HIT: Flexible/Fixed Scheduling

[Beverlee Day <bevday@METRO2.K12.MN.US>]

Thanks to all of your who responded to my questions regarding the benefits
of flexible scheduling! I guess there is also a lot of information on this
in the archives for those of you wishing to read more. Also, Lisa Gangemi
has posted several messages on her efforts to get flex. scheduling. Good
luck to everyone trying to change over!

This is what I received:


>
>
> Flexible Scheduling/Integrated Instruction=85Why?
>
> The advantages=85
>         Skills are taught in context.  Instruction is more meaningful
> and more effective.  Students are better prepared to work independently.
>         Students come to the library to meet needs.  This is a more
> appropriate use of the library.  It may change students=92 view of the
> public library.  It eliminates the "hate the library" club.
>Many discipline problems are eliminated.  A library visit or lesson
>becomes a special treat.
>  The library is accessible for research needs.This includes whole
>classes, small groups, and individuals, Teachers can take advantage of
>teachable moments.The library is almost constantly in use!
>The librarian is more accessible as a resource person and a
> teacher.This facilitates the sharing of materials and ideas.
> Ideas can "snowball."  The librarian is in a position to have a
> unique perspective of the curriculum, who teaches what when,
> etc. When teachers and librarians teach together, the combination
> includes an expert on the students and subject and an expert on
> the resources and information strategies.  With two teachers, it is also
>easier to individualize instruction.  Teaching responsibilities
>are shared. The librarian=92s role, expertise, and responsibilities become
> better understood.
> "Just a Bit of Advice"
>
> Put teachers first!
> Give yourself time to succeed.  Mention this concept to your administratio=
n.
> Bear in mind that teachers are traditionally independent workers.
>Respect their territory.  This is a great opportunity to see other working =
and
teaching styles.
> Make your boss look good.  If he/she "has" your idea, smile.  You are
getting  what you want.
> Communicate=85communicate=85communicate!
>

>        Strategies for developing  teacher contacts*  include:
>
> 1.)  Listening for openings and offering to assist through materials
> or
>  actual involvement.
> 2.) When asked to pull a collection,  always indicating a willingness
> to
>
>  do so, but also pointing out it would be possible to help the
> students
>  develop their skills by assisting them in locating materials.
> 3.)  Anticipating research projects (i.e. science fair) and offering
>      services in teaching research skills.
> 4.)  Each grading period giving teachers a survey asking what they
> will
> be
>  teaching and what materials they would like to have made available.
>  All returned surveys should receive a prompt  response.
> 5.)  Developing research note-taking sheets with teachers to promote
>  taking notes instead of copying.  Share these with teachers in the
>  same grade levels and subject areas with the offer of helping with
>  the research project, if interested.
> 6.)  Copying materials from professional magazines and from
>  conference handouts  for the teachers.  Whenever possible, give
>  them things in person, because they are more apt to actually  read
>  them and it provides the librarian with opportunities to talk  with
>  each teacher.  These contacts often lead to cooperative teaching
>  times.
> 7.)  Suggesting, developing, or expanding upon projects during
>  conversations.
> 8.)  Continuing to teach selected basic research/information/ library
>  skills.  Take skill lessons into language arts,
>  math,  science, and social studies classrooms as appropriate.
>  Teachers  could be  welcome to stay or to use skill lesson  periods
>  as a prep.   Many teachers will opt to stay during these lessons.
> 9.) Serving on curriculum committees, young author committees, the
>  technology committees, building level committees, etc.
>  Involvement in these and other  activities  make you a  part of
>   the team.
> 10.) Welcoming every new teacher with a brief tour and description of
>       services and resources.  Follow tours with invitations to teach
>       cooperatively as needed.   Make an extra effort to frequently
> check
>       back with new teachers to see if there is any way to assist
> them.
> 11.)  Advertise!                              *A.K.A.  " How to pester
> your teachers."
____________________________________________________________________________=
___
We have a modified flex schedule that works this way. PreK-4th grade come in
every other week for 30 minutes for what I call literature enrichment.
Students do not check out books during this time. Teachers also
schedule times to bring their classes in for information skills
instruction & guidance when starting research projects.

Students come at other times during the day in pairs or small groups
with permission from their teachers. They come to check out books, to
read, or to do research. This open access to the library works very
well. There is a constant flow of students coming & going in the
library & our students learn to become independent & responsible users
of the library.

We are able to run our library this way because the teachers & the
principal support open access to the library.

____________________________________________________________________________=
___
I had an elementary school population that varied from 780 to 1100 over my t=
en
years as a media specialist in Florida.  I had open flexible scheduling.  I
did see every Kindergarten and First Grade class weekly for story time--book
check out.  Each class did have a scheduled time for book check out because
the teachers wanted it that way--but they were not scheduling MY time for bo=
ok
check out so the teacher had to stay with them.  If I didn't have a schedule=
d
class during their time, I worked with students on book selection.
I planned units of study with teachers so the library skills were covered as
the students needed them.  Not all teachers were willing to plan with me; no=
t
all students got the same level of service.  But those who participated
benefited greatly.
I also ran Accelerated Reader schoolwide and had lots of kids coming in all
the time for that.
The teachers (and I) had to be educated to use flexible scheduling effective=
ly
and it did not happen over night.  It is a lot of work but the resulting
cooperation between teachers and library media specialists improves curricul=
um
and student learning.  Students need the opportunity to learn information
skills at the point of their need and not library skills taught in isolation=
.
My goal was to have someone in the Media Center working at all times.  I
prepared learning center activities that targeted different skills, new
hardware, or reading activities on a year-long themed basis with activities
changing monthly.
____________________________________________________________________________=
____
>I do a fixed schedule and provide planning time with K-2, and a flex with
>3-5.  The 3-5 have a fixed weekly 15 minute checkout, and I've gotten so
>that I use this time as work time for me, or flex time with another class,
>while my clerk handles all the checkout.  I really like the flex time with
>3-5.  When I was doing the fixed with them, I had 20 minute lessons and 10
>minutes to check out.  I never had time to teach them much that mattered in
>one 20 minute lesson once a week.  Now I may see a class every day for 30-6=
0
>minutes, to do a project starting with notetaking, and taking it all the wa=
y
>through to Hyperstudio projects.  Sometimes the teacher and I will split th=
e
>class, with half working in the room, and half in the library.  It gives us
>a lot of flexibility.  It allows us to incorporate library skills into the
>classroom curriculum when they're needed, and in context.  From what I've
>read, teaching them in context does a lot more good than teaching them in
>isolation.  The drawback is that I'm now busier than a one armed paper
>hanger, and never have time to do all the other stuff that needs doing, but
>I think next week will settle down.  I've had 5 classes doing major project=
s
>all at the same time!

____________________________________________________________________________=
____
> I don't know if you receive LMNET or not, but I have been buring
>up the wires with this very same topic for the past week.  Many people
>suggested the book: Flexible Access Library Media Programs by Jan
>Buchanan.  ISBN 0872878341
>I ordered it overnight directly from the publisher (and paid a small
>fortune, so I dont recommend getting it that way!) so I could have it
>to prepare for my faculty meeting on Monday. It is a WONDERFUL book,
>and you should get it and read it before you talk to your
>principal.Make sure that he/she fully supports you, and that you
>discuss it with your staff to get their ideas before you start.
____________________________________________________________________________=
____
> Our students come every other week for storytime, a short skills lesson,
>and book checkout.  We have 832 students and around 40 classes.  The
>rest of the time, the library is open for checkout, centers, and
>research.  Students can come 3 at a time for research, no pre-signup
>needed.  We ask each teacher to send no more than 4 at a time for
>book checkout, but they are free to send children all day.
>
>The biggest plus in this is that kids can get books whenever they
>want.  You know that kids often finish books very quickly, and having
>to wait a week or more to get a new book is a little silly.  Most
>teachers take full advantage of this situation, but of course there
>are those who do not.  It really is a shame because it is the kids
>who suffer.  We also provide classroom materials on request.  The
>staff is freer to assist students with research and book selection
>with our fixed/flex schedule, and the kids still get the benefit of
>storytime and skills.  Our fixed classes are 30 minutes right now,
>but the media coordinator plans to change to 40 minutes with grades 2
>and 3 after Christmas to extend the skills lessons.

____________________________________________________________________________=
____
> Library skills taught in isolation, not related to the curriculum, are
>skills not learned because they have no meaning or importance to the
>student.  Flexible scheduling needs to be accompanied, however, with
>teacher/librarian planning and integrated into the curriculum.  This is the
>ideal.  Without the support of the administration it won't work at all.
>You won't get all teachers to"buy into" this so start with the ones who
>will work with you.  When the others see that some teachers are getting
>_more_ library time and see the projects that can result, they get jealous!
>Some principals insist that _all_ teachers cooperate.  Discipline problems
>virtually disappear with integrated curriculum/flex scheules because the
>students know they need the information and pay better attention.  We use a
>modified flexible scheduling.  I see primary grades every week for story
>and checkout ; older classes once or twice a month.  They schedule
>additional time for research or may schedule a time just to check out if
>they like.  For those additional checkout times, it is understood that, if
>a volunteer is not here, the teachers must do the circ chores and that I
>have other obligations to take care of.  In reality, of course, I will
>generally take time for "reader advisory."  Be warned, however, that _you_
>may find yourself with less time for other work.

____________________________________________________________________________=
____
>The research tells us that skills taught at the point of instructional need
>are skills that lead to developing life-long learners. The most valuable
>lessons are those which have been created as a result of collaborative
>planning between the media specialist and the teacher.  Collaboration in
>itself indicates that both parties are active participants in every facet o=
f
>the lesson.  If a teacher is not in the media center (i.e. is off somewhere
>planning) students loose a valuable party in the delivery of the lesson and
>the concept that both educators  have a "stake" in the instruction.
>
>Secondly, if the skills are taught in isolation, in the media center, where
>is the tranfer of knowledge?  The teacher may have a concept of what has
>been taught, but has missed the acutal instruction.  How can they reinforce
>what has been taught throughout the student's curriculum?  When we consider
>that we only have 180 days (in Georgia, anyway) of a child's life, we need
>to use every minute to its fullest and most productive.  Skills which creat=
e
>productive, inquisitive, and empowered citizens are more important than
>planning time.

____________________________________________________________________________=
____
>
>> This is a particular problem in non-public schools, I fear. There is a
>great deal of information about flexible scheduling, especially
>Information Power and a book by Jan Buchanan called Flexible Access. The
>rationale is that a library isn't just a once a week place, if it is doing
>its job. Students should have access to materials when and where they need
>them. Librarians should be collaborating with teachers to plan meaningful
>lessons involving real situations. I have heard that librarians should not
>be in the position of having to dream up lessons.
>We are not in that place and I still deal with fixed classes, although we
>now do checkout every day. I hope to move my grades 3-6 to a flexible
>schedule later this fall.

Beverlee Day, Librarian
Holy Spirit School
St. Paul, MN
bevday@metro2.k12.mn.us

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