Hello All:
I have been waiting to post this HIT to get all the answers in--and I know there
are more solutions out there somewhere, since I got more requests for a HIT than
answers to the query. Here is my original post followed by the responses....
I have the fixed schedule/planning period conundrum. I am a "special" class, along
with music and P.E., and we are about the only planning time our fourth and fifth
grade teachers get. They work without assistants, so there's nobody to share all
the paper grading and such with.
I am trying to get my principal to let me have a partial-flex schedule for next
year, starting one grade level at a time. I'm hoping that it will work well enough
to implement a full flex within the next few years. My teachers like the idea of
collaborative lessons and extra research time, but literally can't afford to lose
the planning time.
Somebody, somewhere in LM_NET land must have been through this before--I would like
to tap the collective wisdom of the group. If you have a solution or a schedule
that works for you, please send it to me. I'll be happy to post a HIT if anybody
else needs the information.
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In my current situation, the first year I was here, we did 1/2 day flex
and 1/2 day fixed. The fixed schedule ws for the k-3 grades. At the
end of the year I did a teacher survey and many in the faculty said
"either be fixed or flex, not both as I wanted to come when you had a
class scheduled." So, we went 100% flex. However, my principal
requires everyone to come for a 15-20 minute visit to exchange books
because we had some teacher who were always too busy to send students to
exchange books.
IMO, the biggest challenge is to get teachers to change the idea
that library is a subject to be worked into the schedule.
Right now my sign up page includes 2 columns for each time
period. One column is for classes who are exchanging books and the
second column is for classes who are working on a project and expect me
to teach at least part of the lesson. Consequently we might have 2,
even 3 groups in the library at one time. One class exchanging books,
and the others doing research.
Be aware that the other special teachers will become hostile as
they envision you sitting around while they are seeing classes.
Our school has art, music and P.E. as special areas. There is a
3 day rotation.
In grade levels with more than 3 sections per grade level, they see 1
full class and a portion of another class. In grade levels with 4
sections they see 1 1/3 classes.
Another solution is for music and P.E. to see 2 classes at a time.
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Be very careful here. We, too, are a "special" and provide planning time
for our whole school K-5.
We lobbied for, and got time for flex time about 3 years ago.
It was great until the administration hired a new curriculum director, who
doesn't have a clue about librarians and our needs. We did meet with him
and explain everything we do ..and our plans..but nada.
Last year, we not only we lost all the "flex" time plus our "management"
time, ( to provide additional planning time for teachers,) we now teach all
the technology in the school as well as manage the library and teach
information skills.
With so many cuts in NY and IL and other states in funding and loss of
librarians, I am glad to be secure as a "special", providing planning time.
But I hate the fact that I have to do many of my jobs at home, because there
is not enough time at school to do it all.
In other words, make darn sure your "flex" time isn't looked at as "free"
time (from the teachers' perspective.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do you have a contract that specifies a planning period for the
affected teachers? This could be a major stumbling block. Check that
out first. Make sure the teachers don't plan on sending a whole class
unsupervised to do research so they can get their planning done.
We were a contractual prep period for as long as anyone could
remember. Last year - in response to a parent's complaint about the
lack of state mandated Health time- we became flexed except for K
classes 4 times a week. This year there's a big budget shortfall so
the Health teachers are out and we'll be back to fixed.
I am not sad. I feel that I've lost touch with the kids in the
school. I only see most for a frantic 15 minute book exchange period
every week. There are only so many projects going on in the year. I
have a 5th grade that has yet to do research in the Library. We have
many empty periods with no one. My principal discourages story time
(my forte). The most of First and Second grade teachers feel that
it's OK to read only Harry Potter to their grades.
So we have little kids coming in for books about wars, guns and
dinosaurs and nothing else. Oh of course they all want Harry Potter.
I think flexed would work best with upper grades (3-6) but you must
have a staff which is interested in cooperating or a principal who
mandates that they do projects.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Back in my elem. school days I combined some classes in the library (for
storytime) and to ease my schedule. I guess you could call it a
modified flex schedule, with weekly classes in most grades and free time
for upper level research on some days. I scheduled same grade classes
with a 15' overlap, which was the storytime (grades K-3). The schedule
went something like this:
9:15am Mrs. X 1st grade class checkout
9:30am Mrs. X and Mr. Y lst grade classes storytime
9:45am Mrs. X class lines up and leaves (with teacher)
Mr. Y class checkout
The overlap helped me gain time throughout the day. With careful
planning the time was all bunched together, rather than 15 minutes here,
and 15 minutes there.
In my case I asked one of the 2 classroom teachers to stay with the
combined class (to help with management or even those little
emergencies).
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I'm a Librarian Asst. in a K-5 school. We use a combination flexible and fixed
schedule for all. All classes have a fixed 15 min. check out time each week just
to be sure each child is subjected to checking out a book. We have 1,004 students
K through 5th. We also see 2 each K, 1st, and 2nd classes on a rotation basis for
30 min. each once a week to help with teachers' planning time. (Did I just make
any sense?) The rest of the time is flexible schedule
time.....research....independent check outs......computer use......pleasure
reading....etc. This works great for our school! Of course, we have a few
teachers that just can't stand to not be in charge of their students ALL of the
time and don't really let their students independently walk to the library to use
our flexible scheduling....which is sort of frustrating to us. But, I would say
that 75% of our teachers love it.....realizing that we can help them help the
children by researching independently with a little help from us as librarians.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The only solution to providing planning time for the teachers is to hire another
"specials" teacher in order to allow for media center flexibility. In my school,
the administration doesn't see it as a priority and funds which could be used for
that purpose, are instead, diverted to classrooms and used to help hire
paraprofessionals to assist in the classroom. Unless your district has strong
advocacy (and support for your efforts) to obtain flexible access in all media
centers, and not just middle and high schools, it is an uphill battle to
demonstrate why the media center needs to be flexible if the money isn't there. I
really have come to the conclusion that lack of education of administrators on the
role of the media center to promote student achievement and lifelong learning, is
the source of the lack of support. I know I keep trying, and it isn't happening
here, except for the schools in wealthier areas where money is no object.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have worked out a schedule with the guidance counselor so that we switch every
week. I have half the classes and she has half. The next week I had the half she
had and vice versa. This gives the teachers their prep time and it gives me some
flexibility for research. My problem is that we have very few self contained
classes which seems to inhibit the use of the library for research.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do teachers have any time before or after the student day top to work in
their room? Perhaps something can be done through your teachers association
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
You're right...many of us have faced the same problem...!!! I spent 8
years working up to our present solution...
Scenario: I was the Librarian for 21 classes (K-6) in a 4-day
A-B-C-D rotation. No aides, no assistants. I was a prep period, so
there was no flexibility, and there were few open spaces within my
schedule. I worked w/ a few teachers on projects, and each year the
demand grew. Each year at budget time I wrote a memo outlining the
"things I could/should be doing if I had the time and space...give me
an aide", and each year the administration shrugged their shoulders and
said there was nothing that could be done.
Each year I worked with more teachers, and our library became more
important to them...the administrators began to see I was right. Last
year our 7-12 Librarian left for another job, and rather than replace
her, we redesignerd the department. We now have only one MLS (a loss,
to be sure, but a calculated risk, considering the alternative) BUT! we
now have a Library/Media department with 2 aides and two teaching
assistants covering two libraries and a computer lab within the same
building. We can now accomodate numerous classes each day, as well as
the K-6 fixed schedule. It's still far from perfect, but at least it's
workable, and more staff are getting the attention they need for their
classes.
Best of luck...there's no quick fix, since the
administrators have to find something else to provide prep periods if
they take us away from that equation...If you keep working with
whatever you have, they MIGHT see the benefits of real library service,
and do something for you.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have faced this same problem and can't really say I have the perfect
solution ..... but I started (after giving my teachers lots of inservive
and research to prove latest "best policies" in this area) with a flex
schedule several years ago for a few years and was at first disappointed
with the end results...... but looking back ..........
Our teachers have 1/2 day released time every month to plan as a team ..
and because of my flex schedule I could arrange to meet with them for part
of their planning time ..... this was a good thing. So the collaborating
part was good. However, not every teacher on some teams bought into it
and they seldom signed up for LMC times and so there were some kids I never
saw for LMC activities ....... Library periods were scheduled ... otherwise
some kids would have never had a chance check out books. (the same teachers
never got around to bringing their class for library....) I also didn't
have strong principal support so there was no expecation from him to the
teachers that this was expected to be part of their curriculum......
Parents of these classes were not happy ...... but I was the one who heard
about it ...... I had to deal with that in a diplomatic way ......
Finally, I tried to run a combination flex/semi flex schedule and this was
good for the inflexible teachers but frustrating for me and the flex
classes ........ Many times I was planning two or three different
lessons/units for each grade level at one time ...... and flex teachers and
I had a hard time find times for them to come to the LMC that could work
around the scheduled times........ That was a major problem and no amount
of work on my part changed those teachers minds........... I was exhaused
for those years ..... trying to do it all for everyone....
Then suddenly for the last three years our student population has
drastically changed and we have many students in need of special services
and as a building we have a goal to meet these needs ...... long story
short, since scheduling for Specialists is a problem I am back to a fixed
schedule. I can live with this because it is best for the kids we serve.
After my initial disappointment and sense of failure ...... I have come to
realize that in the long run we have to evaluate the needs of our student
population and do what is best for KIDS ....... after all ... that is why
I am teaching ....... The people who wrote and promote "Information Power"
are not working in my school dealing with my kids or my teachers.
I am pleased that the collaboration model is still working . We plan
together ...... during lunch hours and the teachers are willing to stay
with their kids for the LMC lessons whenever it is necessary ....... My LMC
lesson plans are based on each grades curriculum based on their State
Standards ..... but when they don't have something they want the LMC to do
along those lines I have other LMC standards to plug in ........
BTW: This is my 34th year of teaching and 30th year as an LMC Director and
building Technolgy Coordinator.
Sorry this was so long ...... but so many times the speeches we hear and
articles we read about this don't really give the whole story from the
"trenches".
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I am in a K - 5 school with 250 students - I started two years
ago - I have a fixed schedule, and am "special" too! Planning time is the
big issue here also. I have worked the schedule so that I have only two
classes on Tuesday - one at the beginning and one at the end of the day ...
slowly the teachers are realizing that they can use the library for projects
and research on Tuesdays ... but it is slow going. I am trying to work on a
couple of small projects with different teachers over the summer - so they
get used to collaborating with me - Start small and hope things grow would
be my advice - but if you can't clear out a slot of time then that is a
problem ...
Robin Boltz, Library Teacher
Creedmoor Elementary, Creedmoor NC
MLS Student, East Carolina University
futuremlsecu@aol.com
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