Re: computer lab scheduling...fixed or flex

[Susan Fahey <sfahey@TWCNY.RR.COM>]

Greetings,
I am in need of guidance from librarians who have been at this longer than I
have (2 completed school years). At present, I provide planning time for the
15 teachers in my K - 4 building. All classes have a 30 minute time in the
library, except 4th which has 45 minutes. I see the Kindergarten classes
twice a week to have an equal # of planning hours per teacher and grade
level. I have an aide for less than 2 hours a day...if she is not pulled for
some other duties. The school is small and I am lucky to know every child.

We have a computer lab 2 doors away with 24 iMacs and a class set of roving
iBooks with wireless technology. The lab is staffed full time with a
teacher's assistant. She has scheduled classes and does math games or other
such programs with K -2 and keyboarding skills with 3rd and 4th grade. The
4th grade uses the computer lab times for word processing only...typing and
printing 10 + stories and reports for an end of the year booklet. The
assistant has difficulty with change.

I am meeting with the principal to discuss changes that I and one of the 4th
grade teachers and the 3rd grade team would like to implement for the next
school year. I would like a flex schedule for 3rd and 4th grade in the
library with a weekly 15 minute check-out time. We have several
collaboration projects in mind using PowerPoint or other technology for the
end product.

The possibility exists to make enemies if this flys because "specials" are
seen as written in stone and collaboration means teachers will drop their
kids off at the library so they can get the info the teacher's want.

How do other schools schedule library and computer lab times? Ideally I
would like a K - 2 fixed schedule in the library and lab and a flex time for
3rd and 4th grade so research projects can begin and end within 2 weeks
rather than 6 months. The lab should be free during the "collaboration"
times so students can use the technology for more than word processing.

Or should I just drop my quest and go with the flow?
Any ideas would be helpful.

Susan Fahey
Tecumseh Elementary
Jamesville - DeWitt School District
sfahey@twcny.rr.com

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