Great Resource - http://www.trails-9.org/

Tool for Real Time Assessment of Information Literacy Skills

TRAILS is a knowledge assessment with multiple-choice questions targeting a variety of information literacy skills based on sixth and ninth grade standards. This Web-based system was developed to provide an easily accessible and flexible tool for library media specialists and teachers to identify strengths and weaknesses in the information-seeking skills of their students.

 

 

As a Teacher Librarian, you can advocate with several groups of people. Please feel free to add your ideas to the list.

 

Version Tuesday, June 24, 2008; 8:00 p.m. PDT

1. School Library Advocacy

Liz Dodds, Teacher Librarian

Bullard High School

Fresno, California

2. Circles of Influence

You, One Student,  A Group of Students, Whole Class, Department/ Grade Level, Whole School, District, State, Country, World

3. http://schoollibraryadvocacy.pbwiki.com/

4. Evidence-Based Practice

Todd, Ross. "The Evidence-Based Manifesto." School Library Journal Apr. 2008: 38-43. If school librarians can't prove they make a difference, they may cease to exist.

5. Evidence-Based Practice

6. What is EBP for School Librarians?

Evidence-based school librarianship uses research-derived evidence to shape and direct what we do. (40)

“Why do school libraries matter today…?”(41)

Presenting clear evidence that you’re contributing to your school’s learning goals is much more convincing than merely advocating for the opportunity.”(42)

7. “Make sure every advocacy initiative is explicitly tied to research and provides national, district, and school-based evidence.

Advocacy without evidence is just self-interested opinion.”(42)

“A profession without reflective practitioners who are willing to learn about relevant research is a blinkered profession – one that’s disconnected from best practices and best thinking, and one which, by default, often resorts to advocacy rather than evidence to survive.” (43)

8. One Student

High quality research skills are taught and practiced in our school libraries.  We're more than a partner to the classroom teacher and a support for the curriculum.  Our libraries give students the skills they need to be successful adults, which is what society has always expected from the public school system.

Sara N., Library Media Teacher

Downey, CA

9. One Student- a Teacher Librarian recommending just the right book

10. A Group of Students photo

11. A Group of Students - Battle of the Books

12. Whole Class

The Teacher Librarian can sit down with the classroom teacher, go over the standards and bounce some ideas back to you about how the standards can be integrated into your research lesson. I have plenty of examples! – Connie K., Teacher Librarian, Fresno Unified School District

The TL can teach your students what “narrowing your search” means and how to do that. – Jane L., TL, FUSD

13. Encouragement to the Classroom Teacher: coming to the library you will have 2 teachers (4 eyes, 4 hands, etc.) for your class- double the help. Kris S., Teacher Librarian, Fresno Unified School District

The TL can help the Classroom teacher with technology, book resources and reference resources to enhance your visit. Kris Smith

It’s a 50% sale- I’ll design, teach, and grade ½ of your project! – Terri B., TL, FUSD

14. “I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN SUCCESSFUL PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING A RESEARCH EXPERIENCE BASED ON RESOURCE-BASED LEARNING. I DESIGN A PROJECT THAT MEETS THE INFORMATION OR CURRICULAR REQUIREMENTS OF THE COURSE. I INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY AND INFORMATION-SEEKING SKILLS, HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS ETC. THAT MAKES THE TEACHER'S PLANS LOOK GREAT!!” – Carrie A., Teacher Librarian, Fresno Unified School District

15. I encourage them to implement a technology component (the have you thought about doing a powerpoint or moviemaker project or a Web 2.0 application...). I talk about how kids respond to the technology aspect and even those who are failing will participate because they enjoy using the technology. The end result is that the kids learn more because they are engaged.

This happened last week, and my colleague said she couldn't ask the kids to do what she couldn't. I asked her what was stopping her from using PowerPoint or MovieMaker? She said she didn't know how to use it. This led to a one-on-one session where I taught her the basics of PowerPoint and she is sooooo excited!  I am excited because her kids are going to have more fun learning and they'll learn more, and isn't that what this is all about?!

Joy M., District Librarian / Teacher Librarian

Placentia, CA

16. Department/ Grade Level

Show classroom teachers/ department chairs how to meet the standards by using the library; other teachers will follow- Troy B., Fresno Unified TL

Map the library’s collection to the curriculum so that teachers can more easily access materials to support what they are doing in the classroom- Troy B.

Show the 9th grade teachers the Big 6 Research method- Fresno Unified Teacher Librarian

17. Tell the teachers that the library program helps improve test scores- FUSD TL

The TL can help students develop a love for reading- FUSD TL

The Library Media Program can help students improve their technology skills- FUSD TL

The Library Media Program can help students develop skills for high school and college – FUSD TL

18. Whole School – Poetry Slam Photo

19. Whole School

Speaking Up for Library Services to Teens: A Guide to Advocacy, prepared by Young Adult Library Services Association, 2008, includes an inspiring case study of Lucy Hansen, School Library Media Specialist from Texas. (p. 35)

Winner of the 2006 National School Library Media Program of the Year, sponsored by AASL and Follett

20. Lucy Hansen has lots of great advocacy ideas, for example,

Have a set time when you can advocate.

Get people into the library and yourself out.

And many more, see p. 36 of

Speaking Up for Library Services to Teens: A Guide to Advocacy, prepared by Young Adult Library Services Association, 2008.

21. Whole School - Form a Library Boosters Group and do some in-your-face fundraising.

Serve on the School Site Council. Give a Presentation to the SSC every year.

Write PR articles in the school's newsletter.

22. Whole School -

At least once a year (and sometimes twice!) I offer to give a presentation at the PTA meeting. The presentations usually have to do with technology (demonstrating how I use the document camera, explaining how to use Groliers Online, teaching parents about Photostory and how students can use it instead of doing a Powerpoint). I have also done a presentation on new books. By doing this, I have found that the PTA board is always more than willing to write a check to the library for just about anything I have asked for. They have been very generous.

23. Whole School - I also work to make myself valuable to the staff by "eavesdropping" in the staff lounge. If I hear a teacher talking about a particular unit she's doing I go back to the library and find a picture book or non fiction that might tie in, check it out to her and place it in her box. They are always appreciative.

24. Whole School - I think the most important thing for me is being able to show improvements in the program from year-to-year.  I give a survey out to seniors every spring, and get direct feedback on the library, its programs and its impact on learning according to students.  About every three years I give out a survey to faculty to see what their opinions about our program and its impact are on their curriculum.

25. Whole School/ Area

Janet M., Teacher Librarian, and Robin P., Social Science Teacher and Fresno Pacific University Instructor, Central Unified School District, Fresno, CA

Collaborating with Social Science Student Teachers at Fresno Pacific University

MORE HERE from CSLA Journal

26. District

“We have to be more proactive with our administrators…The media specialists in our district were worried about cuts, so we began by creating a formal list of what we do.  Then we tallied everything that we did for one week.  We tallied those lists and presented them at a principals’ meeting.  They were shocked.  Now we write down everything we do for one week - twice a year.  There haven’t been any rumors of a media specialist cut and we are 1.5 million in the hole next year.”

Sandy L, Media Specialist

Oshkosh Area School District, WI, April 25, 2008.

27. Some interesting “Facts at Your Fingertips” are available in the Speaking Up for Library Services to Teens: A Guide to Advocacy, prepared by Young Adult Library Services Association, 2008.

For example, “Studies in 14 states confirm that academic achievement tends to be higher in schools where library media programs are better staffed, better stocked, and better funded.” (p. 27) 

28. District

I also keep circulation and usage records from year-to-year, and these are published for my principal, director of curriculum and the superintendent.  Seeing steady growth in use and circulation has helped when I make presentations asking for more and better funding.

29. District/ County

Speaking Up for Library Services to Teens: A Guide to Advocacy, prepared by Young Adult Library Services Association, 2008, includes a Case Study of Cindy Woods, School Library Media Specialist in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

Take a look at her story on p. 37 and remember what she thinks about advocacy: Make your needs and wants known and stay positive.

30. Area

Don’t forget these folks:

“My big thing here in the East is getting in to speak to colleges in the Education departments about school libraries , how they've changed, impact on test scores, etc.  I've been successful here at our local state college level.”

Angela L., MSLS

Homer-Center, PA

Shattering librarian stereotypes every day!

P.S. Angela also presents at School Board Meetings and gives school library brochures to student teachers at her school

31. State

Speaking Up for Library Services to Teens: A Guide to Advocacy, prepared by Young Adult Library Services Association, 2008, includes great tips for visiting your legislators and having them visit your school library

How to plan those visits start to finish

Covers every detail, including talking points for “Why School Libraries” (p.23)

32. State - “Why School Libraries” continued:

For many students, the school library is teir first and only library.

School library media programs contribute to student achievement.

AND MORE. (see p. 23)

33. Washington State-

Fund our Future- emulate this group

34. State / Country -  Go to CSLA and look at their resources

    Go to CDE's library resources and look at thoose

    Use Scholastic's School Libraries Matter http://www2.scholastic.com/content/collateral_resources/pdf/s/slw3_2008.pdf

35. Country

Advocate for the SKILLS Act of 2007

Strengthening Kids’ Interest in Learning and Libraries

Guarantees students across America will be served by state-certified school library media specialists and will have the library resources they need to succeed

36. Country- Library Research Service- Stats on public and school libraries

37. Country - Stephanie Vance’s Webinars on Advocacy

http://www.advocacyguru.com

38. World – Austrailian School Library Association Research

39. World - Example of Advocacy in Australia

The Hub: Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia

http://hubinfo.wordpress.com/

Barbara B., Teacher Librarian

COOMA NSW, AUSTRALIA

40. World -

Join IASL- International Association of School Librarianship

http://www.iasl-online.org/index.htm

Conferences (August in Berkeley), Publications, Events- every October is International School Library Month

41. International School Library Month – every October

English: LITERACY AND LEARNING AT YOUR SCHOOL LIBRARY  - Theme for 2008

42. General

Join LM_NET, CALIBK12, or your state LISTSERV

Join ISTE

Join CUE- Computer using Educators

43. General - Read anything written by Joyce Valenza, Doug Johnson- Blue Skunk Blog

44. General – Blue Skunk Blog

45. General – Best Sellers CSLA

Take the online Tutorial from California School Library Association to learn about Best Sellers

And become acquainted with Jackie Siminitus

Jackie Siminitus, MLS,

AT&T Library Advocate

http://SchoolLibraryLearning2.blogspot.com

http://ClassroomLearning2.blogspot.com

http://bestsellers4schoollibraries.blogspot.com/

 46. General

 A collection analysis that shows where you are strong and weak

 Circulation stats.

 Classroom stats

Collaboration stats

COLLECT AND SHARE

47. General – Collaborate

48. General – Good attitude and mindset

49. General – It’s never too late

50. Animoto- Battle of the Books