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

[Ellen Wiseman <ewiseman@wt.net>]

Hit continues.....

Our district believes in flexible scheduling, and librarians still do
what
is "comfortable". Many schools have scheduled classes, or a combination-

one week scheduled, the other flex and the teachers need to sign up for
whatever they want to do. It is not a duty free time- teachers are to
stay
with their class. This is my 2nd year as librarian- I taught 10- 5 in
1st
and 5 in 4th. When the teacher wants to plop down and ignore what's
going
on around her and grade papers, I understand. Been there, done that.
When
the teacher wants to run to the bathroom and make a phone call- yep,
been
there, done that. When the teacher wants the kids to find a good book
and
shows interest in what they read, wow, everyone benefits- been there,
done
that. I think you need to consider training the teachers. Help them with
a
list of all the wonderful things that can be done in the LRC. (I was
surprised how many teachers were awed by this list) They are so bogged
down with teaching in their 4 corners, they need to be coached as to
what
marvelous things can happen in the LRC and that it's an extension of
their
learning space. Your flexibility and knowledge of the grade levels will
be
to your benefit. I have found being in the LRC is more fun than I
imagined-
they know I've been there- my job is to show them the wonderful
possibilities we have together to help our kids become successful
readers.
Good luck! Peggy Langford

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

Hi, Ellen!  I'm an elementary librarian who just began flex scheduling
this
year.  I have some comments that I truly couldn't figure out how to
sandwich into the answers below, so I'll just address them to you.
Because I also teach in Texas, there are some areas you should address
with your administrator.

First of all, be sure your administrator has a copy of the new library
guidelines.  Granted, they're only guidelines and, as such, have no
teeth in
them.  But what they do say is that exemplary schools have exemplary
library programs and that means a program with flex scheduling and total
access to the library.

Second of all, consider the new TEKS.  After going through the trainer
of
trainers session for the Social Studies TEKS, I quickly realized that a
change needed to be made to flex scheduling at my campus this year.
Fortunately, the instructional supervisor for my campus was at the
training with me and when I pointed out the problem, she quickly
agreed.  Both the social studies and science TEKS are set up in such a
way that a number of research demands are made.  I'm sure that teachers
aren't totally comfortable with the TEKS yet, but with the required
implementation, librarians need to ask how these skills are going to be
met in a classroom.  It will either require the librarian to pull
materials to send to the classroom or have the teacher bring the class
to the library, neither of which are possible if you're covering your
teachers prep time.  How can you prepare with a teacher during prep time
if you have
the students then?

It's my belief that many schools in Texas haven't done a good job of
training on the TEKS, so if you're not sure what I'm talking about,
write me back and I'll explain.


1.  How would the library program at your school improve if the 45
minute
planning time was dropped?  Instead of having the library time dictated
by the librarian's whims, library time would be scheduled and planned by
teachers and the content would be curriculum related.  In addition, the
library would be open throughout the day for students to come whenever
they needed to exchange books.

2.  What would you do each day?  There would not be a plan for each day
which I would follow.  As the administrator of the library, there are a
number of tasks which I must complete.  In addition, I would be able to
spend time planning with teachers  during their prep periods and working
on curriculum issues.  I would be able to work with small groups on
research.  There is more than enough work to do in a library.

3.  How would academics improve?  Because I would now be planning with
teachers, specific curriculum needs should be better addressed.  The new
TEKS implemented this year require students to require a number of
skills which need to be coordinated between teachers and the librarian.
Library skills need to be infused into the curriculum and that requires
cooperation between the librarian and the teacher and it requires the
teacher's presence in the library to assess the students' skills.

Charlyn Trussell/Bryan Elementary/Mission CISD/



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

1.  How would the library program at your school improve if the 45
minute planning time was dropped?
    This is my 2nd year on Flex Schedule (K-5 school, 50 students).  I
keep circulation records.  Except for 1 month, circulation has
consistantly increased since the change.
   We have more successful research going on--I teach Big 6, in addition

classes come for researach, allowing more resources to be used.

2.  What would you do each day?
   When a class is not scheduled I do the many many library management
chores: i.e.  process materials, shelve, select for purchase orders,
repair, service AV machines, prepare for teachers, select materials
teachers need.
   In addition, there are MANY times when 2+ classes are in the library
and I am handling that.
   I have remained surprised at how often during the day 1-2-3 students
arrive to exchange books/seek materials.  I really no longer have a
planning period because of the constant traffic.
   Last week on the same time period I had 2 classes of 4th graders
working on bird research while I had storytime with Kindergarten.
   Next week we are having a traffic jam as several classes want to come

for research and I cannot teach both simultaneously!

3.  How would academics improve?
   Children learn how to research at the time of need, therefore there
is meaningful learning of skills, then the skills are retained.
Learning in a vacuum just doesn't work.
   Example: Do we teach computer skills BEFORE child/adult has access to

computer?  NO!  We need to be able to use skill to retain it in our
brain?  Do we teach how to swim on a carpet in hopes of someday meeting
up with a body of water? NO, we get in water to learn...
     The woman I replaced had MANY library games.  Kids could play them,

but did not transfer the "knowledge" to how to use a library..

Mary Croix Ludwick   ludwick@swbell.net (home)
ludwickm@lisd.net(school)
Librarian, Owen Elem.,The Colony, Texas
Lewisville ISD(north of Dallas)   K-5
---------------------------------------------------------------
End of HIT
__________________________________________________________________________

Ellen Wiseman, Librarian
Scroggins Elementary
Houston, TX
ewiseman@wt.net

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