Re: Freshman Orientation

[Doyle_Tony <tdoyle@MUHSD.K12.CA.US>]

-----Original Message-----
I stopped because no
matter how I presented the orientation or how entertaining I tried to
be, eyes glazed over after about the first 2 minutes.  After talking to
hundreds of students and teachers, I decided to stop orientation and
give research talks when a teacher assigned a project and scheduled
classes in the media center.  Every talk is project-specific and
includes only the sources that will help with the project.
---------------------------
An argument in favor of orientation.

We have so many students use the library individually every day (before and
after school and at lunch) that orientation is a must.  Teachers in every
subject area assign projects that require research skills and access to
technology (which is great).  Since library time is limited, every teacher
can't bring their class in for a research talk.  Orientation cuts down on
alot of confusion and foundering on the part of students when they come in
individually to do research.  I do a 5 day orientation with the freshman
social studies classes during the first month of school.  All the students
do not retain all, or even most, of the information I present, but it is
successful.  It is successful for the very same reasons Jamea's research
talks with other classes are successful, it is tied directly to the classes'
curriculum and the students need the information to complete an assignment
for which they receive a grade. Cooperation with the teachers is essential.
If they see orientation as a couple of days off then it will fail.

I think it is an opportunity to show off everything the library has to offer
and to start teaching information literacy right from the start.  The better
and the sooner we train the students to be information literate, the better
results teachers will get on their assignments and the more research they
will integrate into their classes (even PE teachers at our school assign
small research projects!).  Teachers also see the library as a vital part of
the school and are less likely to gripe about my "big" budget.  I say orient
them.  If it is not working try a different approach, but don't give up on
it.

--
Tony Doyle, Librarian
Livingston HS, Livingston, CA
tdoyle@muhsd.k12.ca.us

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