The following are the eight major assignments that I have completed in order to show competency with the AASL standards. I have included a reflection on each to show how I have furthered my knowledge of Library Media Science.
Program Development and Evaluation
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.3: Access to Information
- 1.4: Stimulating Learning Environment
- Standard 3: Collaboration and Leadership
- 3.2: Instructional Partner
- 3.3: Educational Leader
- Standard 4: Program Administration
- 4.2: Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical
- 4.3: Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment
Reflection:
I probably learned more about what the real job of a Media Specialist is from this assignment than from any other. We were asked to design our entire program. Everything from our goals (both broad and specific) to what hours the center would be open, how we approach our budget, and the physical layout of the center. It is the cornerstone document for a well run Media Center. Through it's completion, I learned what my responsibilities as a LMS will be as well as the scope of the program I will be expected to run.
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- Standard 1: Use of Information and Ideas
- 1.1: Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior (Key Assessment)
- Standard 2: Teaching and Learning
- 2.3: Information Literacy Curriculum (Key Assessment)
Reflection:
One of the most important things for children to learn is where to find valuable information and how to use it. This idea applies directly to this standard. During our I-Search project, we learned methods to teach efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior to students both by discussion and by the completion of the I-Search itself using these behaviors. The specific behaviors include the ability to locate, evaluate, and use information for specific purposes; to access and communicate intellectual content; and adhere to and communicate legal and ethical policies.
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- 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:
Reading and Literacy have to be two of the
hallmarks of a great Library Media program.
It is key to promote both fully so that the students really learn to
love reading and literature. Our reading
and literacy project promoted leisure reading by having students highlight a
favorite title on the morning news show. The idea was to use a favorite medium to show the school that it is "cool" to read thereby encouraging others to read as well. In any school it is critical to get peer by-in for any leisure activities and we made this project fun and stimulating so as to "hook" as many students as possible.
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- 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:
Students cannot use services to which they have no access. Through the development of the Selection Policy and the PDEP, we were able to address best practices with regard to fair and equitable access to all materials. Everything from the hours the Media center is open to the limit on restriction of materials for any child in the school was covered in our efforts. When developing our order, we took into account that the collection was missing materials that could provide added access to certain minority groups. The result was the best possible access for our student population.
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- 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:
Once you have developed a policy around materials that will be selected in the center, then it is time to actually do the selecting. This is where the order comes in. We learned that the order must support the long and short term goals you have set for your center, and must meet all selection criteria. It was also helpful to have a list of how the order is to be put together from conception to actually putting the materials in the center. Then we actually did an order. We used the Follett site, which will likely translate to wherever we are employed, and actually got to pick selections to fills some holes in our collection for ESOL students. All of this information will have direct bearing on our jobs one day.
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- 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:
For our Curriculum units project, we incorporated the I-Search into high school reading and literacy lesson. We wanted the students to realize that novels are not written in a vacuum, but are often reflective of the time in which they are written. Using the principles of the I-Search, the students researched authors of novels to find information on the time they lived and their personal lives. This information should lend perspective to the reading of the novel. The Media Specialist was incorporated to show search techniques for the physical center and Galileo. The kids enjoyed learning a new search method even though it was not truly an area of personal interest to them. However, it is necessary to marry curriculum requirements with academic theory and I think we were pretty successful with this unit.
Internship *documentation not available online
AASL Competencies Demonstrated:
- 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
- 3.1: Connection with the Library Community (Key Assessment)
Reflection:
My internship has been an invaluable experience. It is one thing to learn procedures and theories, it is another to actually see what goes on in a center. Before I started my internship, I was worried about applying what I had learned, but now I am confident that I can add something to a Media program. My project was to develop a reading for fun program for the 1st and 2nd grade. I developed a lunch buddies program which forced me to work with the teachers, select grade appropriate reading materials, and develop age-appropriate critical thinking work to go along with the books I selected. The real reward was seeing how much the children enjoyed the program! For my collaborative unit, I worked with two 3rd grade teachers on teaching a novel. I worked with the kids on information literacy components over three lessons that went along with the novel. Again, the kids loved it. One of the greatest things about working in this school was that by the end of my time there, I could hardly walk down the hall without several kids saying, "Hi, Mrs. Clark". I will miss this school.
GACE
Passed tests Media Specialist I & II on October 27, 2007. Scores are not posted online.