Dear Linda and All,
From my perspective, the problem with "working around" fixed schedules is
that these schedules often do not allow for more in-depth
inquiry/research/literature projects that impact student achievement and
life-long learning.
Also, if classroom teachers are not present while their students are being
taught by the librarian, then how will they know the great teaching being
conducted through the school library program?
How will library and classroom colleagues gain the knowledge they need to
reinforce the learning that is happening in each environment?
How will classroom teachers know that the position of teacher-librarian is
worth fighting for in their schools?
If fixed schedules are currently the norm (I'm unsure that the LM_NET
respondents represent the thousands of people serving in elementary
librarians - but I suspect fixed schedules at the elementary level are now
the norm), then I feel our profession has taken a giant step backwards.
As someone of served in both fixed, mixed, and flexibly scheduled school
libraries, I KNOW the difference. The classroom teachers with whom I
collaborated and cotaught and the students with whom I learned were
significantly more engaged in teaching/learning information literacy and
integrating literature into the classroom curriculum in the open-access,
flexible scheduled library.
And my own sense of self-efficacy was greatly improved in the flexibly
scheduled library by the high-quality student outcomes and collaborative
teaching.
In my experience (and the research seems to confirm this), the best practice
in school librarianship is for professional teacher-librarians to engage in
collaborative teaching for instruction - rather than providing planning time
for another educator.
The mixed schedule is a good compromise and first step, but shouldn't we
always strive for the best practice?
Best,
Judi Moreillon
Judi Moreillon, M.L.S., Ph.D.
Literacies and Libraries Consultant
Author: Collaborative Strategies for Teaching Reading Comprehension:
Maximizing Your Impact
http://storytrail.com
>>> Linda Martin <lindamartin423@GMAIL.COM> 4/29/2007 7:52 PM >>>
Isn't it ironic that Pamela found that the "overwhelming majority" of
her
respondents operate under a fixed schedule, while we are taught that a
flexible schedule is the norm and the ideal. What if we shifted our
paradigm to the reality and focused on a way to work around scheduled
classes? How many of you schedule meetings with teachers after school?
How
do you make collaboration work for you?
Linda
On 4/29/07, Pamela Hamilton <phamilton53@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
> Hello Colleagues,
> Thank you for the quick response to my query concerning fixed versus
> flexible library programs. The overwhelming majority of elementary
> schools,
> around the country, operate on a fixed schedule as library is
generally
> considered one of the planning periods for classroom teachers. Most
of
> the
> classes are 45 minutes. What did surprise me were the varying
comments
> concerning the fixed schedule. Some librarians feel it assures them
the
> opportunity to interact with all students, teach Information
Literacy
> Skills
> and encourage a love of reading. Others would prefer a flexible
schedule
> to
> allow more time for collaboration.
> There was another group I found very interesting- those operating on
a
> modified schedule. This included fixed times for the younger
children and
> a
> flexible schedule for the older, even in K-5 schools, additional
planning
> time built into the day to allow for collaboration or one day a week
with
> no
> scheduled classes.
> Thank you,
> Pamela C. Hamilton, Librarian
> Blackstone Primary School
> Blackstone, VA
> phamilton53@hotmail.com
>
> _________________________________________________________________
> Exercise your brain! Try Flexicon.
>
>
http://games.msn.com/en/flexicon/default.htm?icid=flexicon_hmemailtaglineapr
il07
>
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--
Linda Martin
Teacher Librarian and Storyteller
Gainesville, GA
lindamartin423@gmail.com
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