--- title: | Betsy Swan description: Betsy Swan began her teaching career in 1986 working with middle school students, where she taught English, science, math, and film making. After nearly twenty years in the classroom, she earned a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science, and has worked in elementary, middle, and high school libraries since. Betsy is currently the Upper and Middle School Librarian at Westtown School. She is captivated by the process of helping students ask and answer questions, and dedicated to the cause of helping each child find things they want to read. --- [![](https://blog.westtown.edu/hs-fs/file-2454828850-png/Westtown-Feb2015/logo_graphic.png?width=68&height=68&name=logo_graphic.png)](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=1) [![](https://blog.westtown.edu/hs-fs/file-2451508821-png/Westtown-Feb2015/logo_text.png) Spirited Quaker education since 1799](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=1) # A Well-Lit Path: A Blog from Westtown School ## Betsy Swan Betsy Swan began her teaching career in 1986 working with middle school students, where she taught English, science, math, and film making. After nearly twenty years in the classroom, she earned a Master's Degree in Library and Information Science, and has worked in elementary, middle, and high school libraries since. Betsy is currently the Upper and Middle School Librarian at Westtown School. She is captivated by the process of helping students ask and answer questions, and dedicated to the cause of helping each child find things they want to read. ### Recent Posts ## [Reading: There Are No Rules](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/reading-there-are-no-rules) Posted by [Betsy Swan](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/author/betsy-swan) on July 6, 2017 - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![](https://blog.westtown.edu/hubfs/Reading%20blog-535732-edited.jpg)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/reading-there-are-no-rules) --- I didn’t read when I was a child. This is a strange thing for a librarian and former English teacher to admit. I hid this fact for years, ashamed, but becoming a librarian helped me understand it. Reading is an act of many parts –  a desire to consume information or story; the physical act of eye movements; concentration, recognition, decoding – and as a society we attach not-so-subtle judgements to how we perform these acts. Many children struggle with reading, and they respond to the judgements without being able to parse the act of reading and figure out why there is no joy in it for them. This is where librarians (parents, teachers, big siblings too) need to don our super-hero capes and step in. [Read More](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/reading-there-are-no-rules) 0 Comments [Click here to read/write comments](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/reading-there-are-no-rules#comments-listing) Topics: [Help with learning](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/help-with-learning), [Inspiring the Best in Kids](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/inspiring-the-best-in-kids) [All posts](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/all) ### Subscribe to Our Blog ### Recent Posts ### Posts by Topic - [Inspiring the Best in Kids (46)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/inspiring-the-best-in-kids) - [Raising Resilient, Healthy Teens (29)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/raising-resilient-healthy-teens) - [Help with learning (19)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/help-with-learning) - [Communication and Children (18)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/communication-and-children) - [Raising Resilient Lower and Middle Schoolers (7)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/raising-resilient-lower-and-middle-schoolers) - [sustainability (4)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/sustainability) - [Building Self-Esteem in Teens (3)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/building-self-esteem-in-teens) - [How to get your teen to talk (3)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/how-to-get-your-teen-to-talk) - [How to Pick the Best Independent School in Philly (2)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/how-to-pick-the-best-independent-school-in-philly) - [How to manage the mood swings (2)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/how-to-manage-the-mood-swings) - [Student Life at Westtown (2)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/student-life-at-westtown) - [Westtown Picks (2)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/westtown-picks) - [Summer Camps (1)](https://blog.westtown.edu/blog/topic/summer-camps) see all 975 Westtown Road West Chester, PA 19382 610.399.0123 [Contact Us](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=498#) - - - - [Apply Now](https://mbp.westtown.edu/SeniorApps/facelets/registration/loginCenter.xhtml?appId=AD) [Make A Gift](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=979) Westtown School, a Quaker Pre-K -12th grade co-ed, private, college preparatory day and boarding school, offers a challenging and diverse curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, service and social action. Since 1799, we have been committed to character education and innovation. We inspire and prepare our graduates to become stewards and leaders of a better world. [Apply Now](https://mbp.westtown.edu/SeniorApps/facelets/registration/loginCenter.xhtml?appId=AD) [Make A Gift](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=979) Westtown School, a Quaker Pre-K -12th grade co-ed, private, college preparatory day and boarding school, offers a challenging and diverse curriculum that emphasizes critical thinking, collaboration, service and social action. Since 1799, we have been committed to character education and innovation. We inspire and prepare our graduates to become stewards and leaders of a better world. 975 Westtown Road West Chester, PA 19382 610.399.0123 [Contact Us](http://www.westtown.edu/page.cfm?p=498#) - - - - - [powered by finalsite](http://www.finalsite.com/)