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Hello Colleagues,

As list traffic is still slow and Arline didn't TARGET this topic, I 
thought we might have a discussion of an interesting dilemma.

>Somehow I have to convince them as I believe already that this 
>schedule is a good thing and will be a
>benefit to students & teachers.

I agree, Arline, that it's difficult to face a group of teachers who 
are very likely to DISAPPROVE of the schedule change you are 
implementing (but let me pause to applaud you and your 
forward-looking principal!).  They'll be unhappy, you predict, 
because they will perceive something being taken away from them (prep 
time) and they are, no doubt, like teachers everywhere, feeling like 
lobsters in a pot here in Maine, with the heat below them slowly 
being raised until they are desperate.

The key, it seems to me, is to reassure them that this change will 
benefit THEM as well as their students.  In general, we know that 
there are many benefits for teachers and wise teachers are willing to 
collaborate because:

*They understand the benefits to themselves and, especially, to students.
*They understand that collaboration actually is working SMARTER
(students learn more and more effectively in the same amount of time).
*They are undefended (they trust themselves and us enough to step back
and see what develops).
*They are trusting (either by nature or because we've built that trust
with them over time).
*They are motivated (either, again, by nature or because a wise
administrator has put systems in place that require collaboration
with the librarian).

But these are theoretical reasons.  I suggest that you begin in a 
practical way by offering them a clear and concrete reason to 
collaborate with you.  Suggest that you will begin your collaborative 
work with them by helping them to address the deficits/gaps in the 
standardized test data.  Never in the course of the history of 
American education have we had so much DATA.  So from my perspective, 
it is in the best interest of all members of our school communities 
if we begin our work with teachers by working to close those gaps 
that they are struggling so hard to address.

After you introduce the concept at the faculty meeting, schedule a 
meeting with grade level or department teams to examine the data and 
set forth your plan to address the deficits in the context of content 
area projects or units that also embed information literacy 
skills.  Your teachers, then, will clearly see how THEY will benefit 
from their work with you despite a (beneficially) changed schedule.

Best,
Toni


Toni Buzzeo, MA, MLIS <mailto:tonibuzzeo@tonibuzzeo.com>
Maine Library Media Specialist of the Year Emerita
Maine Association of School Libraries Board Member
Buxton, ME 04093
http://www.tonibuzzeo.com
Collaborating to Meet Literacy Standards: Teacher/Librarian 
Partnerships for K-2 (Linworth 2006) BRAND NEW! 

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