[LM_NET] HIT: ELEM: Flex schedule, finally!

[Nicole Herron <nicole.herron@GMAIL.COM>]

I was asked by quite a few people to post a hit.  I actually got more  
requests for hits than I did replies to my question.  Here is the  
original question:

"I emailed my principal and asked if I could get an idea of what my  
schedule was going to look like so I could start planning....  Low  
and behold, I'm almost completely FLEX (only 3rd grade still in  
conference rotation)!!!  I'm flabbergasted, but thrilled!

So my question, now, is: How do I make sure it stays this way?!  I  
know, I need to make sure that teachers are coming in for point-of- 
need instruction, and I've already started some ground work for  
collaboration, but can anyone share some great ideas for the  
BEGINNING of the school year?  I know this is going to come as a  
complete shock to the teachers (as it did me) because there was no  
discussion about it.  I have told them all along that this was the  
best way for kids to learn information gathering skills, but didn't  
really have the means to prove it long term.  Now I'm SO excited and  
ready to show these teachers what it's all about, but don't want to  
scare them off either.  Any advice from someone who has pioneered  
Flex in their school would be greatly appreciated!"

Here are the replies I received:

Did you read last week's thread about flexible scheduling? These  
ideas may
help you.

Arline McCloskey. Talking to Teachers
http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/2007/Aug_2007/msg00064.html

Shonda Brisco. Re: Talking to Teachers
http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/2007/Aug_2007/msg00066.html

Toni Buzzeo. Re: Talking to Teachers
http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/2007/Aug_2007/msg00067.html

Susan Hanlon. Re: Talking to Teachers
http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/2007/Aug_2007/msg00082.html

Judi Moreillon. Re: Talking to Teachers
http://www.eduref.org/lm_net/archive/LM_NET/2007/Aug_2007/msg00086.html

----------------------------

Book: Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension:  
Maximizing Your Impact

----------------------------

Take a good honest look at your faculty. Identify who YOU  click with  
AND
who is open to this new idea. Go after them first. Just pick two or  
three.
Make sure these first experiences are well planned, thoughtful and
constructive for both student and teacher. Absolutely make sure the
teacher learns what a valuable, flexible, and helpful resource you are.
Be realistic, two great success will be better long term fertilizer for
you program growth the half a dozen weak attempts.
My motto introducing this to nervous teachers is  "Trust me, no one is
going to get hurt".
Smile, Relax and Enjoy.

------------------------------

Heavily advertise the great learning going on in the library. Make  
huge wall displays, videos to share on the news, and make sure kids  
can say to their teachers and to administration how much they enjoyed  
the library.  When you have an exciting project based learning  
activity going on INVITE the principal to see.  Many times principals  
are sold when they see the utilization and it is effective.  Try to  
NEVER have an empty library.

-------------------------------

If your district is like many others, statistics are very important.   
Don't allow circulation statistics to drop now that you are flex.
-------------------------------

Those are the only responses I've gotten so far.  They are great!  If  
anyone has some other ideas, I'm sure we'd all love to hear them!   
Thanks to all of you for being so supportive. :-)

Nicole Herron
Davis Elementary
Garland ISD
Garland, TX
nicole.herron@gmail.com

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