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I agree Rosanne!  Also,  my students have Reader's Workshop everyday in their 
classrooms so they aren't going to be excited about doing that same thing again 
in the library.  Having studied that model and being a reading tutor, I think it 
is something that needs to be built on everyday instruction and designed based 
on the individual students' needs, not done in the library once a week.  We 
also play a lot of games to help make library skills fun.  I am blessed to have 
only a partially fixed schedule, so we also do a lot of projects.  However, I 
think you need to deliver the highest level of instruction you can regardless of 
the schedule you're given.  Those who can't do that need to go do something else 
because being a school librarian is not for you!

Sara Ralph
Media Coordinator
Balfour Elementary
Asheboro, NC



________________________________
From: Rosanne Zajko <rmzajko@COMCAST.NET>
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Sent: Fri, July 9, 2010 7:47:46 PM
Subject: Re: ELEM-(share) What's so special about specials?

Wow....can I respectfully disagree with Leigh Ann's point of view? If all
the students are going to do in Library class is Reader's Workshop, then who
needs a librarian? Seems to me that a volunteer could do that and save the
district some money...most certainly not what we want to promote.

I suppose the dim view of specials depends on your point of view. I have 27
scheduled classes in the library each week, as well as a large number of
"unscheduled flexible" classes as well, who come in with their teacher after
we have conferenced ahead of time.  By definition, I would be classified as
a specials class but nothing could be further from the truth. To begin with,
none of the teachers drop their kids off. They all stay for the entire
period. Some of them are involved in the Library lesson, others sit close by
and use it as prep time until the time comes for book selection, during
which time, particularly with the younger grades, they provide an extra set
of hands. During that time, in between helping the students we quickly
conference about what's coming up, what their needs are, what they want me
to do for them, discuss schedule changes, etc. I realize that not every
school promotes teacher involvement the way my school does, but even if you
do have a fixed schedule, why wouldn't you use it for something more than
Reader's Theater.

If getting the students to read and connect with literature is the point of
the Reader's Workshop, that can be done in other ways. Each one of my upper
grade classes has SSR for the first ten minutes, no matter what.  At some
point during the year, I do a read aloud with the middle grades and of
course the younger ones get read to every class. I'm not so sure they would
rather do Reader's Workshop over being read to and learning about cool
things like illustrations and plot and characters. Someone needs to help
students learn "book language" and the structure of fiction and that most
certainly can be done in fun and innovative ways, which is not necessarily
"making a lesson out of everything". Since when has "lesson" become a dirty
word? We are teachers and I don't know how you teach without having a lesson
plan.

As for worksheets and arts and crafts....agreed but once again, I don't
believe you would find many teachers who would do that and expect to keep
their jobs. I do take exception to the comment about teaching Dewey and the
almanac.  Nothing "ick" about that, at least in my library. We play games to
learn Dewey and they ask to play Alamania. Library skills are important.

Maybe instead of viewing specials as something to be dreaded a change of
attitude would instead show that having students (at least on the elementary
and middle school levels) weekly is a great benefit to them, and if you look
forward to their period and have exciting lessons planned, you indeed will
be "special."

Rosanne Zajko - Librarian
Ancillae Assumpta Academy
Wyncote, Pa.
rmzajko@comcast.net

-----Original Message-----
From: School Library Media & Network Communications
[mailto:LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU] On Behalf Of Robert
Sent: Friday, July 09, 2010 6:00 PM
To: LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU
Subject: [LM_NET] ELEM-(share) What's so special about specials?

Shared with permission from the sender on another listserv.  RObert Joyce
Virginia rajoyce59@verison.net  




What's so special about specials?
via Shelf Consumed by Leigh Ann Jones on 7/9/10



Specials rotation.  The very words strike fear in the heart of elementary
librarians.  If you're a secondary librarian, a new elementary librarian, or
a really fortunate experienced elementary librarian, let me explain.

Specials rotation is the infamous fixed scheduling you heard about in
library school. Specials are the classes where the kids go while their
teachers are having conference periods. Generally the specials schedule
rotates between art, music, P.E., and sometimes computers. In a large
elementary or if numbers at certain grade levels are high, the library may
be placed in the specials rotation.

What does this mean?  It means that every single day one or more classrooms
of students will be dropped off at the library for a 45 minute block while
their teacher has planning time with the team. It means that the librarian
will not be able to plan collaboratively with these teams. It means that the
library schedule will be driven by these fixed blocks of time.  And it also
means that the quality of the entire library program suffers because the
librarian is not able to serve students and staff at the point of need.  

If you are attempting to fend off being in the specials rotation, I would
suggest that you read the following:

AASL Position on Flexible Scheduling

School Libraries Work

AASL Resource Guides for School Library Program Development

If you have already lost the battle and are in specials rotation, I would
encourage you to document instances when the fixed schedule bumps research
projects and spontaneous opportunities to meet needs. Talk with
administrators, teachers, and parents about why a flexible schedule is best.
Be sure to frame your reasons in terms of student needs or it may sound self
serving.

In the meantime, what should you do during specials rotation?

Be positive and professional.  Don't make the kids pay for a scheduling
issue.
Resist the temptation to kill time with arts and crafts or worksheeets. 
Ditto (double ditto) for library lessons such as learning about Dewey, how
to use the almanac, etc.ICK!!

Ok, so that was what NOT to do.  How about some things TO do...

If it were me, I would implement Reader's Workshop. The goal of reader's
workshop is to foster a love of reading, and tons of research supports the
fact that the more kids read, the better readers they are.  Reader's
Workshop is something meaningful that students can do during specials
rotation, and it has the added benefit of requiring little planning from
you. DEFINITELY prefererable to busy work.

Set the tone for reading each day by reading aloud.  Read a chapter a day
from a novel that will hold the attention of your students.  If you need
suggestions, try Trelease's Read Aloud Handbook.  Alternate the types of
books you read but make sure they are ones that your students will enjoy.
Have fun with the reading and avoid the temptation of "making a lesson" out
of everything.  Just have fun with the book and your kids.

After reading aloud, each student should settle down with a good book(s) to
read.  Kindergarteners and other students with limited reading skills can
enjoy all types of books with illustrations and photographs.  You should
always model reading.  The importance of this can't be overstated.  If
you're up doing something else, it tells the kids that reading isn't
important. 

You can find all kinds of information about Reader's Workshop online.  You
won't need to take grades, of course, but tips on managing RW may be
helpful. 

If you'd like an occasional change of pace, you could intersperse I-Search
research projects.  Again, even the youngest of students can choose and
research a simple topic with assistance.

Although specials rotation isn't what's best for kids, you can make the best
of the situation with meaningful learning in a positive environment.



Things you can do from here:
  a.. Subscribe to Shelf Consumed using Google Reader 
  b.. Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your
favorite sites


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