LM_NET: Library Media Networking
For those of you who requested this info, the following folks provided
some great tips! Thanks to all who responded.
Donna
---------- Forwarded message ----------
My questions are as follows:
1) Is this approach being implemented at the high school level?
YES, WE CO-TEACH AS LIBRARIANS AND TEACHERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL.
2) If so, how and to what extent?
MORE AND MORE - OUR TEACHERS LET ME KNOW THEIR PROJECTS, BRING COPIES OF
THE SYLLABI, SEEK IMPUT FROM ME ABOUT HOW TO BEST ACCOMPLISH THEIR GOALS,
WHAT BEST RESOURCES TO USE, WHAT NEW RESOURCES MIGHT BE AVAILABLE, WHAT
ELECTRONIC RESOURCES CONTAIN AND WHICH TO CHOOSE, ETC. WE ARE WORKING
MORE TO COUPLE ENGLISH/SCIENCE AND ENGLISH/SOCIAL STUDIES PROJECTS. SOME
ARE SO NATURAL - AND WRITING IS ACROSS THE CURRICULA.
MARGARET
mmccormi@services.dese.state.mo.us
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I am in a restructured high school in Georgia. One of things we started
as a part of this was teaming. It has worked great for many reasons,
particularly in the 9th and 10 grades. We have to make adjustments
sometimes but it has been wonderful for the students, fewer teachers to
know in a year, teachers collaborating together to plan as well as work
out problems w/indiv. students, many interdisciplinary units which leads
to students understanding how subject matter relates to other disciplines
and real life. Our teachers and students would never choose to go back.
Teachers in different departments really know each other now and
understand what the other is doing and on and on.....We have a great
registrar who is wonderful at scheduling and a principal who works to be
sure teacher's have enough planning time to do this. We are also
heterogeneously grouped at these levels and in most academic subjects.
Hope this helps.
Sarah Sanford
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From: Susan Baker <sbaker@orca.esd114.wednet.edu>
Subject: high school interdisciplinary units
Last year our high school curriculum included an interdisciplinary course
titled Global Perspectives. It involved a social studies teacher, an
english/language arts teacher, and our art teacher. As library media
specialist I was involved in the planning and implementation of class
activities. Each student (two different groups) had the course for three
periods each day. Often both groups joined in activities. The course
was resource-based -- no textbooks. Each unit of 4-6 weeks revolved
around a theme or concept in which students sought the answers to 3-5
"big" questions. One unit was on leadership, another on the Holocaust.
Culminating activities for each unit involved cooperative learning
projects - often involving meda. It was a great experience (and
exhausting for teachers
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From: Julie Burwinkel- Librarian <BURWINKEL_J@HCCA.OECN.OHIO.GOV>
Donna--We have a team taught course called world seminar that is taught
by the english and social studies departments. It is sophomore level,
and the teachers attended a workshop by Roger Taylor, who is the guru
for interdisciplinary studies. We are planning an American studies
course for the junior level starting next school year.
sbaker@orca.esd114.wednet.edu
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From: kcarter@shs.MV.COM
Hi, Donna - My school (9 - 12) is doing a LOT of teaming and interdisciplinary
work. We began primarily in the 9th and 10th grades two years ago, but are now
working on this in all grades. We are a Coalition school (Ted Sizer's Coalition
of Essential Schools) and my experience is that many CES schools are working
on this. What are some specific questions you have? I wrote an article about
the Info Center's role in some of this and our school design, published in
School Library Journal, February, 1994.
Kim Carter
Souhegan High School
Amherst, NH 03031 (603) 673 9940
kcarter@shs.mv.com
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From: "Pleasant Valley S.D." <pleasant@esu.edu>
Donna,
Our middle school (grades 6-8) has used the teaming concept for
the past six years with much success. Next year, due to new building
construction to house our growing student poplulation, we will
reconfigure to a grades 7-9 school. Just yesterday at our faculty
meeting, our principal announced we will not be teaming next year. If
you receive any replies about successful teaming on the high school level
I would be very interested in your sharing them.
Thanks!
Deborah P. Lowenburg, Librarian <pleasant@esu.edu>
Pleasant Valley School District
Brodheadsville, PA 18322
(717) 992-7178 ext 267
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From: kcarter@shs.MV.COM
Donna,
Question 1 re planning time -- there is time built in to the schedule for
teachers to meet and plan. We also have after school meetings, lunchline meet
ings, bathroom meetings, etc.!
#2 -- to always include all subject areas in an interdisciplinary unit is a
force fit. Whatever works well is included. Not all units are interdisciplinar
y. #3 -- curriculum mapping is something we are beginning to work with. I
am particularly fond of Heidi Hayes Jacobs and James Beane's separate works.
#4 -- I haven't formally used the Big 6 yet, but use a similar progression.
#5 -- workshops are something I have done -- have had to limit these due
to demands on the home and school front. But we could talk about that.
For now, the internet could serve as a vehicle for conversations! Although
I tend to be rather terse due to interruptions and limited time! But please
let's continue the conversation anyway!
Kim Carter
Souhegan High SChool
Amherst, NH 03031
kcarter@shs.mv.com
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From: JCONSTANT@umassd.edu
Hi Donna,
I had kept your message in my old mail file, and had planned to
respond when I had time. I forgot about it until today, when I was cleaning
out my old mail. I really would be interested in seeing a "hit" on this topic.
I did manage to get an excellent interdisciplinary guide from the Oklahoma
Department of Instruction for interdisciplinary units and library. It is also
available on ERIC microfiche. The document numbers are: ED305076 for the
high school and ED31840 for middle school version. The titles are:
Stacks of Ideas:Activities for Library Media Center and Classroom.
Oklahoma State Department of Education
Oklahoma City, OK
It's one of the few sources I could find for interdisciplinary activities
which involved the library media center. I did an information search in
ERIC asking it to find COOPERATIVE/LEARNING/INFORMATION/SKILLS. Included in
the 31 items listed were a number of k-12 scope and sequence information skills
guides. If I can find the file, I'll send it to you email.
(I believe I have saved it someplace. I don't
have a hard drive at home, so I have a multitude of disks to check through
here. I
I think I know where I can put my hands on it at school.)
If you get enough responses to post a hit, I'd really like to see it.
Best wishes,
Jane Constant
jconstant@umassd.edu
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