September is a great time to refocus.
On the first day I was given a great reminder of why I love my job.
A group of students came into the library and chatted about what they had read over the summer - "I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in 4 days, the second book in 2 days and I stayed up all night reading the 3rd book." Students ran to the new books on display, pointing at titles they had read, and were thrilled to see the book they had been dying to read waiting for them. I love seeing the excitement of reading and the challenge of matching reading interest to readers. This scene I will replay again and again...
Our principal, John McGowan, sent out a YouTube Video about 21st Century Education in New Brunswick. It's worth the 5 minutes. It's a great synopsis of how technology will change the way our students will learn. "Education is about adapting to a changing world." I remember being excited about my first Mac Classic terminal with internet access to teach information literacy skills with web resources. As we move into an era of iPad's and e-books, it is an exciting time to be a teacher librarian, as information specialists, looking for opportunities to incorporate information technology tools into learning.
Given where I left the last few posts in Library Links... To Be or Not to Be a Teacher Librarian, and Keeping the Teacher in Teacher Librarian, I wanted to refocus on the positive...
So as you meander through a year of budget challenges, take a step back, refocus and remind yourself why you love your job!!!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Tech It Up
I went to an awesome conference this past fall. I'm a little late with my conference info post - better late than never!
For the October ProD I went to the Tech It Up Conference in Kamloops. The conference was cosponsored by the school district and Thompson Rivers University. There was an amazing group of keynote speakers, half of whom I knew either through reading their work or had quoted in my thesis research. All the sessions I went to were great! The conference was a excellent mix of technology tools and pedagogy. Below are a few brief notes from the sessions I attended, with links provided by the speakers for further info.
Dr. Jason Ohler was one of the keynote speakers. His specialty is digital storytelling. We were fortunate in our district last year to have Jason skype in twice for workshops. Jason's keynote was called Beyond Words New Media Literacy, Fluency and Assessment in Education. His website has great information and workshop handouts on it.
Jason is excellent. He talks about new literacies in the technology-rich information age. According to Jason, base line literacy are words; the new base line literacy includes media collages. His talks about the development of the story, the storytelling itself being the most important piece of the learning. The technology is secondary. He stresses setting quality standards for media production.
Dr. Michael Carr-Greg, from Australia, was another keynote, speaking about Cybersafety. He is at the forefront of great programs 'down under'. Two of his statements resinated with me. "The biggest problem is not predators but what children do to each other." How true! Our focus, as educators, should be teaching social responsibility, no matter what sandbox our students play in.
Michael's second statement that "Parents need a digital spine," I found poignant as well. Parents not only need to be aware of the online environments their sons or daughters are playing in, but spend time in them themselves, so they understand them. Educators, too, also need to understand these online environments - so we can teach the good with the bad - it's the only reason I have a Facebook account - I'm not building a farm or throwing sheep anytime soon - although my philosophy of learning about my students' sand boxes may also lead me into Secondlife - eeeeek!
I have also ordered a copy of a book Michael recommended by Australian author Kate McCaffrey called Destroying Avalon. The plot has a cyberbullying focus. I'm looking at reading it to hopefully find an option for the English department reading list.
Here are some links Michael shared with us:
National Centre Against Bullying
Cybersafety and Security Advice from New Zealand
Reach Out Australia - an online counselling service set up by professionals in Australia to help teens and young adults
Dr. John Seely Brown was also a keynote speaker. I quoted Dr. Brown in my thesis research. His keynote was Re-Imagining Dewey for the 21st Century: Learning in/for the Digital Age - scroll down to look for the presentation notes in the Learning sandbox.
John's message was that life in the Digital Age is a culture of participation, of building, tinkering, remixing and sharing. "We participate therefore we are - understanding is socially constructed." As John says "nothing clarifies ideas better than explaining them to others." Learning is social, even more so in the digital age - figuring out how to pedagogically integrate technology tools into learning is key.
John also works with the MacArthur Foundation's digital media and learning initiatives that aim to determine how digital media is changing the way young people learn, play, socialize and participate in civic life.
Doug Johnson was both a keynote speaker and a sessional instructor. I consider Doug a mentor. I have read his work for over 10 years. I have contacted him many times via email for advice on various topics - he has always been more than generous with his replies and forwarding of info. I organized a book study focused on his book The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving (And Thriving) in School Media Centers, which Doug is currently revising.
Doug's session was about preventing plagiarism: The Fence or the Ambulance: Are You Punishing or Preventing Plagiarism in Your School? My take away quote from the session was "the principal sin of plagiarism is not ethical, but cognitive." Too true! We need to be teaching our students critical thinking, challenging them to higher levels of thinking and analysis, not regurgitation of facts - it's all about the questions we ask.
Doug writes an awesome blog, you might want to RSS Feed, as I do.
I went to another great session called Using VoiceThread in the Classroom. The presenter, Tracy Poelzer, a teacher librarian, integrates technology into learning throughout her program. She has worked extensively with VoiceThread and has compiled together VoiceThread Resources, information, and links.
Tracy recently completed her Masters. She compiled together a wiki of resources Teaching with Technology: Information for the 21st Century Educators - the why's, how's, what's, and now what's of technology integration - take a look through - there are some great links.
Well, that's it for this conference round up!
Here's to finding a conference equally as inspiring next year!
For the October ProD I went to the Tech It Up Conference in Kamloops. The conference was cosponsored by the school district and Thompson Rivers University. There was an amazing group of keynote speakers, half of whom I knew either through reading their work or had quoted in my thesis research. All the sessions I went to were great! The conference was a excellent mix of technology tools and pedagogy. Below are a few brief notes from the sessions I attended, with links provided by the speakers for further info.
Dr. Jason Ohler was one of the keynote speakers. His specialty is digital storytelling. We were fortunate in our district last year to have Jason skype in twice for workshops. Jason's keynote was called Beyond Words New Media Literacy, Fluency and Assessment in Education. His website has great information and workshop handouts on it.
Jason is excellent. He talks about new literacies in the technology-rich information age. According to Jason, base line literacy are words; the new base line literacy includes media collages. His talks about the development of the story, the storytelling itself being the most important piece of the learning. The technology is secondary. He stresses setting quality standards for media production.
Dr. Michael Carr-Greg, from Australia, was another keynote, speaking about Cybersafety. He is at the forefront of great programs 'down under'. Two of his statements resinated with me. "The biggest problem is not predators but what children do to each other." How true! Our focus, as educators, should be teaching social responsibility, no matter what sandbox our students play in.
Michael's second statement that "Parents need a digital spine," I found poignant as well. Parents not only need to be aware of the online environments their sons or daughters are playing in, but spend time in them themselves, so they understand them. Educators, too, also need to understand these online environments - so we can teach the good with the bad - it's the only reason I have a Facebook account - I'm not building a farm or throwing sheep anytime soon - although my philosophy of learning about my students' sand boxes may also lead me into Secondlife - eeeeek!
I have also ordered a copy of a book Michael recommended by Australian author Kate McCaffrey called Destroying Avalon. The plot has a cyberbullying focus. I'm looking at reading it to hopefully find an option for the English department reading list.
Here are some links Michael shared with us:
National Centre Against Bullying
Cybersafety and Security Advice from New Zealand
Reach Out Australia - an online counselling service set up by professionals in Australia to help teens and young adults
Dr. John Seely Brown was also a keynote speaker. I quoted Dr. Brown in my thesis research. His keynote was Re-Imagining Dewey for the 21st Century: Learning in/for the Digital Age - scroll down to look for the presentation notes in the Learning sandbox.
John's message was that life in the Digital Age is a culture of participation, of building, tinkering, remixing and sharing. "We participate therefore we are - understanding is socially constructed." As John says "nothing clarifies ideas better than explaining them to others." Learning is social, even more so in the digital age - figuring out how to pedagogically integrate technology tools into learning is key.
John also works with the MacArthur Foundation's digital media and learning initiatives that aim to determine how digital media is changing the way young people learn, play, socialize and participate in civic life.
Doug Johnson was both a keynote speaker and a sessional instructor. I consider Doug a mentor. I have read his work for over 10 years. I have contacted him many times via email for advice on various topics - he has always been more than generous with his replies and forwarding of info. I organized a book study focused on his book The Indispensable Librarian: Surviving (And Thriving) in School Media Centers, which Doug is currently revising.
Doug's session was about preventing plagiarism: The Fence or the Ambulance: Are You Punishing or Preventing Plagiarism in Your School? My take away quote from the session was "the principal sin of plagiarism is not ethical, but cognitive." Too true! We need to be teaching our students critical thinking, challenging them to higher levels of thinking and analysis, not regurgitation of facts - it's all about the questions we ask.
Doug writes an awesome blog, you might want to RSS Feed, as I do.
I went to another great session called Using VoiceThread in the Classroom. The presenter, Tracy Poelzer, a teacher librarian, integrates technology into learning throughout her program. She has worked extensively with VoiceThread and has compiled together VoiceThread Resources, information, and links.
Tracy recently completed her Masters. She compiled together a wiki of resources Teaching with Technology: Information for the 21st Century Educators - the why's, how's, what's, and now what's of technology integration - take a look through - there are some great links.
Well, that's it for this conference round up!
Here's to finding a conference equally as inspiring next year!
Monday, January 4, 2010
The Life of the Blog...
Before heading into professional topics I love to write about, I'm going to take a minute to reflect on the last two posts of 2009. I would like to thank my colleagues, family, and friends who read and forwarded the blog to interested parties.
The topic of the two posts generated over 100 more readers in Canada, 10 from our neighbors next door, and 4 internationally. The blog was also reposted nationally on the CASL Ning and referred to provincially on the BCTLA blog.
I would like to thank those of you who left comments. It is always nice to know you are not alone. You took the time to write insightful, yet from the heart, comments.
It is my sincere hope that your comments are read by our trustees - fingers crossed!
I created a wordle using the text from the comments - interesting to see which words came forward.
I'm not sure what the future will hold.
I do know that I needed to take the time to formulate my thoughts, while compiling together some related information for reference sake.
Thank you for stopping by!
The topic of the two posts generated over 100 more readers in Canada, 10 from our neighbors next door, and 4 internationally. The blog was also reposted nationally on the CASL Ning and referred to provincially on the BCTLA blog.
I would like to thank those of you who left comments. It is always nice to know you are not alone. You took the time to write insightful, yet from the heart, comments.
It is my sincere hope that your comments are read by our trustees - fingers crossed!
I created a wordle using the text from the comments - interesting to see which words came forward.
I'm not sure what the future will hold.
I do know that I needed to take the time to formulate my thoughts, while compiling together some related information for reference sake.
Thank you for stopping by!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Keeping the Teacher in Teacher Librarian... Learning Centre or Book Repository?
Given my last blog post, I have been asked what will be lost to library programs in secondary.
No final decisions have been made; however some suggestions have been to staff a library with a teacher librarian but no clerical support, or a library with clerical support but no teacher librarian.
I can speak from personal experience as my previous teacher librarian position, where I was for 17 years, never had adequate aide time - 5 hours or less a week - and for 12 of those years I was an 80% teacher librarian.
Here is a section that was annually included in my year end report for 17 years:
I consider the most important function of being a teacher librarian to be the curriculum development, information literacy, and literature appreciation components of a library program.
Unfortunately, due to lack of clerical support, many daily library administration tasks need to be completed by me. The five hours of aide time assigned to the library has never been adequate and are mainly spent completing circulation management tasks such as compiling overdue material lists. This lack of aide time is a constant frustration and limits the time available to spend on curriculum development.
In the absence of adequate aide time, I complete the duties normally assigned to clerical support staff, such as:
* receiving, and processing a wide variety of learning resources
* receiving materials, supplies, and equipment
* preparing orders for resource materials
* preparing bibliographies of materials for consideration for purchase
* processing mail, new materials, discards, and rebinds
* maintaining circulation procedures
* maintaining catalog records in electronic format
* maintaining a pamphlet or information file
* shelving of resource materials
* compiling and/or typing bibliographies, resource lists, unit plans, correspondence, orders, reports and/or overdue notices
* producing and/or assembling displays and other promotional material
* conducting an inventory of resources
Having to complete the above tasks, limits the time available to spend on my professional duties as a teacher librarian, which include, but are not limited to:
• Administration of the Learning Resource Program
• Professionalism and Leadership Activities
• Cooperative Program Planning and Teaching
• Promotion of the Effective Use of Learning Resources and Services
• Selection of Learning Resources
• Information and Reference Services
• Design and Produce Learning Resources
• Acquisition, Organization, and Circulation of Learning Resources
A teacher librarian's expertise in Curriculum Development, Literature Appreciation and Information Literacy is not utilized if the Library Administration Clerical duties become the focus of the job.
Furthermore, secondary school library hours are facilitated by both the teacher librarian and library aide. Noon hour supervision is often shared by the teacher librarian and the library aide. The library aide allows for the teacher librarian to take a lunch break at some point, either before or after noon hour, or during noon hour when the teacher librarian has a noon hour meeting.
School libraries could potentially be closed at noon hour.
Although, by contract, teacher librarians can have a prep period, we never take the time. If our job becomes maintaining a collection as oppose to curriculum development, then this prep time becomes important. This time is also important if the teacher librarian teaches a scheduled class. Therefore, the library could be closed a block or two during the day.
A library staffed with a library aide but no teacher librarian becomes a room with books that circulate. No collection development, no literature appreciation foci, no information literacy skills taught, no curriculum development, no teaching of research skills, no cooperative planning with teachers.
Furthermore, teacher librarians often take a leadership role in the adoption of new technologies. They have both the pedagogical and technical skills to do this. This leadership role becomes increasingly difficult to fulfill if the teacher librarian becomes a library clerk to maintain the collection.
Take a look at the blog entry below for information and background research as to how teacher librarians support the educational program and impact academic achievement.
Dr. Ken Haycock has summarized studies related to school libraries in The Crisis in Canadian School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Re-Investment, including the impact on student learning, best practice and recommendations.
So... to answer the question what's best for school library programs? For a school library program to be exemplary, to impact student achievement, both are needed. School library programs are the great equalizing factor in the educational program that provide support for all curricular areas - our students deserve no less.
"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries."
--Anne Herbert (1950- ), The Next Whole Earth Catalog: Access to Tools
Again, please forward this post to anyone who you feel should read it.
Back to the fun stuff in the next post - I promise!
No final decisions have been made; however some suggestions have been to staff a library with a teacher librarian but no clerical support, or a library with clerical support but no teacher librarian.
I can speak from personal experience as my previous teacher librarian position, where I was for 17 years, never had adequate aide time - 5 hours or less a week - and for 12 of those years I was an 80% teacher librarian.
Here is a section that was annually included in my year end report for 17 years:
I consider the most important function of being a teacher librarian to be the curriculum development, information literacy, and literature appreciation components of a library program.
Unfortunately, due to lack of clerical support, many daily library administration tasks need to be completed by me. The five hours of aide time assigned to the library has never been adequate and are mainly spent completing circulation management tasks such as compiling overdue material lists. This lack of aide time is a constant frustration and limits the time available to spend on curriculum development.
In the absence of adequate aide time, I complete the duties normally assigned to clerical support staff, such as:
* receiving, and processing a wide variety of learning resources
* receiving materials, supplies, and equipment
* preparing orders for resource materials
* preparing bibliographies of materials for consideration for purchase
* processing mail, new materials, discards, and rebinds
* maintaining circulation procedures
* maintaining catalog records in electronic format
* maintaining a pamphlet or information file
* shelving of resource materials
* compiling and/or typing bibliographies, resource lists, unit plans, correspondence, orders, reports and/or overdue notices
* producing and/or assembling displays and other promotional material
* conducting an inventory of resources
Having to complete the above tasks, limits the time available to spend on my professional duties as a teacher librarian, which include, but are not limited to:
• Administration of the Learning Resource Program
• Professionalism and Leadership Activities
• Cooperative Program Planning and Teaching
• Promotion of the Effective Use of Learning Resources and Services
• Selection of Learning Resources
• Information and Reference Services
• Design and Produce Learning Resources
• Acquisition, Organization, and Circulation of Learning Resources
A teacher librarian's expertise in Curriculum Development, Literature Appreciation and Information Literacy is not utilized if the Library Administration Clerical duties become the focus of the job.
Furthermore, secondary school library hours are facilitated by both the teacher librarian and library aide. Noon hour supervision is often shared by the teacher librarian and the library aide. The library aide allows for the teacher librarian to take a lunch break at some point, either before or after noon hour, or during noon hour when the teacher librarian has a noon hour meeting.
School libraries could potentially be closed at noon hour.
Although, by contract, teacher librarians can have a prep period, we never take the time. If our job becomes maintaining a collection as oppose to curriculum development, then this prep time becomes important. This time is also important if the teacher librarian teaches a scheduled class. Therefore, the library could be closed a block or two during the day.
A library staffed with a library aide but no teacher librarian becomes a room with books that circulate. No collection development, no literature appreciation foci, no information literacy skills taught, no curriculum development, no teaching of research skills, no cooperative planning with teachers.
Furthermore, teacher librarians often take a leadership role in the adoption of new technologies. They have both the pedagogical and technical skills to do this. This leadership role becomes increasingly difficult to fulfill if the teacher librarian becomes a library clerk to maintain the collection.
Take a look at the blog entry below for information and background research as to how teacher librarians support the educational program and impact academic achievement.
Dr. Ken Haycock has summarized studies related to school libraries in The Crisis in Canadian School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Re-Investment, including the impact on student learning, best practice and recommendations.
So... to answer the question what's best for school library programs? For a school library program to be exemplary, to impact student achievement, both are needed. School library programs are the great equalizing factor in the educational program that provide support for all curricular areas - our students deserve no less.
"Libraries will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no libraries."
--Anne Herbert (1950- ), The Next Whole Earth Catalog: Access to Tools
Again, please forward this post to anyone who you feel should read it.
Back to the fun stuff in the next post - I promise!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
"To Be or Not to Be"... a Teacher Librarian
I would be remiss if I did not devote at least one blog entry to my own soap box.
I expect we are no different in our school district than many, as financial strains and budget cut decisions are being made at the board level.
Again, cuts in school library programs are one of the areas under discussion, as they usually are.
Essentially, in British Columbia, all educational professionals who do not enroll a class are at risk because in 2002, Bill 28, The Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act was enacted by the provincial government that removed staffing ratios for all non-enrolling teachers from collective agreements.
I have worked in libraries since I was 12, being a librarian is all I have ever wanted to do. I did not foresee, when I chose this profession over 20 years ago, that I would have to be in a constant state of advocacy.
Ten years ago I was a member of a district team that researched, then wrote our district's library service deliver model Libraries: Literacy and Literature in the Information Age: A Framework for Library Programs and Services in the 21st Century. The research was and is still clear.
At the time, researcher Dr. Keith Lance Curry and his Library Research Service Impact Studies team had just published his second Colorado Study on the impact of school librarians on student achievement. Since then Curry has conducted studies in over 14 states. Powering Achievement: How School Librarians Impact Academic Achievement reports library predictors of academic achievement and recommends staffing school libraries with professional & support staff, stocking them with current books & licensed databases as well as Internet capable computers, funding them to support school's curriculum and state's standards, adopt flexible scheduling and utilizing the school computer network to extend the library program’s reach into every classroom.
Past cuts to school librarian time have already jeopardized student achievement in our district. When librarian time has been cut it is seldom, if ever reinstated when the financial situation improves. The same may be said for library budgets.
The 2008 British Columbia Teacher Librarian's Association Working and Learning Conditions of Public Schools in British Columbia Survey shows where we land in terms with the rest of the province.
Locally, our own Dr. Ken Haycock has summarized studies related to school libraries in The Crisis in Canadian School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Re-Investment, including the impact on student learning, best practice and recommendations.
Statistics Canada published a study in 2005, Canadian school libraries and teacher librarians: Results from the 2003/04 information and communications technologies in schools survey. This study illustrated the influence on the students' education that the teacher librarian has in extending, beyond traditional teacher librarianship into roles that include ICT, skills such as finding and evaluating information online.
For my own thesis research, I was privileged to work with an exceptional group of teacher librarians and studied their practice for my Master's Degree Teacher Librarians, Technology and Collaborative Connections: A Case Study of Teacher Librarians from a Communities of Practice Perspective . The goal of this study was to document and analyze the work of teacher librarians and how it contributes to the delivery of educational programs. Data were analyzed using codes developed from Wenger’s Community of Practice research, and conversation analysis. The research questions considered whether the teacher librarians constituted a community of practice, the nature of that practice, and how this practice correlated with the delivery of instructional programs. It is argued from the findings how the notion of a community of practice may be helpful in reconceptualizing the nature and role of teacher librarianship.
This work is facilitated by having library aides in place to do the clerical administration of a library, processing and signing out books for example, while teacher librarians focus on curriculum development, literature appreciation, and information literacy.
Teacher librarians are often the unseen heroes of the school, providing safe havens for students to hang out, matching the perfect book to a student's reading interest, hunting down the best reference source...
Teacher librarians are the curriculum integration and information literacy specialists, we support all school programs.
We are the champions for integrating district programs, such as Web in the Classroom, Reading 44, and Literacy 44.
I was at a dinner party last weekend with one of my very good friend teacher librarian mentors. I was telling Mike about the current situation. He said that was why he left the library to become a classroom teacher - the constant advocacy was exhausting. The school library's loss was definitely the classroom's gain. Interesting idea. I have between 10 to 15 years left - I have the energy now to advocate again - what the future holds - we'll see.
To be or not to be a teacher librarian.
If you know someone who you think should read this post, please pass it on.
I expect we are no different in our school district than many, as financial strains and budget cut decisions are being made at the board level.
Again, cuts in school library programs are one of the areas under discussion, as they usually are.
Essentially, in British Columbia, all educational professionals who do not enroll a class are at risk because in 2002, Bill 28, The Public Education Flexibility and Choice Act was enacted by the provincial government that removed staffing ratios for all non-enrolling teachers from collective agreements.
I have worked in libraries since I was 12, being a librarian is all I have ever wanted to do. I did not foresee, when I chose this profession over 20 years ago, that I would have to be in a constant state of advocacy.
Ten years ago I was a member of a district team that researched, then wrote our district's library service deliver model Libraries: Literacy and Literature in the Information Age: A Framework for Library Programs and Services in the 21st Century. The research was and is still clear.
At the time, researcher Dr. Keith Lance Curry and his Library Research Service Impact Studies team had just published his second Colorado Study on the impact of school librarians on student achievement. Since then Curry has conducted studies in over 14 states. Powering Achievement: How School Librarians Impact Academic Achievement reports library predictors of academic achievement and recommends staffing school libraries with professional & support staff, stocking them with current books & licensed databases as well as Internet capable computers, funding them to support school's curriculum and state's standards, adopt flexible scheduling and utilizing the school computer network to extend the library program’s reach into every classroom.
Past cuts to school librarian time have already jeopardized student achievement in our district. When librarian time has been cut it is seldom, if ever reinstated when the financial situation improves. The same may be said for library budgets.
The 2008 British Columbia Teacher Librarian's Association Working and Learning Conditions of Public Schools in British Columbia Survey shows where we land in terms with the rest of the province.
Locally, our own Dr. Ken Haycock has summarized studies related to school libraries in The Crisis in Canadian School Libraries: The Case for Reform and Re-Investment, including the impact on student learning, best practice and recommendations.
Statistics Canada published a study in 2005, Canadian school libraries and teacher librarians: Results from the 2003/04 information and communications technologies in schools survey. This study illustrated the influence on the students' education that the teacher librarian has in extending, beyond traditional teacher librarianship into roles that include ICT, skills such as finding and evaluating information online.
For my own thesis research, I was privileged to work with an exceptional group of teacher librarians and studied their practice for my Master's Degree Teacher Librarians, Technology and Collaborative Connections: A Case Study of Teacher Librarians from a Communities of Practice Perspective . The goal of this study was to document and analyze the work of teacher librarians and how it contributes to the delivery of educational programs. Data were analyzed using codes developed from Wenger’s Community of Practice research, and conversation analysis. The research questions considered whether the teacher librarians constituted a community of practice, the nature of that practice, and how this practice correlated with the delivery of instructional programs. It is argued from the findings how the notion of a community of practice may be helpful in reconceptualizing the nature and role of teacher librarianship.
This work is facilitated by having library aides in place to do the clerical administration of a library, processing and signing out books for example, while teacher librarians focus on curriculum development, literature appreciation, and information literacy.
Teacher librarians are often the unseen heroes of the school, providing safe havens for students to hang out, matching the perfect book to a student's reading interest, hunting down the best reference source...
Teacher librarians are the curriculum integration and information literacy specialists, we support all school programs.
We are the champions for integrating district programs, such as Web in the Classroom, Reading 44, and Literacy 44.
I was at a dinner party last weekend with one of my very good friend teacher librarian mentors. I was telling Mike about the current situation. He said that was why he left the library to become a classroom teacher - the constant advocacy was exhausting. The school library's loss was definitely the classroom's gain. Interesting idea. I have between 10 to 15 years left - I have the energy now to advocate again - what the future holds - we'll see.
To be or not to be a teacher librarian.
If you know someone who you think should read this post, please pass it on.
Monday, November 23, 2009
What to Read... Where to find it...
Continuing on the lit/reading theme, are you looking for something new to read? Check out one of the booklists below.
Then, check into the library for the book, if we don't have it, we'll find it!
Links to Great Reads
Cool Reads
Guys Lit Wire
Modern Library 100 Best Novels
Outstanding Books for the College Bound
Reading Rants: Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists
Teen Books in a Series or Sequel from the Bettendorf Public Library
Canadian Award Winning Books
Governor General Literary Awards
Young Adult Canadian Book Award
International Award Winning Books
Giller Prize
Man Book Prize
Newbery Medal and Honour Award
E-Books
Project Gutenberg
Author Info
Do you want to find something out about one of your favorite authors?
Check out the Teenreads.com author list for bios and interviews.
Do you have any favorite booklists in your bookmarks?
Pass them on!
The more, the merrier!
Then, check into the library for the book, if we don't have it, we'll find it!
Links to Great Reads
Cool Reads
Guys Lit Wire
Modern Library 100 Best Novels
Outstanding Books for the College Bound
Reading Rants: Out of the Ordinary Teen Booklists
Teen Books in a Series or Sequel from the Bettendorf Public Library
Canadian Award Winning Books
Governor General Literary Awards
Young Adult Canadian Book Award
International Award Winning Books
Giller Prize
Man Book Prize
Newbery Medal and Honour Award
E-Books
Project Gutenberg
Author Info
Do you want to find something out about one of your favorite authors?
Check out the Teenreads.com author list for bios and interviews.
Do you have any favorite booklists in your bookmarks?
Pass them on!
The more, the merrier!
Friday, November 20, 2009
DEAR USSR...
DEAR USSR is not a letter to Russia - they are acronyms - DEAR meaning Drop Everything And Read and USSR meaning Uninterrupted Silent Sustained Reading - are just two of many acronyms for silent reading programs: FUR, FVR, SSR, SQUIRT, and WART to name a few more. Regardless of the name, the message and the research is clear. Reading improves comprehension.
Dr. Stephen Krashen, a linguistic educational researcher, has argued for years the benefits of FVR, by compiling numerous research studies in his books The Power of Reading. FVR is the most effective tool for increasing literacy. It is the act of reading itself that is the key to linguistic development.
Krashen recently wrote an article for School Library Journal, Free Reading, which summarizes the benefits of USSR.
An article which complements Krashen's is this one written in Education World Silent Sustained Reading Helps Develop Independent Readers and Writers .
Check them out and get back into USSR!
As the article states:
If the teacher models, the students will follow!
A few years ago Educational Leadership devoted a whole issue to Literacy. Two articles I remember specifically:
Becoming an Engaged Reader presents information related to reading comprehension. The article emphasizes learning to comprehend as an ongoing process, as the individual reader encounters different texts, in different ways, for different purposes. Effective readers think within the text. They pick up the basic information to understand what the text is about. Both fiction and nonfiction reading require literal comprehension.
Strategies for Teen Readers presents information related to reading comprehension in teenagers. The article defines reading as a complex, purposeful, social, and cognitive process in which readers simultaneously use their knowledge of spoken and written language, their knowledge of the topic of the text, and their knowledge of their culture to construct meaning.
Both of these articles can be found in the Ebsco Professional Development Collection database to which we have access. The username and login can be found in the staff conference, along with navigation instructions.
Here is the complete bibliographic info:
Coutant, Carolyn, and Natalia Perchemlides "Strategies for Teen Readers." Educational Leadership 63.2 (2005): 42-47. Professional Development Collection. EBSCO. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
Scharer, Patricia L., et al. "Becoming an Engaged Reader." Educational Leadership 63.2 (2005): 24-29. Professional Development Collection. EBSCO. Web. 20 Nov. 2009.
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