HIT: ELEM: Flexible scheduling questions (pt.1 of 3)

[Ellen Wiseman <ewiseman@wt.net>]

Last week I posted the following request for information.  Thank you to
everyone who replied for your encouragement and candor!  Several people
asked that I post a HIT which follows.
_____________________________________________________

My post:
We are hoping to convince our school district that elementary
librarians  should no longer cover teachers' 45-minute planning
periods.  In preparation for this proposal the librarians have been
asked to respond to the following  questions:

1.  How would the library program at your school improve if the 45
minute
planning time was dropped?

2.  What would you do each day?

3.  How would academics improve?

I would appreciate any help with these questions from those of you who
are  running successful flexible library programs.  We have access to
Information Power, other books, articles, and lots of online resources
but some on-the-job  observations would be really helpful.
__________________________________________________________
Here’s the HIT.  My apologies to anyone whose response I may have
inadvertantly omitted.
---------------------------
My main thrust is that of making the library available by all when it
is needed.  I plan to stress book selection and author studies with
the primaries as coinciding with their reading classes.
Flexible scheduling also makes teacher/librarian cooperation and
planning essential. Students will see the library as a place to go for
information - not a place to go Tuesday.

Jill Brown, librarian
Nardin Academy
Buffalo, NY
buflib@yahoo.com

-------------------------------*
We met with lots of resistance when we first suggested flex.  The
following year the administration decreed it.  There are still one or
two who would rather have it the old way.  I teach skills when they do
research. I also found out what they do for the curriculum at each level
and have developed programs to offer them around those subjects.  Most
teachers come to me and say ..."Can you do anything with "...."? We also
have a tech teacher and with that ...art, music, and PE...every Tuesday
...the entire grade level gets a full hour to meet together on
curriculum.  They also have the 40 minute lunch each day and at least
one-half hour on the other 4 days for PE.  During Flex...sometimes they
have to stay and sometimes I tell them how many minutes they have before
they have to come back.  It has really helped with doing research
projects.  For instance,  right now there are two fourth grades doing
animal research.  They come as often as they can fit in for as long as
they want.  The teacher stays with and I am also there to help.  They
love it as the more staff we have the easier the project becomes. I also
use mother helpers, my aide and a "specials" person if there is one for
anyone in the class. Obviously, I do an intro on how to limit the topic,
types of materials, and where to find them in our Learning Center.  With
first grade...they have an ocean unit and groups of three children pick
an ocean creature.  They come to me in these small groups ... near the
end of the year, and I teach them how to search for their creature on
the search stations and how to actually find the material on the
shelves, and how to use the table of contents and the indexes.  Of
course, we don't expect it all to "stick", but at least they aere aware
of the process and are not afraid to ask.  In order to do this it takes
me about two weeks of constant first graders.  We also just finished
with third grade planet research.  All planet books are put on reserve
and they come many times for about 45 minutes to finish.  Again, we have
as many adults as possible to answer the many questions.  sorry this is
so long ... but I just can't say enough about how it helps them to
really use research techs. when they need it. even when reading a story
to younger children I willl pull true books off the shelves to show them
when a topic is mentioned in the story. Good luck...

Kay Krause
Learning Center Director
Willow Grove School (K-4)
777 Checker Drive
Buffalo Grove, Il. 60089
847-541-3660
Fax 847-821-7572
http://www.willowgrorve,district96.k12.il.us/


-------------------------------*

1.  How would the library program at your school improve if the 45
minute planning
   time was dropped?  The classroom teachers and I work together as a
team.  My lessons are a direct refelction of the
   classroom teachers needs in their classroom.

   2.  What would you do each day?  Teach, plan and maintain the library
(We do not have para's for shelving, etc.).  In
   reality I teach MUCH MORE with Flexible scheduling.  I have the
philosophy that I work for the teachers.  My
   approach to them is "What can I do for you and your class?"

   3.  How would academics improve?  As an extension of the classroom
you can target specific areas that your school
   needs impovement upon.  For example informational reading or
writting.  You and the teacher can work together team
   teaching, or both of you could have a smaller group to acheive this
goal.  When flexible scheduling is done correctly it
   can be awesome!

Natalie Johnson, Library Media Specialist, Lewis Open Magnet, Wichita
(KS) Public Schools

-------------------------------*
>
> 1.  How would the library program at your school improve if the 45
minute planning
> time was dropped?
   xxxx The media sp. would have more time to spend on reviews, weeding,

& mending to enhance the collection, offer more services to teachers in
the way of production assistance, parapro training, and gathering
materials as requested by teachers, producing bibliographies, staff
newsletter perhaps, information on newly acquired items, etc.
>
> 2.  What would you do each day?
  >xxx This is a rather insulting question! You would do what most
librarians do every day..... circulate materials, shelve, repair
equipment, plan lessons, order, mend, catalog, process materials, along
with those things listed in #1...

> 3.  How would academics improve?
  xxx You would be available to assist students in locating  information

and appropriate materials. Also, by planning with teachers to integrate
library skills with classroom instruction,you would be able to teach a
skill at the time of need, thus providing meaningful instruction.
\
Dorothy Black
dcblack@bellsouth.net
---------------------------------------------------------------------
to be continued......
________________________________________________________
Ellen Wiseman, Librarian
Scroggins Elementary
Houston, TX
ewiseman@wt.net

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