kmg99800 - Super Six Assignments

Assignment: I-Seach

I-Search Final Reflection I-Search Final Product

This assignment meets two AASL standards by promoting efficient and ethical information seeking behavior (standard 1) and by demonstrating knowledge of the information literacy curriculum (standard 2).

Standards:

1. School library media candidates encourage reading and lifelong learning by stimulating interests and fostering competencies in the effective use of ideas and information. They apply a variety of strategies to ensure access to resources and information in a variety of formats to all members of the learning community. Candidates promote efficient and ethical information seeking behavior as part of the school library media program and its services.

2. School library media candidates model and promote collaborative planning with classroom teachers in order to teach concepts and skills of information processes integrated with classroom content. They partner with other education professionals to develop and deliver an integrated information skills curriculum. Candidates design and implement instruction that engages the student’s interests, passions, and needs which drive their learning.

Reflection:

This assignment gave me the opportunity to delve deeper into the research process. At the beginning of this journey, I was very unaware of the variety of research process models available. In fact, I was only cognizant of the traditional method of research that I had been taught and I had used since middle school. While engaging in the I-Search process, I was able to reflect on how effective this new research process can be when used with students. The I-search is truly time well spent. The learning is authentic. The freedom of choice is engaging. Most importantly, the skills learned during this process are essential for life long learning.

As a school library media specialist, the easier part of my job will be leading the learners through this process. The more challenging aspect will be convincing teachers and administrators that the I-search is worthwhile. As a classroom teacher myself, I understand time restraints and the pressure for students to perform well on standardized tests. If I can help both teachers and administrators see how important it is for students to develop critical thinking skills that the I-search requires, my argument for using this process will go a long way. Critical thinking skills will certainly aid students on the all-important standardized test.

Assignment: Order

Book Order Book Order Presentation

This assignment meets two AASL standards by promoting literacy and reading, assuring access to information, and by demonstrating quality management of resources.

Standards:

4. School library media candidates administer the library media program in order to support the mission of the school, and according to the principles of best practice in library science and program administration.

Reflection:

This assignment was a group project that attempted to align the objectives of our fictional media center with a current book order. Our objectives were as follows:

To order award winning books in order to promote the reading of quality literature

To order culturally diverse books to meet the needs of the growing culturally diverse population

To order titles recommended by teachers and students for pleasure reading and that support the curriculum

To order materials that support the curriculum based on the collection analysis

This project was all encompassing and emulated an authentic book order well. To complete this assignment, our group linked objectives with rationale, produced an order process checklist, replicated an authentic order, and designed a presentation meant to show a media committee. I believe that this assignment will be a valuable, “real- life” asset to me in my future career as a media specialist.

Assignment: Program Development and Evaluation Plan

PDEP

This assignment meets three out of the four AASL standards by assuring access to information and providing a stimulating learning environment (standard 1); by providing evidence of becoming an instructional partner (standard 3); and by demonstrating quality management of resources as well as demonstrating comprehensive, collaborative planning and assessment (standard 4).

Standards:

3. School library media candidates provide leadership and establish connections with the greater library and education community to create school library media programs that focus on students learning and achievement; encourage the personal and professional growth of teachers and other educators, and model the efficient and effective use of information and ideas.

Reflection:

The PDEP was the most comprehensive project in the entire UGA School Library Media curriculum. This project allowed us to design a hypothetical plan for a fictional media center. This was indeed a group effort. During this project, our group described both our fictional school make-up and our fictional media center setting. We outlined our philosophy and our mission statement for the media center. In addition, we created yearly objectives for the media center and formulated a budget for the library based on these objectives. Similarly, we described the roles and responsibilities of media center staff as well as the media committee members. Finally, we developed a plan to evaluate our objectives that we created.

In my opinion, this project gave me the greatest insight into my role as a program administrator in the media center. I now understand how to formulate a plan based on the school’s curriculum and needs. In addition, I can take the plan, create objectives and develop a budget designed to support these objectives. More importantly, I now understand how to evaluate the plan on a yearly basis to make sure that objectives are being met while still aligning to the school’s needs. This project will certainly be an asset to me as I develop my own plan for my own future media center.

Assignment: Collaborative Unit Plan

Unit Plan Lesson Plan #1 Lesson Plan #2

This assignment meets one AASL standard by demonstrating that the SLM candidate has knowledge of learners, learning, and the information literacy curriculum (standard 2).

Standards:

Reflection:

This project helped me realign my thinking from that of a classroom teacher to that of a media specialist. Previously, I had a firm understanding of how to write unit and individual lesson plans. Now I can integrate information literacy standards into these plans. For me, it is essential to incorporate information literacy standards into the ongoing classroom curriculum. This makes information literacy standards more meaningful and less isolated for young children. To do this successfully, however, there must be collaboration between the media specialist and the classroom teacher.

Collaborating with teachers is one of my strengths. In my current job as Literacy Coordinator, I maintain an ongoing effort to plan and implement lessons in collaboration with classroom teachers. While this does take time and cooperation, I feel it is a vital role of a media specialist and one in which I hope to continue to excel.

Assignment: Internship

Internship Journal (not available online)

This assignment meets one AASL standard by demonstrating that the SLM candidate has established connections with the library community and has shown educational leadership (standard 3).

Standards:

Reflection:

The internship, by far, has been the most hands on experience during the School Library Media program. Fortunately, I was able to do my internship with a media specialist who is an alumnus of our program. Therefore, I have been able to witness and participate in activities that coincide with UGA’s curriculum firsthand. During my internship, I have been able to teach information literacy lessons, promote reading by planning and implementing a Family Literacy Night, establish a Book Club for second and third grade readers, assist individual students with book selection, visit middle and high school media centers, and continue ordering and cataloging books for the school’s book room. Nothing can replace the knowledge and experiences that I have had during this time. If I had to change one aspect of this experience, it would be to spend more time observing and teaching the research process to upper grade elementary students.