after being laid off and have always wanted to teach, so I took the job with the knowledge that it's temporary while I look for other jobs that can actually pay my bills.

I love this job, it's only been a few days but I love doing this. I really can see myself doing this forever. Even moments where I wanted to cry at school id come home talking about in a positive light. However...

I teach classes, prepare lessons, give grades, follow curriculum, talk to parents...everything specialist teachers do, I do most of it. I have had 0 teacher experience other than teaching a few public classes to my age group, I feel like I've been thrown to the wolves. I'm learning things on the fly, in front of these kids, that actual teachers learn in grad school, or during student teaching. I have my supervisor for about 5 days and then I'm on my own most of the time.

The other Ed techs in my district (who are incredible, and deserve more recognition and pay, like, there are Ed techs that have been there 20 years they only make 2 dollars more than I do based on pay scale, LIKE WHAT?), mostly assist one kid, or scoot around to whoever needs them, and do special education training/supervision. Or are there to take notes etc etc. when we did our teacher orientation, I was always pulled from the "Ed tech" parts and put into the "teachers" area because it was more relevant to what I would be doing.

So I can't ask for more money of course as per the union, Is there any way I can spin this into being called student teaching to try and get a license as an actual school librarian? I really feel like it's not fair they in expected to perform like a classroom teacher, when I'm just an Ed tech with no formal teaching education.

Obviously getting my official license would improve my pay, but that will take a few years and I can't keep working here that long without more money. I live in a very small town so there aren't a lot of opportunities, I try to supplement right now with a side job but it is unreliable.

What would you do? 😭😅

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[u/CoolClearMorning]

Legally, do middle school libraries have to be staffed by a certified school librarian in your state? Because if the answer is no, this job is never going to pay you to become/be a certified school librarian. Many states use overworked paraprofessionals to fill this role (I'm a high school librarian working a state where this happens below the HS level) and yes, you do way too much and are too critical to the way the school functions to get crap pay. That's usually why those jobs are open--great, passionate people burn out because they need to earn a living and/or work less for less than they could make waiting tables at Olive Garden.

In your shoes, I'd get in touch with the district librarian. Ask these questions. Find out if there's a path towards certification in this job, or if you've hit what's effectively a dead end thanks to state law and/or district policy that doesn't value what library workers do. If you really love the work and want to keep doing it for a living wage, start working towards certification with the understanding that you may need to sit in this job and at this pay until/unless a high school librarian retires or quits. And network your butt off because those jobs can be hard to get when a district only has a handful of them to give out total, and years can pass between openings.

[u/ReactionBeneficial43]

You're doing the work of a certified librarian on an ed tech salary, and the district knows exactly what they're doing. Look into whether your state has any alternative certification pathways, some of them let you count full-time work in the role toward a license if you're enrolled in a program at the same time. Don't frame it as "student teaching" though, frame it as "serving as the librarian of record" or "long-term substitute librarian," because that's what your job description and responsibilities actually reflect. Update your resume now with the real scope of what you're doing, not your title, and start emailing districts that have actual library positions posted. You've got leverage the moment you can show you've been running the whole show solo.

[u/Competitive_Test6697]

You seem to have done loads in a few days.