TARGET: Elementary Flexible Scheduling

[Jane Rossi <Jane624@AOL.COM>]

The flexible schedule that has been working fairly well in my elementary
media center for 2 years is in jeopardy. Until this time, the classroom
teachers' planning time has been provided through art, music, PE, and
computer lab. Now, it looks as if there will not be district monies for the
computer lab teacher. I'm quite sure that the staff will look to me to
provide the extra minutes which will make a flexible schedule impossible. The
principal has been supportive of the flexible plan, but I feel she may buckle
under the pressure to find a simple solution to the planning time problem. To
complicate matters even more, our school will be receiving 20 iMacs by fall.
I have always wanted more computers in the media center than the six I
presently have, but now I'm wondering if "computer lab" type activities will
be deemed part of my job. I'm comfortable using computers as tools for
finding and presenting information and integrating such uses into the
students classroom activities. To teach computer or  media skills, in
isolation, is not my philosophy. I think this will come to a head very soon.

Has anyone out there experienced this situation before and/or could you offer
some advice on how to show evidence as to the effectiveness of flexible
scheduling? I will post a HIT on the responses.

Thank You,
Jane Rossi, Media Specialist
Dicken Media Center
Ann Arbor, MI 48103
jane624@aol.com

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