ELEM: Giving grades in Library

[Jan Helene Moore <janmoore@TENET.EDU>]

This is an old topic but I've been absent from the list (surgery & then
modem problems), so I'm just catching up.

I used to give grades long ago but found many of the teachers did not use
them so I stopped.  I still occasionally used worksheets but checked them
in class if time allowed.  Most of what I did and do is "hands-on". I've
tried and tried for eons to get flex scheduling but my teachers balked
and the principal did not back me as firmly as I'd have liked.  At least
now I'm out of the "rotation" (new principal).  Now I plan on giving
grades from time to time. I am tying my lessons as closely as possible to
classroom curriculum and want both the teachers and students to realize
that library "counts".  This week we did a sheet on alphabetizing
authors' names and I graded them.  For one thing, I could see how well
the class grasped the concept which is difficult when checking in class.I
spoke individually with several students who didn't do well.  Then I gave
the papers to the teacher to use the grades or not.

The teachers are supposed to stay with their classes (my choice) and the
feed-back has been good.  The teachers never knew what I taught or cared,
in some cases, but now they know that library skills are life skills.
Some teachers interact with me and the students during class and I like that.

Thanks for letting me put in my $ .02.
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        Jan Moore                               Foster Elementary
        Library Media Specialist                1025 High Point
        janmoore@tenet.edu                      Arlington, TX 76015
        FAX (817)468-8292                       (817)465-4702
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