Week Four Reading

Hughes-Hassell, S., & Harada, V.H. (2007) Librarian as change agent. In School reform and the school library media specialist. S. Hughes-Hassell & V.H. Harada, ed. Westport, CT: Libraries Unlimited.

I agree, I agree! I must be the change I want to see. Sounds like that will be my mantra. I've got the skills- I just worry about obtaining the knowledge to back it up. How will I have time for all of this? Especially when I will most likely only have one hour of planning per day- if I'm lucky- to take care of everything? It IS going to take lots of extra time and lots of extra energy, which are not always available to me at the same time. Seems like it is time for me to "clearly articulate my vision", something I haven't done in awhile as I just try to make it through life, week by week, assignment by assignment, and bedtime story by bedtime story.

I do worry- as will be evident by the following posts- that I won't have the time (in the short span of my future career) to clock the experience to earn the respect of my peers to be the change agent; the trusted innovator. Yes, I have resiliency, commitment and interpersonal skills, but I am definitely not the whole package, yet. That will take time.

Does anybody, (teachers and administrators) get us? Will it be a constant battle to assert ourselves (in the positive manner possible) to be the change? I sure would like to talk with succesful collaborating librarians and hear what they have had to do to be an effective teacher.

Ballard, S. (2009) Developing the vision: An L4L job description for the 21^stcentury. Knowledge quest 38(2), Nov-Dec, pp 78-82.

Ballard lists the 5 roles of of the Emerging Leader (the new media specialist) as Instructional Partner, Information Specialist, Teacher, Program Administrator, Advocate and Professional Member of the Learning Community. This is a lot for one person to be and the sample job description is incredibly thorough, descriptive and all-encompassing. Even so, when I look at the individual components of the sample job description, I can say to myself, “Well, I can do that, and that, and that, and...that.” There’s just a lot of “that” to do. I would like to present the sample job description to media specialists at different buildings and have them discern what duties they perform from the list to get a feel for the practicality of doing it all.

Zmuda, A., & Harada, V.H.. (2008). “Reframing the library media specialist as a learning specialist.” School library media activities monthly 24(8).

"The media specialist must insist that every learning experience aligns with both the classroom curriculum and the curriculum of the media center", Zmuda and Harada state, or the media specialist is just wasting time. That is a very strong statement. But, it is a statement that reinforces the need to continually focus on learner needs, so that the media center does not become the daycare center. Every lesson in the media center needs to be "challenging and worthy of attempt" while focusing on curriculum. This is a tall order, unless the media specialist is well trained, focused and experienced to be seen as a collaborative learning specialist. Honestly, this article makes me a little bit nervous, where and when am I going to receive all of this training and experience to garner the respect and cooperation of my peers with all the skills necessary to be an effective teacher? It seems that other media specialists have these concerns as well. What kind of professional training will be available to me after I graduate and hold a position as a media specialist? Will I be able to take advantage of these training opportunities while teaching? I hope so, I'm going to need it- and fast.

Fontichiaro, K., Moreillon, J., & Abilock, A. School librarian’s bill of responsibilities. Knowledge quest 38(2), Nov-Dec, 63. Available through mel.org.

Throughout the learning community the 21st-century school librarian will collaborate with other educators to:

1. Foster the free exchange of ideas.

2. Provide open access to unrestricted resources for intellectual growth and personal enrichment.

3. Support multiple paths to understanding for individual learning styles.

4. Design student-centered learning experiences.

5. Nurture students as they grapple ethically with challenging ideas and concepts.

6. Cultivate creative and critical thinking, problem solving, and decision making.

7. Promote questioning and curiosity.

8. Value experimentation and risk-taking.

9. Learn through inquiry and self-reflection.

10. Learn from students, peers, and other professionals.

This sounds great, and relatively simple, IF the media specialist has the cooperation of the school administration and staff to collaboratively and effectively reach these goals. I guess this is my biggest worry. Will I be given the power and responsibility to act on these “rights” for my students? I suppose I will have to constantly prove my worth to earn the rights of power and responsibility over time.

Harvey, Carl. (2005). “what should a teacher expect a school library media specialist to be?” Library media connection 25:5, 23.

I was specifically interested in reading this document because of my concern over teachers’ expectations of what the media specialist is to be. In my limited experience, it is my concern that teachers do not see the media specialist in all of these positions. I would like to be a fly on the wall in a room of classroom educators as they read and respond to these statements. I’d like to know what other school media specialists’ (pre-service and in service) sense of these responsibilities are. I would love to be all this for my students and teachers at my school.

Reflections on 1/20/12 class

absent:(

Week Three Reading

Hribar, K. (2009) A journey toward Inquiry: Implementing the standards in a fixed-schedule environment.” Knowledge quest 38:2, Nov-Dec, 20-23.

WHAT??!! We are NOT the first group to do your craft project with the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner? I found that to be an informative activity because it made me actually THINK about the standards and how I have interacted with them in the past;)

This is an inspiring article (as I'm sure it was meant to be). Ms. Hribar is a true teacher librarian. I wonder if she was a classroom teacher before she was a media specialist (as well as after). She is really teaching in her library and by using the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner she only had to "tweak" her existing lesson plans to guide her students in inquiry-based learning. She focuses on what she already knows and builds on it, as suggested by Marcia Mardis. Sounds simple. Maybe this is why the guidelines are so vague and general? Through directed approaches and careful thought by the teacher, the standards can be easily applied to any lesson.

I was intrigued by her assessment of inquiry based learning and imagined myself as a teacher telling parents that our classroom would be inquiry based. The first reaction would be, "Huh?". I would explain to parents that it is a process where "students take a role in constructing knowledge from experience'", but her description of before and after student characteristics throughout the process of inquiry based learning would be excellent bullet points to present to parents as evidence of its value to student learning. They reveal the results parents want to see.

Ms. Hribar lists:

During inquiry learning students experience:

-uncertainty

-optimism

-frustration (though I might put optimism last in my presentation)

Because of the experience students develop:

-a sense of self-direction (maybe self-guidance?)

-confidence

-self-awareness

-sense of accomplishment

Wouldn't it be fabulous if all students gained these values in every classroom? If following the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner can accomplish this and provide students with the tools they need to be successful learners on their own- I'm all for them. Ms. Hribar suggests that by shifting the instructional approach there is no need to "orchestrate the classroom", students will direct their own learning. Brilliant.

I'm also happy to know that these standards have been broken down into developmental stages- I'm going to take a look at that book (Standards for the 21st-Century Learner in Action, AASL).

Johnson, D. (2001). It’s good to be inflexible. School library journal.

"Are flexible library schedules better than fixed ones? Not necessarily"

Not realizing AASL had such a strong position against fixed library scheduling, as this is the only type of experience I have had, I'm intrigued to read Johnson's opinions pro and con. My thoughts on his statements follow.

"You can't teach kids you don't see."

In a flexible schedule this really depends on teacher/media specialist collaboration. It is entirely possible that through successful sharing of information and techniques, the classroom teacher is the conduit for the media specialist to teach students.

"We are enabling teachers to deviate from the curriculum"

Hmm, a prescribed curriculum. Is he saying that if teachers don't have any interaction with the school media specialist they will deviate from the prescribed curriculum? I think his promoting flexible scheduling means that there would be more teacher/media specialist interaction. Are media specialists supposed to be curriculum cops? I'm not sure what he means.

"It's not just research, but reading."

Media specialists are in the tough spot of trying to constantly save their program from being cut. What is the most effective way to do this? Be invaluable to your school and show this through active engagement with students, teachers, parents and administrators. "Be" for your school what they demand of you AND show them what else you can provide for them. We need to go a step beyond everyday.

"Inquiry should be a daily activity."

Again- it's all about collaboration, whether using a fixed or flexible scheduling model, media specialists need to provide their students with a continuation of classroom learning through inquiry based methods that address the combined goals of the classroom teacher and the media specialist.

"We are neglecting our part in the containment agreement."

Are our positions only protected because we are glorified babysitters? Yikes, we had better be more than that- because ANYBODY can babysit kids and keep them "contained". I don't think fixed scheduling IS anymore beneficial to protecting the position of the media specialist than flexible scheduling just because of the "containment" issue. If that is an argument for fixed scheduling, I think it is a weak one- our time will just be handed over to the paraprofessionals. Again, we need to make ourselves invaluable by providing the services that NO ONE ELSE CAN. I am NOT a babysitter...unless I get paid...on my own time;)

Woolls, Chapter 5

Another argument for maintaining media specialists in schools- who else can manage everything?

A Director of Media programs? What is this? Is this a media specialist? How many schools have someone serving in the this position? What do they do?

I like the idea of a Library Media Advisory committee. This would be an excellent collaborative forum to share values and goals for the school with efforts channeled through the media center. As Woolls implies, it would also be a valuable advocate for maintaining a school media center.

The idea of developing a mission statement for the media center that the entire school will agree on is daunting, but intriguing. The media center can not be isolated, it must be the pathway to all other aspects of the school. Is it typical for individual classrooms to have mission statements? How many school media centers have mission statements?

She keeps mentioning "media center staff". Who are these people? If they are transient parent volunteers, how involved should they be in the development of a mission statement and establishing goals and objectives?

From Woolls description I've boiled down the goals of strategic planning for a media center- I think.

Strategic planning should include the involvement of the Library Media Advisory Committee to:

-develop a mission statement

-establish goals and objectives for teaching and learning

-write a policy statement (to describe library media services)

-develop a needs assessment

-prioritize courses of action (w/proposed alternate strategies)

-establish technology provision and usage policies (e.g. internet access, hardware and software needs, e-resources provided)- based on user needs and input

Planning that goes beyond the week is a great idea, as Wools states, it would allow the media specialist to "set priorities for major purchases that will continue the progress of the media program" (p.83). Can this be done by using existing lesson plans as guides? It would depend on how effective the existing lesson plans are, how the media center was utilized, how much collaboration occurred with the previous media specialist and how much collaboration with teachers you would engage in. This obviously could take a lot of time- is everyone willing to give it? Probably not.

My experience with scheduling the elementary media center as a flexible use facility is that it is limited. Normally teachers do not access the media center even when it is not in use. Why is this? Would students not use the library if they did not have a scheduled time to be there? It should be a resource for everyone at all times to capture the "teachable moment", right? I suppose it does take more planning effort and time. A fixed schedule media center should "advertise" its availability for "Teachable Moments Time" to encourage teacher use of the media center (an easily accessible and flexible electronic calendar would be perfect for this). Again, collaboration is the key to incorporate media center visits into the curriculum (p. 86). I would really like to observe a elementary media center/specialist in a flexible scheduling scenario.

Acting as "a leader in organizing learning opportunities within and beyond the school" (AASL's Information as Power- Woolls p. 89) sounds daunting, but exciting. As a new teacher with no previous experience would I be accepted in that role by long-time educators?

Reflections on 1/13/12 class

What a great group of ladies:)

I am really going to enjoy spending my Friday afternoons with you and I am particularly interested to hear of the experiences of the student teachers.

Geez- what did we talk about on Friday- I KNEW I should have done this earlier.

Standards- it seems that we are still talking about standards- it seems that I've been talking about standards in a lot of my classes and that I will continue to do so for a very long time.

The more I think about standards the more I think that there should not be National standards or even State standards. What would happen if assessments were done away with?

In my (embryonic) idea for education reform there would be requirements for learning (I haven't decided if they should be mandated by the U.S. government or State governments yet) which would include strict guidelines for:

teacher certification

building resources

teacher/student ratio

services provided to students (in and out of school)

services provided to families (in and out of school)

and that's pretty much it

-oh, and EVERYONE has to graduate

Also- in my new model (if it starts next year) the U.S. and State government (combined) give each student $20,000 per year to go to the school of their choice. This is more than any other state currently spends on their students.

"The national average in fiscal year 2009 was $10,499, a 2.3 percent increase over the previous year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, citing data from Public Education: 2009. Some states spent way above the national average, starting with New York, which spent $18,126 per student. Other top spenders include Washington ($16,408), New Jersey ($16,271), Alaska ($15,552), and Vermont ($15,175)."

(Sorry this info was from Fox News- but it WAS based on U.S. Census data)

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2011/05/26/public-school-student-spending-increases-state-funding-decreases/#ixzz1jit8LOx1

Already, just the U.S. government spends $10,441 per pupil (2008-09 expenditures by the U.S. government-in constant dollars) http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=66

I figure if the U.S. and State governments relieve themselves of the standards and assessments business they would have a lot more money to give to students, right? Schools would then become more focused on their market- more user-focused, and provide students (and parents) with what they want and what they need, because they will only receive money from their customer- the student. Because of student (and parent) demands schools would evolve into "boutique" schools- offering their constituent students the type of education that will advance students in their chosen career path.

Not every student should go to college (like Emily's example of her brother). There is a place for everyone and that's not always in an ivy covered hall somewhere. My idea gets a bit of inspiration from the German education system. Students are tracked (and unfortunately sometimes not by choice) to either college-bound secondary schools or trade-bound secondary schools. I think this is a brilliant idea. Students should be educated in where their talents lie and every student is different.

Are these schools public, private, charter, magnate? I hate to say it, but I think this model would dissolve the public school system. Schools would become businesses and the students would be the customers. With $20,000 in their pocket per year, students will have the power to reform schools on their own, money talks.

I know there are a lot of kinks in my plan to work out; jurisdiction, funding sources, union involvement, etc. What about transportation you say- how will students get to their school of choice if they live far from it? No matter- by the time my plan gets implemented- we will all be teleporting back and forth to the grocery store;)

See you on Friday.

Week Two Reading

Zmuda, A. (2007). Hitch your wagon to a mission statement. School library media activities monthly 24(1).

This article provides an excellent argument for the defense of school media centers;)

I agree with Zmuda that a clear and effective mission statement "creates strong internal accountability" and guides teachers in providing students with a "sustained focus on a handful of improvement efforts".

Is there an external push for schools to provide the means to prepare students for college and the workplace demands that students be active learners in new technology and information literacy within an inquiry based framework? Where does this external pressure come from? Do teachers, administrators, parents, colleges and/or employees demand it?

I like the idea of the library doing "the school's work" and that media specialists should consider what they do (as guided by the school's mission statement) the "heart of the school's purpose". I wonder how many media specialists feel this way? I get the feeling that many "old school" librarians are somewhat isolated and limited in their approaches to student learning simply highlighting the "autonomous practices that live in the building" and the practices that have "lived" in their libraries. I need to get out and visit some school libraries. I don't want to run and work in a library that is isolated from the work that goes on in the rest of the school. That would just be babysitting. I look forward to being the nicest person in the school and collaborate with all the teachers in my building to "engage students in work relevant to established information goals".

What media specialists wish "things were different" and what things do they wish were different? What "brutal facts" of the environment are being considered? I imagine it might budget cuts and threats to our existence- you know- little things;)

Again, it sounds like open collaboration with teachers is the key to maintain a successful (and needed) program. The media specialist as “coach” is an interesting concept. It would seem that the media specialist would be taking on a greater role in the building than has been previously typical. As principals move to more time-consuming management roles, is the media specialist the ideal choice to fill the void? It must depend on the individuals and the politics of the building. I can’t believe that every school would accept the media specialist in this role, unless instead of being a “replacement leader” the media specialist is seen as a conduit for sharing information between teachers to help guide student learning. Does not just the school, but the media center need a mission statement. A quantitative description of how the media center will help the school achieve its mission? With a clear mission and exacting this mission through collaborative efforts, the media center can be a center for learning and not just a location for “parallel play”.

Lublin, N. (2009), How to write a mission statement that isn’t dumb. Fast company.

I have been involved in a few meetings with non-profits where the intention is to create a mission statement. By saying "involved", I mean that I keep my mouth shut and wait for the meeting to be over. I would agree that most mission statements are useless and un- and any organization's mission statement could be applied to another organization.

How many employees refer to their company's mission statement for daily inspiration and direction. Mission statements (to me) are like those posters of lighthouses and sunrises espousing teamwork and cooperation- they look nice and people read them, but not many people intentionally work towards their stated goals.

Lublin's contention that most mission statements are qualitative and not quantitative resulting in lofty, ambiguous and ineffectual statements that don't directly guide the work of the organization seems accurate to me. "Concrete goals" and the BHAG seem like a great method to guide and inspire employees and volunteers in the direction an organization wants to go to meet the quantitative goals of their mission statement and make a difference.

School Libraries: What's Now, What's Next, What's Yet to Come

http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96705

Essays I'm considering:

Show, Don't Tell

Librarians are the world's coolest people

Reflections on 1/6/2012 class

This is going to be extremely interesting. I am really excited about learning with all of you and working on the projects Kristin has assigned for us. I like the small class size and the opportunity for us to benefit from each other's varied experiences and backgrounds. It will be especially beneficial for all of us to hear about the experiences of our classmates who are student teaching this semester. I look most forward to what they have to say about their day-to-day interactions with their mentor librarians, students, teachers and administrators. I'd also like to know how they feel about working with different age groups.

My biggest concern about the profession of school librarianship is its continued existence. In considering last week's readings and listening to Kristin's lecture (w/more to come on NCLB this week) I feel that maybe the golden days of school libraries are over. It is up to those now in the profession (and us) to fight for it's continued existence by making it a relevant, beneficial and integral part of the school through our collaborative and advocacy efforts and by garnering support from administrators, teachers and parents.

Get ready to put on your happy face:)

Long live the Media Center!

Week One Reading

My thoughts about:

Woolls, Chapter 1

The school library media manager

Blanche Woolls. 4th ed.. Libraries Unlimited, 2008. Paperback. 9781591586432

First of all, let me admit, I'm in love with John Dewey.

I believe the most effective teaching methods allow for student learning to happen through experiences that students and teachers create together. Developing a curriculum that allows for individualized teaching is an extremely valuable tool to foster student advancement. This type of personalized instruction is often difficult to achieve because of demands on standards, time, budget and resources.

-Standardized testing limits curriculum development because teachers must teach "to the test"

-Teachers do not have enough planning time during the school day to prepare lessons

-Limited budgets restrict a teacher's ability to provide the necessary resources for student needs

I agree with her contention that teachers receive little support and input into curriculum development from administration as principals and superintendents move towards more managerial positions and have less time to focus on the education students are receiving in their schools, but I wonder if teachers see this as a problem or if they find that it gives them a desired autonomy in the classroom.

I am curious at how a rise in home schooling might place more demands on the public school media specialist and what expectations will arise for the responsibility of the school media specialist to provide for the home schoolers needs.

I would like to know how (and how many) schools work with their media specialists to develop learning strategies for individual students. I like the idea of a student having two teachers working with them on the same unit of instructions using different approaches with different resources in different settings to collaboratively reach the same goal.

I find it exciting that media centers are no longer just a repository for books and a place for storytime (as they were when I was in school), but a resource for information and a place to develop tools for learning.

It will be the constant job of the Media Specialist to prove their worth to their school to avoid funding cuts and to be able to maintain and improve upon the media center.

21st-Century Learner Standards

http://www.ala.org/aasl/sites/ala.org.aasl/files/content/guidelinesandstandards/learningstandards/AASL_LearningStandards.pdf

I'm excited about the development of the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner and how these skills can be effectively integrated into a curriculum with direction and assistance from a School Media Specialist. What percentage of schools in the U.S. actively engage these standards? Are there any guidelines for age appropriateness or a sequence of introducing these standards. Are they scalable for any age group and skill level?

Papas

https://ctools.umich.edu/access/content/group/68e99bc0-fb7a-46bc-8448-fd60548e3400/Class%20_1%20-%201_12_09/Pappas%20Chap%202%20from%20School%20Reform%20and%20the%20SLMS.pdf

Hallmarks of NCLB:

Accountability-standards are set by States and vary greatly. AYP can vary greatly from school to school and has led to a “teach to the test mentality”, narrowing the curriculum. Data of student achievement since the implementation of NCLB can be interpreted differently to fit the needs of a study. Teachers are sometimes forced to make choices about who to help to achieve AYP and many students suffer.

Choice-some rural students whose school fails to meet AYP have little option for choice-so choice is not an effective incentive for school accountability. Low-income students are most effected by the punitive measures of NCLB.

Flexibility-NCLB is a mandate with no direct funding tied to it. Grants are only available to schools who meet AYP and not for those who are struggling.

Improving Teacher Quality- School library media specialists do not qualify for grants?

Funding is available through the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program for providing (low income) schools with quality libraries that a staffed by certified media specialists. That’s good, but only 100 grants were awarded in 2006.

Media Specialists need to navigate NCLB to determine how they can incorporate themselves and the media center into the goals of NCLB and the school’s AYP requirement by collaborating with teachers. NCLB funding can be earmarked towards media centers if media specialists become convincing grant writers making connections between reading goals for students and the importance of utilizing the media center to achieve these goals. Requirements for students to be technology-literate give the media specialist a foothold for establishing relevancy in meeting NCLB mandates by helping students and teachers to learn new technologies.

Media Specialists need to save themselves and their Media Centers.

Why I'm doing this

“...there are few pleasures comparable to that of associating continually with curious and vigorous young minds, and aiding them in realizing their ideals.”

Samuel S. Green, American Library Journal v. 1 (October 1876): 74-81