Professor Misakian

Katy Gladden Professor Misakian Module 6 Online Journal July 8, 2010

Read Chapters 10, 11 and 15 in your textbook

1. Add a list of activities you offer your students and faculty to Section 9 of your P&P Manual. Pick one new activity you would like to provide, describe the activity, including why, how and when you will offer this new service. a. Organize a library orientation scavenger hunt which would be conducted at the beginning of the school year. b. Utilize the library magazine archive to show pictures of American society typical of the year that students were born as part of a student family history project offered in January. c. Utilize the elibrary database to find information in support of student’s Community Service Learning projects. This project information is made available consistently throughout school year. d. New Activity: Over the summer, our library is upgrading our Destiny circulation system. In the fall during the first couple of weeks, my job partner and I will be asking the English teachers to bring in their students for a library reorientation session to acquaint the students with our new service.

2. Reading incentives (e.g. Accelerated Reading) have become the norm in many schools. What do you think of this trend? Does your school subscribe to the AR program? What does research show us about incentivizing reading using this method?

About six years ago, I worked at an elementary school library that served 24 classes of second and third graders. At this age level, the major emphasis of the school curriculum focused on student’s reading skills. Often though out the school day, the English teachers would bring their students into the library to take Accelerated Reading tests on the library computers. This process involved the students reading an Accelerated Reading book and then taking an online ten question reading comprehension test. The students were encouraged to take as many A.R. tests during the year as possible. This program inspired the students to read on a regular basis. This program insured that the students would have time to read at school and that the appropriate books were purchased and available to students in the library. Prizes were awarded to those classes and students who showed outstanding work effort in this program. According to the Accelerated Reading website, “There is consensus among key federally funded organizations charged with evaluating educational products that Accelerated Reader is fully supported by scientifically based research. Moreover, these organizations agree that AR is effective in improving students’ reading achievement.” (http://www.renlearn.com/ar/research.aspx)

(http://www.renlearn.com/ar/casestudy.aspx)

In addition, a review of the research from the Journal of Children’s Literature (2003 vol. 29 (2):9, pp. 16 – 30) by Stephen Krashen states that “There is considerable evidence that providing time to read results in better reading.”

3. Leadership extends beyond the SLMC. To what professional associations do you belong? Which do you plan to join? What is the value to you in belonging to a professional association? What, if any, contribution do you make or plan to your teacher librarian profession? Currently, I belong to the California School Library Association which provides many wonderful job related and educational resources for school librarians. As I have learned much from this organization, I will be joining more similar organizations in the future such as the American Association of School Librarians. As a member of both organizations, I plan on contributing to the school library advocacy aspects of our job. Almost every day one can read on Cal List serve about either reduced school library/librarian hours or inadequate/depleted library funding. Unfortunately, the ones who suffer the most are the students whose literacy skills are diminished the most without adequate school library related support.

4. Begin to assemble the Freedom to Read professional documents as per Section 10 of your P&P Manual (described in the P&P Checklist in Resources). Synthesize each statement and then, in your own words, let me know what each means to you personally. You may submit some this module and complete them in module 7, if you choose. Up-to-date documents listed below can be located at the appropriate Web site:

a. ALA Library Bill of Rights

The Library Bill of Rights, as written by the American Library Association, is a basic policy statement, which deals with the viewpoint that patrons’ access to the library is a basic right and that “all libraries are forums for information and ideas”. (http://www.ala.org/ala/issuesadvocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/index.cfm) These library policy statements discuss issues related to nondiscrimination of authorship and readership, and people’s rights to intellectual freedom in that materials should not be censored or abridged because of viewpoint or doctrine. In addition, these statements emphasize the premise that people’s right to use the library should not be denied. Further, patrons should be provided open access to a variety of opinions and viewpoints as expressed in the library materials and library facilities should be made available on an impartial basis. In terms of personal interpretation, the Library Bill of Rights speaks to me as a personal freedom. However, as I work in a school library for children predominantly under that age of eighteen, school policy dictates that the students view age appropriate materials and information pertinent to their studies. This library resource access is restricted by the student’s parents in conjunction with the Library Bill of Rights Section 53.1.4. Even though the school’s mission statement is Catholic religion based, the library offers resource materials that reflect a wide spectrum of world religions and features other Christian denominations. For example, our library houses the Catholic Bible, non-Catholic Bibles, the Koran, etc. Also, since our school is gender specific (male), it is appropriate that most of our materials reflect this. In addition, our students have access to the adjacent Ursuline High School library, which is the all girls’ Catholic school. The school journals and periodicals reflect a spectrum of political viewpoints to insure intellectual freedom and free access to ideas.

b. AASL Statement of Confidentiality

The Position Statement on the Confidentiality of Library Records pertains to the privacy rights of library patrons as related to the circulation of library materials. This statement assures that this information is not to be used for any other purpose than maintenance and is confidential. In the case of library records, the same right to privacy shall apply to adults as well as children. Only by court order would this information be released. (Fortunately, this section does not apply to fine records).

As I am an American and believe in the right to privacy, this Statement of Confidentiality is significant in meaning. Also, teachers and staff are aware that in the event of an emergency or criminal incident, this privacy statement would need to be respected and information could only be divulged by court order.

c. The Freedom to Read Statement

The Freedom to Read Statement insures the patron’s right to access a diverse selection of library materials that are without censorship and are selected in the public interest without suppression or government scrutiny. As such, readers are offered a wide variety of materials in fulfillment of the freedom to read as stated in support of our country’s Constitution. Since the majority of our students are under the age of eighteen, the parents still have the right to limit access to reading materials only to their own student. Although the Internet provides very important information, the school also utilizes a filtering system provided by the Sonoma County Office of Education. It is the job of the library media specialist to assure freedom of access to library information to meet the needs of the students and teachers. The challenge of the library media specialist is to make sure that this privilege is used appropriately.

d. Statement on Intellectual Freedom

The AASL reinforces the ALA’s point of view with regard to the statement on intellectual freedom that no library patron shall suffer discrimination in terms of their race, religion, politics, background, or viewpoint in terms of accessing materials in the library. Additionally, in terms of collection management, no author shall be discriminated against for the same above mentioned reasons. Library media specialists should take a strong stand against censorship in this regard and the school library should have available the full spectrum of resources for student access. No one should be denied access to these resources. As our society needs independent learners and critical thinkers, it is important that students are proficient in information literacy. Without access to all materials, this proficiency would be diminished or compromised.

5. Complete the pledges as requested in Section 12 of your Manual (described in the P&P Checklist in Resources). and demonstrate how you are or plan to become an exemplary teacher librarian.

“I pledge to become a Teacher Librarian who will strive to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. I will pursue personal growth in the following aspects of this position:” _____I will increase my proficiency as an information specialist by:

a. Practicing information research and dissemination skills to better help those members of our school learning community.

b. Upgrading my library information technology skills to meet the current needs of students and faculty.

c. Advocating library learning experiences in information research that are adapted to the diverse needs and styles of the students and learning community.

_____I will increase my effectiveness as an instructional partner by:

a. Demonstrating commitment to the students, teachers, and library media center.

b. Collecting more knowledge of the school curriculum and through experience, improving my ability to teach the students. c. Working collaboratively with other teachers to plan, create and teach units of study that incorporate information literacy skills.

d. Providing access to a rich collection of library instructional resources offered in many formats.

_____I will increase my interpersonal skills to promote my accessibility as a collaborative teacher by:

a. Collaborating with other teachers in developing library lesson plans to support the teachers’ and students’ curriculum needs.

b. Supporting other teachers with their special projects such as the Spring Poetry Presentation.

c. Work with teachers to create programs to incorporate student technology standards in conjunction with curriculum standards. d. Conducting school library workshop advertising World Geography and Culture FOF database for History Department teachers.

_____I will increase my effectiveness as an advocate of the library media program by:

a. Joining organizations such as the CSLA and the AASL to learn more methods to advocate the needs of the teacher librarian profession and the educational needs of the students.

b. Practicing and committing to memory a prepared library media program advocacy statement which will be ready to use when needed.

c. Providing an information rich atmosphere in the library where reading is promoted and students are supported in their academic studies with a rich collection of resources. d. Providing a warm and welcoming environment in the library where students will want to gather to pursue their academic interests and support their learning needs.

_____I will increase my capabilities in managing paid and volunteer personnel in the library media center by:

a. This section does not apply, as I do not manage any paid or volunteer personnel.

_____I will increase my effectiveness in budget management by:

a. Preparing a budget statement of needs.

b. Assembling budget goals and objectives.

c. Compiling a budget plan to meet the objectives.

d. Evaluating and reevaluating the budget plan and reviewing actual budgets costs against projected budget costs.

_____I will continue my personal profession growth by:

a. Continuing my professional education by attending the Fresno Pacific University course curriculum in support of achieving a Masters in Education with an emphasis in Library Media degree.

b. Attending various job related workshops and classes.

c. Volunteering for challenging job assignments as related to the library media center and learning as much as possible about my present position.

d. Follow-up with Fresno City College in application for Library Information Technology Specialist certificate.

Also on the subject of professional standards for the library media manager, Blanche Wools lists some of her recommendations on page 50 of the School Library Media Manager. The following is a listing of those standards and my response.

“The professional standards in each certifying area were developed by expert teachers in that field, reflecting the five core propositions endorsed by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

Teachers are committed to students and their learning. Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students.

Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning. Teachers think systematically about their practice and learn from experience.

Teachers are members of learning communities.” After reviewing and working with these standards, I have come to realize that I need to become more developed in some of these aspects. For example, an area that I am working on is becoming a liaison between the teachers and the students. I am trying to collect more knowledge of the school curriculum and through experience, improve my ability to teach the students. I am already committed to the students and to making the library the best learning resource possible. I also need to be sure that the State Department of Education and the AASL content standards need to be articulated.