Teacher-Librarians Supporting Student Learning

By Rosenfeld, Esther

Read on to learn about new resources that support teacher- librarians’ efforts as literacy advocates.

Be the Change is a new global citizenship curriculum initiative of the Ontario School Library Association. In February 2005 at the Ontario Library Association Super Conference, Craig Kielburger (founder of Free the Children) and Stephen Lewis (United Nations Special Envoy on HlV and AIDS in Africa) presented passionate keynote speeches describing the plight of children in Africa. Be the Change is inspired by the work of Kielburger and Lewis and has adopted the words of Mahatma Gandhi as its vision: “You must be the change you want to see in the world.” Its purpose is to educate students about their responsibility in protecting the human rights of all people and to enforce the notion that every individual can make a difference in this world. The curriculum consists of a series of flexible and adaptable lessons and units for students in grades K- 12, organized around the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and linked to curriculum standards and information literacy standards. The lessons are based on picture books for all grade levels, novels, nonfiction materials, and electronic resources. Because the focus is on promoting active global citizenship, each lesson includes suggestions for action. A comprehensive annotated resource list accompanies the curriculum, which is available at www.accessola.com/osla/bethechange.

Me Read? No Way: A Practical Guide to Improving Boys’ Literacy Skills, recently published by the Ontario Ministry of Education, was prepared as part of a major initiative to improve student literacy. The document, intended as a guide for teachers, is based on an international review of effective strategies and practices used in successful literacy programs for boys. The guide is organized around 13 “Strategies for Success” chapters, each of which summarizes the most important research on how boys develop literacy skills and what strategies are the most effective to help boys succeed. Many of the “Strategies for Success” chapters stress the role of the school library and the teacher-librarian as part of the school’s literacy team. Download this document at www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/ brochure/meread/meread.pdf.

Teacher Librarians . . . Supporting Student Learning is a new, awardwinning web site project that supports the professional development of teacher-librarians in their role as instructional leaders in Saskatchewan schools. Created as a joint project between Regina Catholic Schools and Qu’Appelle Valley Schools, the web site consists of modules on resourcebased learning, information literacy, collaboration, reading literacy, management, and technology. Each module contains information, examples of best practices, resources, and learning opportunities. This useful site for all teacher- librarians is available at www.saskschools.ca/curr_content/teachlib/ index.htm.

Think Literacy: Library Research Grades 7-12 is new curriculum support material for the Ontario Ministry of Education as part of a set of subjectspecific resources for cross-curricular literacy for grades 7-12. Written by the Ontario School Library Association, it links the library research process to literacy strategies in reading, writing, and oral communication and provides valuable lesson plans and templates that can be adapted for many uses. The document can be downloaded at www.accessola2.com/osla/docs/ ThinkLitLibrary.pdf. In addition, Think Literacy: Teacher- Librarians, curriculum support material that provides practical strategies for supporting independent reading in grades 7-9, can be downloaded at www.accessola2.com/osIa/docs/ThinkLit TeacherLibrarians.pdf.

Think You Can’t, Yes You Can! The Teacher Librarian’s Toolkit for EvidenceBased Practice was launched by the Ontario School Library Association. It is an online interactive toolkit that helps teacher- librarians learn about evidence-based practice and provides assessment tools and strategies, including templates, that will build evidence that the school library program improves student achievement. The site, which also provides a forum to enable teacher- librarians to share their success stories, is available at www.accessola.com/ osla/toolkit/intro.html.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

Adolescents’ Reading Bill of Rights Created

The Middle Grades Reading Network, based in Evansville, IN, is dedicated to the promotion of voluntary reading among young adolescents. It is the responsibility of the entire community to offer support to ensure that children have access to books, time to read, skilled reading leaders, and library support. The complete Adolescents’ Reading Bill of Rights and can be found at www2.evansville.edu/mgrnweb/readbill .html, along with other useful resources.

American Library Association to Hold 2006 Annual Conference in New Orleans “1 am pleased to announce that we are planning to hold our 2006 ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans,” said ALA president Michael Gorman, further explaining,

We realize that many sections of the city, and particularly the Ninth Ward, have suffered tragic damage, and that many New Orleans residents have lost their homes forever. If we truly care about the residents of New Orleans, however, the best thing that the association and its members can do is to go to New Orleans and lead the reconstruction by example. Our conference will help to provide the jobs and tax revenues needed if residents are to reestablish their lives and for the city to fully restore services, including library services. We speak often of how libraries build communities, and we now have the chance to show the country and world that librarians build communities, too.

Read the complete statement at www.ala.org/ala/pressreleases2005/ october2005/2006neworleans.htm.

Canadian Council on Learning Examines Measures of Learning Success

A range of tools for monitoring and reporting learning outcomes and performance to measure the success of learning systems is offered in Lessons in Learning, published by the Canadian Council on Learning. Download a copy at www.ccl-cca.ca/english/resources/ carnet.asp.

Census Bureau Releases Social and Economic Characteristics of U.S. Students

The U.S. Census Bureau has released the latest national tabulations on the number of students in school-from nursery school to college-with updated information on the more than 75 million people aged 3 years or over who were in the classroom in 2004. Access the statistics at www.census .gov/population/www/socderno/ school.html.

Communications Handbook for Libraries Helps Obtain Media Attention

The American Library Association has released a revised Communications Handbook for Libraries, designed to help libraries obtain more attention from the media for key library messages. Available at www.ala.org/commhandbook, the handbook explains what media attention can do for a library, offering tips on how to develop, shape, and move forward with a communications plan designed to obtain support for your library.

Community Learning Centers Program Provides Model for 21stcentury High-Performing Schools

Wayne Jennings believes that all students are gifted with powerful brains and that it is the school’s responsibility to present learning environments that promote their gifts. In a detailed essay he goes beyond the theory and describes how to plan, budget, staff, design, and maintain community learning centers. This fresh approach to principles of learning, curriculum, staffing, facilities, student as resource, parent roles, technology, and staff development makes it possible to accomplish for all students the three major goals of education: responsible citizenship, productive work, and lifelong learning. Based on sound research, the community learning centers program gives courageous school and community leaders the background and practical information to create high performance schools. Read the essay at w w w.design share.com/ articles/1/1 31 -jennings/jennings-learn-ctr.pdf.

Every Student Reads Builds on the 2004 American Association of School Librarians Fall Forum

In the current role as educator in this era of reading to leam and reading accountability, teacher-librarians are seeking proven reading strategies to engage students. The newest title from the American Association of School Librarians, Every Student Reads: Collaboration and Reading to Leam by Gail Bush, features reading strategies geared for elementary and secondary students as well as a hearty nod to free and voluntary reading programs supported by school library programs. Visit www.alastore .ala.org/aasl for ordering information.

National Association of secondary School Principals Helps Principals Create a Culture of Literacy

Creating a Culture of Literacy: A Guide for Middle and High School Principals discusses the importance of implementing literacy strategies across the curriculum and gives practical steps and examples of ways to confront the deficit in literacy skills in secondary schools. The guide offers specific action steps, successful school profiles, additional research-based expertise, and important tips to remember when building a literacy program at the school building level. The association is distributing a free copy of the guide to every middle and high school principal in the United States. Get more details at www.principals.org/s_nassp\/ sec.asp?ClD=62& D1D=62.

Library Technology NOW Seeks Submissions for the Winter 2006 Theme

Library Technology NOW is currently seeking queries for its winter 2006 theme, “New Web Technologies.” This theme will cover blogs, RSS, Podcasting, and content management systems. Library Technology NOW features product reviews written by library people for library people. Interested parties should send a 500-word query including the planned products to review and the criteria used in reviewing the products. Visit www.librarytechnologynow.org for more information.

National Assessment of Educational Progress Results Released

National and state-by-state results of the 2005 nation’s report card in reading and mathematics, detailing grade 4 and grade 8 achievement on the findings since the previous assessment, in 2003, are available at the new, initial-release web site www .nationsreportcard.gov.

National Education Leaders Issue Report to Stimulate Changes in Policies to Enhance Diversity, Achievement in U.S. Schools

With All Deliberate Speed, a report outlining a series of recommendations to address the issue of achievement, citizenship, and diversity in American education, was recently released by former U.S. secretary of education Richard Riley, chair of a consortium of education, community, legal, and military leaders. Read the full report at http://education.nyu.edu/metrocenter/ brownplus/ reports.pdf.

National Library Legislative Day, May 1-2, 2006

Join hundreds of library supporters visiting members of Congress to talk about the needs and accomplishments of libraries in your area. Visit www.ala.org/ala/washoff/washevents/ nlld/ nationallibrary.htm for details.

National Library Week, April 2-8, 2006, Free Promotional Materials Available

“Change your world @ your library” is the 2006 theme for National Library Week. Free promotional materials to help libraries reach out to their communities are available online and include a sample press release, sample radio public service announcements, proclamation, sample letter to the editor and op-ed, and programming suggestions. All documents can be customized and are available in English and Spanish. Download materials from www.ala.org/ala/ pio/campaign/nlw/ NLW.htm.

WEB SITES

American Association of School Librarians National Conference Blog

www.noodletools.com/aasl

If you missed the AASL 12th National Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, do not despair. Read all about it on this blog; download copies of presenters’ handouts; and learn what went on-it’s practically as good as being there!

Canada Council for the Arts

www.canadacouncil.ca/news/releases/ 2005/ri 127760432070837324.htm

Download a list of the governor general’s 2005 Literary Award winners, featuring each book’s cover, author biography, and jury’s comments.

Education Counts

www.edweek.org/rc/edcounts/

To find out about student achievement in the 50 states and the District of Columbia, access the Education Counts database. Use the custom table builder to create a table, graph, or map of indicators that you choose, such as accountability, assessments, standards, student achievement, teacher quality, and technology, by states and years.

Federal Resources for Educational Excellence

www.ed.gov/free/

Read letters, diaries, and oral histories of America’s war veterans, and learn what Americans across the country are doing to support our troops, at the “America Supports You” link. Find out about ways to let our servicemen and servicewomen know how much we appreciate them. see photo essays, newsletters, and a list of nonprofit organizations dedicated to helping troops and their families. Click on “New Resources” to find this and an array of other educational resources.

New York Public Library’s Digital Gallery

http://digitalgallery.nypl.org

The New York Public Library’s online treasury includes more than 360,000 digital images with free access and downloads. Offering thousands of unique images in the form of prints, illustrated manuscripts, photographs, maps, postcards, cigarette cards, menus, posters, and other visual materials, it provides researchers anywhere in the world with around-the-clock access to an unparalleled collection of free images drawn from the New York Public Library’s research libraries. Once materials are located, they can be viewed in three different sizes and may be downloaded free of charge.

Raptors in the City

www.raptorsinthecity.org

Raptors in the City is a real-time, inquirybased science and technology program that stars the peregrine falcon and guides children through nesting season (roughly February to June) as they watch the falcons live via cameras mounted on a skyscraper. The curriculum supports one semester of study, and the students learn environmental, biological, and technological lessons as well as research skills tied to national science and technology standards. Nesting season (and the the Raptors in the City program) begins in February 2006.

Time Magazine’s 50 Coolest Websites of 2005 List

www.time.com/tirne/2005/websites/

View Time magazine’s list of cool web sites, including those of arts and entertainment; blogs; lifestyle, health, and hobbies; news and information; and shopping. These sites link users to information on book reviews, museum collections, games, fashion, pets, television news, legal matters, politics, travel destinations, and much more.

Wallace Foundation’s Knowledge Center

www.wallacefoundation.org/WF/Knowledge Center/

The foundation concentrates on three areas: developing effective educational leaders for schools and districts to improve student learning; providing high-quality informal learning opportunities for children and families, especially in low-income communities; and promoting new standards of practice that enable arts and cultural institutions to diversify, broaden, and deepen relationships with their audiences. The foundation’s web site offers a listing of available grants, and its knowledge center offers a variety of downloadable publications on education leadership, libraries, and literacy.

Esther Rosenfeld: Educational and school library consultant; former coordinator of libraries for Toronto District School Board; and past president of the Ontario School Library Association, 2002 and 2003. erosenfeld@teacherlibrarian.com

Copyright Ken Haycock & Associates Feb 2006