This example is one where perhaps a teacher-librarian along with the history AND
language arts teacher could have worked together to collaborate on the research and
instruction. If the curriculum is being taught, then it's a shame that teachers
aren't working together (collaborating) to help bring those elements together so
that each spends less time teaching background and more time teaching content.
With the librarian's help, the instructional process could have been eased even
more. Maybe this could be suggested as a "team approach" for upcoming lessons with
the librarian bringing together both groups (language arts and history) to share
their lessons, insights, and develop a better unit of study---with library
instruction involved, of course!
Just some thoughts....
~Shonda
Shonda Brisco, MLIS
US / Technology Librarian
4200 Country Day Lane
Fort Worth Country Day School
Fort Worth, TX
817.732.7718 ext. 339
"We can't wait for somebody outside of ourselves to rescue us, because nobody is
coming to the rescue..."
~ Ross Todd, Professor
School of Communications, Information, and Library Studies, Rutgers University
sbrisco@fwcds.org
http://www.fwcds.org/campus/libraries/default.asp
>>> Liz McMahon <lmcmahon@MSAD47.ORG> 05/08/06 12:10 PM >>>
The lack of cultural literacy becomes noticeable even earlier than high
school. One of my middle school LA teachers began to teach the tales of
King Arthur recently and had a terrible time with her 7th graders since
very few of them knew much, if anything, about King Arthur, the era, the
vocabulary, etc. She ended up spending so much time teaching them the
background that they never got through all the tales! When she began it
with another class a few weeks later she was better prepared for their
lack of background knowledge but disappointed at their lack of interest.
She (and I) couldn't imagine not being interested in knights, battles,
etc. Most of them had never heard of a damsel in distress or a knight in
shining armor! What's more, all the 6th graders in our school have world
history but evidently never touch upon King Arthur...how sad. Of course,
we also have noticed that more and more students don't recognize fairy
tales and nursery rhymes either. What's saddest of all, they may never
know what they've missed!
Liz
Liz McMahon
Library Media Specialist
Messalonskee Middle School Library
33 School Bus Drive
Oakland, ME 04963
lmcmahon@msad47.org
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