Week 7--Bonus

Assessment Principles and Practice in the School Library

Hosp, J. L., and S. P. Ardoin. "Assessment for Instructional Planning." Assessment for Effective Intervention 33.2 (2008): 69-77. Sage Journals Online. Hammill Institute on Disabilities, Mar. 2008. Web. 22 Feb. 2011. .

“The skills that are assessed are teachable. A skill is teachable when it is possible to design instruction that will increase a student’s performance of that skill. For example, it is possible to teach a student to read more quickly or with expression. It is not possible to teach a student to be taller” (p.71).

This sentence captured the essence of why I want to become a media specialist. There are so many skills that media specialists can teach students that will give them skills that they will use for the rest of their lives. These skills are very measurable and unlock information to any interest they have.

Imparting library skills on students is easy to create activities for, easy to scaffold and can be remediated as needed. When looking at the three reasons students perform poorly on page 72, my brain continuously fired away thinking of ways to motivate students and instill perquisite skills necessary to do the work. For example, a library scavenger hunt may be very exciting for an elementary school student but would probably get a big eye roll from an 8th grader. By midway through 7th grade students are motivated by learning tricks that help them streamline research projects. As students move to high school they may need more involved library skills, which is a great way to show them the benefits of tools such as interlibrary loan and worldcat.org. At each level instilling these skills will build the necessary scaffolding for the student to master the next level of skill.

The other exciting aspect of teaching library skills is that students are allowed to show their mastery through doing rather than taking a test or writing an essay (although there are times when writing an essay about using the library might be a great assessment). Library skills also lend themselves to the development of interventions because a library is a place where each search is new. The librarian can always assist the student in modifying his or her search or to expose the student to ways to connect information.

As I continually assess where I am going as a teacher, I become excited when think of the ways I can help students increase their knowledge. Although it is still a goal far in the future, I am always picturing ways to make the library usable for students. As an adult the constant assessment of how I am doing will allow me to better assess what my students are learning.

Week 6

Guided Inquiry & Inquiry Learning Models  BONUS!

Reading #2

Curriculum Mapping: Infusing 21^st Century Standards and Academic Standards

Everett, J. A. (2003). Curriculum mapping and collection mapping: Otherwise known as “the camel with two humps”. In B. K. Stripling & S. Hughes-Hassell (Eds.), Curriculum connections through the library (pp. 119-137). Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.

“Curriculum mapping and collection development go hand in hand” (p.119).

In her article, “Curriculum Mapping and Collection Mapping: Otherwise Known as “The Camel with Two Humps”, Everett breaks mapping down into two distinct categories.  First, the mapping itself and second collection mapping for collection development.  As Everett takes curriculum mapping to the final level of collection development, it becomes clear that the media specialist is an essential player in what happens to all learners in every classroom of the school.

A fundamental reason why curriculum maps are so important is because they help take curriculum to the level of the “21^st century” by allowing for easy integration  and collaboration.  Moreover they change the role of the media specialist as Everett states, “curriculum mapping played an enormous role in changing my job description from that of a storyteller and book circulator to that of an educator who must be extremely knowledgeable in what is being taught on every level.”  Although she does not blatantly say that curriculum mapping is potentially our best way to save our jobs it is an implicit theme with in the article.  

As she shares the second category, collection development, it is clear that Everett understands the collection development is both difficult, time consuming and tedious.  However a collection of outstanding materials is a powerful tool to generate teacher buy-in and to enhancing the curriculum for the students.  From her own experience, it is possible to create a path for our school’s collection development based on the school’s curriculum maps. 

Once a solid collection is built she moves on to create unit boxes.  This is an awesome and highly useful tool that saves teachers time and helps them understand the breadth of the collection in their own media center. By providing boxes of unit enhancement tools the media specialist gets to have another opportunity to interact with the teachers, allowing the media specialist to continue her collection development and better understand the teachers’ needs. 

Everett’s story is important for two reasons.  First, she is able to show us how to build the map and that the hours of work is worth the trouble.  Second, she shows us how the map is a fundamental way to build an outstanding collection.  By explaining these two benefits, it is clear that curriculum maps can potentially be the saving grace to our profession.  

Week 6

Curriculum Mapping: Infusing 21st Century Standards and Academic Standards

Vlasis, C. C. (2003). Librarian morphs into curriculum developer. In B. K. Stripling & S. Hughes-Hassell (Eds.), Curriculum connections through the library (pp. 107-117). Westport, Conn: Libraries Unlimited.

“The map does not show those specific daily activities or lesson plans.  Most importantly, the map does not show the personality of the teacher delivering the lessons or the strategies he or she uses to inspire learning” (p.111).

            When I reached the above quote I felt a lot more “buy in” to the idea of curriculum mapping.  Until I read this particular chapter, I was rather skeptical about the idea of curriculum mapping.  In my first year of teaching, I taught at a charter school.  A huge push by the company running the school was to have all teachers on the same page, (down to the exact question/teaching point) at the same time.  This  literally resulted in the principal observing classes with an air-horn in her hand and pressing the button when the teacher fell behind in her lessons!  Aside from being very disruptive the idea of all students being on the same page at the same time is bad for students since they are discouraged from asking questions and the teacher is discouraged from supplementing learning when students need clarification.  The idea of keeping pace was more important to the principal (who had a MBA rather than a teaching background) than students’ mastery of a skill.  When I first started reading about curriculum maps I feared the maps were pacing guides, now I see they are extremely different.

As a 6^th and 7^th grade teacher, I teach both levels persuasive writing.  The 6^th graders are responsible for writing a shorter piece than the 7^th graders.  The foundation work for teaching the writing piece takes me longer than in 7^th grade because 7^th graders are more cognitively developed than 6^th graders and because the 7^th graders received foundation work in the prior year .  What is important to my district is that I cover this topic sometime within the third quarter.  This flexibility allows me to adjust my lesson plans allowing me to lead each group at the pace they need in order to reach the greatest level of success.  Without this flexibility curriculum maps would not have the same impact on the learning and teaching. Currently, we do not use curriculum maps in my district.  If I had the ability to view a curriculum map I would be able to easily tie the persuasive piece to what my students are doing in another class.  Currently, they are writing persuading their parents or our administration to make a change to a policy that effects them.  If I was able to view a curriculum map where I discovered, for example, that in social studies students were learning the policies which involve human rights in China, I would be more likely to make a curricular tie  to social studies with this assignment.  The result would be enhanced learning  in both curricular areas.

            The second point in this chapter where I felt much greater buy-in to the concept of curriculum mapping was when Vlasis states, “A curriculum map is a tool for communicating, planning and improving the curriculum.” The idea of having a communicative tool that allows teachers to know what is going on in all classrooms across the buildings in a true middle school model.  As a middle school teacher, I often feel that this information is not easily accessible to me.  Not knowing what is going on in other classes is a huge detriment to the students. As a language arts teacher I have the most flexibility in my curriculum and have the ability to house books that allow the students to explore the subjects they are learning in all classes in different ways.   Allowing media specialists to access this information is even more powerful because of her potential to obtain the needed materials and help teachers understand the cross curricular ties.  Her ability to pay acute attention to the information the students are learning school-wide will allow her to impact all students in the school.

            A final stroke of confidence for curriculum mapping is that there is an easy to follow format for the process of creating maps.  Although the process is tedious, it is not difficult and there is no reinvention involved.   In other words, maps grow organically to match the school district, state and national standards.  Each step is described on pages 113-114 and beginning steps are laid out on pages 115-116.  Even more encouraging is the fact that there is software available to create maps.  This is important because it allows all teachers to access the maps both to build on the information that has already been entered into the map and to access the maps via their computers.

            Between the personal research I have done on curriculum maps and what I read in this chapter, I see their inherent strengths.  When I am ready to move into a media specialist position, I hope that the district I work in uses curriculum mapping so that I will be able to coordinate efforts between the school’s teachers for the success of the students.

Week 6

Came across this sweet software.  Thought I would share.

Week 5

Guided Inquiry & Inquiry Learning Models  BONUS!

Todd, R. J., Kuhlthau, C. C., & Heinstrou, J. E. (2005). School library impact measure (SLIM): a toolkit and handbook for tracking and assessing student learning outcomes of guided inquiry through the school library [draft]. [New Jersey]: CISSL.

“This guidance and support helps student learn to think though topic content rather than simply trying to find the right answer or repackage specific facts.” (Todd et. al. p.9)

            This handbook caught my attention because my classmate and I are currently working on a guided-inquiry unit.  The School Library Impact Measure (SLIM) explains the important effect that inquiry based learning has on students and explains step-by-step each piece of the guided-inquiry process.  In addition, there is a checklist for how to implement guided inquiry in the library (p. 14) and detailed suggestions of how to implement such learning.

            The quotation, “This guidance and support helps student learn to think though topic content rather than simply trying to find the right answer or repackage specific facts,” (Todd et. al. p.9) got me thinking about the boarder meaning of inquiry learning.  Although it seems obvious that guided inquiry is engaging and mind expanding, I believe it has a larger implication on learning.   In my experience guided inquiry is a necessary exploration in school because it lays the foundation for a student to become a life-long learner.  When students are discovering information on what they want to know, finding new pathways to discover information and engaging in meaningful meta-cognition about the experience the have power over their learning. The process inspires learners to take control, change directions and expand their knowledge on topics they want to know about and topics they discover along the way. Allowing for an inquiry experience to occur is therefore the ultimate cure for apathy.

            Yet it is difficult; consequently many teachers chose a more focused research approach.  As I read through the SLIM, the steps made sense.  The work up front by the teacher seemed intense, yet as the possible guided-inquiry projects start to move the students take charge allowing the teacher to be a guide rather than the ultimate giver of information.   So what do teachers have to do before they can even attempt guided-inquiry?  They must let go of the any notion that they must be in control of the learning.  That is not to say that classroom management and guidance goes out the window but it is to say that the student’s interest has to be the guiding factor.

            Earlier this year, my students were reading a variety of novels for their literature circles, they were charged with researching any cultural aspect of the novel they were reading.  May students were reading Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah.  Even though foot binding was rarely mentioned in this book many students wanted to research the topic.  As the teacher, I was hoping they would research China’s one child policy.  Yet, I allowed them to delve where they wanted with the topic.  Eventually, the students had come to an a deep understanding of the torture some girls face(d) because of cultural norms. By letting go of my beliefs about what the students should research and allowing them to chose their own path they were able to become experts in foot binding and gain empathy for the girls who went through the process.  Because I didn’t dictate what they had to look up, I had kids begging to go the media center, reading and researching after the bell rang.  Moreover they were excited to share what they learned by creating multi-media presentations for their classmates.

            Between my personal experiences and what I read in this article I am more steadfast than ever to my belief of the importance of inquiry-based learning.   As a middle school teacher the biggest battle I face is fighting apathy.  If students become inspired through inquiry based-learning, and they do, then it is worth all of the effort on the teacher’s part.

Week 4

Collaboration Theory into Practice

 

Farwell, S. (1998). Successful Models for Collaborative Planning. Knowledge Quest, 26(2), January/February, 24-30.

“To encourage team planning among grade-level teachers and to provide a substantial time block for planning between the library media specialist and teachers, the principal offered to provide substitutes using funds from the school’s budget (25)”.

I found the above quotation from, “Successful Models for Collaborative Planning” shocking, particularly the part that read: “school district’s budget”.  Naturally, I assumed that the monies for substitute teachers needed for this project would come from the grant.  Then, I read the date of the particular publication and realized that in 1998 the economy was still booming.  We were told not to ask for substitutes a few years ago and collaboration and project work time was severely cut.  Current conditions got me thinking about the ways in which it will be possible for successful collaboration to occur in our current economic conditions.  The only way to overcome this obstacle is to be flexible and strive to work in a way that offers the best education possible for students when collaboration time is not allotted in the budget.

As I read on in the article, I examined the levels of learning constantly thinking of the way each level can be achieved on today’s budget. Level one is easily achievable, however, totally impractical.  Students cannot learn research skills out of context.  Isolated research skills are totally uninteresting and inappropriate for K-8 students.  Level two seems like more of a support level rather than a collaborative model that encourages true communication with the media specialist.   Level three begins to shows a true collaborative effort with very little time for planning and discussion.  At this level, however, the media specialist is allowed to work within the realm of the lesson plan and no additional funding is needed to further this level of collaboration.  At level four is a more pure form of collaboration where both media specialist and the teacher shape the lesson together.  Level four, however, requires time and discretionary budget that many schools no longer have.

As I read about the schools featured in this article, I continually wondered if this type of collaboration is possible in Michigan’s public schools today.  In the conclusion of the article Farewell writes, “the most promising formula for successful information literacy instruction is a combination of energetic, knowledgeable…media specialist…a principal who understands change, how to manage both staff and budgets, and the advantages and needs of intergraded resource-based instructional program; and a system for providing regular planning time during the school day” (p.30).  I believe that there are a plethora of media specialist that fit this description and that principals understand the need for solid collaboration.  Yet, I fear that with ever-shrinking school budgets in Michigan these programs will not be implemented to serve the needs of our students at the level that true collaboration allows teachers and media specialist to achieve.

Week 4

Collaboration Theory into Practice

 Abilock, D. (Ed.). (2002). Ten Attributes of Collaborative Leaders. Knowledge Quest, 21(2), November/December, 8-10.

“You will be able to involve teachers in information literacy when you learn to inspire them with a vision of what students might achieve when teachers and librarians collaborate.” (Abilock, 2002, p.8)

Collaboration is more than working together to generate great lesson plans; it is becoming a team.  This article illuminated ten ways to collaborate as a team in order to increase access to knowledge to all students.  Abilock points out that there are specific behaviors that librarians should engage in to ease the pressure on teachers and to improve curriculum. 

There are several ideas that resonated with me in this article particularly because I currently work in a highly effective collaborative team.  The article called out the way my colleague and I function and gave what we do a particular heading and a summary of how the collaboration occurs.  The twist however was that the article was written for librarians which will help me as I move from the role of classroom teacher to that of librarian.

The first point that stands out in this article is in point tip number two, “live what you value each day” (p.8) Abilock presents the idea that students will do as they see the adults in their lives do.  I have found this to be true.  This week as I sat with students to set semester two goals, I showed them annotation on my assignments for grad school.  Then I noticed that some of them who had reading comprehension goals were grabbing sticky-notes to make their own annotations.  A librarian that reads a lot is able to recommend texts will propel students not just towards the material but also into a love of finding the materials.  A second adult in the classroom expands the opportunity for students to see role models who love learning and learn the techniques the adults use to engage in learning.  

Next the article goes on to remind us to listen, use “we” and mediated language, seek understanding of the problem and as a partner gently promote improvement.  As the school librarian, I will have the advantage of working with all of the teachers in the school.  Therefore, I will be able expand my knowledge of teaching techniques.  As the partner in the library, I will then be able to help students of diverse backgrounds and needs when the classroom teacher needs to focus on whole class instruction or has difficulty working with an exceptionally difficult student. 

Finally, the article ends with a reminder to value the gift of collaboration.  She stresses the importance of, “celebrating moments of genuine victory” (p.10).  Beyond the celebration the connection to a coworker is essential for teachers to feel good about what they are doing and a preventative measure against teacher burnout and is the spark of inspiration for continual improvement.