Assignment #1 - Article Summaries - reflection

I submitted Assignment #1 last night, which was made up of 3 summaries of articles about teacher-librarianship.  This is not the assignment itself, but a brief reflection on it.  I chose articles on three different subjects that interest me as I move forward in my role as teacher-librarian.  Of course, in searching for just 3 articles, I read many others on the same topics.

• scheduling - I am really wanting to change the shape of the library in terms of its schedule, making the library into a more welcoming place that students and teachers come to regularly and use.  Right now it is a place to visit once a week for a book exchange and a lesson or story.  I am tired of that!!!  I learned that I need to create something called a flexible schedule or at least a partially flexible schedule.  After reading several different articles on this topic, I believe that I will be able to create a schedule for my library that allows for small groups of students come to the library whenever they want/need to.  There will also be space for collaborating with teachers and working on projects/units for a more sustained period.  I am still working on how to ensure that all students do actually come to the library every week.

Ludmer, R. (2008). A fixed schedule and successful collaboration - An oxymoron? School Library Media Activities Monthly, 24(6), 27-29.

 

• reading for pleasure - I have been discouraged to see that, as students get older, many seem to become disinterested in reading books for pleasure and in fact choose not to take books out of the library.  I found an article where a T-L tried an innovative program to get some reluctant high school students reading for pleasure.  I am thinking about possibly implementing something similar with the oldest students in the class.  This will involve working collaboratively with their teachers to include that pleasure reading each week for small groups of students within the new, more flexible library schedule.

LeCrone, N. (2010). Free reading is UTOPIA. Library Media Connection, 28(6), 40-41.

 

• learning commons - I was first introduced to the idea of a learning commons in my last course and have not stopped thinking about it since.   I submitted a plan for a structural change to the library and am hopeful that it will occur over the summer.  The article I chose presented a path to follow in changing your library into a learning commons.  I will be able to use this as a framework as I make a change in my library.  Next step - working with the principal to get her on side so I can implement changes to the schedule for the benefit of students and teachers.

White, B. (2011). Toward a learning commons: My journey; your journey. Teacher Librarian, 38(3), 27-30.