Transcript Surviving as a Media Specialist in a Literacy Lab World

Being a Media Specialist
in a
Literacy Lab World
Susan Keller
[email protected]
Tracy McAllister
[email protected]
How Literacy Lab
Started
• National Assessment of Educational
Progress
– K-4 Reading
• Good job teaching children to read
– 5-8 Reading
• Amount of independent reading fell
dramatically
• “Nothing Good To Read”
Adolescent Readers
Need…
– Access to large amounts of rich text
• School Libraries
• Classroom Libraries
– Students with access to classroom libraries read
50% more than students without access
Adolescent Readers
Need…
• Large blocks of
un-interrupted
reading time
Students who read 30
minutes per day score
significantly higher on
standardized testing
Adolescent Readers
Need…
•
Empowered
•
Educated Choice
•
Critical Readers
– Adolescents want to be in
control of their choices
– Free choice of self- selected
text
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–
–
Authors
Titles
Genre
Series
– Is this a good book?
– What makes this book good
or bad?
Smart Step Literacy Lab
Classroom Project
• In 2001, the Arkansas Department of
Education created an intensive program of
teacher staff development to address
mid-level literacy in the state of Arkansas.
• 3 Year Program
– Year 1 - Reading
– Year 2 – Writing
– Year 3 – Lab School
Smart Step Literacy Lab
Classroom Project
• Widely researched program based on
Best Teaching Practices
• Harding University
• Ken Stamatis
– Professor at Harding University
• Since 2001, almost 1500 teachers
have participated in the training
Greenbrier Middle
School
• GMS became part of the “Alpha”
group
• Support
• Dialogue
• Changes
• Team spirit
• Student benefit
• Best practices
“I was country, when
country wasn’t cool”…
• Media Specialists blazed the path
– Dr. Jodi Charter
Be Proactive, Not
Reactive
• YOU are a valuable and knowledgeable
member of the Literacy Team
• Ask when the Literacy Teachers are meeting
• Listen to their needs
• Support their curriculum through the library
– Showcase author’s books
– Feature specified genre
– Booktalks, Booktalks, Booktalks!!
Share Your Expertise
Book inventory
Circulation system
Organization
Book repair
Weeding
Maintaining a manageable classroom collection
– Quality over quantity…bigger isn’t better!
Purchasing catalogs
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Listening centers
Books on tape
High Interest/Low Level
Paperbacks
Let the Library be
Reading Central
• Create an inviting reading atmosphere
– Throw rugs and small pillows
– Colorful fun tri-folds on tables
• Authors
• Genre
• Titles
– Mobiles
Please look through your packet for sample
lesson ideas.
Funding Classroom
Libraries
• It is not now, nor has it ever been, the intent
of the Smart Step Literacy Lab Classroom
Project to replace or do away with the school
library. According to literacy lab philosophy, the
library media center is the hub of the school.
• Classroom libraries are intended to compliment,
not compete with media centers.
• School Districts should never funnel library
funding into the classroom libraries.
Funding Classroom
Libraries
Mentoring new literacy lab teachers in finding
funding for classroom libraries is a great way
to create collaboration:
• Scholastic Book Clubs
– Bonus Points
• Look for the big bonus point months
• 22X’s
– Adopt-A- Book
– Read-A-Thon
• Corporate sponsors
• Be creative
Library Gold
by
Jason Whitaker
A name destined for the record books.
He’s the fastest twelve year old in the state
And some say he’s headed for Olympic gold,
But last week he stood in my library
And told me he hated to read.
“Books are for girls,” he said, half-serious,
And headed for the track.
So this morning, in the hallway,
I witnessed a small miracle
When Jason,
His head buried in a book,
Walked directly into a wall.
I couldn’t restrain a laugh,
And hearing me
he proffered the book by way of
explanation,
“It’s the one you gave me last week,”
he stammered.
“I see that,” I answered,
And unable to resist I added,
“That one must be for boys.”
If someday Jason wins the gold
I’ll cheer him proud and tall,
But I’ll cherish the memory of a boy with a book
Who walked into a wall.