Public school libraries Closing and negative affect

Shibrie Wilson

Z-Discussion

Schou, S. (2014, February 28). How cuts and closures of elementary school libraries are hurting our kids. Retrieved from Takepart website: http://www.takepart.com/article/2014/02/28/read-public-school-libraries-suffer-staff-cuts-and-closures

Summary: School libraries are constantly closing surprising in major cities such as Philadelphia, New York, L.A., and other places.  Kyle Ashberry library aide to two schools in Los Angeles Unified School District. His position receives special funding from government to increase performance in minority communities. School libraries in L.A.  district has closed their doors to many school libraries in which has eliminated qualified librarians and aids. Unfortunately, there is no statistical data on public school affected by library staff cuts and closures. Many U.S. schools lacks qualified candidates in public school libraries. Administrators and local officials have adopted conception in which they believe closing libraries will save money yet this is false. There is a distinct correlation between literacy rates affect to poverty and crime. Many low income students desperately need libraries in school s because they are unable to access public libraries in their communities. For many students just as adults books are a way in which one can escape reality and focus on different things. Issue as is many school districts is that school library aides are being forced to compete against school nurses, and nurses are preferred over library aides.  

Review: This article is something that I hold close to my heart. Considering district in which I work for recently voted to layoff positions in middle and elementary libraries. Out of 12 sites and 12 employees district has decided to layoff 9 people and allot 2hours per day to 3 individuals covering 12 sites. This is not infallible. From this article and issue occurring personally I have developed a strong advocacy for school libraries and importance of having access in schools. I think it is important to have a qualified librarian and aide to assists professional. There is so much more to librarianship that many persons do not understand therefore do not value. 

Stop searching like a bird and start thinking like a cat

Maricar Laudato

IL

Cheby, Lisa. (2016) Search strategy instruction: shifting from baby bird syndrome to curious cat critical thinking. Knowledge Quest 44(4) 48-53.

Summary:

Cheby draws attention to the problem that high school and college level students lack basic research and critical thinking skills. She asserts that students are not given enough time or guided instruction to learn how to undergo the inquiry process, where a deeper level of learning occurs. A fair amount of the article discusses how most of the problems are due to the fact that students do not know how to construct search terms to use for databases and/or search engines.

Evaluation:

I think that Cheby brings to light an issue that often gets overlooked amidst all the talk about the need to achieve equal access to digital resources. Yes, it is of utmost importance that all school libraries have access to the all the digital and print resources necessary to help students succeed. However, what gets forgotten once the said resources are obtained is that the school does not take the necessary steps to train students nor faculty/staff to use these resources to their utmost capabilities. In this article, Cheby focuses on the problem of students not having the skill of being able to employ successful search strategies when using the library's online research databases. Too often, when librarians hold research workshops showing students how to navigate the databases and use all of the database tools, the librarians conducting the workshops provide students with search terms to move the workshops along. Spoon-feeding students search terms is what Cheby calls searching like a "baby bird." Cheby, however, wants students to be as curious as "cats." Since students are given search terms by the librarian, students will always yield results when they attend a database workshop under the supervision of a librarian. However, frustration takes root when the student researches on their own and they yield little to no results when they use search terms that they create. This is because  librarians and teachers do not invest the necessary amount of time to teach students the process of constructing effective search terms. Cheby, a fellow MLIS candidate at SJSU, effectively underlines the importance of getting students to engage themselves fully in the inquiry stage of the research process. Cheby outlines how in order to do this, it requires the cooperation and commitment from teachers and school librarians to set aside time in the lesson to show students how to conduct successful searches.

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

Evaluating Multiple Perspectives...

Evaluating Multiple Perspectives...

Deligencia, Nick

IL

Lafferty, K.E., Summers, A., Tanaka, S., & Cavanagh, J. (2016). Evaluating multiple perspectives: Approaching the synthesis task through assessing credibility. Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 59(5), 587-598. doi:10.1002/jaal.475

Summary:

This article examines a synthesis performance task aligned to the Common Core State Standards.  The authors “focused on differentiated instruction...based on the...controversial events on Mt. Everest in 1996” which allowed for the increased CCSS emphasis on informational text.  Students analyzed survivor accounts and assessed each author’s credibility.   Students also examine non-print texts (documentary film, YouTube videos, etc.) that deal directly with the event and also indirectly (as in effects of high altitude on the human body) to build background knowledge.

Evaluation:

Worth reading, or at least skimming.  None of the individual elements are particularly impressive, but this is another instance when the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  

The authors provide enough detail regarding their design and decision-making processes (and several resources) that one could recreate with relative fidelity the lesson/experience if desired.  “Common Core” and “Differentiated Instruction” are big buzzwords in my district, without a lot of support regarding the actual how to get it done.  

Assessing credibility is an important element of literacy, so lessons to support development in that skill area are worth stockpiling if you work in a school library.  The “Take Action” sidebar near the article’s conclusion lists “steps for immediate implementation” that are generic enough to make sense, but still leave a lot of leg work to be done.

IL-Analysis and Synthesis

Integrating Reading & Programs for ESL

Roys, Kelly

ET

American Library Association. (2008). How to Serve the World @ your library. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/offices/sites/ala.org.offices/files/content/olos/toolkits/servetheworld/LI_toolkit.pdf

Summary: This article from ALA describes the importance of providing collections and resources for ESL (English Second Language) learners to promote life long love of reading and learning. There are programs demonstrated as an informational resource to promote other programs in your local libraries and other resources to read to discover more about differentiation. 

Review: As an educator for the elementary age group, instruction serving this population should be relevant and applicable for information to be retained and acceptance/understanding to ensue. Students need a safe place for learning and by providing articles and information to highlight this need is important. Librarians have a duty to increase this as they are a hub for resources, programs, and types of books/materials for the students to access and teachers to utilize in their classrooms. 

SC Study Shows Link Between School Librarians and Higher Test Scores

SC Study Shows Link Between School Librarians and Higher Test Scores

Alison Dinicola

IL CA

Gavigan, K. & Lance, K.C. (2016). SC study shows link between school librarians and higher test
scores. School Library Journal.  http://www.slj.com/2016/03/literacy/sc-study-shows-link-between-school-librarians-and-higher-test-scores/#_

Summary:
This article discusses the importance of school librarians and libraries on student success on tests. South Carolina Association of School Librarians (SCASL) worked with RSL Research Group, in 2013, on a study showing the importance of school librarians and library programs. This study documented how school libraries have added to the success of students on test for English language arts (ELA) and writing standards. Data was taken from results of the South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) for elementary and middle schools, and South Carolina High School Assessment Program (HSAP). Schools, with full-time librarians and at least one assistant, either full-time or part-time, had students that showed more strength and less weakness on PASS writing standards. Higher spending on libraries showed significant strengths on student test achievements. This study showed that collaboration between librarians and teachers help students develop "information literacy skills." The schools that excelled had 20 or more hours of librarian instruction. Study, also, found that this successful schools had an overall checkout of 20,00 items or 36 checkouts per student. Other areas of data were on collection size for both books and ebooks, access to computers, and frequency of library visits. School administrators found that library visits that were based on needs as compared to fixed times were more effective on students' success. High achieving schools had 4 or more library visit per week in elementary and middle schools, and 15 or more visits in high schools. Administrators valued the library policies and practices and saw school librarians as having a leadership role at their schools.

Review:
I found this article up-lifting in that it showed how important school libraries and librarians are to the success of any type of school, elementary, middle, or high school. Many districts and states feel that a school library can be run by anyone on the staff. However, this article showed that professional librarians are essential to a high achieving school. In the school district I work at, library assistant have been cut back due to the budget and one librarian could be working at several schools within one week. In fact, I work at 3 different schools over 3 1/2 days of a week. This article showed how important a library and an assistant is to each school. Having a librarian onsite all week, working along side the teachers, gives students the structure and support they need to meet today's 21st Century Skills. This article reinforces the concepts Dr. Loertscher teaches of coteaching and collaborating between librarians and teachers. The more we work together the more our students will succeed. I appreciated the administrators that felt their librarians were the center of their schools success. This article is a great resource in support of school libraries and librarians for successful schools, teachers, and students.

Present Research on the Flipped Classroom and Potential Tools for the EFL Classroom

Nadine Loza
ET, IL

Mehring, J. (2016). Present Research on the Flipped Classroom and Potential Tools for the EFL Classroom. Computers in the Schools, 33(1), 1-10. 

This article is an evaluation of current research on the "flipped classroom" strategy.   The author points to the lack of research done on how teachers of  EFL (English as a Foreign Language) students would benefit from using the flipped model.  The article also offers recommendations and technology tools that could be used and adapted in the EFL classroom.  The flipped classroom is a technique where the teacher uses online video tools to present information to students as homework.  Class time would be used for interactive and engaging activities such as discussions, labs, and group projects.  Recent research conducted on flipped classrooms in K-12 and university have shown positive learning outcomes for students.  Mehring is interested in understanding how English language learners could benefit from this teaching strategy, and offers free technology tools that teachers could use to help adapt their classrooms into a "flipped" model.

In order to truly understand the benefits of the flipped model, more research must be done.  The article points to benefits, however, he focuses on university students in Japan who are studying English as a foreign language.  Mehring should include research on using technology in English language learner classrooms.  The article should also include additional instructor voices on using the flipped classroom.  For example, does it add to their workload?  How many schools and students are equipped with the technology needed for the flipped classroom to be successful?  Overall, the article give a good overview on the flipped strategy and offers free tools that most teachers would find useful.