Brown, C., & Dotson, K. (2007, December). using digital primary sources: a success story in collaboration. Teacher Librarian, 35(2), 29-33. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database Dotson and Brown discuss a collaboration between a university librarian, a school librarian, and a teacher for a research project at a high school in North Carolina. The university librarian provided access to recently digitized primary documents, the school librarian handled the technology and research aspects, and the teacher took care of the content knowledge aspect of the project. One of the most important lessons from this article is that the librarian and students themselves can take part in the scaffolding process. This speaks to the importance of a school librarian having training as a teacher as scaffolding something that requires training and is generally taking care of during teacher training or credentialing. Students were able to help with scaffolding as more advanced students were able to assist their less tech savvy peers. This project also provided some scaffolding to the teacher who was not familiar with PowerPoint. The librarian handled the technology part of the project, which allowed the teacher to slowly get used to the technology. This way, the teacher was willing to try the project again. If the teacher had been expected to handle the PowerPoint, the experience may have been too stressful for the “newbie” to want to try again anytime soon. Buzzeo, T. & Wilson, S. (2007). Data-Driven Collaboration in Two Voices. Library Media Connection, 26(2), 20-3. Retrieved August 2, 2008, from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database. This article begins as a pep talk for collaboration between library media specialists and teachers. It goes on to describes how library media specialists can and are using testing results to inform collaboration between LMSs and teachers. The authors have been using the summative results from standardized tests as if they were formative and collaborating with teachers to find their students’ weaknesses and build from there. They have learned how to deal with the affects of NCLB and use the results to inform student learning. The authors also reaffirm the importance of having trained library media specialists in the school: higher literacy, higher test scores, etc… They also describe the collaborative projects various LMSs and teachers have created. Dawson, K. (2008). Collaboration for Dummies: One Step at a Time!. Library Media Connection, 26(6), 34-5. Retrieved August 5, 2008, from Library Lit & Inf Full Text database. This article is a very short, list of ways to begin collaborating. I like it because it is something I could print out and keep at my desk as a checklist as a motivator of what I can do quickly to begin collaborating in a school that is not used to it. As a new teacher librarian, I can imagine this might be a daunting task to begin, but this article makes it look much easier. Lakkala, M., Ilomaki, L., & Palonen, T. (2007). Implementing virtual collaborative inquiry practises in a middle-school context. Behaviour & Information Technology. 26 (1). 37-53. Retrieved July 3, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database. This article explored online collaboration as a learning tool/ alternative for middle school students and teachers. The research was done in Finland, but the authors feel the results will apply in any country. The authors argue that in order for students to be prepared for the modern world, education needs to change to reflect expectations of student capabilities in the future, including online collaboration. As a teacher in an alternative setting that relies on computer technology and the Internet for much of its curriculum, this article was very useful. It showed how much further my school needs to go in order to truly call itself School for Integrated Academics and Technology (SIATech). The authors had a broad discussion of the shortcomings, mainly due to lack of proper training. Teachers were not used to teaching in a collaborative environment with their students and had trouble giving up control of learning to the students. For example, regular teaching involves only expecting students to learn what the teacher delivers. In online collaboration, students gained mastery in the subject while learning additional skills. Teachers kept misunderstanding this for project based learning, in which students focus on an end product, rather than learning holistically—learning all about and around the subject including the learning process itself. However, after the study showed a need for more training and gave the teachers the chance to see what works and does not work in the online environment. Morris, B. (2007, January). Principal Support for Collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 23-24. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database. Tags: collaboration; primary sources; administration; principal; strategies; data Julie Boyer, August 2008 (sorry for the funky formatting; I had trouble copy/pasting from Word. It looks fine in Editing then changes in View)
Koechlin, D. & Zwaan, S. (2008). Everyone wins: differentiation in the school library. Teacher Librarian, 35(5), 8-13.
The article discusses the role of librarians in 21st century education and the use of differentiated instruction techniques in library settings. Librarians have the ability to connect teachers and students to the wealth of media resources available in the 21st century. The process of differentiated learning is explained and the author outlines how differentiation can be implemented in libraries through content, process, product, and learning environment.
Tags: differentiated instruction; media resources; differentiated learning
Barbara Burkhalter, August 2008
Montiel-Overall, P. (2008). Teacher and librarian collaboration: A qualitative study. Library & Information Science Research, 30 (2008), 145-155.
With greater challenges in education and limited funding to address them, a worthwhile solution is teacher and librarian collaboration. This study looks at the practices of teachers and librarians who have collaborated and the values within their school cultures that allowed for high-end collaboration. Five essential elements for successful collaboration are brought into focus: school culture, positive attributes of collaborators, communication, management and motivation.
Tags: collaboration; school culture
Barbara Burkhalter, August 2008
Bush, G. (2003). A collaborative mindset. In The school buddy system: The practice of collaboration(pp. 57-70). Chicago: ALA.
Bush examines the mindset teachers need to be successful in the classroom and in collaborative relationships with other educators. She identifies four habits of mind that contribute to this mindset: metacognition, mindfulness, critical thinking, and creative thinking. Her argument is that if we study ourselves as thinkers and understand that our thoughts and perceptions are shaped by our experiences and life passions and then further understand that those with whom we collaborate bring to the table their own thinking shaped by their own experiences, we will appreciate the collaborative relationship more and consequently gain more from the partnership.
Anne Lee, August 2008
Stripling, B.K., Huges-Hassell, S. (2003). Curriculum connections through the library. Principles and practice series. Libraries Unlimited Westport, Conneticut
A great overview of how school libraries can play a vital and integral role in education. Reading this book gives a school librarian solid examples of how to effectively use their position to enhance a school's learning community. The book is divided into Four sections:
Building Independent Learners-which is all about Inquiry-Based Learning,
Mapping the Curriculum-with the librarian taking the lead,
Teaching and Assessment-The role of the research process and its application in instruction and assessment
Creating Collaborative Learning Communities-through the use of technology, the role of the librarian, the advantages of collaboration. Corie Julius 2008.
In this study of twenty-one high school students, the participants were encouraged to use deep web resources, complete outline templates, and present a persuasive speech on a self-generated topic. The study showed a variety of behaviors. Seven students changed topics in mid-research; “all seven reported changing because of the information they encountered during information seeking” (Chung & Neumann, 2007, p. 1509). Self-generated topics allowed for changes in focus that teacher imposed topics may not have allowed. Teachers did set guidelines for analysis of research including facts, quotes from experts, statistics, and examples. Criteria was set for determining legitimate resources such as whether the source came from a academic (PhD) or a major agency such as a university or government agency. Searching for information was perceived as far easier than organization of the information. Some students used broad searches or browsing to examine a topic and considered changes in the parameters of the topic as available information changed. Keyword searches changed as users became more aware of specific terminology used by authors in academic databases. Students were capable of weeding irrelevant information and teacher-librarian guided them through some simple determiners such as reading abstracts and checking subject hierarchies to narrow broader topics.
Wojahn, R. H. "Everyone's Invited: Ways to Make Your Library More Welcoming to Children with Special Needs." School Library Journal 52 (2006): 46.
I call this the guide to anti-collaboration. The authors outline a numerous of scenarios use to determine how well six schools adapted to the six principles of information seeking (Harris & Dewdney). The results were disturbing but the situations are fairly common. At one school, a student was prevented from obtaining information until after the silent sustained reading (SSR) period was over. There were two barriers in this situation. First, the student was denied support in the information process. Second, the teacher-librarian, in limiting access, negated the value of SSR by suggesting information seeking was not reading. Lack of support also forced young adult users to revert to established information seeking patterns. At Spruce High, the teacher-librarian and teacher did collaborate on information seeking strategies. However the majority of collaboration was limited to establishing the resources student should not use such as Wikipedia. As the teacher-librarian spent more time defining proper research methodologies, time became more limited. Students in an effort to complete their research went directly to the easy access sources they had specifically been told to avoid because these resources were more effective time wise. It is interesting to note that five of the six teacher-librarians observed have master’s degrees in LIS, and average sixteen years of experience. The teacher-librarian with the most school library experience (twenty-one years) was the teacher-librarian who most restricted access to the library resources. It appears that the teacher-librarians observed could define teacher-librarian’s role in information seeking in theoretical terms but could not demonstrate practical use of this knowledge. There was no understanding of information seeking as a process, no recognition of the need for mediation, and no learning in the school library environment.
L.E. Spear
June 30, 2008
Tags: collaboration, collaboration barriers, special education, collaboration studies
“learning to read”,secondary students are expected to “read to learn.” Describes a collaboratively planned and delivered research project, using a specially designed template
for students to use that meets them at the cut and paste level of research. Includes summarizing, responding, and predicting to cut and paste research. (This is termed
“reciprocal teaching,” in which students think and interact with text.)
Secondary educators face unique challenges in that they are seeing students at the high school level with low literacy skills. Unlike elementary schools where students are
Advocates an “and” not “or” mindset, and encourages teacher-librarians not to take radical stances on education, but be a centrist. Among the highlights:
· Recognize one size does not fit all (for kids or teachers).
· Understand the elephant can only be eaten one bite at a time.
· Make sure everyone is moving forward, not just the early adopters.
· Believe measurement can be good, but not everything can be measured.
· Any in-service or new project should have at its heart the clear goal of making a teacher’s job easier or providing the kind of exciting learning opportunities that make teaching more enjoyable.
· Give the end-user (teacher) a voice in deciding equipment platforms, software adopted, and timelines for implementation. Everyone hates top-down edicts.
· Radical changes in education are less likely than incremental changes.
A school district needs to measure its technological achievements by how the majority of its teachers are using technology, not by its few shining stars
Teacher-librarians are in a prime position to be agents of change, and have been historically. This is done by building rigor in learning, incorporating information and communication technologies, promoting reflection and evidence-based practice, involving families in literacy development, and addressing diversity.
Tags: Collaboration, change agents
Diane Mahan, July 27, 2008
A description of a collaboratively created and delivered project for 12th graders analyzing primary sources. Takes readers through the research process and synthesis so TLs can get a better idea of what this would actually look like in a classroom. Includes an excellent “webliography” of primary source resources on the web.
Tags: Collaboration, primary resources
Diane Mahan, July 27, 2008
Long, Deborah (2007). Increasing literacy in the high school library: collaboration makes it happen. Teacher Librarian 35 (1) 13-17.
Retrieved July 23, 2008 from Wilson Web database
This article discusses the challenges high school teachers face with students who are still struggling readers. When given a
researchassignment, these students often just give up in frustration due to their lack literacy skills. The autor posits that the library is
an idealplace to assist these students, and that a collaborative effort between librarian and teacher can lead to increased success
and self-confidence.English teachers, government teachers at the school wanted to combine debates conducted in the government
classes with the research conducted for papers in the English classes. Recognizing the needs of this specific group of students, they
decided to develop a collaborative team made up of the above teachers along with the school library media teacher, the literacy
coach, and the school's webmaster. A research template was devised for students to use (example included) that includes
bibliographic information and note taking elements. In general, this article is outstanding for its recommendations for collaboration
that focus on the struggling reader/learner. Results of the collaborative effort were measurable by standardized testing, a bow to
NCLB.
Tags: literacy, collaboration
Laura Yanow July 26, 2008 (If anyone knows how to fix the spacing issues on these two entries,
please be my guest!! : )
Markley, Chris & Johnson, Erica (2008). Conversations about collaboration. Learning & Media 36(1) 11-12. retrieved July 23, 2008
from Wilson Web database.
This article is in the form of an interview with a school librarian and a first-grade teacher who agreed to collaborate on assignments
after several years of working in the same school and building trust and respect. It chronicles the development of their collaborative
partnership, how they plan, results of their collaborations, a sample lesson, and their reflections on the benefits and challenges of
collaboration. Although it is brief, it gives a very clear insight into beginning collaboration, especially for elementary teacher-
librarians.
Tags: collaboration, elementary collaboration, teacher-librarian collaboration
Laura Yanow July 26, 2008
Levine, J. (2008, July). Bibliocommons goes live. The shifted librarian (online). Retrieved July 25, 2008 from http://theshiftedlibrarian.com/archives/2008/07/23/bibliocommons-goes-live.html
She reviews an online catalog for a library in Oakville, Ontario that uses the same commons philosophy that we've been discussing this summer. Highlights of the catalog's features are the user input that has helped to build the catalog into a user created resource. There are lots of ideas within her catalog to incorporate into our learning commons. As the review says, it is a catalog that is built from scratch with lots of collaborative features.
Lori Hermelin--July 25, 2008
tags- online catalogs, collaboration,
Minter, S. (2008, February). A collaborative pot: Research, history, writing, drama, and art. Library Media Connection, pp. 38,39. Retrieved from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.
Minter describes a unit that involves the library specialist collaborating with three other teachers in the fields of social science, art, and drama. The history teacher selects topics for groups to research. The first lesson involves research skills. The second focuses on history and writing skills where students write the skits that they will perform. The third lesson focuses on art and drama. Students work with the art teacher to create pictures to use as backdrops for the skits. The art teacher coaches them on staging and acting their skits. This unit is an example of how the library specialist can collaborate with more than one teacher on one unit. Schools looking for ways to encourage cross-curriculum learning experiences can use this unit as a starting point.
Heather Neidenbach – July 21, 2008
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Radford, M.L. (2006, Summer). The critical incident technique and the qualitative evaluation of the connecting libraries and schools project. Library Trends. 55(1),46-64. Retrieved June 10, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database at Persistent URL: http://search.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=22314643&loginpage=Login.asp&site=ehost-live
In Marie Radford’s article, “The Critical Incident Technique and the Qualitative Evaluation of the Connecting Libraries and Schools Project (CLASP)” (2006), the research question entails: “What is the most important factor in preadolescents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of successful library visits?” CLASP is a citywide program of the New York Public Library, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the Queens Borough Public Library, dedicated to improving student’s attitudes toward the public library. Radford implements Flanagan’s five-step Critical Incident Technique (CIT) to qualitatively survey 2,452 fifth and seventh grade students from New York City schools.
She uses inductive reasoning by first observing critical incidents and then discovering patterns pointing to universal principles and theories. The study indicates that for both positive AND negative critical incidents, the most important relational factor for preadolescents’ and adolescents’ perceptions of successful library visits is the attitude of the librarian or staff member they encounter. Radford recommends that librarians, specifically children’s and young adult librarians, should receive education to improve their interpersonal communication skills and reference interactions.
Radford’s qualitative research using the Critical Incident Technique leads to several conclusions and implications:
- First and foremost, through the examination of the frequency of relational themes, the study concluded that librarian & library staff attitudes are most influential toward preadolescents’ positive library visits.
- Through the content analysis of student quotations, Radford reported discovering that preadolescents are sensitive, easily embarrassed, have a keen sense of fairness, and resent injustice.
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As librarians, we can heed the recommendations developed for CLASP libraries to enhance and foster positive student experiences in the library and to assist students in having fewer negative experiences by showing awareness, interest, flexibility, and service. The element of staff training cannot be overemphasized. That means training for para-professionals as well as professional staff. Often kids judge a library by their very first encounter with a staff person. So it is imperative that everyone be trained to have positive attitudes toward the kids.
- Awareness = of the effects of cultivating positive relationships. These positive relationships will multiply the pleasant interactions and minimize the negative ones.
- Interest = We can take interest in the preadolescents in our libraries. Preadolescents need to be reassured that they will have a positive interaction before they feel comfortable enough to approach a librarian or staff person and reveal their information need.
- Flexibility = We can show flexibility in library policies and our tolerance for developmental behaviors of our preadolescents--as they are often passing through an immature phase. and
- Service = We can maintain a high standard for service as preadolescents deserve and appreciate top-level customer service.
As Young Adults are a growing segment of public library users, much more research is needed to better understand the preadolescent perspective in library interactions.
Tags: attitude, adolescent, young adults, interactions, library
Janine Weston, July 17, 2008
Minkel, W. (2002, October 1). Making every librarian a leader. School Library Journal.
This article profiles Lauren Grosvenor, a school librarian in Seattle and her implementation of Mike Eisenberg's program called the Rapid Library Transformation Initiative. Eisenberg maintains that the teacher-librarian must take the initiative, and the major conclusion is that collaboration between the school librarian and the classroom teacher leads to increased achievement and test scores.
Tags: collaboration, teacher-librarian, student achievement
Joanne Bradley July 16, 2008
Cox, E. (2007, May/June). Training 21st century teachers. Knowledge Quest, 35 (5).
Cox's article outlines The Partnership for 21st Century Schools and how schools can provide professional development for information and communication technology literacy. He suggests giving the DETAILS (Determining Education Technology and Instructional Skillsets questionnaire to guage faculty needs and to suggest steps for the future so that the school librarian, especially through collaboration, can show faculty how to apply these skills to the curriculum.
Tags: collaboration, teacher-librarian
Joanne Bradley July 16, 2008
Hammond, J. (2007, May/June). Tips for teachers. Knowledge Quest, 35 (5).
Hammond addresses the need for interactive Library Media Web sites that would include detailed assistance for teachers on Information and Technology Literacy. Hammond bullet points 11 practical ways that teachers can support ITL in classrooms, and she notes that neither librarians nor teachers have to be experts at the beginning because they will learn as they proceed.
Tags: collaboration, teacher-librarian
Joanne Bradley July 16, 2008
Buzzeo, T. (2002, September 1). Disciples of collaboration. School Library Journal.
Buzzeo addresses the importance of librarians collaborating with teachers. She states the most significant key is the relationship that librarians can build with administration and faculty so that the library media specialist has credibility in their eyes. Communication and availability are essential to make this work.
Tags: collaboration, teacher-librarian,
Joanne Bradley July 16, 2008
Teachers Domain. http://www.teachersdomain.org/ WGBH public television station and other public media companies sponsors this website. Currently includes science and technology curriculum content; is primarily multimedia: videos, images and interactive. Essay and discussion questions and standards are also attached to each piece. Will be updating to include language arts and humanities in the near future.
Math Open Resource http://www.mathopenref.com/site/about.html This website contains materials that constitute a virtual textbook on geometry. It includes definitions, usages and animations that illustrate the point being made. Teachers can cut and paste relevant sections into multimedia demos for their students or send students to the website directly. Also contains some articles and is indexed.
Open Educational Resource Commons. http://www.oercommons.org/ Website devoted to content sharing across grade levels and curricular areas. Shared items range from complete lesson plans (for instance, persuasive writing piece based on Native Americans "Trail of tears" experience) to components such as a link to National Archives documents on
Lucinda Abbott July 15, 2008
Gardner, Judy (2004) Technology+Planning+Math=Integration. Knowledge Quest 32(5).
Great ideas for collaborating with math teachers to use technology in the classroom. A website toolkit is included as well as successfully implemented lessons based on problem areas identified by math teachers. Many suggestions for extending the walls of classroom. Areas of concern are addressed as well such as required time commitments for making the technology transition.
tags: math, collaboration, lesson plans
Sarah Rosenkrantz, July 15, 208
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Ludmer, R. (2008, Feb.) A fixed schedule and successful collaboration – an oxymoron? School Library Media Activities Monthly 24(6), 27-29.
This article speaks about how collaboration between teacher librarians, classroom teachers, and technology specialists can be successful in a school that uses a fixed library schedule. Many schools schedule library media center visits to provide the classroom teacher with contractually-obligated prep time. However, with commitment and effort from the administration, parent volunteers, and the those listed above, a successful library program that is integrated into the curriculum, that teaches information literacy skills and offers great reading opportunities can indeed be provided.
Tags: collaboration, fixed library schedule
Laura Remer, July 11, 2008
Kaplan, A. (2007). Is your school librarian ‘highly qualifed’?. Phi Delta Kappan, 89(Dec. 2007), 300-303. Retrieved July 7, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
Discusses the importance of collaboration between teachers and librarians and the need for librarians to do more than “read great stories”. Includes the educational background needed to conform to NCLB standards for a “highly qualified teacher”. Administrators need to know what their library media teacher should be doing in the role. Also, ensuring that LMC teacher librarians collaborate and run an effective program, can go a long way in saving those programs from the budgetary chopping block.
Tags: collaboration, teacher education, and NCLB
Barbara Burkhalter, July 8, 2008
Mardis, M, & Hoffman, E. (2007). Collection and collaboration: Science in michigan middle school media centers. American Library Association, November 8, 2007. Doc ID 443868. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/aasl/aaslpubsandjournals/slmrb/slmrcontents/volume10/mardis_collectionandcollaboration.cfm.
Mardis and Hoffman note that school library media centers and science departments often work separately but in parallel to document their respective impact on student achievement. Noting the conclusive evidence that school libraries support general student achievement, they ask whether this extends specifically to science achievement. The authors found in general that far less collaboration took place between school library media specialists and middle school science teachers than with teachers in other areas of the curriculum aside from math. Time, resources and attitudes were all cited as reasons for this. Via a survey of hundreds of schools the authors assess the impact of collection size and age and of collaboration on science achievement. In general they found the print collections in science to be small and to lack currency. A clear positive correlation was evident between the size and currency of the collection and the amount of librarian-science teacher collaboration on student science achievement as measured by the standard Michigan assessment program.
Jason Roach--July 2, 2008
Lankes, R., Silverstein, J., Nicholson, S., & Marshall, T. (2007). Participatory Networks: the Library as conversation. Retrieved December 1, 2007 from http:information.net/ir/12-4/colis/colis05.html
Knowledge is created through conversation. Conversations can take place between friends and colleagues in the 'here and now'. However, they can also take place over centuries, with the participants changing but the theme remaining the same, and the conversation being recorded in thousands of artifacts, like books, pictures, and digital files. The implication of this is that if libraries are in the knowledge business, they are in the conversation business. This theoretical approach can already be seen in traditional brick-and-mortar libraries as library speaker series, book groups, and even the collection development processes. Yet online, the library has fallen far short of this ideal of conversation facilitator. Key library systems, such as the catalogue for example, are at best one-way conversations. This article shows how the library can develop two-way conversations by improving online services.
Tags: Conversations, online services
David J. Burt-December 10, 2001
Nichols, J., Spang, L., & Padron, K. (2005, 2005/2006). Building a Foundation for Collaboration: K-20 Partnerships in Information Literacy. Resource Sharing & Information Networks, 18(1/2), 5-12. Retrieved November 26, 2007, from Academic Search Premier database.
This article traces the history beginning with on-site workshops collaboratively developed by K-12 and university library staff; a continuing education course in information literacy for teachers and school librarians; an in-service workshop prepared collaboratively by a high school staff and university librarians; and a graduate-level library science
course in information literacy for school library/media specialist students. Suggestions are provided for promoting information literacy partnerships between K-12 schools and universities, known as K-20 information literacy.
Tags: Collaboration, Information Literature, librarians
David J. Burt-December 10, 2007
TeacherTube.com is YouTube for teachers and students. I see so many possible uses for this site. For example we have a teacher who does podcasts while out at sea on a research ship, however we have a hard time getting the podcasts loaded on the school web site. TeacherTube can be used as a storage place for these podcasts as well as a place to go for info. videos that we can refer students. For example they have clips on Wikis, RSS feeds, Blogs, etc. check it out at http://www.teachertube.com/.
Tags: TeacherTube
Carolyn Vranjes 12/10/07
M. D. Hart. (2006). Extending the classroom through the school library. Teacher Librarian. Vol. 33, Issue 4.
Hart, a principal at a small school reports on his school’s success in implementing a school library program modeled on the book, Information Power: Building Partnership for Learning (American Library Association, 1998).
Hart describes how the students were learning technology skills in isolation. In the new library model, the teacher-librarian and classroom teachers collaborate on projects. Technology skills are learned by application in collaborative projects. According to Hart, “the school library has become a student-centered extension of every classroom.
Tags: Information Power, collaboration, student centered
Debbie Hughes, November 28, 2007
Six Concepts To Help You Align With NCLB.
Hanson, Dale. Burton, Darla, and Guam, Greg.
Technology Teacher; Sep 2006, Vol. 66 Issue 1, p17-20, 4p
I included this article as it talks about how each department and the core classroom teachers must work together to achieve a common goal. This goal is somehow evolved in every decision made in public schools and that goal is "Passing the Test" whatever exam applies to the school (Star, exit, SAT, etc.).
The article points out the following concepts:
1. Accountability is here to stay
[No matter how much we hate it, we have to show that what we are doing is making a difference in a positive way for students on tests. This is hard for the shy, quiet, and pale LMT who locks themselves away with the books in some side room. We must be involved with the school and its needs].
2. Data-based decisions will drive our curriculum
[We now have tests to get ready for the test (NWEA). As LMTs, we need to help get the school ready for testing by getting students and teachers used to using and reading nonfiction.]
3. Reading in the content area
[We need to insure students checkout books they can read and that teachers check out books their students can read in content areas and WE have to order books that our students can read in content areas.]
4. Integration and collaboration with core subjects strengthen technology library and engineering education and the core subjects
[Many of our standards (Library and Technology) overlap in other areas, and those that overlap should be team-taught.]
This is a short article, however it brought out many of the key points that LMTs are struggling with today.
Tags: Testing
Carolyn Vranjes 12/10/07
SSR with Intervention: A School Library Action Research Project by Leslie B. Preddy, ISBN 1591584604.
This book got great reviews, however I would not use it as a resource or reference when wanting to defend a SSR program, and I would not use her figures! What a messy research project, I think her students could have set up a better study. Her target group did not contain a control group, the control group was advance placement students, and the target group was resource students. I really do not know how this book was published. The author needs to take Research 101.
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Tags: SSR, research, reading
Carolyn Vranjes 12/8/07
Strategies That Work: Teaching Comprehension for Understanding and Engagement - Second Edition (2007). Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis. ISBN: 978-157110-481-6
I was assigned this book five years ago in the credential program, so when my school gave I put it into the collection, as it was only one edition above my copy. However the second edition is far better and there were so many changes that the second edition is worth rereading. In Chapter 13: Topic Studies: A framework for research and Exploration (pp. 219-230) the authors state that classrooms should be filled with current, leveled, nonfiction material. Many teachers have many fiction books (fiction books are cheep); however need the library to supply the leveled nonfiction books.
An added chapter is Chapter 15: The Genre of Test Reading (pp. 239-251), in this chapter the authors state that students need to know how to read nonfiction and understand how to pick out key words. These are two of our standards (CSLA, 2005) and an opportunity for lesson collaboration. I also found Part IV: Resources That Support Instruction, most interesting as it lists resources teachers should be using. I especial liked Appendix B: Magazines, newspapers, and Websites as I am always at a loss as to what magazines to order. This book needs to be on someone's reading list in LIS.
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Tags: collaboration, team lesson plans, nonfiction books
Carolyn Vranjes 12/8/07
Devlin, Jacquelin. (April 2007) An Eco-Collaboration. Teachingk-8. 42-43.
The author has wanted to improve the authenticity of student research and to increase collaboration with classroom teachers. She finally was able to do this with a school wide ecology fair. This showcased student research. Students saw their projects as real-world concerns. They educated themselves and peers, parents and the public. The teachers saw what could be accomplished with true library/classroom collaboration.
(Submitted By: Caitlin O’Brien, Dec. 8, 2007)
Jurkowski, Odin L. (November 2006) The Library as a Support System for Students. Intervention in School and Clinic, pg.78-83.
The school library can be more than just a collection of books, especially for students who have mild to moderate learning, emotional, social or mental problems. The library can become a refuge and an important support system outside of the general classroom.
(Submitted by: Caitlin O’Brien, Dec. 8, 2007)
Donham, J. (2007). Graduating students who are not only learned but also learners. Teacher Librarian, 35(1), 8-12.
Students must now be knowledgeable and learners upon leaving school in ordered to be adequately prepared for the 21st century. Technology and the world are rapidly changing requiring that students be able to adapt to these changes so that they will be successful in the world and job market. In addition to core subjects, students must now have possess global awareness, collaboration, and information technology, to name a few 21st century skills. This type of knowledge goes beyond having a wealth of facts. It encompasses developing a disposition and the skills toward learning. Donham refers to the AASL’s referencing of dispositions in the library learning standards as evidence of this shift in education. Thus, the library media center is an integral part of teaching students the skills to continue learning and the disposition to do so. Teacher and librarian collaboration can facilitate the inquiry-based learning that prepares students for future independent learning. Interaction with the library media center encourages students to be open-minded, curious, metacognitive, strategic, investigative, logical, and thorough. These are characteristics that will serve students well as they navigate the world. Through collaboration teachers and librarians can construct activities that require students to exercise these skills with assignments that provide opportunities for critical thinking, deeper knowledge, substantive communication and global relevance. The library media teacher is in the best position, as a connection to the world beyond the classroom, to initiate and implement programs that motivate teachers and students to seek authentic learning experiences and become 21st century learners.
Michelle Addison, 12/07/07
Immroth, B., & Lukenbill, W.B. (2007). Promoting collaboration through a human information behavior study. Texas Library Journal, 83, 2, 62-64 & 66-67.
Owing to the dearth of field research concerning teacher-librarian collaboration, Immroth and Lukenbill endeavored to field test a strategy for this type of collaboration based on social marketing techniques designed to promote collaborative activities. The focus was on instructional units designed to promote better use of information literacy skills and information seeking behaviors. Following the AIDA (attention, interest, desire, and action) model, the researchers tested both student-librarians and focus groups of teachers. The authors detail themes that resulted from their research, predictive behavior, their analysis, and the success of a school community collaboration model before concluding that the professional mandate and social expectation of collaboration with teachers can be met through several approaches, with social marketing being a very effective example.
Tags: Collaboration, social marketing, research, AIDA model
Tamara K. Palmer, December 6, 2007
Dickinson, G.K. (2006). When does collaboration start? School Library Media Activities Monthly, 23, 2.
Dr. Dickinson recognizes that the concept of the LMS as a teacher of information skills has been present since the professional began. The literature supports this concept and the idea of collaboration as a means of achieving it, but does little to explain how to initiate collaborative situations. Citing Friend and Cooke’s writings, she defines collaboration as a direct interaction between at least two co-equal parties voluntarily engaged in shared decision-making as they work toward a common goal. She contends that direct interaction (direct contact with specific teachers), rather than blanket memos or general announcements at faculty meetings, leads to successful collaboration. Dickinson clarifies the distinctions between cooperation, coordination, and true collaboration, includes examples and methods to teach each type of process. She concludes by urging the LMS to begin working along the collaborative continuum on the first day of the job.
Tags: Collaboration, cooperation, coordination, scaffold, co-teaching
Tamara K. Palmer, December 6, 2007
Long, D. (2007). Increasing literacy in the high school library: Collaboration makes it happen. Teacher Librarian, 35, 1, 13-14 & 16-17.
Deborah Long acknowledges the challenges of secondary literacy, highlighting the frustrations students and teachers alike face when the students cannot read to learn. Collaboration between the library media teacher and content area teachers provides a viable solution to these challenges. She sees the school library as a “natural setting for teaching students to read and interact with content text,” which connects naturally with the research process. Long details the use of a research template project and reciprocal teaching, carried out at Merced High School in 2006, as an example of successful collaboration. While the content area teachers, library media teacher, webmaster, and literacy coach all had different goals tied to the project, they were able to create a product that cohesively allowed for meaningful research and student achievement.
Tags: collaboration, research, secondary literacy, content areas, reciprocal teaching
Tamara K. Palmer, December 6, 2007
DelGuidice, M. (2007). Cultivating a Spanish and bilingual collection: Ensuring the information literacy connection. Library Media Connection, 26, 3, 34-5.
A library media specialist at the Caroline G. Atkinson School in Freeport, NY, DelGuidice found herself in a challenging situation as a “newly minted” LMS three years ago. Discovering that 12% of the sixth grade classes she taught would be bilingual “Dual Language Classes,” while the bilingual section of her library contained only two shelves of old paperback books (compared to the two floors of fiction and non-fiction in English), she strove to meet the needs of her students. Through collaboration with the fifth grade LMS and the Dual Language faculty, she was able to build a strong collection of bilingual materials. DelGuidice also networked with the local public library to provide access to bilingual databases and research tools. She ends her description of how she solved her challenges with suggestions for procuring grant monies.
Tags: bilingual, dual language, grants, public library, collaboration
Tamara K. Palmer, December 6, 2007
Naidoo, J. C. (2005). Information empowerment: Using books to connect the library media center program with sheltered instruction. School Libraries Worldwide, 11(2), 132-52.
Naidoo examines the roles of the library media specialist in supporting sheltered instruction (SI) for ESL programs. SI is a strategy for teaching content subjects to ELL students until they can be mainstreamed. SI relies on supplementary material to support the academic curriculum. The use of textbooks with ELL students has been criticized because they are too abstract, boring, complex, disorganized and void of illustrations. Informational trade books provide a viable alternative to textbooks. These books have diverse subject matter, reading levels, complexity. They are also illustrated, current, and help students transition to independently using the library media center. The library media teacher should collaborate with the ESL teachers to facilitate inclusion of these accessible books.
ESL standards share many of the goals of Information Power. By aligning the standard of the ESL and LMC programs, the library media specialist will be more successful in meeting the informational needs of ESL students and teaching ELL students information literacy skills. Use of informational books is also an opportunity for librarians to share effective teaching tools with ESL teachers, such as book talks, read-alouds, and listening centers. All of these strategies help students to develop both oral and written communication skills, a key component of the ESL program.
Given the variety and quality of informational books, the library media specialist has great latitude in supporting SI and fostering the relationship between ESL students and the library media center.
Michelle Addison, 12/06/07
Strong, C. (2007). Collaboration: advocacy for school change. Knowledge Quest. 36(1).
Cynthia Strong recounts her experience as the project manager for the school-wide Literacy Project Team. As project manager, Strong was required to leave the comfort of the school library and work in a position of leadership with teachers from different departments. The entire process was a challenge, but one Strong found worthwhile not only because adolescent literacy is a growing problem, but also because it put her in a position to show the entire school that librarians are leaders (and team members) when it comes to student achievement. While there was a tremendous amount of work involved, Strong found the job to be “one of the most rewarding professional experiences” in her career. Strong urges school librarians to “move beyond being ‘keepers of things’ to join the boarder school community in finding ways to help students be successful in their academic pursuits.”
TAGS: collaboration, adovcacy, leadership, literacy, school change
Annette Counts, December 3, 2007
Riley, B. (2007). The Library Media Center and Responsive Classroom Practices. Library Media Connection; Nov2007, Vol. 26 Issue 3, p22-23, 2p
The article discusses the importance of library media center and responsive classroom practices. The author points out the fact that the concepts and practices of the responsive classroom provide an awareness of and comfort with the routines of children's everyday lives allows them to be better prepared to function and learn. He then highlights the six major components of the responsive classroom, which includes morning meeting, rules and logical consequences, as well as guided discovery. He also believes that responsive classroom can be utilized as a means to establish a better classroom environment as well as solve problems in the classroom.
TAGS: collaboration, literacy
Submitted by: Chelsey Hart 12/02/07
Farmer, L. (2007). Collaborating with administrators and educational support staff. Publisher: Neal-Schuman.
"If it takes a village to raise a child, then it takes the entire school community to raise a student." So says Farmer (library media teacher services, California State U., Long Beach) in beginning her treatment of school library media specialists (LMS) as a key part of a collaborative student-rearing team as recommended by the American Association of School Librarians. Treating schools as a dynamic system, she discusses the nature of school libraries within that organization, the role of the LMS as a change agent promoting information literacy, prerequisites for successful collaboration with service personnel and administrators, and leadership styles. Examples provide practical suggestions.
TAGS: Collaboration, planning, organization
Posted by: Chelsey Hart 12/02/07
Hopkins, J. (2005). Extending inclusive learning: Library and special education collaboration. Library Media Connection 23(6), 17-19.
Michelle Addison 12/01/07
Young, T. (2007). Library “Science”: Make it work! Library Media Connection v. 26 no. 1
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The author establishes a connection between the National Science Education Standards and the Information Literacy Standards: both documents talk about finding, accessing and evaluating information and producing confident, competent, and competitive students. Thus, the two sets of standards can serve as a springboard to collaborative inquiry-based learning and teaching that leads to mastery of both information and scientific literacy.
Here is how the LMC and the LMS can contribute:
- Connect school science to the outside world;
- Make it possible for students to have access to scientific information and data that interests them, a fundamental requirement for authentic inquiry;
- Blogging can give voice to students who do not feel comfortable speaking in class;
- Podcasts with science content are popping all over the Internet;
- Using videos and video clips;
- Bring “real-time” data to the classroom.
Libraries must adapt to the new generation of learners and provide them with access to relevant information in the latest formats.
TAGS: Collaboration, Science Literacy, Information Literacy
Submitted by Svetlana Harman, 11/25/2007
Buzzeo, T. (2006). Diary of an animal: Using a children’s book as a springboard to collaboration. Library Media Connection v. 24 no. 5
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The article presents a very interesting multidisciplinary unit created in collaboration with language arts, science, and art teachers.
Beginning with Doreen Cronin’s Diary of a Worm, a science research project was designed in which each student created his or her own Diary of an Animal. The book was assessed using a self-assessment rubric and the students’ work was presented at a culminating family celebration (an important step in constructivist project design).
The unit can also be used as a template for collaborative planning. Other useful features of the article include templates for idea and story boards, and a rubric for assessment.
TAGS: Collaboration, Collaborative Units, Collaborative Templates, Lesson Plans
Submitted by Svetlana Harman, 11/25/2007
Hart, M. (2006). Extending the classroom through the school library. Teacher Librarian v. 33 no. 4
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The article describes the successful implementation of a library media program based on the model from Information Power: Building Partnerships for Learning (ALA, 1998).
The program is now in its 3rd year and is characterized by the following:
- flexible scheduling, which allows access to the resources at the point of need;
- better partnership between the classroom teacher and the teacher librarian in the planning process and in the teaching;
- information skills are taught as part of the overall curriculum.
The school library has become a student-centered extension of every classroom.
This school library is located in Tacoma, Washington. It is a private school that serves 185 students. The library media center is staffed with one LMT, one assistant, and one technology specialist – all full-time!
TAGS: Collaboration, Flexible Scheduling, Information Literacy
Submitted by Svetlana Harman, 11/25/2007
Brodie, C. (2007). Collaboration practices. School Library Media Activities Monthly v. 23 no. 2
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The article presents an overview of ILILE (Institute for Library and Information Literacy Education), its accomplishments and insights into collaboration learned form several years of conducting collaborative workshops.
What are the elements of good collaboration?
- Teamwork;
- Being proactive and engaged with teachers;
- A good understanding of the curriculum.
What makes a good collaborator?
- Having shared goals for instruction and student achievement;
- A strong sense of professionalism and respect for one another;
- Realization that collaboration can help individuals better achieve their goals.
Over the past three years, ILILE has sponsored summer workshops for teachers and teacher librarians from different areas of the State of Ohio. These workshops offered the opportunity to teams of LMSs and teachers to learn how to collaborate more effectively through sessions and activities. A total of 163 collaborative lesson plans have been developed, integrating content area standards and information literacy. These lesson plans are available online at www.ilile.org.
TAGS: Collaboration, Collaborative Units, Lesson Plans
Submitted by Svetlana Harman, 11/25/2007
Schmude, M. (2001). The rewards of responsive collaboration. Knowledge Quest v. 30 no. 2
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This article describes one high school’s success story of school-wide collaboration. The cornerstone of the program is the Library Liaison Program: each LMS serves as the primary contact to one or more academic departments, attending department meetings, participating in curriculum planning, teaching reference sources unique to that discipline and developing the collection to meet the needs of the particular department(s). The result is 1) collaboration that meets curricular needs; 2) collaboration that meets staff needs; 3) collaboration that supports school values (all school committees include a representative from the library; such participation contributes expertise and keeps the school library media program visible); 4) outreach to the larger learning community.
TAGS: Collaboration, School-Wide Collaboration
Submitted by Svetlana Harman, 11/25/2007
Loertscher, D.V. (1982). The second revolution: A taxonomy for the 1980s. Wilson Library Bulletin, 56 (6), 417-421.
Loertscher describes the role of the library media teacher on a school campus. As the media and expectations for students change, so do the expectations for library teachers. In that sense, just as developing a rubric for info lit skills is quite reasonable, Loertscher has also developed a rubric for library teachers. The taxonomies listed in this article describe the different roles library teachers have as a leader on campus.
Loertscher’s taxonomy list provides direction in how library media teachers can be teacher collaborators on campus. The taxonomies challenge library teachers to move from behind the desk to be more active in developing a learning environment on campus. Ideally, the library media teacher should be seen as a lead collaborator who not only helps to develop curriculum but assesses it as well! The article reminds us of what the responsibilities of this position are.
Tags: media center, library teacher, expectations, taxonomy
Erik Scherer, November 25, 2007
Cox, M. (2007). The writing process from a school library media specialist’s point of
view. Library Media Connection, 25(6), 42-43.
The author suggests that the library media specialist take a more active role in supporting students’ learning of the writing process. The five steps of the writing process are reviewed. She then gives suggestions for collaborating with teachers in this area.
Tags: collaboration, writing process
Katherine Teree, 11/19/07
Heisey, B. A. & Thom, M. (2007). Partner or collaboration? It’s both in Bakersfield.
CSLA Journal, 30(2), 33-34.
Two library media specialists discuss how to partner and collaborate in an effective way with the staff members and parent groups in their districts. Good, real world examples. They also stress the importance of collaboration and partnerships for getting funding for their school libraries.
Tags: collaboration, funding
Katherine Teree, 11/19/07
Gabbard, R. B. (2007). Redesigning a library space for collaborative learning.
Computers in Libraries, 27(5), 6-11.
Librarians at the reference desk of the Indiana State University library often saw students trying to work collaboratively, but the current library design was not well-suited to promoting this style of learning. In this article, the author discusses the project process and plan for redesigning the library. In the process, the redesign group designed collaborative work stations that are widely and heavily used by students today. I thought the ideas presented in this article could be adapted well for a high school library redesign that would facilitate collaborative learning.
Tags: collaboration, library design
Katherine Teree, 11/19/07
Buzzeo, T. (2002). Collaborating to meet standards: Teacher/Librarian partnerships for
K-6. Columbus, OH: Linworth Publishing.
A hands-on guide for implementing collaborative planning and teaching with classroom teachers. Includes the history of cooperation and collaboration in schools over the past decade, benefits of collaboration and studies to back up those claims, factors for success and ways to overcome roadblocks to collaboration. Handy templates for collaborative planning and many sample unit plans with rubrics, checklists, organizers, etc for student use. Great suggestions for making collaboration really happen in an elementary school setting.
Tags: collaboration, rubrics, sample lesson plans
Katherine Teree, 11/19/07
Beyers, C. (2007). Catch them in the cradle. School Library Media Activities Monthly,
23(8), 51.
The author provides advice for school library media specialists on helping student teachers to realize the benefits of collaboration, such as improved planning, sharing the teaching responsibility, and assisting with the assessment and evaluation of student projects.
Tags: collaboration, planning, student teachers
Katherine Teree, 11/19/07
Buzzeo, Toni and Wilson, Stephanie. "Data-Driven Collaboration in Two Voices". Library Media Connection.
October 2007. Volume 26, Number 2. PG.20-23.
This article gives a thorough explanation of the importance of data-driven collaboration, and the necessity for
library media teachers to be able to answer questions about what they are doing to impact student achievement
and what information they have to support it. Examples are given from established research studies(Colorado)
and literature, including 'Information Power'.
Tags: Collaboration, assessment
Nancy Jones: November 12, 2007
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Annenberg Institute for School Reform (1996). Critical Facilitator's Guide: Professional Learning Communities and Instructional Coaching.
This article examines efforts to improve educational experiences with the implementation of PLCs as a central element for effective professional development. Four key areas of improvement include: build productive relationships, engage educatiors at all levels for context-specific learning, support teachers working with special needs students, improve school and system culture. True collaboration produces a combination of content, technology skills and information literacy to form the learning experience coached by a teacher and a librarian team. The organization should help students and teachers feel important and positive through their collaborative experience by correcting problems.
Submitted by: Richard Lowe 11/17/07
Lance, K.C. (2002). Impact of School Library Media programs on Academic Achievement. Teacher Librarian, 29 (3).
This article reveals research that explains how imperative a Library Media Specialist is to the success of measures of academic achievement. Lance emphasizes that the most important role of a library media specialist is that of advocate for infomration literacy. In order to be an effective LMS, Lance argues that funds, technology and administrative support must be in place. The author sites several studies indicating that the development of the Library Media program is a predictor of student performance. One particularly interesting issue addressed by Lance in this article was a call for collaboration between LMC & public libraries, Lance notes that studies consistently reveal the value of such collaboration.
Submitted by: Courtney Gomas 11/10/07
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Eisenberg, M. & Miller, D. (2002). This Man Wants to Change Your Job. School Library Journal 48(9), 46-50.
This article offers insight into how school librarians can ensure students learn essential information skills. The article also provides suggestions on how librarians can partner with teachers to provide students with meaningful learning opportunities. The authors reference Information Power when they quote that, “The library media program ensures that students are effective users of ideas and information”. The article emphasizes that librarians are teachers, most commonly teachers of information literacy skills. The authors discuss how important it is for librarians to manage strategically in order to promote student achievement and well-being. This article emphasizes that the three outputs of a school library should be: instruction, advocacy and information management.
Submitted by: Courtney Gomas 10/29/07
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Todd, R.J. (2003). Irrefutable Evidence. School Library Journal, 49(4) 52-54.
This article explores ways librarians can prove their relevance to student learning. The subject of the article is a librarian at a K-12 school who is focused on evidence-based practice or documenting how librarians make a difference. Todd highlights how intensely the librarian focuses on creating lessons which tie the library to classroom curriculum. Todd emphasizes how important it is for librarians to involve themselves in evidence-based practice by taking concrete action and gathering tangible outcomes. Todd suggests collecting students “most important lessons learned” after information literacy lessons, questionnaires, student work samples, lesson plans, surveys and test scores. This article references Information Power when discussing strategies for evidence-based practice.
Submitted by: Courtney Gomas 10/29/07
Putnam, L. (2001, March/April). Distance teamwork: The realities of collaborating with virtual colleagues. Online, 25(2), 54-58.
As information networks become increasingly global, enabling individuals to become mobile, or work in different places at different times, collaboration, emphasized as a crucial responsibility for librarians, takes on new meanings. Putnam looks at some of the benefits and challenges that come with distance teamwork, and offers some tips for matching the communication medium to the communication objective.
Tags: collaboration, virtual, remote, mobility
Cathy Lin October 21, 2007
Degyansky, K. (2006). Sustaining the work of learning in libraries. The Bottom Line, 19 (4), 176-178. Retrieved October 15, 2007 from Emerald database.
The Elluminate discussion about collaboration between libraries sent me searching for examples and ideas. This article discusses a collaboration on a website and summer reading program among three systems of New York Public libraries. It covers some of the challenges (ownership, sustainability, different legal departments, competitiveness among the library systems) and briefly discusses the importance of sharing goals and a Memorandum of Understanding (outlining procedures, ownership, etc.). The three systems shared a grant money and found that they were able to get more bang for their buck by working together. The joint summer reading program also had a huge increase in the number of kids participating in the program. The three library systems have begun a joint effort and are interested in seeing it continue when the grant for this particular program runs out. They have realized both tangible and intangible rewards from collaboration between systems.
Annette Counts, October 20, 2007
TAGS: collaboration, grants, summer reading programs, public libraries, student achievement
Rowe, G. S. “Collaboration: It's a Gamble On a Fixed Schedule.” Knowledge Quest v. 35 no. 4 (March/April 2007) p. 44-6.
Collaboration on a fixed schedule is possible. It might require more effort on the Library Media Teacher’s part. Basically, communication and cooperation leads to collaboration. Be involved with various school committees and grade level meetings. Being seen leads to teachers who are more willing to share their projects. Also, working with future teachers (student teachers) will start off the collaborative relationship. Be flexible and realize that some lesson plans will not work and others will.
TAGS: collaboration, fixed schedule, schedule
Contriuted by: Joanna Gee
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Morris, Betty J. (2007). The principal's support of classroom Teacher-Media Specialist Collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide''. V 13, no 1. January 2007. p 36-55.
Discusses how most school principals have little understanding of the role that the media specialist can provide in the instructional process. That it is important that the school principal understand the role of the MS in order for them to offer support to assist in student learning. The principal can help facilitate and encourage the collaboration between classroom teachers and the LMT especially when assessing the teacher yearly, the principal can ask how the staff has collaborated with the LMT to provide better instruction. Gives a background of exemplary media programs in the state of Georgia that could be used as a framework for any program. Article also gives survey results for collaboration between principal, media specialist and teacher- results show that principals and media specialists think collaboration goes on much more than the teachers think it does. Classroom teachers from the survey show that they feel that the principals at their schools do not give enough support of the collaboration process and that improvements need to be made. Process could be brought up in faculty meetings and that the media specialist need to work more with the principal to plan activities that cultivate respect and trust between teachers and LMTs by pointing out that student achievement can be greatly improved when collaboration occurs.
K. Finn October 9, 2007
TAGS: Collaboration, administration, teacher-media specialists, principals
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Burk, Lynne F. (2006) CSI library-collaborate, support, integrate. Teacher Librarian. V 34 no 2. December 2006. Pgs 34-35.
CSI = Collaborate with teachers, administrators, parents and students; Support building and district initiatives; Integrate teaching of literature, information literacy, and technology skills into subject area curriculums. Reports of studies that show how librarian-teacher collaboration has improved student performance and has engaged students in lessons. Gives some examples of lessons that were performed by collaboration and how they worked out for improved student learning and achievement.
K. Finn November 27, 2007
TAGS: Collaboration, Support Building
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Hart, M. D. (2006). Extending the classroom through the school library. Teacher Librarian. Vol. 33, Issue 4.
Hart, a principal at a small school reports on his school’s success in implementing a school library program modeled on the book, Information Power: Building Partnership for Learning (American Library Association, 1998).
Hart describes how the students were learning technology skills in isolation. In the new library model, the teacher-librarian and classroom teachers collaborate on projects. Technology skills are learned by application in collaborative projects. According to Hart, “the school library has become a student-centered extension of every classroom.
Tags: Information Power, collaboration, student centered
Debbie Hughes, November 28, 2007
Morris, B. (2007, January). Principal Support for Collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 23-24. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.
Morris’ article, as the title suggests, is about the Principal’s role in supporting collaboration between teachers and school librarians. According to the author, it is up to the principal to ensure collaboration occurs and succeeds. Actions or inaction by the principal sends a clear message to faculty on the principal’s expectations, and the principal needs to use this knowledge in encouraging collaboration. Morris goes on to supply a list of strategies with which a principal can encourage and ensure collaboration between teachers and the library media center. A few examples include:
· Reward teamwork
· Give the media specialist the needed time to collaborate [what about teachers?]
· Professional development to support collaboration
· Providing necessary staff for the library
Morris then goes on to envoke a few of the “big names” in library and information science, such as Ken Haycock and Lesley Farmer, whose articles show up later in this edition.
Morris, B., & Packard, A. (2007, January). The Principal's Support of Classroom Teacher-Media Specialist Collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 36-55. Retrieved July 23, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.
In this article, the companion to the above introductory article, the authors sought to learn what made schools with highly rated media programs, well, highly rated. They sent out questionnaires to Georgia’s school with top rated media programs for principals, teacher, and media specialists to fill out. What the authors found was that a common factor was principal involvement and encouragement of collaboration between teachers and media specialists (see description above). One finding was that although most of the principals who responded were instructional leaders with direct interest in their teachers instruction, few had much knowledge of the media specialists’ roles or of their role as teachers. An interesting finding was that classroom teachers were not as positive in their responses as were principals and media specialist about collaboration. This may have been due to less communication with the classroom teachers.
Tags: science, collaboration, collection evaluation, student achievement
Morris, B. (2007, January). Principal Support for Collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 23-24. Retrieved June 30, 2008, from Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts with Full Text database.