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[CCBC-Net] OT--Reading environment
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From: Holly Willett <willett>
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:50:06 -0400
I guess I need to jump in here.
In my limited experience with flexible and rigid scheduling, I found some of the things happening that both Penny and Laurie mention. One factor that I think helps is communicating with the principal and the teachers about how they would like flexible scheduling to work, not just what the media specialist wants. If you communicate that you'll be available for intense work on specific resource-intense units, over more than one period and more than one day in a week, many of them will take you up on the offer. If you're willing to schedule some grades rigidly but also let them take advantage of flexible scheduling when necessary, they come to see how it can work. For instance, I found that primary level teachers wanted their classes to have a regular library time, but sometimes they weren't able to come at their time due to field trips, assemblies, etc. Then, they were able to schedule another time to come that week, which they couldn't have done in a totally rigid schedule because it was a fairly large school. You do have to keep in touch with those teachers who don't bring their students by being assertive, keeping up with what's going on in their curriculum, suggesting things that you could do, etc. Flexible scheduling gives you more responsibilities in this area, but also more opportunity to do true collaboration.
There's also the option of flexible access, which means that students are welcome in small groups or as individuals to work on projects, exchange books, etc., or that the teacher can bring her whole class to work with them herself (if the media center is large enough) despite there being another class already scheduled in the library. That can be a hectic way of life, but it gives teachers and students more opportunities to make use of the media center, even in a rigidly scheduled environment. I recommend Jan Buchanan's book on the topic.
Holly Willett Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
On 10/11/05 3:00 PM, "LAURIE DRAUS" <DRAUS at suring.k12.wi.us> wrote:
> Re: Penny's message on the preference for flexible scheduling.
>
> Theoretically, this is true. I know it's the official word from the front
> office, the study findings of reseatch and development. But in the trenches,
> I have my doubts.
>
> We have both fixed time and flex time, and I know if it were not on their
> schedule, there are some teachers and thus some classes I would rarely or
> never see, and some students who would have much less opportunity or
> inclination to read a book. If I were a student in such a class I would have
> been in misery waiting for some of my teachers to decide it was a great day to
> read, while the thought might almost never cross their minds, and as the shy
> child I was, I'd have probably resisted daring to come to the library alone
> before school or anything like that.
>
> The teachers do come in with their students during their fixed time and help
> locate call numbers and advise good books as you suggest, and are also free to
> schedule other times when needed for projects or just because they'd like to
> come down and spend some extra time looking at books.
>
> Flex schedule, when fully realized as imagined, is a lovely ideal, but if you
> have resistant staffs, kids can suffer from the "ideal" being held sacred in
> theory and unused in practice. When it comes to kids and books, quantity time
> can be as important as quality time.
>
> I also think flex time brings with it the danger of a perception that
> libraries and library skills aren't as important as the other "real,
> scheduled" classes. Teachers do not just suddenly decide that they'd like to
> teach some math today, because it's a nice day for math, or make an
> appointment to go to the music room only when they'd like to prepare an
> authentic song to sing about the West to go with their history unit.
>
> Things we take the time to install in our schedules, from school classes, to
> worship, to bowling league, to going to Grandma's for Sunday dinner, in school
> and in "real life" usually are things we consider important enough to demand
> time be set aside for, and I think that flex time, especially when it
> languishes unused, may send an unintended negative message.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lauri Cahoon-Draus
> K-12 Library Media Specialist
> Suring School Libraries
> draus at suring.k12.wi.us
>
> "It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one
> begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
> Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.
>
>>>> "Penny P Hayne" <PHayne at lex5.k12.sc.us> 10/11/05 1:00 PM >>>
> As a library media specialist (school librarian), I caution you before
> you recommend a "fixed time to visit the library" as one of our
> profession's "top ten" factors for a reading environment. We school
> librarians have struggled for years to get out of this exact thing - a
> fixed time period which really is nothing more than a babysitting period
> for the teachers. We much prefer a flexible schedule -when kids can
> visit the library when they need to, not just at 1:15 on a Tuesday
> afternoon - when teachers can visit the library with their classes,
> staying to assist with readers advisory and research - when kids and
> teachers can visit the library just because it's a great day to read. A
> flexible schedule is considered "best practice" for us and while I
> appreciate your warm, nostalgic memories of those "fixed times to visit
> the library," please know that we have at least ten reasons why it's not
> the best path to learning and student achievement. Thanks for
> listening! Penny
>
>
>
> Penny Hayne
> Library Media Specialist
> National Board Certified Teacher 2002
> Lake Murray Elementary School
> School District Five of Lexington and
> Richland Counties
> 1531 Three Dog Road
> Chapin, SC 29036
> (803) 732-8151
> (803) 732-8157 (fax)
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
Date: Thu, 13 Oct 2005 16:50:06 -0400
I guess I need to jump in here.
In my limited experience with flexible and rigid scheduling, I found some of the things happening that both Penny and Laurie mention. One factor that I think helps is communicating with the principal and the teachers about how they would like flexible scheduling to work, not just what the media specialist wants. If you communicate that you'll be available for intense work on specific resource-intense units, over more than one period and more than one day in a week, many of them will take you up on the offer. If you're willing to schedule some grades rigidly but also let them take advantage of flexible scheduling when necessary, they come to see how it can work. For instance, I found that primary level teachers wanted their classes to have a regular library time, but sometimes they weren't able to come at their time due to field trips, assemblies, etc. Then, they were able to schedule another time to come that week, which they couldn't have done in a totally rigid schedule because it was a fairly large school. You do have to keep in touch with those teachers who don't bring their students by being assertive, keeping up with what's going on in their curriculum, suggesting things that you could do, etc. Flexible scheduling gives you more responsibilities in this area, but also more opportunity to do true collaboration.
There's also the option of flexible access, which means that students are welcome in small groups or as individuals to work on projects, exchange books, etc., or that the teacher can bring her whole class to work with them herself (if the media center is large enough) despite there being another class already scheduled in the library. That can be a hectic way of life, but it gives teachers and students more opportunities to make use of the media center, even in a rigidly scheduled environment. I recommend Jan Buchanan's book on the topic.
Holly Willett Rowan University Glassboro, NJ
On 10/11/05 3:00 PM, "LAURIE DRAUS" <DRAUS at suring.k12.wi.us> wrote:
> Re: Penny's message on the preference for flexible scheduling.
>
> Theoretically, this is true. I know it's the official word from the front
> office, the study findings of reseatch and development. But in the trenches,
> I have my doubts.
>
> We have both fixed time and flex time, and I know if it were not on their
> schedule, there are some teachers and thus some classes I would rarely or
> never see, and some students who would have much less opportunity or
> inclination to read a book. If I were a student in such a class I would have
> been in misery waiting for some of my teachers to decide it was a great day to
> read, while the thought might almost never cross their minds, and as the shy
> child I was, I'd have probably resisted daring to come to the library alone
> before school or anything like that.
>
> The teachers do come in with their students during their fixed time and help
> locate call numbers and advise good books as you suggest, and are also free to
> schedule other times when needed for projects or just because they'd like to
> come down and spend some extra time looking at books.
>
> Flex schedule, when fully realized as imagined, is a lovely ideal, but if you
> have resistant staffs, kids can suffer from the "ideal" being held sacred in
> theory and unused in practice. When it comes to kids and books, quantity time
> can be as important as quality time.
>
> I also think flex time brings with it the danger of a perception that
> libraries and library skills aren't as important as the other "real,
> scheduled" classes. Teachers do not just suddenly decide that they'd like to
> teach some math today, because it's a nice day for math, or make an
> appointment to go to the music room only when they'd like to prepare an
> authentic song to sing about the West to go with their history unit.
>
> Things we take the time to install in our schedules, from school classes, to
> worship, to bowling league, to going to Grandma's for Sunday dinner, in school
> and in "real life" usually are things we consider important enough to demand
> time be set aside for, and I think that flex time, especially when it
> languishes unused, may send an unintended negative message.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Lauri Cahoon-Draus
> K-12 Library Media Specialist
> Suring School Libraries
> draus at suring.k12.wi.us
>
> "It is a capital mistake to theorise before one has data. Insensibly one
> begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."
> Sherlock Holmes - A Scandal in Bohemia.
>
>>>> "Penny P Hayne" <PHayne at lex5.k12.sc.us> 10/11/05 1:00 PM >>>
> As a library media specialist (school librarian), I caution you before
> you recommend a "fixed time to visit the library" as one of our
> profession's "top ten" factors for a reading environment. We school
> librarians have struggled for years to get out of this exact thing - a
> fixed time period which really is nothing more than a babysitting period
> for the teachers. We much prefer a flexible schedule -when kids can
> visit the library when they need to, not just at 1:15 on a Tuesday
> afternoon - when teachers can visit the library with their classes,
> staying to assist with readers advisory and research - when kids and
> teachers can visit the library just because it's a great day to read. A
> flexible schedule is considered "best practice" for us and while I
> appreciate your warm, nostalgic memories of those "fixed times to visit
> the library," please know that we have at least ten reasons why it's not
> the best path to learning and student achievement. Thanks for
> listening! Penny
>
>
>
> Penny Hayne
> Library Media Specialist
> National Board Certified Teacher 2002
> Lake Murray Elementary School
> School District Five of Lexington and
> Richland Counties
> 1531 Three Dog Road
> Chapin, SC 29036
> (803) 732-8151
> (803) 732-8157 (fax)
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
>
> _______________________________________________
> CCBC-Net mailing list
> CCBC-Net at ccbc.education.wisc.edu
> Visit this link to read archives or to unsubscribe...
> http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/mailman/listinfo/ccbc-net
--Received on Thu 13 Oct 2005 03:50:06 PM CDT
