Parallel Block Scheduling and Enrichment Centers

[Jacqueline George <jmgeorge@BMI.NET>]

Fellow Netters, maybe especially in Virginia,
        Some teachers in my building went to a presentation last year by
Harriet Hopkins about Parallel Block Scheduling and they are now trying to
start this program in our school.  I have done a fair share of reading
about the idea since they presented to us last May, more than most of them
it would appear from what they are now trying to do to get the program
started.   I know that PBS is not something "NEW" and that it does not
appear to have widespread usage.  I find the idea interesting, think that
there could be benefits to come out of it, but that it needs a lot of
buy-in from all the staff, and some extra resources, that I imagine are the
main reason that it does not have more widespread use.
        I am the LMS, on a fixed schedule with 20 classes K-5 and 3 Gifted
& Talented classes but with approximately 6 hours per week of "unscheduled"
or "flexible" time that has been used very effectively in the last 10 or
more years by most teachers in the building for integrated lessons, for me
to work with small groups on special projects, for introducing some
multimedia presentations to groups of students and then having them "teach"
others in their class, author study groups,  pretty much the usual scope of
activities that are found in modern library media programs.  The committee
proposing this is composed of the ESL teacher, the Resource Room teacher,
the Title I teacher, 1 first grade teacher and 1 second grade teacher, the
only proposal  so far as to how to have an Enrichment Center is to house it
in the LMC during the 6 hours when there are no scheduled classes and by
extension to have ME be the Enrichment Center teacher.  This Enrichment
Center would be for 1st and 2nd grades ONLY and would be tied entirely to
the new Language Arts adoption that has just been made by our district.
(No planning has yet been done as to the activities that would take place
in the Enrichment Center).  They have not, so far, presented the plan to
the rest of the staff (not even the rest of the 1st and 2nd grade
teachers), and I know that I will have support from most staff members for
my opposition to this plan.  I HAVE made two proposals to them as to how I
could be A PART OF the Enrichment Center, but have had no feedback from
them on either proposal.
        Now, after that long-winded explanation (and some mild venting),
what I am hoping some of you out there can give me are some concrete ways
that the LMC and LMS have been used in programs where Parallel Block
Scheduling has included an Extension Center (this is what PBS calls it).
Perhaps some pros and cons to the way you have been involved in it and
maybe a little "ammunition", that I haven't already tried, to help them see
why EVERYONE deserves equal time using the resources of the Library Media
Center.
        If you require further information about my problem, I will be
happy to make individual replies.  Please reply to me personally at
"jmgeorge@bmi.net".  TIA

Jackie George
Library Media Specialist
Sharpstein Elementary School                                    Work Phone
(509) 527-3098
410 Howard Street                                                    Home
Phone (509 525-7527
Walla Walla, WA 99362

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=
To quit LM_NET (or set-reset NOMAIL or DIGEST), Send email to
 listserv@listserv.syr.edu         In the message write EITHER:
 1) SIGNOFF LM_NET 2) SET LM_NET NOMAIL or 3) SET LM_NET DIGEST
 3) SET LM_NET MAIL  * Please allow for confirmation from Listserv
 For LM_NET Help & Archives see:  http://ericir.syr.edu/lm_net/
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=