Thing 15: Collaboration

I find the collaboration between media specialist and teacher to be just about the most satisfying thing I do. It's really what it's all about - the classroom teacher's set of skills combined with the perspective of the library media specialist and the resources of the media center.
Last week I attended a BER workshop called "Using Innovative Technology Projects to Strengthen Content Area Learning." Kathy Audette also attended, so it was very helpful for me to have her input as a classroom teacher as to what was valuable and usable. Kathy and I have collaborated on lessons in the past, and I always feel that it allows me to see math taught in a way that makes it interesting for all of the students.

Things 6, 7, and 8 - RPC

These "Things" that have to do with the Research Project Calculator contain a wealth of information. I've spent time over the last few weeks going through the features, the research process, and the dribbling lessons. I love the fact that these resources are available to us.
I've used the assignment calculator with many classes, and students find it to be a valuable tool. So far, however, it's been mostly used for keeping things on track, and not so much for delving into the stages of the research process. As we become more sophisticated with the level of research, I think that teachers and students will come to realize what's here and how they can use it.

Thing 14 - Reliable Online Resources

The reliable online resources that our school district provides are really excellent. I use every chance I get to teach the students about them. When a class comes in to the library media center, I do a little homework ahead of time and find the databases that will help them to find what they need. That way they can experience success, and will be encouraged to try again.
Probably the most effective thing that I do regarding the online resources is to have the ninth grade advisories come to the computer lab, one class at a time, and work through some exercises. The first half has the students read descriptions of five databases and find which ones are being described. The second half is a lesson that I adapted from one of Linda Wise's, having the students do an advanced search on Grolier Online. It's amazing that such a little bit of familiarity gives them the confidence to use the resources on their own.
Still, in spite of all of my best efforts, students' first inclination is often to go to Google or Wikipedia. My response is that I love those resources, too, but that for the purpose of scholarly research, they can do much better. And gradually they seem to be coming around.

A LMS in Every School

Last week I spent a day at the state legislature. It was Library Legislative Day and it was my first time to attend. The purpose for being there was to meet with senators and representatives throughout the day, and then to lend support at the Senate hearing for a bill requiring every school in Minnesota to have a licensed media specialist on staff. The bill was voted down, in spite of excellent testimony on its behalf, so it was of course disappointing. There's still hope that the House hearing will have a more positive outcome.
In the week since, I've thought a lot about the experience and about the process of ideas becoming reality through the passage of laws. I've also wondered about the chances of this bill passing. So I was very interested to read Doug Johnson's Blue Skunk Blog this morning, in which he quoted Roger Sween. Mr. Sween had much to say on the issue, and it resonated with me, particularly the part about it taking "at least ten years of incessant trying" before Minnesota enacted the requirement for public library service. I hate to think that it will take ten years, but I suppose we were optimistic to think that it might have happened the first time through! I highly recommend this posting to anyone who's interested in the subject. You'll find it at http://doug-johnson.squarespace.com/blue-skunk-blog/ under the posting "Roger Sween on school libraries".