Target: Help for High Stakes Tests

[Ginny Koeppen <gkoeppen@WINNPSB.ORG>]

Hello everyone,

Could any of you give suggestions for the way you are addressing the
Information skills portions of the high stakes tests that your state uses?

In Winn Parish (Louisiana) we librarians are trying to determine what are
some of the best ways we can better assist the teachers and students for the
Information skills portion.  The scores in those areas of the tests were
low.  We teach lessons and reinforce skills but obviously need to change
some things.  We know it is not all our responsibility, but some teachers
think that it is.  We have come across teachers that have actually clipped
the Information skills section of the high school English book and said to
us that they don't teach that in the classroom .  It is going to be taught
totally in the library by the librarian.  Now, I am sure you know our
reaction.  Some of the schools are on block scheduling and the libraries are
on a flex schedules.  Other schools see their high school English classes
once every two weeks.  Things can't be taught totally in isolation.
Transfer of information into all areas is one of the biggest problems that
students have.
I'm sorry.  I know I am sounding off.  I will get off my soap box.

Anyway,  we are making classroom packets that have sample worksheets, copied
pages from resource books ( indexes, table of contents, reader's guides,
encyclopedia, etc.) and suggestions of ways to use them.  We also are making
grade level collection of information skills worksheets and lesson
activities that involve higher level thinking skills.
We would appreciate any and all ideas.
Thank you,
Ginny Koeppen
Librarian/Technology Coordinator
Calvin High School
P.O. Box 80
Calvin , LA 71410
gkoeppen@winnpsb.org

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