Elementary Collaboration Project

Chalice Tillis, Jennifer Turner, Beonica Sharp, Linda Hall

Why Collaborate In the Elementary School?

     Why not collaborate should be the question? According to studies conducted in twelve states by Keith Lance, Ross Todd, and others have shown that a strong library media program has a positive impact on student achievement. Research indicates that collaboration is a high priority for library media specialists that want to make a difference in their schools. When the library media specialists is actively involved in the instructional program of the school, collaborating with teachers and teaching information skills, academic achievement is higher. (Lance, 2000) Through the combined expertise of the library media specialists and the classroom teacher learning will be further enhanced for the students. Each partner involved brings what he/she is best at to the table to be shared with the group. The library media specialists’ leads the way with teaching information literacy skills and the classroom teacher's knowledge of the students’ strengths and weaknesses, and content matter combined they will be able to reach more students on more levels.

     The library media specialist's efforts to learn the core content and have collection development revolve around it will provide even more scaffolding of the curriculum. Thus, it will be another educational tool to increase student academic achievement.

Process and Procedure

     In an article written by Anthony Moore where he discussed the role of collaboration in schools, he remarked that " collaborative environments do not not just occur" nor do they emerge fully successful". Many times the role of the library media specialist is misunderstood and some teachers and administrators may not fully value the need of collaboration. This is the central reason the library media specialist must always be prepared and ready to educate others about the value of the library media center and have a willing spirit to initiate collaboration with colleagues and other professionals.

     At the beginning of each school year the library media specialists can distribute a needs survey and a collaboration form. The needs survey will be used to determine what materials (books on particular subjects, audio and video materials etc.) teachers will need for the upcoming year. This will help the LMS to check her collection development to make sure it meets the needs of the teachers. the collaboration form is for use as the teachers want to use them. Whenever the LMS is asked to assist the teacher on a project they can fill this form out and give it to the LMS. Then she can determine what materials are needed for this project and in what way she can best help. The teacher and the LMS will work together to decide the best plan of action for teaching the lesson according to the students needs. They will also assess the lesson, lesson objectives, and the progress of each student. They will also grade the work samples of each student together. After this they will reflect on the the effectiveness of the lesson and does the lesson need to be changed or remain as is.

     The LMS should make his/her self available to the teachers and stress to them her/his willingness to help and be a team player.

Forms 

http://www2.fcsconline.org/book/cups2.pdf

http://jkarp.myweb.uga.edu/htmldocs/Collaborative%20Unit%20Planning%20Guide.htm.doc

http://www.forks.wednet.edu/FHSMAIN/library/Collaboration%20forms/collaborative_unit_traditional.htm

Links

http://virtualinquiry.com/course/projects/bowriding/vonguntenpr2.ppt

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/envrnmnt/go/93-3guid.htm

http://www.libraryinstruction.com/teachers.html 

Reference

Anthony Moore, "Is there a Doctrinaire in the House?" Special supplement to KM World (March 2003), S3

Retrieved from Collaboration and the School Library Media Specialist http://books.google.com/books?id=oEQheCQRTtcC&dq=why+collaborate+in+library+media&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=_JFOYrAUf_&sig=NJj1jIptM4i3GXuEU1ZTLOWkYzU&hl=en&ei=LNzpSb6EOMuMtgf92tHXBQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10#PPP1,M1

on April 16, 2009