HIT: ELEM: Flex Schedule

[Librarian <library@ksc8.th.com>]

Colleagues

Many thanks to all those who replied to the questions I had about Flexible
Scheduling. A few people asked for a HIT, so here it is.

Questions, Prompted by Teachers' comments:


- If parents are used to sending their child's library book to school on X
day, how will they cope where there are no longer fixed library days? Is
there a higher incidence of overdues?

Answers:
No, in fact, they check out more books and return them whenever they
finish. They don't have to wait until library day to exchange a book.

My library is open to book exchange for individuals and small groups all
day. Some students come everyday.

I didn't notice much change in overdues when we switched a couple years
ago.

Yes!!!

Your circulation will increase substantially but overdues don't really
seem to be a factor.

Parents may send books any day. The child may pick a book out in the am,
finish it before the day is over and exchange it again before they leave
for home.

- Do teachers still bring in their whole class to exchange books, or is it
all done in small groups? If so, how do children of very young children
(who cannot visit the library alone) manage?

Answers:
When teachers want to bring the whole class for book exchange they do so,
but it is just that, no story, no activity, just to select books.

The Kindergarten classes often come as a whole class for check out. Other
classes seem to send students for independent checkout.

At all ages except pre-K come to the library on their own.

Yes, whole class book exchange happens.

- If some teachers do still bring in their whole class, are they required
to book this time, even if they don't need the librarian? Must they book
the same session every week, or do some of them still book the same spot
every week for a whole semester, thus virtually having a fixed schedule?

Answers:
        No, they must book the session every week

Most classes come to the library as an introduction to a new unit. The
teachers and I collaborated with the lesson planning and teamteach the
lessons. Then small groups come to do research, which I facilitate. This
helps the teacher reduce her class size for awhile and the keeps the
library manageable.

Teachers who bring a whole class must sign up on the schedule.  We do not
let teacher's sign up for the same time each week. This defeats the whole
point of flexible scheduling.

We ask them to sign up so we know what to expect for the day and I can
make recommendation to change times if we happen to be very busy at that
time. We try to accommodate as many classes at one time as possible.

- How do we ensure that some students don't miss coming to the library for
long periods?
Answers:
        Police when necessary. I leave it up to the teacher and the
student to work out.

I worry about this with gr. 6. Every year I vow to plan some cooperative
project once a month during the year to be sure they get there but never
quite make it nine times.

By making sure teachers come regularly for various reasons. When I don't
see teacher's for awhile I go see them to talk about what they are
studying and how we can tie in library activities.

 -Do you find that some teachers "hog" all the bookings, leaving no
access for others?

Answers:
No.

        Rarely.

        We have not had this problem.

No, I don't allow this. You need to meet and plan with everyone - some
teachers who have projects where they come daily for a week or two will
then know it will be awhile before their students can do an activity with
you again - but each student can exchange books at any time.

Yes, you might want to keep a time schedule.

No, it works amazingly well.


 - Below are some additional comments from these librarians':

 Instructional visits and book exchange are two totally different purposes
for coming to the library.
 Skills are introduced when there is a meaningful application. They are
learned and can be transferred to other situations. Taught in isolation
they are frequently forgotten.
 Flexible schedule allows TL to help teachers provide differentiation by
working with half a class, top or bottom, to meet specific needs.
 Teachers schedule times on an individual basis. Usually we schedule a
couple of weeks at a time, sometimes week to week, and sometimes a whole
nine-week period. A class may come in once a week for a month and then not
again for several weeks. Or they may come two or three times in one week.
 The key to flexible scheduling is the collaboration and planning of
instructional activities. The learning needs dictate time and place  which
calls for signing up. Book exchange is definitely separated 100% from
instructional time and use of the library.

Thanks to all of you who took the time to reply

Regards


Yvonne Davidson
Librarian
New International School of Thailand
36 Sukhumvit Soi 15
Bangkok, 10110
Thailand
library@ksc8.th.com

                   "Few things are more important to society than finding
                    ways to help teachers teach and help children learn"
                                     M.R. Robinson.

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