Interview With a Librarian - AASL Engage Competency

    During an interview with W. E. Parker Elementary School Librarian, Melissa Nicholson, I was able learn how she implements AASL National School Librarian Standards.  Nicholson shared how she implements the Engage competencies with students at her school (M. Nicholson, personal communication, October 12, 2020).

    Nicholson utilizes digital citizenship lessons available through Common Sense Education with all of her K-5th grade students.  She feels that the lessons provide real digital challenges and dilemmas that students could face.  These lessons lead to additional lessons about the ethical use of internet sources and databases available through SCDiscus.

    Since many of the teachers feel that they do not have the time to teach digital citizenship lessons, Nicholson decided to work collaboratively with them to meet this need.  Nicholson is on a fixed schedule, so her time with classes is limited to only thirty minutes.  This makes it difficult to have in depth discussions, since the students must also check out library books during this short amount of time.    

(A group of students show off their book in 

W. E. Parker Elementary School's Library.)

References:

American Association of School Librarians. (2018). National school library standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. American Library Association.

Common Sense Education. (n.d.) Digital citizenship. https://www.commonsense.org/education/digital-                 

citizenship

Interview With a Librarian - AASL Curate Competency

    The AASL National School Library Standards competency Curate was the topic of discussion during an interview with Marcie Burnip, the school librarian at Strom Thurmond High School.  Curating includes collecting and sharing resources, but also the ethical use of information from diverse perspectives.  

    Burnip shared how she implements the Curate competency (M. Burnip, personal communication, October 13,2020).  She stated that her goal at the high school level is to instruct students on how to find and use any resource independently, whether the resource is for research or just curiosity, print or digital.  

    Some of the resources she used to implement these competencies are books, databases, and digital workstations.  Most of the resources are books, like reference materials, nonfiction selections, and databases, such as SCDiscus.  She also has collaborative workstations in the library so students can work independently or in a small group on projects.  They are able to view projects on a large screen monitor that are connected to their Chromebooks.

(Collaborative workspaces in the STHS Library.)

    Burnip states that collaborating with teachers at the high school level is somewhat atypical of the elementary and middle school levels.  At the start of each school year, she sends out a survey to teachers for requests of topics they need for supplementing their curriculum.  Much of her budget goes to support her teachers.  She stated that she pulls biographies for the U.S. History teacher for a unit on influential Americans after the Revolutionary War, as well as a unit on influential leaders of the Women’s Movement.  During one unit for the AP Biology teacher, she realized the reference materials for a genetics unit were outdated.  She purchased the most recent volumes available to bring the collection up to date.  Although she almost never has formal meetings to collaborate with teachers, she often answers questions when teachers pop into the library, send an email, call, or bump into her in the hallway.

    The biggest challenge that Burnip faces when trying to implement these competencies is follow through.  She said it is frustrating when after giving a teacher requested lesson on how to use SCDiscus to students, they are still conducting their research by “Googling” the topic and using a blog site or other untrustworthy site, such as Wikipedia.  Another challenge she shared is that some teachers feel they do not need advice or guidance from the media specialist, which makes it difficult to discover what resources would benefit teachers most.  

Marcie Burnip tries various ways to Curate resources for teachers and students.

References:

American Association of School Librarians. (2018). National school library standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. American Library Association.

Interview With a Librarian - AASL Collaborate Competency

     The AASL National School Library Standards competency for Collaboration was the topic during an interview with Nikki Mock, the librarian at Merriwether Elementary School in North Augusta, SC.  Mock provided insight and examples of how she collaborates with teachers (N. Mock, personal communication, October 11, 2020).

Mock shared some examples of ways she implements the Collaboration competency in her library program.  She creates lessons for K-2nd grade students based on collaborative discussions she has with classroom teachers.  Since she was a classroom teacher for many years, she works hard to implement competencies that will benefit students and teachers.  She helps reinforce skills that students are learning in their classrooms.  Below are pictures of some of the activities that she has recently completed with students related to books that she read about Fall.

(Student work hanging on a wall.)

(An easel with notes from a 2nd grade class lesson.)

(An easel with notes for a Kindergarten lesson.)

In order to implement Collaboration competencies, Mock works with classroom teachers to create lessons that encourage students to create deeper understanding of material.  One example of collaboration she shared was a unit on figurative language.  She worked with teachers to pull books and online resources and developed an idea for a culminating project.  

Mock went on to say that this year, due to the COVID pandemic, collaboration has been very challenging.  She stated that finding ways to connect with teachers and providing them with opportunities to create those deeper connections for students is one of her biggest challenges under normal circumstances.  Teachers are so busy within their classrooms, so it is vital that we, as librarians, seek out connections and advocate on behalf of the library.

Advocating is key to collaborating with teachers.

References:

American Association of School Librarians. (2018). National school library standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. American Library Association.

Interview With a Librarian - AASL Include Competency

    

(Picture of JET Middle School Library)

    During an interview with Johnston-Edgefield-Trenton Middle School Librarian, Sarah O’Connell, I was able to gain a perspective on ways to implement components of the AASL National School Library Standards.  As I spoke with O’Connell (S. O’Connell, personal communication, October 13, 2020), she shared ways that she implements the Include competencies in her library program.  

    In order to broaden her students’ horizons, she takes time to discover their interests.  For example, if a student often selects sports books, she tries to suggest books with a variety of characters or sports topics.  She may suggest a book with sports figures with disabilities or about historical sports.  

(Image of book cover, STEM in Sports: Science)

    Providing a variety of books and resources that speak to a wide variety of viewpoints, backgrounds, characters, events, etc. is another way she promotes inclusion competencies.  She also uses a lot of digital resources and databases to find items to support student learning and introduce them to different thoughts and ideas.  She uses interviews, videos and documentaries, as well as, historical and primary sources.

    O’Connell stated that she has had several opportunities to work collaboratively with English Language Arts and Social Studies teachers.  Each year she works with a 7th grade Social Studies teacher on his World War II and Holocaust unit.  They work together to assist students as they research a variety of key people from the time period including work leaders on both sides and famous victims like Anne Frank.  She says that this always sparks a big discussion on why particular people and groups hold certain beliefs.  She has collaborated on units pertaining to perspective and point of view with ELA teachers.  As a way to further collaboration and interest, she creates book displays pertaining to what students are learning in their classes, such as Black History Month, National Autism Awareness Month, etc.

    Implementing the Include competencies can often be a challenge.  O’Connell expressed that it is sometimes difficult to get students to truly stop and think about something that doesn’t mesh with or goes against what they have been taught in the past.  

Sarah O’Connell creates an atmosphere that promotes inclusion.

References:

American Association of School Librarians. (2018). National school library standards for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. American Library Association.