Examples of Instructional Initiatives
That Align with Collaborative Planning
Educational Competitions
National History Day www.nationalhistoryday.com is just one example of an educational competition that promotes creativity and scholarship. This year long program engages students in grades 6 through 12 in historical topics by establishing an annual theme that encourages meaningful historical inquiry. The components of the competition correlate very closely with those of effective research assignments in any discipline.
Including Critical Thinking in Research Assignments
When teachers and librarians plan research assignments together, critical thinking skills (information literacy standards) and evaluation of resources can be imbedded into the assignment. Librarians know specific practices that enable students to be more successful in searching for information, more engaged in research, and more capable of producing better products. In addition, assignments can be adjusted to discourage plagiarism, require a variety of resources, and give credit for the use of intellectual property.
Looking at Student Work
“Looking at student work” www.lasw.org is a collaborative process that allows teachers to evaluate their assignments and to better understand how to help students do higher quality work. Teachers still grade student work with traditional methods, but by bringing samples of student work to the table with colleagues, important questions about teaching and learning can be asked and answered. The process requires time, a facilitator and questioning protocols to guide the conversation. When the librarian is included in the process, research assignments can be adjusted to improve student learning and products.
Curriculum Mapping
Curriculum mapping is a tool to assist teachers in communicating the content taught in their classrooms. The process of curriculum mapping enables a visual audit of the curriculum for duplication but, more importantly, it provides a tool to increase cross-curricular and cross-grade level connections. When librarians are involved, it provides information about what resources are needed when, how educational technology can be used most effectively, and how other specialists can coordinate their instruction with classroom content.
Professional Discussion Groups
Whether the groups are “Critical Friends Groups” from the Annenberg Institute for School Reform or “Professional Learning Communities” as designed by Rick DuFour and Robert Eaker, small groups of faculty members are working together in a structured format to give each other support and ideas for improving teaching practices. This configuration of small groups providing professional development directly related to improving classroom practice are important initiatives in today’s school reform movement. School librarians can play a leadership role in building these collaborative structures and sustaining the reform effort.