Imagine the following two high school graduates apply for a job in your library. One student has a diploma and a few after-school entry level job experiences. The second student has a diploma and a portfolio that includes high quality work samples that demonstrate literacy and creative thinking, and an extensive resume of self-initiated entrepreneurial and philanthropic real life team projects, demonstrating 12 years of authentic library work experience and continuous talent development and management experience beginning at age six. Which student would you rather hire?What if we told you that the second student developed his portfolio and resume in an amazingly dynamic program that can be run in a school library by one person in less than an hour a day, with an 18 word curriculum that completely revolutionizes elementary education with no initial start-up cost, changes in personnel or school wide reform? It’s free, it’s dynamic, and it works! The Library Talent Center model transforms the school library media center into the heart of the school, a buzzing hub of skills development, creative endeavor, and leadership, entrepreneurial and philanthropic activity at every grade level. The Library Talent Center is a place that students run to learn in every spare minute of the day. They hate to leave it and beg to stay for the privilege of continuing their independent research and learning activities.Emek Hebrew Academy is in its fourth year of developing an innovative model that promises to transform the paradigm of school library service into a dynamic force of educational reform in the 21st century, positioning the school librarian as a lead transformative agent for change. The goal of a Library Talent Center is to develop the capacity of all children for endless creativity and innovation by providing a stimulating, friendly and creative environment that serves as an incubator to foster their interests, talents and leadership abilities. Students of all ages use their favorite learning styles to learn at their own pace, and are completely in charge of what they learn. When they are ready, they know that they will have a supportive audience for the products and services they have created themselves.The Library Talent Center model serves students from all walks of life and cultures, with any level of academic ability, from the most gifted to those who need the most help. It especially targets and attracts under-served, high-risk students and resolves many behavior and attitude problems by valuing the contributions of the students who feel least valued in the typical school program. It teaches children to be capable, articulate, caring, creative thinkers and doers who solve world problems independently and collaboratively -- skills that are in high demand in the 21st century workforce. The Library Talent Center features an extensive “Library Leaders” program that employs students in 1st-8th grade in volunteer management positions in the library, training and inspiring our next generation of 21st century librarians from the earliest age.The Librarian’s focus on talent development of the individual child transforms the educational culture of the school into a loving, collaborative community of valued learners and leaders who help each other grow at every age and level. The Library Talent Center model can be completely self-funding as it grows, and requires only one thing to get it going – a person who would like to encourage children to discover their amazingness. for inspirational quotes about talent and teaching!
