Hello All,
My query read: "I'm working on an article for SLJ as a follow up to my two
collaboration books from Linworth and am commenting on the significantly
low level of collaboration between teachers and LMS's at the elementary
level. I'm curious, for those of you who aren't using collaboration as
your primary planning/teaching model, to know why. I am speculating that
it is primarily fixed scheduling and contractual obligation of the LMS to
provide coverage for teacher prep time that limit feasibility, but I would
love to hear directly from any of you who wouldn't mind sharing."
Responses to the query POURED IN for more than eight hours and were as
follows. I hope that you'll enjoy the article when it's published in
School Library Journal later this year. My second collaborations book,
Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for 7-12,
will join the Elementary volume Linworth later in the fall.
*** *** *** *** ***
EXACTLY!!!!!! Although I'm not contractually a prep time; it seems like
it because while I have half the class in the library, the teacher is
with the other half in the computer lab (and for grades 3-5, the next
week the kids switch places). Often it is one teacher bringing down
several different classes to the lab/library.
In my K-1 school (I'm in 2 buildings K-1, and 2-5), while not
contractually a prep time, I am being used as a prep, and I teach 9
classes (5 first grades @ 45 mins ea, and 4 Kinders at 25 mins each) in
the one day a week I am at that location
*** *** *** *** ***
EXACTLY!!!!!! Although I'm not contractually a prep time; it seems like
it because while I have half the class in the library, the teacher is
with the other half in the computer lab (and for grades 3-5, the next
week the kids switch places). Often it is one teacher bringing down
several different classes to the lab/library.
In my K-1 school (I'm in 2 buildings K-1, and 2-5), while not
contractually a prep time, I am being used as a prep, and I teach 9
classes (5 first grades @ 45 mins ea, and 4 Kinders at 25 mins each) in
the one day a week I am at that location
*** *** *** *** ***
I am on a semi-fixed schedule. That is, half my instructional time can be
used and is used to provide classroom teacher planning time. The rest of
the time, over and above my own planning time, is considered Open Library
time. Frankly, to make Open Library as flexible as possible, I just
consider all the time outside of scheduled time as Open Library and take my
own planning time flexibly. I know others would object to that since your
own planning time could disappear. Hasn't been a problem yet. I do think
there are a couple of obstacles to successful collaboration. Just because
we say we want to do it and tell teachers we're available and give them
examples of what collaboration looks like, doesn't mean they're going to
jump at the chance.
I have been successful in collaborating with several teachers in my
building, more with some than others. Those I work with the most not only
bring in their classes during Open Library time where we work together on
projects, but sometimes stay with their classes during their scheduled time
to work on those same projects. One of them even responded to my recent
staff newsletter comments about asking better questions and we redesigned
the annual 5th grade state reports to require more higher level thinking
skills. I got to actually help in the design. A major coup, I thought!
Others learn of something I'm doing with a class and just ask me to do it
with their class during their regular library time. I'm happy to do that,
but I find that, depending on what it is, it's often more effective when we
do it together.
So, the obstacles are that some teachers, even when you show them what
collaboration is and can be, won't come to you, nor if you approach them
directly, will they be interested in working together. Why? I think
sometimes they see it as additional work and they're busy enough already.
It's additional planning, in their minds. For some, I speculate, it's a
loss of control. They don't want to share, or perhaps I'm too negative
here, and it's a fear of something. I do think I'm finally starting to make
some progress here, though. I'm doing more collaboration now than ever and
I think I see it growing. I've made a point to be involved in the Balanced
Literacy reading program the district has instituted, even to the point of
getting onto the upper el team for the first year of training. The district
didn't think librarians should be trained, but fortunately, my principal at
the time thought it would be a good idea. That has helped me into more
collaboration, too.
Since we'll be negotiating a new contract next year and I'm concerned about
losing even this much Open Library time, I've been actively promoting
collaboration. I write a monthly report to the principal, which is not
required in any way, but which I use as an instrument to let her know what
I do with my time. I let her know generally what I do with classes during
scheduled time, and what collaborations I have going. I talk about my
volunteers and my various building and district committees. I talk about
the managerial side of the job, too, cataloging, acquisitions, weeding,
etc. And I let her know what professional development activities I've been
involved in. I also write a monthly staff newsletter in which I describe
the various collaboration activities going on in the library, hoping that
will trigger ideas for others. One month, when I didn't have a lot of
collaborations to talk about, I discussed the idea that had been a topic on
LM_NET about asking better questions, hoping to get teachers to think more
about what our assignments are and why we make them. I always review a
bunch of books in the staff newsletter, too. The staff newsletter goes to
the principal, too.
I realize I've gone on a long time here. I hope it's making sense. I think
collaboration is key to our success in affecting student achievement, but
saying it isn't enough. Folks, whether media specialists, teachers and
administration, need to know what it means. What does it really look like,
why should a teacher want to do it, why is it worth the teacher's effort,
is it really better for kids?
*** *** *** *** ***
And the idea that little kids can't need the library media program for
academic purposes. Few teachers teach with literacy and information
linked. When teachers teach differently then collaboration becomes
essential. You might like to find some of Ellen Jay's books for these
types of lessons.
*** *** *** *** ***
I just finished my first year in a library (and the school's (pre k-
5)first year with a librarian) and had a fixed schedule. I attempted
collaboration with many the teachers, but had limited success. A couple
were enthusiastic and open to suggestions. The teachers that were most
resistant were teachers with many years of experience. I can speculate that
their resistance was due in part to the "old dog and new tricks" thing and
"why change what has worked for me for 20 years". I'm sure that being new,
I will have to prove myself to the rest. The director is very much
interested in honing student research skills, but I'm expected to provide
teacher break times.
One aspect of collaboration that came rather unexpectedly is from the
science and the computer teachers. The three of us are going to work
together next year to coordinate/collaborate research projects. We plan to
have one each semester and they will last for several weeks. Students will
learn Internet searching skills and produce a multimedia presentation in
computer lab. They will use print and some electronic resources and learn
skills in library time.
I will try to win over one teacher at a time....
*** *** *** *** ***
It's more than that. It's a pervasive feeling among elementary teachers
that they are the only ones who can teach their students. It's also about
accountability. They are required to answer to the parents and they want to
make sure that they can. Even with flexible scheduling, collaboration is
difficult.
*** *** *** *** ***
I have a fixed schedule and am release time for K-2, but I do have flex time
for third, fourth, and fifth grade with zero collaboration. I don't know what
to do to get the teachers to work with me. The fourth grade teacher gave a
research assignment and send the kids to the public library without even
looking at our resources. I found out about it after the fact from a parent.
The fifth grade teacher asks me to get books ready for his three research
projects (black biographies, presidents, & states) but he doesn't include me
in the research process - probably because he isn't aware that there is a
research process, even though I did an inservice on the Big6. He does ask me
to do lessons on documentation in the beginning of every year. I make folders
for the kids with practice on writing bibliographic citations for books,
encyclopedias, etc., and work with the kids in their classroom (out of
context). I don't get a chance to help the kids summarize, organize, etc.
even though I have tried several times to introduce graphic organizers. No
one includes me in planning curriculum. They don't check out the resources
before they make an assignment.
At my early childhood school, the teachers include me MORE in their curriculum
development. This is because the are invested in the Reggio Emilia and
High/Scope philosophies which center around the children's interests. These
programs are based on the constructivist approach that emphasizes children as
constructors of their own knowledge. These three, four, and five year olds
are invested in getting information. My K-5 school is so interested in test
scores, that they center on stuffing information into the kids - with little
success.
Collaboration starts at the top. The principal must want it and insist that
the teachers work this way. The principal at my early childhood center
considers me a "lead teacher." The principal at the K-5 school sees me as
peripheral staff.
*** *** *** *** ***
At what I thought was teacher request, we changed to a more flexible
schedule this year (which happens to be my first year at this school) to
allow more teacher collaboration. Not much of it actually happened, and now
there are several teachers who want to go back to what they had in previous
years: grades 1 - 4 came twice a week, WITHOUT their teachers, for
half-hour sessions. One was for storytime/book checkout, and the other was
for library skill lessons. The skill session was dropped this year to allow
for more collaborative projects, but the only teachers aware of the change
before the first day of school were the ones who'd been on the committee
that hired me and made this change. The rest learned ... surprise! ... that
they'd not only be losing a prep, they'd also have to do extra work:
planning projects with me.
Here's my take, then, on what went wrong:
1. Not all the teachers were on board when the change was made; it was
sprung on them as a surprise, and something (prep time) was "taken away"
from them. I think they may have been more supportive if they'd all agreed
beforehand that this would be a good way to work.
2. Lack of concrete models. I told the teachers I wanted to work with them
during all those free periods, but I had a hard time explaining exactly
what that would look like. Obviously, a few of the teachers (the ones who
helped hire me) wanted the change, but I don't think they had a clear idea
of what they wanted either. However, we had a few successful projects this
year, and now I can bring those to the teachers and say "Here's what I did
with Barb's class. Would you like to do something similar?"
3. Lack of communication. I'm still working on the best way to communicate
with all these teachers. Some are happy to fill out a monthly communication
form, while others prefer informal discussions in the staff lounge. Some
like meetings, and some hate them. Therefore, I have to be flexible! I
guess it's the trend in education: adapting your teaching techniquest to
your students' varying learning styles. :)
I haven't given up yet. My principal wants to go back to two sessions per
week, at least for one semester, and that may be what ends up happening.
However, I'm working really hard to convince her to leave good chunks of
time available for flexible scheduling. I think it's a change that can
happen. It's just going to take time and patience!
*** *** *** *** ***
Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Portland, ME 04103
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
35 Best Books For Teaching U.S. Regions (Scholastic Professional 2002)
Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for K-6
(Linworth 2002)
Collaborating to Meet Standards: Teacher/Librarian Partnerships for 7-12
(Linworth, December 2002)
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