AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.1 Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior
- 1.2 Literacy and Reading- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 1.4 Stimulating Learning Environment
- Standard 2: Teaching and Learning
- 2.1 Knowledge of Learners and Learning
- Standard 3: Collaboration and Leadership
- 3.1 Connection with the Library Community
- 3.3 Educational Leader
Reflection:
The Reading and Literacy Project focused on promoting literacy in the classroom through a promotion project developed by our group. Our group chose to focus on promoting reading for boys. We chose to focus on boys specifically because of the negative attitude we found that boys have toward reading once they get to middle school. Knowing more about what motivated boys has helped me understand how to approach literacy with boys in my own middle school classroom, and I have been able to use the strategies for elementary school aged boys in my Internship. I feel that targeting specific groups (boys, special education, English Language Learners, etc.) is necessary in order to promote reading and literacy as an enjoyable lifelong activity.
Program Development and Evaluation Plan (PDEP)
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.3 Access to Information- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 1.4 Stimulating Learning Environment- KEY ASSESSMENT
- Standard 3: Collaboration and Leadership
- 3.2 Instructional Partner- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 3.3 Educational Leader- KEY ASSESSMENT
- Standard 4: Program Administration
- 4.2 Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 4.3 Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment- KEY ASSESSMENT
Reflection:
The Program Development and Evaluation Plan provided me with an in-depth look into a real media program. Our group looked at an existing program, including budget, program administration, goals, and evaluation. I learned how to look at problems in the media center and formulate goals to meet the needs of the school, district, and community. I feel that this project helped me understand the need for continuously evaluating a media program in order to make improvements.
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.3 Access to Information
- Standard 4: Program Administration
- 4.1 Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using
- 4.2 Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical
Reflection:
The Selection Policy focuses on evaluating and selecting resources to use in a media program. This project helped me see how the objectives of the media program (as outlined in the PDEP) will drive the selection and management of the collection. Putting together a Selection Policy made me think about how to provide equal access to all patrons while protecting confidentiality encouraging intellectual freedom. I think that having a strong selection committee and policy is essential in providing the best possible resources for patrons. If I were to do this Selection Policy again, I would want to find more ways to encourage leisure reading without relying so much on the use of programs such as Accelerated Reader or Academy of Reading, which I feel are not the best way to encourage reading for pleasure.
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.2 Literacy and Reading
- 1.3 Access to Information- KEY ASSESSMENT
- Standard 4: Program Administration
- 4.1 Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 4.2 Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical
Reflection:
I really enjoyed doing the Order project because it focused on providing patrons with resources in a media program. I found that finding media that meets the criteria in the Selection Policy can sometimes be tricky, but finding the best possible resources is essential in creating a successful program. Our group chose to focus on promoting a leisure reading program at an elementary school. We were careful to select materials that would provide equal access to all groups of patrons and represent the diversity of the school. Putting together the order gave me a better appreciation of the time required to provide the best possible materials for the program. I was able to put my skills to the test when I created an order that supported the GPS Science standards at my Internship site. It was very helpful that companies like Follett align some materials to the standards and provide reviews for some materials. Putting together these orders proved to me that keeping a running consideration file is an easy way to make ordering more streamlined.
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.1 Efficient and Ethical Information-seeking Behavior- KEY ASSSESSMENT
- Standard 2: Teaching and Learning
- 2.3 Information Literacy Curriculum- KEY ASSESSMENT
Reflection:
Although initially I was nervous about the lack of structure provided in the I-Search process, I ended up really enjoying the discovery involved in answering my search. The information literacy strategies used in completing the I-Search (pre-notetaking, double-entry drafts, webs, and journaling) helped me see why my topic chose me and how to reflect and ask more questions to get the answers I needed. I have used some of the components of the I-Search with my own students. At first they needed a lot of scaffolding to complete their double entry drafts, but eventually they enjoyed finding information on their own and reflecting on it piece by piece. I am sure that I will use the I-Search process with students because of its ability to help students focus on asking and answering their own questions using a student-centered method.
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 2: Teaching and Learning
- 2.1 Knowledge of Learners and Learning
- 2.2 Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 2.3 Information Literacy Curriculum
- Standard 3: Collaboration and Leadership
- 3.2 Instructional Partner- KEY ASSESSMENT
Reflection:
The Collaborative Unit focused on incorporating information literacy skills into a collaborative unit between the Media Specialist and classroom teachers. My partner and I focused on a unit about the Great Depression that included Mildred Taylor's classic novel Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry. Students were able to focus on questions they had about the themes of the novel and create a newspaper performance assessment using technology to show their understanding. Although collaboration between classroom teachers and the Media Specialist takes an extraordinary amount of time up front, providing students with a valuable, technology-supported learning experience is invaluable. As a media specialist, I know that I will seek out opportunities for collaboration within my school in order to meet the needs of the learners, foster positive professional relationships, and support the learning objectives of my school and media program.
Internship (Documents not available online)
AASL Standards Alignment:
- Standard 2: Teaching and Learning
- 2.1 Knowledge of Learners and Learning- KEY ASSESSMENT
- 2.2 Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher- KEY ASSESSMENT
- Standard 3: Collaboration and Leadership
- Connection with the Library Community- KEY ASSESSMENT
Reflection:
The internship experience helped connect me to the Library Community while offering a realistic view of what it was like to be in a Media Center. I was able to work with the Media Specialist, teachers, administration, and students to coordinate, plan, and utilize media in the learning environment. I helped the Media Specialist put together an order, catalog, manage a Book Fair, and add to the Media Center website. I was able to plan a lesson for students that integrated technology and literacy standards into the curriculum. Overall, the internship experience was the most rewarding and valuable part of my preparation to become a Media Specialist.
Praxis Test (Score not available online)
- Passed 12/14/07