Establishing Roots for STEM Collaboration [31:08]

Melissa Thom, middle school teacher librarian and editor of School Library Connection's Reading topic page, joins me along with Michael Rollins, her district's science supervisor, for a conversation about how their work together has contributed to some powerful collaboration related to STEM instruction. It may be unexpected that Rollins, who does not have previous library experience and does not work at her school site, ended up serving as Thom's supervisor. However, listening to the two of them share how they connected is a good reminder that sometimes unlikely partnerships can reap some uniquely rich benefits. While it is certainly true that our titles and job descriptions define our responsibilities and interactions in many ways, the reality is that we still have significant latitude to creatively approach how we fulfill our roles and with whom we partner. By recognizing and exploring the synergy that we may have with dynamic individuals in our community, we can grow collaborations where they may have never existed before, creating new expectations for what is possible.