ORIGINAL QUESTION ( THANKS to ALL who replied)
Hello:
I will be at a renovated elementary school grades k-5 with 12 teachers.
Since there are 12 teachers, I will see each class twice totaling 24
classes. During the interview, the time frame suggested for each visit was
40 or
45 minutes. Has anyone worked in a similar situation and can provide
some scheduling ideas and suggestions? I have some written out but
looking for more. I am looking for workable ways for each of the 2 visits
each week. What is the purpose and function of each visit? Activities
for each? Should kindergarten's time be 40 minutes or less? reasons
for less? (getting your ideas , too; I have some) I am excited and
looking forward to my new work site !
Thanks to all in advance. I look forward to receiving your ideas.
REMINDER:
Please..only ideas from library media specialists who are or have worked a
schedule whereby each class visited twice, the amount of time for each, and
types
of activities/purpose/function of and for each OR can suggest.
Much appreciated !
Robert Joyce
robert@gcronline.com
Librarian/Library Media Specialist K-5
Brosville Elementary School
Pittsylvania County Virgina
Years ago I did this and I found it easier to make one visit a "class"
...for little ones story times from Gr3 lessons on dictionaries,
encyclopedias etc. and the other visit was clearly a "check out" time for K
and 1st I actually displayed books all over the tables as well as from the
shelves to spread out the crowd and they could check out as soon as they
found an item they wanted (only if their earlier item was returned) and then
the lined up on the floor enjoying their books so I knew who still needed
help We did first visit of week as class and second as a check out and I
tried to get extra volunteers to help with check out time .....
------------------------
suggestions for kindergarten pro and con for a 40 minute time frame.
Pro: ability to actually carry out a lesson plan from start to finish, even
if just showing a video on one day (usually 25-35 minutes) 30 minutes is
much too short for this. I have had classes with 23 kindergarten students
and by the time you sit them down, explain the activity, and begin ... their
teacher is coming in or the next class is coming in and nothing gets
finished until their next visit, when you have to begin again!
Con: in the beginning of the school year, when kindergarten is just learning
about the library and book care (before actual checking out) 40 minutes may
be very taxing for both you and the class. This year we had many 4 year olds
begin kindergarten and we would lose many to nap-time (in the class room)
and shear exhaustion by the end of the day! Maybe you could work it out with
the teacher to begin with a shorter period (20 minutes) to begin the year
and work to 40 minutes by the end?
---------------------------------------------
Hey, have worked in exactly this type of schedule. One class time was
library book
storytime/check out the next was library skills day with kids bringing a
pencil and notebook or
some such for skills work, etc. 4o min. is way to long for the attention of
a K kid cut to no more
than 30 minutes if possible.
---------------------------------------------
when I was on elementary but I found that 20 to 30 minutes was ideal for
K-2, 40 minutes for3rd, 4th, and 5.
Having said that I did implement flexible scheduling while I was at the
elementary school. What I did then was have K-2 scheduled for 30 minute
blocks for instruction and checkout. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades were
scheduled for 15 minute "checkout only" blocks. The teachers in 3rd, 4th,
and 5th signed up for research blocks that lasted an hour. They came up with
a project, I taught information literacy skills, and then we worked together
when the classes came to work on their projects. Depending on the project
the teachers would sign up for one hour blocks over 2 or 3 days.
-------------------------------------------
I am taking a graduate class from Longwood on Collaboration. You should
only see each class once a week for 40 or 45 minutes and the rest of your
time should be a flexible schedule. With your other specialists - art, music
and PE- does each classroom teacher have a 40 or 45 minute planing break
each day? If so you should try flexable scheduling for th other half of your
time. Easier said than done. I have worked in an elementary school library
media center that has a fixed schedule.I have 30 classes a week for 45
minutes each. We have a set schedule for 6 classes a day Mon thru Thurs and
we rotate Fridays. 6 classes of my 30 I see twice a week on a rotating
schedule. So in a 4 week period I see each class 5 times. If we grow to more
than 4 classes in a grade level that schedule will have to change.Computers
or guidance or something will need to be added.
-------------------------------------------
saw 2 6 classes each week - K-5. It is VERY DIFFICULT to teach 5-6 classes
per day and take care of all the library duties, etc... I am hoping that my
new principal next year will support my request for a flexible scheduled
library. 40-45 minutes is too long for the primary grades, 30 minutes is
enough. The library is supposed to be a resource to be used at "point of
need" in the classroom, not a break for the teachers.
----------------------------------------------------------
spent 1 year at an elementary school (3-5) where the classes came twice a
week. One day I did a lesson with them and the other day they checked out
books. I did not have an aide so I could not do a lesson and checkout in the
same period. I used Storyworks (Scholastic) a lot and kept the magazines in
the library. I usually used a different article with a different grade. They
usually have a play in each edition and we would read it twice if there was
time and that way different stdents had a chance to be a part of the
reader's theater. I read some stories aloud to them. We only had 4 working
computers so I wasn't able to teach much on the computers. Finally, I had 9
working so, with smaller classes, I could put half in the seat and half
stand behind them and demo a computer application. Once, I challenged them
to find a search word for the card catalog that might get them the greatest
hits. The students would rotate in and out of their seat trading places and
see the results. Ultimately, I was hoping they would use the card catalog
more when they wanted to find a book and some did start using this resource.
At this school the students hated to read so I focused on making reading
enjoyable rather than worrying about ILS or SOL's. I felt I could find those
standards in any activity I chose.
--------------------------------------------
I have worked in several schools with scheduled classes. I have never had
classes twice a week. I really feel once is enough. Some schools have a
short second time just for checkout. With my younger students k-2 I had
storytime, crafts, music or art related activities. With the older
students we worked on library skills with projects such as research on a
person from history or info on a country or state. I liked to use the
internet and books with a project that would last for weeks. Forty minutes
is ok with older students using library skills etc.
---------------------------------
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