LM_NET: Library Media Networking
Thanks to all who responded. Some of these suggestions are helpful to me. I'm sure
this is an issue those of us with fixed schedules will continue to grapple with.
Charlie Reed-Mundell
Sunbeam School
Cleveland, Ohio
creedmundell@netscape.net
I have a fixed schedule and a flexible one. The fixed is a 30 minute class for
each per week at a scheduled time. The flexible is a blank monthly calendar that
teachers sign up on for projects, research, etc. IF the flexible teacher wants to
come for 2 hours 3 days in a row, that is great. IF he/she needs me to work with
them, then the fixed scheduled teachers bring their classes in on their own, I will
leave a book they can read, or they can just do the check out and silent reading.
This ONLY works if you have a flexible staff and IF you do not provide release time
for staff (which I do not). My teachers see this as, some weeks they get LOTS of
my time and help and other weeks they will get none, but by the end of the year it
all works out for all of them.
mary.lynn.potter@shorelineschools.org
Please post a "HIT" or bounce me the responses you get. I'm also a new LMS and
found it difficult to stay in the time frame and get anything accomplished
(meaningful). I was a classroom teacher for 14 years and as a classroom teacher
lessons could always be extended and elaborated on,
either in the next period or the next day. As an LMS with a 40 min. timeframe,
once a week with each class, lessons seem contrived, stunted and less meaningful.
I would be very interested to hear how others are handling this.
Candace Kudo, Librarian
Kaneohe Elementary School
45-495 Kamehameha Hwy.
Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744
Candace_Kudo/KANEOHE/HIDOE@notes.k12.hi.us
OR
kudoc@hawaii.edu
Two options for instruction: a middle school lib and info skills course a middle
school study skills course (time managment) lib entitled: The Library Experience:
Sharing the Responsibility study skills entitled: The Cambridge Stratford Study
Skills Course (20 Hour edition)
Infor availa at web site:
http://www.CambridgeStratford.com
Let me know if I can help.
Peter W. Stevens, President
CS Study Skills Institute
(800) 466-2232
Even though I've been a fixed schedule district for 20+ years, I really didn't have
the "time management" thing down pat at all. I invariably would run over my
allotted 30 minutes and would have teachers/classes standing in the halls waiting,
waiting. It still happens, but now for a different reason. Two years ago, when
making the schedule (thank goodness I don't have to do that any more! Library was
ALWAYS last after art, music and p. e.), my principal made the decision to add 15
minutes on the the class time for book exchange. In my district library is
contractual planning time. What a difference that 15 minutes makes! I have a buffer
between classes and an incentive for the kids to get the lesson completed. Having a
computerized system helps with book exchange!
Do I have any ideas on how to keep within the allotted time after 25+ years in the
business? Not really. I wear a watch, constantly check the wall clock (I make sure
that I can see it wherever I am), and have used a kitchen timer [the kids played
with it, though :(]. Splitting the activity into several parts has worked, also.
The bad thing about that is there is the possibility of not seeing the class for
several weeks - snow or programs can interfere. Your best bet it to have too much
with the ability to cut it if needed.
Kathie Epler
Amanda E. Stout Elem.
Reading, PA
skoob@epix.net
I get them for only 30 minutes so I can understand some of the frustration in
planning lessons and activities.
A couple of things I do:
Constantly remind teachers that kids need to come 'ready to learn'. If there is a
preset and clear expectation of learning, the time can be more usefully spent. (I
also have 3rd grade up kids bring their own pencil, ready to use. No sharpener here)
Checkout time is after successful completion of lesson (or even storytime).
Library is always open, kids can checkout on own time before, after school, or
recesses. Peer pressure often helps with kids that mess up others' time
This is, of course, in addition to working to find or develop learning activities
that are focused on the Information Literacy state standards.
It is always a good idea to look at the research on effective teaching. Not
implying a lack of skills, but rather realizing that as teacher-librarians our
focus should be on developing and providing effective ways to learn to be powerful
users of information literacy skills.
Just as you can walk into a classroom 25 minutes before recess and in some classes
see active learning going on and in others see kids getting ready for recess, we
need to be effective users of our time.
Here are some resources that should help focus our learning activities:
* Implementing the Seven Principles: Technology as Lever
by Arthur W. Chickering and Stephen C. Ehrmann
http://www.aahe.org/technology/ehrmann.htm
Remember, the computer isn't teaching.
* A "Teacher's Dozen:" Fourteen General, Research-based Guidelines to Inform
College Teaching and Assessment and Improve Higher Learning
http://www.princeton.edu/~aiteachs/workshop/14.html
While it says college in the title, it is amazing how well it fits to our patrons.
* Teacher Effectiveness
http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/content/cntareas/reading/li7lk15.htm
12 attributes to look at.
Maybe they will start some discussion.
Robert Eiffert, Librarian at Image Elementary
Vancouver WA
http://www.ima.egreen.wednet.edu/library.html
beiffert@.egreen.wednet.edu
I would appreciate it if you would post a hit from the ideas people send you. I
have one more year until I'm in media but I have pondered that question many times
since the school I am in only has a 30 minute time scheduled for each the ideas of
lessons and studies that I want to do in 30 min.
Jeanine Casteel
Media student
Florida
This year I split my 30 minutes weekly with the new computer teacher. We ended up
splitting the classes of 30 students into groups of 15 so I then saw each 1st-3rd
grade group every other week. By the time they would get in and seated we were
down to 25 minutes (if I was lucky) for quick review of what was going on then off
to the shelves and checkout. In other words, no teaching time for these guys just
in and out.
We had 4th-7th for 1 hour so we split them into groups of 15 with half to me the
first 30 minutes and then switch (the computer lab is through a connecting door).
I would do a lesson one week then checkout the next week -- this worked well since
I saw the entire class every week.
We are adding 8th grade this year so I am planning to use the same schedule with
4th-8th, provided we have them for 1 hour.
Gail Wilhelm, Librarian
St. Bonaventure School
Davie, FL
mgwilhelm@yahoo.com
My school is K-5 and I also see the students once a week, but I only have them for
35 minutes. What I have done is to have a lesson and circulation each week for K-1.
For grades 2-5, I teach a lesson for the entire 35 minutes one week, and then the
next week I teach a short lesson and the students have time for circulation.
What makes this work is that I can provide open circulation all week with the help
of my library volunteers. So a fifth grader that reads voraciously and checks out
two books during library class can return those two books when she is finished and
check out two more. She doesn't have to wait two weeks until we have a library
class with circulation.
The open circulation is what sold parents and teachers on this concept.
Let me know if you have any questions and good luck whatever you do!
Mary Ellen Hamalainen
Library Media Specialist K-4
James Fallon Elementary School
Wayne NJ
hamalainen@earthlink.net
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