ELEM: Fixed or Flexible Schedules

[THE STEIMELS <steimel@GIBRALTER.NET>]

Greetings, LM_NETTERS.  I need some input on library schedules and I hope
some of you might use models that will provide me with a few ideas for my
own school.  Let me begin by explaining that I have an extremely supportive
administration.  My principal has given me free rein to research scheduling
options and to bring back ideas to solve our library use problems.  Nothing
is being shoved at me or even strongly suggested to me.  My purpose here is
to gather information for the benefit of our students and staff.

I am in need of revising our schedule specifically for grades 3-5.  We have
a fixed schedule in the morning with the primary grades.  We are part of the
specials rotation for those folks, providing planning time for K-2 teachers.
The afternoons are open for grades 3-5 to sign up and use the library in a
flexible schedule.  Due to the normal pressures of time to cover all
material in a day and the fact that grades 3-5 have their specials time in
the afternoons, grades 3-5 do not truly have the same opportunities to use
the library as frequently as the primary grades.

I fully understand the advantages and disadvantages of both fixed and
flexible library schedules.  In a perfect world, a library would be flexible
all day and teachers would schedule their students for library use as it is
pertinent to the curriculum.  Media skills could then be taught within the
context of the curriculum areas, making library use more relevant to student
learning.  However, we don't exist in that perfect world and it is still
necessary for students to use the library and to learn the benefits of
library use.  In other words, things don't happen as they should, even when
we put our best efforts into it.

So, what's a librarian to do?  I would like to hear your ideas / thoughts /
suggestions on what has and has not worked for you.  I would value your
professional opinion on WHY something has / has not worked in your
situation.

My view on this is that I don't have any major problems being involved in
either a fixed or flexible schedule.  As I said before, I can see the pros
and cons of both.  My philosophy is that I want the students to benefit.  If
this means that I analyze the data I'm collecting from various sources and
decide to go to a fixed schedule, I'm fine with that as long as it is in the
best interest of the students.  If I leave the afternoons flexible, I'm fine
with that as well, as long as this is an advantageous situation for the
students in grades 3-5.

Please direct your responses to my home e-mail.  Thanks in advance for your
input.  It is genuinely appreciated.

Sincerely,

Jennifer R. Steimel

****************************************************************************
************************************************************

"There is nothing worse than a brilliant image of a fuzzy concept."
----- Ansel Adams
steimel@gibralter.net

Eric Steimel
Assistant Principal
Lejeune High School
esteimel@lejeune.odedodea.edu

Jennifer Steimel
Media Specialist
Berkeley Manor Elementary School
jsteimel@lejeune.odedodea.edu

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