Empowering Learners CASL/CECA Conference

1. Empowering LearnersCASL/CECAConference Connecticut Conference Center Hartford, Ct October 26th, 2009

2. We bet you've got some questions.   Perhaps, some of these? 1. Where have we been with school library program goals?  2. Where are we going with these new goals? 3. What is the difference between the old and the new guidelines? 4. What are the guidelines vs. standards? 5. What do these new standards and guidelines mean to my work at my school and in my district? 6. Do we need to change everything that we do in our school libraries?

3. Where have been with school library program goals?  Where are we going? 2009 2007 1998 The Learner

4. Is it a Revolution or an Evolution? What do we believe? ?

5. What is the difference between the old and the new guidelines? Do we have a different role? ?

6. The Roles of the LMS Information Power (c. 1998) Empowering Learners (c. 2009) • Teacher • Information Specialist • Instructional Partner • Program Administrator • Leader • Instructional Partner • Information Specialist • Teacher • Program Administrator The Logos

7. The Mission Information Power (c. 1998) Empowering Learners (c. 2009) • The mission of the library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. This mission is accomplished: • By providing intellectual and physical access to materials in all formats. • By providing instruction to foster competence and stimulate interest in reading, viewing, and using information and ideas • By working with other educators to design learning strategies to meet the needs of individual students. • The mission of the school library media program is to ensure that students and staff are effective users of ideas and information. The school library media specialist (SLMS) empowers students to be critical thinkers, enthusiastic readers, skillful researchers, and ethical users of information by: • Collaborating with educators and students to design and teach engaging learning experiences that meet individual needs • Instructing students and assisting educators in using, evaluating, and producing information and ideas through active use of a broad range of appropriate tools, resources, and information technologies • Providing access to materials in all formats, including up-to-date, high quality, varied literature to develop and strengthen a love of reading. • Providing students and staff with instruction and resources that reflect current information needs and anticipate changes in technology and educations • Providing leadership in the total education program and advocating for strong school library media programs as essential to meeting local, state and national education goals.

8. The Guidelines Empowering Learners (c. 2009) Information Power (c. 1998) • Learning and Teaching • The library media program is essential to learning and teaching and must be fully integrated into the curriculum to promote students’ achievement of learning goals. • The information literacy standards for student learning are integral to the content and objectives of the school’s curriculum. • The library media program models and promotes collaborative planning and curriculum development. • The library media program models and promotes creative, effective, and collaborative teaching. • Access to the full range of information resources and services through the library media program is fundamental to learning. • The library media program encourages and engages students in reading, viewing, and listening for understanding and enjoyment. • The library media program supports the learning of all students and other members of the learning community who have diverse learning abilities, styles, and needs. • The library media program fosters individual and collaborative inquiry. • The library media program integrates the uses of technology for learning and teaching. • The library media program is an essential link to the larger learning community. • Information Access and Delivery • The library media program provides intellectual access to information and ideas for learning. • The library media program provides physical access to information and resources for learning. • The library media program provides a climate that is conducive to learning. • The library media program requires flexible and equitable access to information, ideas, and resources for learning. • The collections of the library media program are developed and evaluated collaboratively to support the school’s curriculum and to meet the diverse learning needs of the students. • The library media program is founded on a commitment to the right of intellectual freedom. • The information policies, procedures, and practices of the library media program reflect legal guidelines and professional ethics. • Program Administration • The library media program supports the mission goals, objectives and continuous improvement of the schools. • In every school, a minimum of one-full-time, certified/licensed library media specialist supported by qualified staff is fundamental to the implementation of an effective library media program at the building level. • An effective library media program requires a level of professional and support staffing that is based upon a school’s instructional programs, services, facilities, size, and numbers of students and teachers. • An effective library media program requires ongoing administrative support. • Comprehensive and collaborative long-range, strategic planning is essential to the effectiveness of the library media program. • Ongoing assessment for improvement is essential tot eh vitality of an effective library media program. • Sufficient funding is fundamental to the success of the library media program. • Ongoing staff development--both to maintain professional knowledge and skills and to provide instruction in information literacy for teachers, administrators, and other members of the learning community--is an essentail component of the library media program. • Clear communication of the mission, goals, functions and impact of the library media program is necessary to the effectiveness of the program. • Effective management of human, financial, and physical resources undergirds a strong library media program. • Teaching for Learning • The school library media program promotes collaboration among members of the learning community and encourages learners to be independent, lifelong users and producers of ideas and information. • The school library media program promotes reading as a foundational skill for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment. • The school library media program provides instruction that addresses multiple literacies, including information literacy, media literacy, visual literacy, and technology literacy. • The school library media program models and inquiry-based approach to learning and the information search process. • The school library media program is guided by regular assessment of student learning to ensure the program is meeting its goals. • Building theLearning Environment • The school library media program is built on a long-term strategic plan that reflects the mission, goals, and objectives of the school. • The school library media program has a minimum of one full-time certified/licensed library media specialist supported by qualified staff sufficient for the school’s instructional programs, services, facilities, size, and number of teachers and students. • The school library media program includes flexible and equitable access to physical and virtual collections of resources that support the school curriculum and meet the diverse needs of all learners. • The school library media program has sufficient funding to support priorities and make steady progress to attain the program’s mission, goals, and objectives. • The school library media program includes policies, procedures, and guidelines that support equitable access to ideas and information throughout the school community. • The school library media program includes a well-developed collection of books, periodicals, and non-print material in a variety of formats that support curricular topics and are suited to inquiry learning and users’ needs and interests. • The school library media program is guided by an advocacy plan that builds support from decision makers who affect the quality of the SLMP. • The school library media program includes support for school library media specialist and teacher professional development to sustain and increase knowledge and skills. • Empowering Learning Through Leadership • 1. The school library media program is built by professionals who model leadership and best practice for the school community.

9. The school library media program promotes collaboration among members of the learning community and encourages learners to be independent, lifelong users and producers of ideas and information. • The school library media program promotes reading as a foundatioal skill for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment. • The school library media program provides instruction that addresses multiple literacies, including information literacy, media literacy, visual literacy, and technology literacy. • The school library media program models an inquiry-based approach to learning and the information search process. • The school library media program is guided by regular assessment of student learning to ensure the program is meeting its goals. (Empowering Learners p.19) Teaching for Learning CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009

10. •Use common beliefs and language whenintroducing Learning4Life•Show the chart comparison of the three21stCenturyStandards(AASL, ISTE,Partnership for 21st Century Skills) •Offer to work with departments on implementing common assessment lessons, district goals, and state goals Tips for Working with School Community CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009

11. Library media specialists have always collaborated with teachers and other members of the school community. The difference now is the emphasis on expanding the collaboration to include students, parents, public libraries, the outside community,and other groups that would enhance the projects that the students are creating. Collaborative Partnerships CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009

12. We have always promoted reading!  The emphasis now is on encouraging staff members to use reading techniques in their lesson plans. • Monthly book talks on new fiction and nonfiction would assist and encourage teachers to engage students by giving them opportunities to read for pleasure as well as for academic assignments. Role of Reading CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009

13. Use and share 21st Century Literacies: • Digital Literacy • Visual Literacy • Textual Literacy • Technological Literacy •      (Empowering Learners p24) Multiple Literacies CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

14. Similar to strategies that we have used in the past (The Big 6, for example), the library media specialist collaborates with  teachers to focus on what the learners already know and what they need to know.  The collaboration would then allow certain skills to be reviewed or taught for the first time that will help the learners succeed in their projects.   Inquiry Based Approach CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

15. The School library media program models an inquiry-based approach to learning and the information search process. The school library media specialist: •supports educational and program standards as defined by the local, state, and national associations •stimulates critical thinking through the use of learning activities that involve application, analysis, evaluation, and creativity •designs learning tasks that incorporate the information search process •builds upon learners’ prior knowledge as needed for the learning task •provides aids that help learners collect information and data •provides aids that help learners collect information and data •uses differentiated strategies with respect to gender, reading ability, personal interests, and prior knowledge to engage learners in reading and inquiry •uses diagnostics, including observation, checklists, and graphic organizers to identify zones of I intervention •applies appropriate interventions to help learners perform tasks that they cannot complete without assistance •uses formative assessments to guide learners and assess their progress •provides opportunities for learners to revise their work through feedback from educators and peers •integrates the use of state-of-the-art and emerging technologies as a means for effective and creative learning •adapts to and models new technologies and new understandings of the learning process (Empowering Learners, p.25) EffectivePracticesfor Inquiry CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

16. We assess ourselves through student assessment using any or all of the following assessments: • formative • summative • performance-based •       rubrics • portfolios • critical analysis and evaluation strategies • student imput • (Empowering Learners p,27) Assessment in Teaching for Learning CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

17. The school library media program is built on a long-term strategic plan that reflects the mission, goals, and objectives of the school. • The school library media program has a minimum of one full-time certified/licensed library media specialist supported by qualified staff sufficient for the school’s instructional programs, services, facilities, size, and number of teachers and students. • The school library media program includes flexible and equitable access to physical and virtual collections of resources that support the school curriculum and meet the diverse needs of all learners. • The school library media program has sufficient funding to support priorities and make steady progress to attain the program’s mission, goals, and objectives. • The school library media program includes policies, procedures, and guidelines that support equitable access to ideas and information throughout the school community. • The school library media program includes a well-developed collection of books, periodicals, and non-print material in a variety of formats that support curricular topics and are suited to inquiry learning and users’ needs and interests. • The school library media program is guided by an advocacy plan that builds support from decision makers who affect the quality of the SLMP. • The school library media program includes support for school library media specialist and teacher professional development to sustain and increase knowledge and skills. • (Empowering Learners p.29) Building the Learning Environment CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

18. The school library media program is built by professionals who model leadership and best practice for the school community. • The school library media specialist • must be a leader in the global community • must build relationships with teachers, administrators, and community • must plan for the future • must have the characteristics of a good leader • (Empowering Learners, pp.46-47) Empowering Learning Through Leadership CASL/CECA October 25th, 2009

19. Characteristics of a Good Leader •Being creative •Being interactive •Being vision-focused •Empowering others by encouraging participation and involvement •Being passionate about your work (Empowering Learners, p.48) CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009

20. Acknowledgements • Mary Ellen and Katrina would like to thank Irene Kwidzinski for all of her assistance in planning this presentation. CASL/CECA October 26th,2009

21. Find Out More! • http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/ • http://www.londonderry.org/lmt/index.cfm • http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/blog/1340000334/post/770049277.html?nid=3714 • http://www.simsbury.k12.ct.us/page.cfm?p=43 • ctcasl.ning.com • ctcasl.com • neschoolibraries.org • http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/aasl/index.cfm CASL/CECA October 26th, 2009