On Libraries – Page 46 – Hilda K. Weisburg

Posted on January 17, 2017January 17, 2017 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Fake News and the Teachable Moment

Every librarian and teacher knows the magic of the teachable moment. Something occurs in the life of students or in the world and suddenly the kids are eager to find out more. Whatever you teach at that moment, helping them get a better understanding of the situation will stay with them, possibly forever and with unending and unexpected ripple effects.

Much attention is now being given to what is being called “fake news.” Although librarians have been using hoax sites for years to teach how to validate information, this issue goes far beyond that, and it’s important that students from older elementary and up learn how to recognize it when they see it.

As you prepare to do a unit on this, make sure you are being impartial. Both sides of the political spectrum have indulged in this practice. It’s not about you showing your personal perspective is correct. The Code of Ethics of the American Library Association states, “We distinguish between our personal convictions and professional duties and do not allow our personal beliefs to interfere with fair representation of the aims of our institutions or the provision of access to their information resources,” and we need to uphold it in our teaching as much as in our book selection.

A change of terminology might also help alter the climate around the issue. It’s been my experience that words need to be chosen carefully. They often carry heavy emotional meaning. I have had students look at the different terms used on websites when they were researching pro/con assignments. For example, “pro-choice” vs. “pro-life” or “embryo” vs. “fetus.” It’s how biased sites work, and they are fine to use as long as you recognize and take into account their point of view.

One excellent sources to use for this “teachable moment” was posted on my School Librarian’s Workshop Facebook group page. I liked it first because it refers to fake news as imposter news and it is a simple, easy-to-reproduce list of simple questions to ask. You can distribute copies to teachers for use with their class and use it in working with students. For the elementary level, you might want to simplify the language.

If you search “identifying fake news” you will find a number of other sites you can draw on for your lesson. I like the eight suggestions from FactCheck.org and the seven from the Washington Post. FactCheck points to the existence of humorous sites such as the well-known The Onion, and the Washington Post suggests searching Google to locate the information. Be careful here. It’s not whether it shows up several times. Some sites copy each other and looking at some of the URLs shows that they aren’t that “factual.”

Do direct students to Snopes. For years the site has been known for identifying urban legends and reporting on whether that warning email you received is true. Now it has expanded into fact-checking reported news stories.

I have seen a number of infographics showing which sources report imposter news and which ones lean in a particular political direction. Again exercise caution here. Some of those carry their own bias.

If you are concerned about working on the topic from its political aspects, you might want to try looking at fake health news. Introduce the topic using this website, and go on to have students explore the more controversial aspects and dangers such as the anti-vaccine group and others. Collaborate with a science teacher on the project.

The “power of the teachable moment” goes beyond making learning relevant to students. It also can and should be used to power your leadership. (You knew I was going to make this connection, right?)

Taking students beyond the textbook and the often confining nature of the curriculum is part of what we do as librarians. As you use these “teachable moments” to make an impact on students’ lives be sure you are sharing it with your teachers and more importantly with your administrators.

Show them what students are learning. Let them see the final presentations so they see the “enduring understandings” students’ are taking away. Video your students in action and “interview” them. This is how your administrator learns what you bring to the educational community and to student learning.

What “teachable moment” have you addressed? What was the result?

Posted on January 9, 2017January 10, 2017 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Raising Readers

In 1977 I wrote Raising Readers along with Ruth Toor my long-time co-author and friend. Turning kids into lifelong readers has always been a priority of librarians. The challenge of doing so is nothing new, but in some ways it’s become more difficult. Your creativity and leadership is needed to instill a love of reading- and by extension its benefits – in all our students.

While I fully support the Common Core concept of students being able to do “deeper reading,” some of the ways it has been interpreted have created a barrier to having students become lifelong readers. The balance of fiction vs nonfiction texts was the first barrier. Although the distribution was to be across all subjects, many districts imposed it on ELA classes which benefited nonfiction readers, but “punished” fiction lovers. To be honest, books students have to read for a class—whether fiction or nonfiction—has never turned kids into lifelong readers.

That’s where librarians come in. While classroom teachers first teach students how to read, and in the upper grades expose them to “literary classics” which some do enjoy, it’s the librarian who brings the love of reading by connecting students with books matching their interests. The reduction and elimination of librarians in schools has meant that connection is not made for many, and even when a librarian is present there are challenges.

First and foremost is the emphasis on Lexile scores. Common Core stipulates the Lexile range for grade levels and too many libraries now have the collection so labeled. Students aren’t allowed to borrow books below or above their Lexile score. In the drive to improve students’ reading ability, administrators they are killing it.

I understand the need to use the Lexile score for instructional purposes, but it doesn’t work for personal leisure reading. It’s like the old “five finger rule” where you read one page and you lift your finger for each word you don’t know. If you lift all five fingers the book is too hard for you, assuming readers shouldn’t choose a book where they don’t know five words on every page.

When students read below their instructional level, they develop reading fluency. They can get into the book. They interact with characters whether it’s fiction or biography. If they are reading nonfiction, they easily grasp the history of a sport or team or how an invention was developed. They enjoy the book. And that’s what builds lifelong readers.

And students sometimes read above their Lexile level. It frequently happens with nonfiction readers who are interested in a particular subject. Some Harry Potter lovers started the series when it was “too hard” for them. But their interest motivated them and they took on the challenge. Why would you deprive a kid of that experience?

I have a similar quibble with Accelerated Reader and programs which are supposed to promote reading by awarding points for what students read – sometimes earning students tangible rewards. Because of the lure of the reward, kids tend to choose books based on how many points they will earn, not on their own interests. When there are no longer points for reading, they stop. That doesn’t create lifelong readers.

Ranganathan’s second law of library science is ‘Every reader his/her book.” While he was referring to the requirement of libraries to serve all their patrons without judgment, for me it also means connecting a student to the “perfect” book for him or her is very often the first step in becoming a lifelong reader.

From my own children and members of my family, to people I have met, that initial connection with a book was transforming. These people either were disinterested or even disliked reading until they were matched with the perfect book. It was as if a world opened up to them. Often they re-read the book – sometimes several times. The aforementioned Harry Potter fans are one example of this.

These new readers may have discovered a series or a genre then might begin reading the series or books in the genre almost obsessively. It’s not a problem. Fluency and a lifelong habit of reading are the results. Once the early euphoria of “where has this been all my life” has subsided, they are open to exploring reading more widely. And as we know, “Kids who read succeed.”

So where does your leadership fit in? Back to Lexile scores. What goes on in the classroom is fine for instructional purposes. You need to ground yourself in what we do as librarians and become “fluent” in explaining it so the distinction is understood. Collect stories of kids and their perfect book. Make sure the library is the welcoming place where kids can explore their interests and you can match them with just the right book regardless of scores.

What stories do you have of kids and the book that was perfect for them?

Posted on December 12, 2016December 12, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Are You a Distrupter?

Of course you aren’t. You are a team player. You don’t rock the boat. But maybe…you should rethink the question. Leaders are disrupters, and it’s time for more librarians to envision themselves this way.

The business world, which I turn to regularly, recognizes the importance of disrupters. A Forbes article points out the difference between disrupters and innovators saying while all disrupters are innovators not all innovators are disrupters in the way that all squares are rectangles but not all rectangles are squares. Disrupters change how we think and behave.

The article links to a list of leading disrupters in business. Of course Bill Gates made the list as did the three founders of Kickstarter and the man who started Buzzfeed. You won’t recognize most of the names but they upended how we think of retail, get our television programs, and use social networking.

Okay, great for them. But you can’t see how to “disrupt” your school – even if you wanted to take such a huge risk. Let’s try a less scary term. How about taking on the role of Change Agent?

Another Forbes article has the compelling title, “Every Leader Must be a Change Agent or Face Extinction.” We have all seen how school librarians and libraries have been eliminated across the country. Granted the economic crisis of 2008 caused much of the loss, but part of the reason was the perception that we didn’t make a sufficiently worthwhile contribution to be a good economic decision.

When confronted with widespread slashing of programs, what did many librarians do? They whined they weren’t appreciated. They crossed their fingers and hoped their jobs wouldn’t be next on the chopping block. What was and is necessary was to change the way we do business. There are numerous librarians who are doing that, but it’s incumbent on everyone to accept the challenge.

The second article has two quotes that stick with me. “Change is the new normal for leadership success, and all leaders must accept this fact,” and “Change is difficult; Not changing is fatal.” I have repeatedly said all librarians must become leaders or risk disappearing. If you agree that is true, you need to accept the risk of becoming a change agent.

I had a Superintendent in the late 1990’s who alarmed everyone by saying, “If it ain’t broke, break it.” This was when technology was rapidly expanding. I am sure he got the quote from the title of a book by Robert J. Kriegel. It is a more confrontational statement but is aligned with the premise of another book, Good to Great by James C. Collins, which states as a premise, “Good is the enemy of great.”

Ranganathan, the father of modern library science, said “Library is a growing organism.” But any organism either grows or it dies. Now more than ever, the status quo is not sustainable. If you think your current situation is “good,” it’s time to make it great – even if you have to break it to do it.

What can you do to ensure you are growing? Or what should you do as a Change Agent? Librarians who are change agents are the ones who introduced Makerspaces and/or transformed their libraries into Learning Commons. If Makerspaces haven’t come to your district yet, that is one way to begin the change process. Makerspaces have had a dramatic impact on schools.

Creating a Learning Commons is more daunting, particularly in districts with small or nonexistent budgets, but you can move in that direction. After researching various examples, consider what is possible through contributions. You need a vision of course, and then, with the approval of your principal, consider developing a GoFundMe campaign.

A relatively simple change is to cover tables with whiteboard paper. This allows students working in groups to visually record their ideas as their project evolves. Anyone coming into the library will notice this dramatic difference instantly. It alters how they see the library, which is what you need to have happen as a Change Agent—or a Disrupter.

Integrate the community into the library. Just about every place has a local history and horticultural societies. What else is available in your town or neighborhood? Contact these groups and ask if they would like to set up an exhibit of interest to your students in the library. When they do, display resources you have on the topic. Post everything to your website (or on a LibGuide on your website) and add online information.

Video and photograph students viewing the exhibit. Give them comment cards or record what they think. Turn it into a presentation with Animoto or other similar resource and share it along with a thank-you note (from you and some of the students) to the society. They may even display it in their location. Suddenly their members are recognizing the library is not anything like the one they remembered.

With administration approval, reach out to the business community through Kiwanis and/or Rotary. Ask for local business to share their “communications” with your library. You can feature what they do and again create a supporting display. Make a visual record and see if you can speak before the group and share what you did and how the kids reacted.

If we do what we have always done, we will get what we have always gotten. Ignored – for the most part. Disrupt thinking. Become a Change Agent.

Have you “disrupted” your school? What have you done? What’s the craziest idea you’ve ever had for your library program? Could it actually work?

Posted on December 5, 2016December 4, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Make Your Presence Known

Too many librarians still think if they work hard and do a great job, their teachers and principal will recognize their value. It doesn’t work like that. If you don’t start self-promoting you might find yourself ignored and possibly eliminated. My daughter tells me the same thing about selling books – if you write well there’s still a very good chance you won’t make the royalties you want. You have to connect with your audience first.

Self-promotion smacks of bragging and most of us shy away from anything resembling it. It just isn’t “nice.” Instead of thinking of self-promotion as self-praise regard it as positioning your program.

How many people in your building are aware of all you do? What does central administration know about your contribution to student achievement, integration of technology, and the host of other ways your program transforms the learning community? How are they going to find out unless you tell them?

Saskia Lefertnk in an OCLC post references Ranganathan, known as the founder of modern library science. He said, ““If you want to be a reference librarian, you must learn to overcome not only your shyness but also the shyness of others.” While he was speaking specifically of reference librarians, there is much in that quote for school librarians.

Ranganathan wanted to encourage librarians to transition from being preservers of books to actively serving users. While we have been doing this for decades, how we do it has undergone a change as drastic as the one Ranganathan was advocating. Shyness or reticence doesn’t work when the playing field has altered so dramatically.

It is easier to promote yourself and your program in writing rather than speaking or conversation. So your first step is actively informing your stakeholders of what the library program is doing and achieving. Document visually what is occurring in your library. Show students at work. If you video them, have them talk about what they are doing and learning.

Consider who needs to see this. If you aren’t doing at least quarterly reports to your principal, start now. Use the writers’ mantra, “Show, don’t tell.” It carries a greater impact. Do make mention of the teachers who you worked with collaboratively or cooperatively.

There are several web resources such as Piktochart that make telling your story easy. Your principal might like it enough to share with the Superintendent or even include it with a report to the Board of Education. Depending on what you have pictured and district’s rules for posting pictures of students show the activities on your website. You can always have photos without kids and have them do a voice over.

When you are planning a lesson that demonstrates what you contribute to student learning, invite your principal or supervisor to see it. Send the plan in advance. Although there is no guarantee he or she will come, it is still self-promotion for your program and you. Let any teacher you are working with know there is a possibility an administrator will be present.

Did you attend a conference or a workshop? Whether it was an official professional day or something you did on your own time, send a brief report to your principal specifically explaining how you will integrate what you learned into working with students and teachers. This sends the message that you are transforming learning and are actively involved professionally.

Volunteer to serve on a committee. Select one such as technology where you can demonstrate your expertise. If a subject or grade is working on curriculum, try to become a part of it in order to inform them about resources, but also to show how you can work with the teachers in creating units that engage learners and build critical thinking and other skills.

Offer to give a professional development workshop for teachers (or if you are willing to really step out of your comfort zone) with administrators. Consider showing teachers AASL’s Best Websites for Teaching and Learning or Best Apps for Teaching and Learning. Particularly at elementary and middle schools you might offer to give a talk to parents. What they should know about digital footprints or the latest social media their kids are on are possible topics.

Apply for a grant. Start small with your local education foundation. Let your principal know if and when the grant is approved. Getting free stuff is always appealing to administrators. Once you have some practice with grant-writing, try going for a larger grant.

Check out AASL’s Grants and Awards. The deadline for most of them is February 1, so you have time over the Christmas break to work on it. The PR that results from winning one, will showcase you and your program. If all your efforts are resulting in your principal becoming a supporter of your library program, propose him/her for AASL’s Distinguished School Administrator Award.

If your community has a “day” when vendors and businesses exhibit, see if your school/district is part of it. Find out if you can be there to inform everyone about what school libraries are like today. AASL has brochures and a great infographic on their Advocacy page. You can find others by searching the Internet.

Use your tagline on whatever you distribute. Keep looking for ways to bring your program front and center. Leaders know how to self-promote successfully. And they aren’t bragging. They are telling it like it is.

What are you doing to make your presence known? Where do you need help, support or recommendations?

Posted on November 28, 2016November 28, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: The Art of Communication

I often say “We are in the relationship business” What goes along with this is without communication you can’t develop a relationship. That shouldn’t be a challenge. After all, we are always communicating, aren’t we? Not necessarily the message we want.

Communication has three distinct elements:

the sender,
the message, and
the receiver.

If you remember the game of telephone you played as a kid, messages can easily become distorted, and in real life that distortion can occur within any of these three elements. In order to communicate effectively you need to be aware of how this happens and what you can do to prevent it. It is your responsibility to make sure the message is sent on a “clear channel.”

Assume you are the sender. Before you do anything you need to identify your receiver, your audience. Is it your principal? A teacher? A parent? Next you must consider what your message is. Are you reporting something to your principal? Offering help to a teacher? Responding to a parent query?

To be sure your message will not be garbled as it is received you must be sure it is in language the receiver understands. Educators have jargon they use so frequently they are not always aware they are using it. Scaffolding and differentiated instruction are quite specific terms for educators, but would parents understand them? Librarians have their own jargon as well. We talk about information literacy and digital citizenship and don’t stop to think that not even our principals or teachers fully understand what we mean.

In communicating, it’s important you don’t make assumptions. You might say, “Our teaching of information literacy ensures students are able to identify their need for information, locate relevant facts, evaluate them, and use them to communicate effectively.” In essence you included the definition without either insulting someone who knows what it means or using a term they didn’t understand.

Your next challenge is to select the right medium for the message. In the previous century, your choices were limited. Do you want to talk to the receiver (in person or the telephone) or write to them (memo, report, or letter)? Today you have an array of options. To some extent it depends on what the message is, but there is a further consideration. What is the users preferred source of communication?

If your principal wants e-mails, use that. If he or she is a technophobe (getting rarer) schedule a meeting. Do the parents in your school use Twitter? If they don’t it’s not a good medium for communicating with them. Do they go to your library website, your blog, or only like the print or emailed newsletters? You need to take your message to where they are.

Besides language, the structure of the message is critical. When you are tweeting you are limited to 140 characters. Conversations, emails, and memos have not such limit. It must be self-imposed. Most of you are aware that text messages need to be fairly short and emails should also be brief. If they are too long people skip some of the last part of the message. I work to keep these blog posts to a specific length and no longer, knowing they are being read on devices more than computer screen.

What isn’t as well recognized is how to craft a message, oral or written, to an administrator, and this works for others as well. We have a tendency to provide “background” so the receiver knows we are well versed in the topic and have done research, when appropriate, to be certain that what we are proposing is the best course of action. By the time the recipient gets your point, they have become lost in the verbiage.

As journalists have always known, “Don’t bury the headline.” Lead with it. Give one or two supporting statements. Particularly if the message is directed to your administrator let him or her know that if more information is needed, you will be glad to provide it. The same is true if you have a face-to-face meeting. Start with what you are seeking.

Note how this and all my blogs are written. I keep paragraphs to a few lines. Too large a block of text tends not to be read. In my presentations I almost never have a PowerPoint slide with a lot of text. It doesn’t work in today’s world.

Once you have “sent” your message, you may become the receiver. When you are on the other end you must do what you can to be certain you heard the message correctly. This means engaging in active listening and restating in your words what you understood.

Although the focus here is on verbal/written communication, never forget the presence of nonverbal communication. Any written messages should be proofread. We hit send (or replay all!) too fast. It’s not serious when dealing with your friends, but when communicating with administrators, teachers, and parents it communicates a message about your skills and how much you care about what you are saying. When it’s important, I create my emails in Word first and then do a copy/paste.

When you are speaking to someone, watch their non-verbal communication. Are they subtly checking the time? Are their eyes glazing over? Do you need to rephrase for their understanding or is it time to bring the conversation to an end? Stay aware.

Good communication skills can be learned and can always be improved. Practice makes perfect – or at least better. How well do you communicate? What’s your best medium? What do you need to work on?

Posted on November 21, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Thankful for the Library as a Safe Place

One of the most recurrent phrases in school library Visions (and sometimes in Mission Statements) is the library is a “safe, welcoming environment.” By implication we mean “for all.” We have read many testimonies to that truth from authors (especially, it seems) and others who found the library to be a refuge where they could escape harassment or the pressures of their lives in general whether a school or a public library.

While bullying has a long history, recent events have increased both bullying and fears in schools. In addition, the anonymity and overwhelming presence of cyberspace exacerbates the challenge. As librarians we have an obligation to ensure all our students feel safe—at least in our space, and as teachers to remind students the value in being their “better selves.”

A tall order at any time, but it’s one we can handle. At the elementary level, where you have more control over your lessons begin by using the Thanksgiving and holiday seasons to present a unit on thankfulness and giving. By reading appropriate stories and engaging students in discussions of what they are thankful for and how they would like to give to others, they begin to realize how kindness and generosity become gifts to themselves.

A member of the School Librarian’s Workshop Facebook group had a great idea. Here’s what she posted:

After discussing, watching short videos, and reading books about kindness this week, my kiddos are writing and drawing one kind thing they promise to do to make the world a better place (kindergarteners drew themselves doing their kind act and told us what to write). I am covering our library windows with them to inspire kindness in our school. So far it’s looking pretty cool!

Besides books from your collection, look for stories of how kids have made a difference in the lives of others. What do they think of the possibility of doing the same? What could they do? It might become a class project done in cooperation with the teacher. If so – inform the principal.

Most elementary schools incorporate Character Education into the curriculum and you can easily work from that. Take whatever theme of the month is being featured, then read and display books on the topic. Challenge your students to share how they are incorporating that value into their daily life.

If your school doesn’t do that, you can work with the 6 Pillars of Character from the Character Counts website. The six are:

Trustworthiness – Be honest • Don’t deceive, cheat, or steal • Be reliable — do what you say you’ll do • Have the courage to do the right thing • Build a good reputation • Be loyal
Fairness – Play by the rules • Take turns and share • Be open-minded; listen to others • Don’t take advantage of others • Don’t blame others carelessly • Treat all people fairly
Respect – Treat others with respect; follow the Golden Rule • Be tolerant and accepting of differences • Use good manners, not bad language • Be considerate of the feelings of others • Don’t threaten, hit or hurt anyone • Deal peacefully with anger, insults, and disagreements
Caring – Be kind • Be compassionate and show you care • Express gratitude • Forgive others • Help people in need • Be charitable and unselfish
Responsibility – Do what you are supposed to do • Plan ahead • Be diligent • Persevere • Do your best • Use self-control • Be self-disciplined • Think before you act • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes • Set a good example for others
Citizenship – Do your share to make your school and community better • Cooperate • Get involved in community affairs • Stay informed; vote • Be a good neighbor • Obey laws and rules • Respect authority • Protect the environment • Volunteer

With a few minor changes the examples of how to practice the six pillars come from the website. You don’t have to do them all, and certainly not in that sequence. Obviously a few of the examples are beyond what elementary students can do. Choose what works in your situation or highlight one a month for the next six months.

It may be more difficult to introduce these themes at the middle and high school level where you need to connect with a teacher to be able to create an appropriate unit. Social Studies is your primary target but you might be able to work with an English teacher having kids research and create a project. If you focus on harassment and bullying, Health teachers are another possibility.

You can find many helpful resources on Teaching Tolerance a project of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Click on Classroom Resources for lesson plans that give the topic and grade level. Southern Poverty Law Center also provides a free magazine to teachers and librarians that’s worth getting.

Much of this also comes under the heading of Social Justice, although I didn’t use the term because it has so many meanings and I wanted to focus on the importance of guiding students to becoming more caring people. Even without a unit on the subject, students should recognize through your modeling and behavior that the library is always a safe, welcoming environment for all.

What have you been doing to create that feeling in your library and your school?

Posted on November 14, 2016November 14, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Doing It Together

Are you a loner? I don’t mean someone who doesn’t like to socialize. I am referring to the type of person who prefers getting a job done alone, without help from others. Since you are a librarian, you want to work collaboratively or, if you are on a fixed schedule, cooperatively with teachers. Doing it together would be the way to go.

For most teachers, their classroom is their kingdom and they run it the way they like. Once they close the doors they are in charge. They are loners and they like it – and if they become librarians, they carry this outlook with them. Although librarians bemoan the difficulty they have in getting teachers to collaborate, the truth is, many teachers don’t like to collaborate with any one.

This is a generalization, of course. It doesn’t apply to all teachers, and with the formation of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) in schools, more of them are sharing their lesson plans and experiences with their colleagues, even if they don’t do so willingly.

I can remember when students hated to do a group project but today’s students by nature prefer to work with others. They discover the latest app from their friends, game in partnership, and share information is their preferred learning style. They are comfortable in the participatory culture.

I honestly believe most librarians are now this way as well but we need to recognize the presence of the secret loner within ourselves and the not-so-secret loner inside teachers. We often blame teacher reluctance to work with us on NCLB and the Common Core, but in reality it has always been this way. The pressures have just made it more noticeable.

How can you convince teachers that doing it together is better? (And convince some of you as well.). Long before NCLB and the presence of computers in our lives, I struggled to get a science teacher to bring her students to the library. She taught a special course called The Human Experience (THE) which connected science to everyday life.

THE was exciting and relevant. Among other things, kids learned about heart transplants and how they worked. The course content was solidly packed and the teacher felt she had no time to “waste” in the library. Sound familiar?

Because we had a good relationship, (you might remember how I have stressed the importance of building relationships), she grudging gave me one class period to work with her students on their current research assignment. I discussed research strategies with them and showed them the resources (all print at the time) that would best meet their needs.

When the assignment was complete the teacher was extremely pleased. The kids had done a much better job than in the past. What amazed her even more, was that the one day in the library had a positive effect on the rest of their projects during the year. The next year, she sought me out to begin collaborating often.

Not only did the students learn something valuable, the teacher did as well. As a side note, the teacher went on to become a principal. Her views on the value of the library and the librarian came with her on the administrative level. It’s amazing how we affect our future positively and negatively by small actions.

I understand the inner resistance to working together. Time is precious. You know what has to get done. Someone else might not bring the same commitment to the task. It won’t come out the way you intended. But that’s not all bad.

In getting over my own “loner’ tendencies, I discovered some basic truths I think our students already know. No matter how smart you are, you don’t know everything. And while someone else might not have as much knowledge as you on a given subject, the differing perspectives very often brings about a richer final product. And like the teacher, we all learn and grow in the process.

Are you a loner or a natural collaborator? How can you get passed any loner tendencies you have? What have you learned as a result of collaborating?

Posted on October 31, 2016October 31, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Show Me The Evidence

We live with assessment every day. High stakes tests are used to determine what students know and whether you are doing a good job. The tension it causes leads many of you to dislike the term, and yet it remains a critical part of teaching and leadership.

When you teach you are always assessing your students’ progress and that is the mark of a good teacher. But how often are you assessing your library program? Is it as good as it can be? What can you do to make it better? That form type of assessment is necessary if you want your stakeholders to recognize your value and that of your program.

You are probably aware of Evidenced-based Practice (EBP) which started in the medical profession, but you may have dismissed it as too complicated to add into your already crowded day. Just because it sounds very academic doesn’t mean it’s difficult. It’s as hard as you make it—or as easy.

To review for a moment. There are three aspects of EBP.

Evidence for practice involves using the research to determine best practices.
Evidence in practice is taking the research evidence coupled with your own evidence (possibly from your formative assessments with students) to identify what is necessary to improve your program. Here is where you want to connect what you are doing to the Mission and/or Vision you have for the library. It is how you transform learning.
Evidence of practice is the results you get. The data you collect from using evidence in practice showing the outcomes of what you put into practice.

For more on the subject you can go to Ross Todd’s 2008 article in School Library Journal, “The Evidenced-Based Manifesto for School Librarians.” The article points out a number of ways you can gather evidence including student interviews, their reflective journals, and surveys. While these may still feel like a lot of extra work, you need to build a portfolio documenting your accomplishments. To remind yourself of some of the significant research go to Scholastic’s School Libraries Work 2016.

Although the academics might not fully approve, you can also get your evidence in somewhat less formal ways. If you are focusing on a specific change in practice, perhaps developing students’ ability to think critically or building their understanding of digital citizenship, you can create exit tickets to determine how close you came to achieving your goals.

Why is all this important? Many years ago a principal came to me and asked if we could speak confidentially. I had worked for him at the elementary level before transferring to the high school. He had a problem with his current librarian. His difficulty was while he could go into any classroom and see whether the teacher was doing a good or poor job. He was at a loss to do the same with the librarian.

This should sound familiar to those of you who say, “My principal doesn’t know what I do.” I took an hour to go over the many big and small ways a librarian impacts student learning and helps teachers, even good ones, do a better job. Feeling more capable of evaluating the librarian in question who was up for tenure, he went back to his school. (For the record, she wasn’t rehired. He did have a sense that something was wrong, but he had no resources to substantiate his feelings.)

Action Research is very similar to EBP and you may find it easier to do. First of all it is not research in the typical sense. Rather you embark on a series of steps:

Identify a problem
Gather and interpret data on the problem
Create an action to address it
Put it the action into practice
Evaluate the results

In many ways, you may already be doing this, but not formally. For example, your students turn to Google all the time instead of using more helpful databases. So you incorporate a mini-lesson on one or two databases in connection with a research project they are doing. Then you observe them in action and check their work-cited page. All that work but you have no evidence to show for it.

Instead document it from the beginning. You have identified the information. Now gather evidence of them at work, even if its anecdotal record what you observe and date your observation.

Your lesson plan is the documentation of the action you put into practice. For the results you can record them in action and their work-cited. You also use a survey (before and after if you like) to show their past practice in research, their change, and whether they found it worthwhile. You now have evidence of the efficacy of your instruction.

Bring a portfolio of your EBP and /or your Action Research to your annual evaluation. Even better – share it with your principal (and your board if you reach out regularly) as you complete it. Included highlights on your quarterly reports. Not only will you principal know what you are doing, he or she will value the contribution you are making to the educational community.

Posted on October 24, 2016October 24, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Tackling Controversy

We are two weeks away from the Presidential election. Social studies teachers usually respond with a short unit on the subject looking at past history and the process itself. Normally, emotions and opinions run high as the election approaches particularly among older students, some of whom might be eligible to vote for the first time. However, this campaign has been far from normal. The level of acrimony coming from supporters on each side is creating stress and arguments within families and among friends. It’s tempting to step aside and not deal with it.

Yet we have an obligation to tackle it.

We need to find a path that allows our students to learn from what is happening, develop a deeper understanding of this election in context of what has gone before, and discuss it without hostility. A tall order when our own feelings are also heavily engaged. To do so, it’s necessary to focus on what you want to achieve with the unit and set ground rules from the beginning.

For all grade levels, formulate the Essential Questions you want students to explore. Possible ones are: Why do we have elections? Should we continue to have an Electoral College? What causes political parties to change their views over time? Why has this election campaign been so different from previous ones? The first would work well at the elementary level and will have a deeper analysis with high school students.

Once you know the direction you are taking, set up ground rules to ensure the exploration and discussions don’t descend into the rancor that has typified this campaign. A number of indicators in the AASL Standards for the 21^st Century Learner refer to being able to do such things as “Maintain a critical stance by questioning the validity and accuracy of all information” (1.2.4), “Consider diverse and global perspectives in drawing conclusions” (2.3.2), and “Use knowledge and information skills and dispositions to engage in public conversation and debate around issues of common concern.” (3.3.3).

In your first meeting with students have a brief discussion as to why ground rules are necessary. Acknowledge the emotions common this year about the election and the candidates. Ask students to raise their hand without any comment if they feel strongly in favor of one of the two major candidates. Then let them know there will be no attempts to change anyone’s preference and there will be no criticism of the candidates. Unlike what is happening on television, social media, and news outlets, the discussions will stay on target. There is to be no name-calling, shouting over each other, or accusations about the other candidate. Be open to having students add any ground rules.

If students are exploring the candidates in this election, have them work in pairs to research the candidate they prefer. Using a lesson plan that ties into your Essential Question(s) direct students to get started. One resource to use is Scholastic’s website or check out Edutopia’s Election 2016: Lesson Plans and Digital Resources for Educators.

Although at a far higher level than usual, candidates and their supporters regularly accuse the other side of lying. News media do fact checking, but students should learn how to so on their own. Get Your Facts Right – 6 Fact Checking Websites That Help You Know the Truth has three to verify political statements plus other for email scams and hoaxes.

When your project is complete and students come together for a final discussion and sharing, review the ground rules which should be posted. For those old enough to use the political fact checkers, have them discuss what they learned from it. As much as possible, ask if they have verified a statement. Wrap it up with their responses to the Essential Question(s).

How are you handling this election? What are you teaching your students?

Posted on October 17, 2016October 17, 2016 by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: What’s Your Philosophy?

I’ve blogged about writing Mission and Vision Statements because I think they are vital for keeping grounded and focused in the hectic day-to-day life of a school librarian. However, I haven’t discussed the importance of a having a written philosophy. It’s been included in several of the books I’ve written for ALA Editions, and I have students in my Management of the School Library course do one, so I think it’s time to put the need for one in the spotlight.

A philosophy is a statement of beliefs. It identifies your core values. The AASL Standards for the 21^st-Century Learner begins with nine “Common Beliefs” which in many ways constitutes the beliefs of the profession. These beliefs are a good place to begin framing your own philosophy. What is it you hold dear? What do you feel is essential to your personal definition of what a library is? What are you willing to fight for?

I embrace all nine Common Beliefs but the one that means the most to me is “Equitable access is a key component for education.” I couple it with another core value of mine, “The library is a safe, welcoming place for all its users.” The two don’t seem to be linked, but in many cases they are and I deeply believe that when the two come together, it can transform the life of a child.

“Equitable access is a key component for education” is a growing concern as the digital divide continues to increase. Students who don’t have Internet or even a computer at home are at a serious disadvantage. We get stories of students who hang around the school where they can pick up free Wi-Fi for their phones so they can do searches for their classes. But homework cannot be done on a phone.

As a librarian, I believe you have an obligation to do whatever you can to help those students. It may mean getting a grant to have the library open after school to accommodate those without home computers. It means making teachers and administrators aware of the problem. Too often we take access to the Internet as a given. The flipped classroom is a great idea. But it doesn’t work for those who can’t go online.

A basic truth is that schools and school libraries are not funded equably, sometimes even within the same district. We always assume this is true in urban areas but rural communities are often in even worse shape. The lack of access to computers is only one aspect of the problem. The ones who need the resources the most are the very students whose schools have libraries with aging collections, if they have a library, and quite possibly no librarian.

ALA has recognized this lack of “equitable access” and is in the process of drafting a resolution on “Equity for All to School Libraries Community.” It’s still be worked on, but the key points are to have ALA work to get certified librarians in all schools, equitable funding for all school libraries, and work with research committees to document the disproportionate cutting of resources affecting racial and economic populations.

Those are lofty goals. If and when it’s passed it won’t compel districts to hire librarians or fund libraries. But by putting the weight and lobbying power of ALA behind the resolution, we can raise awareness. And as ESSA is being fleshed out, we have a good chance of making some significant changes. (Be sure you keep aware of what ALA/AASL is doing to keep librarians and libraries positioned to take advantage of all that is in ESSA.)

“Equitable access is a key component for education” is also about intellectual freedom. I have blogged about Censorship and the lonely courage of a librarian who chooses to purchase a book, recognizing the subject matter is one that may raise challenges. We are all aware that a LGBTQ book will bring out censors in many communities. But those are the very places where a LGBTQ child feels most vulnerable.

A book, fiction or nonfiction, can help those kids see they are not alone. They can even discover they are “normal.” It can direct them to sources for help and advice. And this gets back to my other core value of the library being a safe, welcoming environment.

We have heard from authors and others that the library was a sanctuary for them. A place where they sometimes could hide and feel safe from whatever and whoever threatened them. We know schools have anti-bullying codes, but much happens in a school that flies under adult radar.

As a librarian, keep a watchful eye for those who escape to your library. Sometimes you can have them become “library assistants,” letting them avoid lunch in the cafeteria. You may find you become a confidante and then must travel a careful line between holding their confidentiality and knowing when to contact a guidance counselor or an administrator. You once again are making lonely decisions. I have made a few such in my career. The student never knew how nervous I was, trying to do what was best for the child without violating school policies.

In making these tough decisions it pays to have a written philosophy. It’s longer than a Mission or a Vision, so you have room to include all the beliefs you have about what a library needs to be. You can mention collaboration, and opening students’ minds to the world around them, helping them become independent learners and critical thinkers.

But you also must include how the library must feel for all its users, whether the child who is keeping his or her homelessness secret, a kid whose parent is in prison, or one who is abused at home. The library must be there for them, and so must you be.

As you write your philosophy, you will find out who you are at your core. You may eve revise your Mission or Vision as a result.

Do you have a philosophy? What is the most important belief in it?

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