Why Collaborate?

Collaboration between the LMS and the classroom teacher to integrate information literacy skills is more meaningful to students than teaching information literacy skills in isolation as it allows for more authentic learning to occur since skills are learned and practiced as part of a meaningful task.   The library media specialist has expertise in information literacy skills and the ability to integrate literacy skills with core curriculum content.  The library media specialist also has access to a variety of information resources.  Not only is the library media specialist better equipped in teaching information literacy skills, but collaborating with the classroom teachers will show them the importance of incorporating it into their lessons. There is the saying that “two heads are better one” and this is so true.  When there is a team working to achieve a goal, which is to make sure our students excel in learning, learning can go more in depth because there are more ideas and more people working to achieve the goal.

According to Indiana Learners, research shows that in over 10 states that a good school library media program collaborating with teachers will transform information technology skills into quality learning experiences thus affecting achievement even when at-risk factors are present.  The effects of collaborating with the classroom teachers and the library media specialist will result in capable, avid readers, learners who are information literate and teachers who are partnering to create high-learning experiences (Indiana Learners.)  Results of collaborating also show an increase in test scores. 

           As the keystone of a student-centered library media program, the library media specialist works collaboratively with teachers to integrate technology information literacy skills with core curriculum content, providing information resources in a variety of formats, and the library media specialist works closely with individual teachers in the critical area of designing authentic learning tasks, assessments, and build communication abilities required to meet subject matter standards.

Process and Procedure:

          The library media specialist is an expert in the curriculum of the school, and therefore knows what classes will be working on. The LMS can approach teachers with ideas for “assistance” with an upcoming topic or the classroom teacher can come to the specialist with an idea for a research task or a topic.  The library media specialist and the classroom teacher meet to work together to further develop the idea more in depth and plan the lesson. The teacher and the LMS identify objectives for the unit as well recourses that will be needed.  They will work together to determine the role and responsibility of the teacher and the LMS. Once the lesson has been planned the lesson is ready to be implemented.  The classroom teacher and the media specialist are there to provide support for students during all aspects of the task: orienting them to the resources at hand, supporting their use of the resources and their efforts to collect, analyze, and synthesize information, and to clarify the task expectations. 

After the lesson has been implemented the teacher and the media specialist score the student's work together using a common rubric that includes criteria both within the teacher’s content area and information literacy.  Student achievement of the task is reviewed and the teacher and media specialist draw conclusions about what the next task(s) should focus on to meet academic expectation both within the classroom content area and information literacy.  The collaborating team can also reflect on the effectiveness of the lesson and what could be done differently or what worked well. 

Forms:

Teacher Library Media Specialist Planning Form.htm

Links:

From Indiana Learners

Planning Sheet

Planning Sheet

Rubric

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

 www.ala.org

www.uelma.org/miscpdf/07confer_hand/Collaboration-final.pd