I have recieved many resposnes to my question about the impact of NLCB on media
programs. Following is an unedited (except for removing names& locations )
collection of the responses. Thank you.
Mary Alice Anderson
Yes! Reading comprehension is measured by Lexile Range rather than Grade
Equivalent.
This is in contrast to our TCAP tests (State Standardized Tests) and of course
Accelerated Reader assessments. Our district has purchased through Follett, Lexile
ratings (which are now accessed through OPAC) and matching stickers for our books.
We already have AR stickers and labels on the spines of our library books. Since
there is no other place to attach the Lexile sticker, we have chosen to place the
sticker on the inside front cover of each library book that has a Lexile range.
After reading the recent article,"Is the tail Wagging the Dog?" in School LIbrary
Media Activities Monthly, I am convinced that our AR program will be taking a slow
boat to China much to the chagrin of some of our teachers who use it as a part of a
grade.
But my principal, county reading director and others agree that Lexile measurements
are here to stay. Since Lexile will be the instrument to measure reading growth,
we had best be on the bandwagon.
I see our role in technology as expanding rather than shifting. Librarians are
expected to keep up with the current technology trends and achievement goals,
incorporate them in our lessons, teach and suppport these trends to others, while
maintaining the programs that have already been installed (AR, STAR. IAI). We are
juggling more balls instead of dropping a few.
NCLB is creating great confusion. Our teachers are under incredible pressure from
the state and local hierarchy to remain on the "good school" list. And we all know
that NCLB ratings may be in the hands of a "few" students' scores.
It seems that we (students, teachers and schools) are being evaluated and "tagged"
by the NCLB decree. We, as educators, have been left with the mechanics of the
mandate and not given the means or tools to achieve its goals. At the same time our
schools are being threatened with public humiliation if the goals are not met.
I supose this is input of a sort for you. I have heard practically
nothing about NCLB at our school. I attend all the faculty meetings and
district conference days and have barely heard it mentioned. I don't
know what that means. Perhaps we are already complying with the
requirements? Perhaps our district (rural/suburban - relatively wealthy
population base) does not qualify? Perhaps our state (NY) already has
enough high stakes testing in place? I don't know - all I know is that
it appears to not even rippled the waters a little bit.
I am teaching classes now as part of the accountability. That's fine with
me because I love to teach, but it seems that some teachers find it an
inconvenience and don't come. I don't track them down, so if they don't'
come, they don't get the instruction. I feel that it needs to be changed t
o All children left behind ;)
The classes are reference skills (using the dictionary, atlas, and almanic),
doing research, and reading to find the answers to the questions I have on
the paper. I was surprised at just how many kids did not know what a
reference book was and how to use the internet. This has really opened my
eyes.
I have really enjoyed the classes and teachers are asking for copies of my
questions to re-enforce what I teach. They also give me lesson plans on
what they are teaching, so I can help them with their lessons.
Collaboration is a good thing if it is used properly.
Negative!
I have been told to coordinate my library lessons, including choice of read-aloud,
with the topic of the week being covered in the classroom literacy curriculum.
This is the first time for this.
I like to coordinate, too, and have been trying for years to do it with social
studies and science. Now I'm expected to do it for all grades, every week, for
literacy. I had been reading fairy tales to 1st grade; now I'm choosing titles
that have a short u in the words since their unit is on short u: ugly duckling and
3 billy goats gruff. I've always done the letter of the week with K.
NCLB has made no impact yet on the library media program at my school, and
almost none on my school as a whole. I have the feeling that most of the
teachers, if asked, would not know what it is or what the law entails. Just
my opinion. It may have more of an effect on the elem. or HS level.
I'm noticing a huge emphasis on our "Reading" programs...the District has had
Reading Teacher positions for a couple years now, and it seems that since the NCLB
and the Minnesota "Report Cards", reading seems to be the center of what's going
on. Our reading teachers were giving tens of thousands of dollars to buy
materials, yet library media centers were not seen as being vital to reading.
Schools are also spending much more time talking about "levels" of books, as well
as reading programs like Accelerated Reader. Personally, I appreciate the emphasis
on reading --especially when we still allow students choice when selecting books.
Two major changes that I have seen over the past two years related to NCLB are
1. Implementation of a 90 minute block of time in the classroom to teach reading
using direction instruction of the basil reading series. This has left little time
for self selected reading and sustained silent reading. Both of these are proven
ways to improve reading.
2. The technology labs have become totally devoted to SuccessMaker in order to
predict / raise test scores. Other programs are not being used, because there is
not time in the labs or left in the instructional day.
Not related to the media center or technology, I have
seen much frustration on the part of all teachers, but
especially ESE teachers. We have had one excellent
teacher leave the classroom to become a resource teacher.
Others are looking for positions outside the classroom
setting.
For the first time since NCLB was signed,
we are seeing the fears it has created and some changes in how the resource
teachers will be used in the coming months. The first plan was that the
resource teachers would tutor slow students in their "free time". In an open
library or even a modified flex library, "free time" is considered to be any
time over and above the planning time given the classroom teacher each day.
This plan has not been enacted in my school...yet. Since we lost several
days of school due to the hurricane in Sept, we will be teaching 20 extra
minutes per day. In my building and in many others, this time is to be
dedicated to Literacy. All resource teachers are asked to be involved in
literacy tutoring during those last 20 minutes. I will close the library at
2:30 every day and tutor low level kindergarten kids in literacy issues. My
secretary will do the same so we really can't keep the library open. Our
principal has said she does not want kids going to the lmc during these 20
minutes. I have real problems with this concept, but will do it until a
better plan comes up
THANK YOU!!!!
Mary Alice Anderson, Lead Media Specialist
Winona Middle School - 1570 Homer Road
Winona MN 55987 - ph: 507 494 1050
web site: http://www.rschooltoday.com/winonamiddle/maryaliceanderson
Online Professional Development
School of Education: University of Wisconsin - Stout
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