Meet Your New School Librarian: Not Your Grandma’s Librarian

Mierop, Kerrie

ET
CO

 Weil, E. (2010). Meet Your New School Librarian: Not Your Grandma’s Librarian. Scholastic. Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3748779

Summary: This article discusses how the old fashion librarian has developed into a media specialist who collaborates with students, staff, and educators. They provide access to tools, information, curriculum, and tailors learning to student’s needs. The Library Media Specialist is a teacher and works with all students. The other part of this article discusses ADEPT, “the professional development system for the South Carolina Department of Education, stands for assisting, developing, and evaluating professional teaching”. This article shows how in one state the educational requirements for the media specialist is extremely high. South Caroline requires the school teacher-librarian to be highly educated and up to date on the newest technology for both students and the work environment.

Review: This article is great as it discusses the new requirements that schools expect their school librarian to have. Individuals interested in becoming a library media specialist should review this article as it showcases the importance of LMS education and how this is not a job where you sit behind a desk, but where the librarian is hands on and an important tool for students and staff can use. This article shows how the library role is always changing and it is important to keep up with all the changes. 

Designing Your Own Text Sets

Deligencia, Nick

CO, ET, IL

Lewis, W., & Walpole, S. (2016). Designing your own text sets. Literacy Today, 33(4), 34-35.

Summary:

Create a set of four texts to build background knowledge and support students as they tackle text complexity.  “Quad Text Sets” include (1) video clips, (2) small/short informational text, (3) complex “target” text, and (4) contemporary text “to extend understanding.”

Evaluation:

Worth reading.  It’s only 2 pages, and has application far beyond the language arts example provided.

The concept of text sets may not be new to experienced educators, but this concise explanation of what to choose and why to choose it could easily serve as a roadmap for initial collaboration efforts with teachers.

I subscribe to the print edition of the journal as part of my membership in ILA, but it’s also accessible through the EBSCO/Academic Search Complete database at SJSU’s King Library.  Just copy/paste the title into the database search bar.

CO- Integrating TL into curriculum, ET- Arenas of Practice, IL-Critical Thinking

Short and good article

Rycik, J. A. (2015). 21^st cenury skills in secondary schools. American Secondary Education, 43(2), 2-3.

Rycik identifies and spells out a brief summation of the skills needed in the 21^st century. He lists a set of earning areas and then summarizes what is being done in research in these areas.

This article is short and sweet—and very informative. Published in 2015, it is right on the leading edge of pedagogical theory.

Teaching skills for teaching librarians: Postcards from the edge of the educational paradigm

Rachel Sandoval

ET

Reference

Peacock, J. (2013). Teaching skills for teaching librarians: Postcards from the edge of

                the educational paradigm. Australian Academic & Research Libraries, 32(1),

                26-42. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00048623.2001.10755141

Summary

This article discusses the challenges faced by many librarians in academic libraries: the shift from librarians who teach to librarians as teachers (and learning facilitators). This is due in part to the increase of information literacy and other skills that are now being emphasized at colleges and universities. In most cases librarians do not have the educational, theoretical and practical pedagogical training as teachers. This is mainly due to the lack of pedagogical courses in library science programs. The authors of this article argue that through education, specifically professional development, librarians can acquire the knowledge and training needed to be teachers. The article points out some of the possible challenges on campus ranging from misunderstanding of the libraries role on the campus to budget constrains. The authors highlight two university programs that have implemented professional development for teacher librarians to teach.

Evaluation

This is a great article covering the issue of the profession transforming into roles as teacher schools, colleges and universities. Traditionally, library schools have not offered courses in educational theory and practice, leaving many librarians lacking the educational background now required of them. The possible solutions offered in the article are an excellent way for a librarian in this situation to see how others have been able to shift to teaching.

Designing Effective Library Services for African American Youth

Educational Theory

Angelique Mullen

ET

HUGHES-HASSELL, S. (2013). Designing Effective Library Services for African American Youth. School Library Monthly, 29(6), 11-13. 

Abstract: The article discusses the role of school libraries in helping achieve the goals outlined in U.S. President Barack Obama's executive order of improving the educational achievement and life outcomes of African American youth. It notes that effective library programs move beyond teaching isolated skills to enable African American youth to see the value of literacy skills in the real world. It cites the virtual library that provides an opportunity for them to cultivate voice and agency.

Evaluation: In 2012, President Obama signed an initiative that attempts to provide more school library services and attention toward African American youth. This article discusses the five elements involved with designing effective library programs and services for African American youth. First, it is very important to have administrators who examine library policies to ensure that they are responsive to the lives of young African Americans. Responsive principals can provide the necessary infrastructure for developing and delivering appropriate library services. Second, it is essential to have competent and culturally sensitive school librarians who interact with African American youth as individuals and not through the lens of culturally deficit human beings. School librarians cannot be half-hearted in their efforts to close the education gap for African American youth. Teachers often see African American students as the problem students, instead of embracing the beauty and challenge of each individual student. 

Next, school librarians need to move beyond the teaching of isolated reading skills to enable African American youth to see the value of literacy in the real world. By setting high expectations for them, and helping them connect literacy to the real world, they can enable African American youth to act in their own communities. Materials need to be relevant and sensitive to African American youth, with books that mirror and reflect their own lives. Too often, library materials are full of white children and have no cultural relevance to African American young people. Finally, library spaces need to be welcoming places for all young people, enabling them to increase and express their literacy.

Do we need school districts?

Young, Alice

ET-Government and Professions

Do we need school districts?
Levin, B. (2013). Do we need school districts?. Phi Delta Kappan, 94(5), 74-75.

The article reflects on the value of local school districts, focusing on the ways in which they function in several countries including Australia, the Netherlands, Canada, and the U.S. Topics include the roles districts serve between federal governments and schools, the roles of school boards and educational law, as well as the role Norway's and Denmark's municipalities serve regarding the achievement gap.

The author presents some issues for the bureaucracy in school districts as well as the different governance approaches of this middle tier in different regions. Although there are continual attempts in experimenting with changes for some countries, such as board appointed by mayors have replaced elected school boards, the value of these strategies are far from conclusive. Levin mentions two main elements that may seem important. First , there must be effective forums for political dialogue among the parties, and the second requirement is capacity building, not just for district leaders, but also for local elected officials, so they can understand their responsibilities and their potential to contribute to strong school systems.

Teachers' Leisure Reading Habits and Knowledge of Children's Books

Engelbrecht, Shannon

ET

Burgess, S. R., Sargent, S., & Smith, M. (2011). Teachers' Leisure Reading Habits and Knowledge of Children's Books: Do They Relate to the Teaching Practices of Elementary School Teachers?. Reading Improvement, 48(2), 88-102. Retrieved on March 9, 2014, http://web.a.ebscohost.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/ehost/detail?sid=7a2e0aa2-72a0-4c17-9705-a694ec85afac%40sessionmgr4001&vid=31&hid=4109&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=a2h&AN=63988770.

Summary: Do our personal reading habits affect our use of best practice literacy instruction with students? Research is showing a clear "yes."

Evaluation: While previous research has shown that teacher personal reading habits influenced best practice in the classroom, this research focused on personal reading and knowledge of children's literature. They found a clear correlation between knowledge of children's literature and best practice. They hypothesize that the personal reading habits involve not only more time spent reading, but also more time spent familiarizing themselves with the books their students will most likely enjoy. Also, they found that teachers who experience a daily love of reading are more likely to be more effective and positive in their literacy instruction.

Toward a more anatomically complete model of literacy instruction

Engelbrecht, Shannon

ET

Tatum, A. W. (2008). Toward a more anatomically complete model of literacy instruction: A focus on African American male adolescents and texts. Harvard Educational Review, 78(1), 155-180. Retrieved march 9, 2014, http://ejournals.ebsco.com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/Direct.asp?AccessToken=6V2LVL989329KIIX3LJ9HO2FK3LC8CKMK&Show=Object.

Summary: Dr. Tatum argues that instructional theory and practice can help young men of color respond to their immediate contexts and professional development prepares teachers to deliver this instruction to all students.

Evaluation: Dr. Tatum research focuses on African-American male adolescents because these young men are the most underserved population in US education today. He points out that his research can be leveraged to improve literacy programs for any population in need. He focuses on three strands that need to be addressed to improve literacy achievement:

• Theoretical strands: defining the role of literacy instruction for adolescents in their present-day contexts, creating curriculum orientations that empower them, and using a culturally responsive approach to literacy teaching. 
• Instructional strands: research-based reading practices. 
• Professional development strands: focus on in-school teacher professional development and teacher preparation.

(Bullet points are paraphrased from the article.)

Helping Struggling Readers: Reading for Their Life

Engelbrecht, Shannon

ET

Heinemann Publishing. (2010, March 10). Helping Struggling Readers: Reading for Their Life. Retrieved March 9, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vc1lMoJFjg.

This is a video introduction to Dr. Alfred W. Tatum's work with disengaged readers, especially African-American boys and young men.

Dr. Tatum is an excellent resource for learning about making curriculum and instruction relevant and engaging for adolescent students. At a time when literacy resources are focused on early primary grades, his focus is on middle and high school students. He makes several good points in this short less than three minute video, such as "[i]t is not simply about students' literacy development, it is about students' lives."

ET- Arenas of Practice

Benson, Jessica

ET

Schoenfeld, A. (1999). Looking toward the 21^st Century: Challenges of Educational Theory and Practice. Educational Researcher, 28 (7), 4-14. Retrieved from http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0013-189X%28199910%2982%3A7%3C4%3ALTT2CC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-0

Summary

In this paper Schoenfeld sets out to identify a series of arenas for investigation in which theoretical and practical progress can be made in the field of education. He argues that “pure” and “applied” work in research need not be in conflict, but that that contributions to knowledge and practice should complement and reinforce each other. Educational research can and should be conducted in contexts that are of practical import. He identifies the theoretical and practical issues in which progress needs to be made, and outlines his conceptual framework for joining theory and practice. Schoenfeld's question of the difficulties in unifying the cognitive and the social aspects of learning continues the discussion of how we think and act in the world, as well as offering ideas about the how the mind works in context. His quest for a truly integrated theoretical perspective on issues of self, identity, and social interactions has very practical applications: “The better you understand how someathing is done, the better you can help people do it” (p.6).

Evaluation

This article was one of the first that I encountered while creating my reading plan, and while it does not offer many solutions for the problems in educational theory, it does pose many interesting questions (which is arguably more important). He poses questions about the future of creating detailed models of teaching based on theoretical understanding, and I am focusing my reading on work that has come out of this question in the decade since this article was published. What I found interesting about this article was Schoenfeld's focus on creating not only a theory of learning but a theory of mechanism-- the processes by which learning take place. The discussion of how we make sense of the ways in which people use knowledge in differing circumstances (transfer) is an important factor in considering educational theory.