Planning+and+Implementing+Teaching+and+Learning

My work with eighth grade language arts classes centered around Edgar Allan Poe provides a glimpse of how I plan and implement teaching and learning in my school. In this lesson, I collaborated with the Academically Gifted (AG) teacher and the eigth grade language arts teacher to create a lesson comparing three short stories written by Poe. Although planning for the entire unit was done as a group, the AG teacher and I co-taught with the Language Arts teacher in the days leading to the end of the unit. As we entered the classroom, students had read the three stories: "Black Cat, "Cask of Amontillado," and "Tell-Tale Heart." Students were given the attached graphic organizer requiring them to answer questions using higher order thinking skills, and move past the basics of the stories. Students then created their own graphic organizer comparing the stories with a little flare of their own. This lead to students having a higher understanding of Poe, as well as a deeper meaning of his works. Throughout this lesson, the other teachers and I talked with students to help them think beyond the words on the page. Students were then graded using a rubric the three of us developed. Students were very receptive to the multiple teachers being in the room, and they felt that each teacher contributed differently to the lesson.
 * Poe Collaboration (1.2,1.6)**



In seventh grade social studies, students began to work with reference materials such as a thesaurus, atlas, dictionary, and almanac. To make this the best possible lesson, the seventh grade socials studies teacher, the AG teacher, and I (media specialist) collaborated. We determined that I would teach a mini-lesson on these reference materials by asking the students to talk about their prior knowledge of them, provide examples, etc. This then lead to the three of us working with students as they manipulated these materials (on their tables) to complete a worksheet. Since this was done in February, we used the theme of Valentine's Day. Attached is the worksheet. Students worked with groups to do this.
 * Reference Materials Lesson (1.2, 1.4, 2.4, 2.6)**



Each year, our school system allots $10 per child toward the purchase of media materials to maintain a current collection that meets user needs. This provides our school with approximately $5000 dollars to order materials annually. To ensure that appropriate materials are acquired, teachers are asked to send any requests to me as I prepare the order (typically they have a two month window to get these titles to me so that I can purchase). Teachers are made aware of this in general conversations typically happening when their students are using materials in the media center, team meetings, collaborative meetings, and leadership team meetings. The Media Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC) then reviews the purchase order and approves the order. This order can consist of books, audio visual materials, etc. Typically class sets of materials are not purchased through this fund, but there are times when this occurs.
 * Book Order (1.2, 3.3, 3.4)**

As part of my Individual Growth Plan (IGP) and my Service Learning Initiative, I created a Big6 presentation introducing the school faculty to the research model that was adopted by the school system several years ago. I created Big6 Folders for the teachers to view and use. I also provided them an overview of the Big6 and ways they could use it in their classrooms.
 * Big6 Presentation (1.2, 1.4)**



Each year in the sixth grade, students come to the media center for an orientation. This gets the children aquainted with the center, its procedures, and its hours. In addition to this, students complete a scavenger hunt helping them find items they will use in the center over the next three years. Students enjoy this as it provides them the ability to work together and move around while teaching them the ins and outs of the Media Center.
 * Scavenger Hunt (1.4)**



Web Wednesdays were instated to provide students and their families with access to the media center and its technology weekly. Each Wednesday the media center is open until 5:30 and manned by the media specialist (me) or the technology facilitator. Students and their families can spend time in the center to work on projects, surf the internet, check out books, etc. This provides an option to these students and their families as many do not have access to the internet or computers at home and must go somewhere else (public library is always crowded). Teachers also stay when they have multiple students working on similar projects for assitance. In addition, the media specialist provides individual instruction regarding copyright, citations, etc. This program has been very effective at getting the community into the school as parents use the equipment as well. Decisions can be made with the reports that are drawn from those children and their families participating.
 * Web Wednesdays (1.4, 2.4, 2.6, 3.8)**

Battle of the Books is a NC School Library Media Association (NCSLMA) sponsored club. Our school participates in this program yearly, and I am the coach. Students are given a list of titles to read and study. We prepare throughout the year in practices, and then compete at the district, regional, and eventually state level if we make it that far. This club calls for faculty members at the school and parents to get involved in reading the same materials as the students and assisting in their practices. With their input and presence, I can listen to comments, concerns, and praises that will help lead to a stronger media collection that is better suited to meet the chidlren's needs. This year we won the district level, and placed much higher than last year that the regional level. This program encourages students to read, and provides them with a variety of materials to do so!
 * Battle of the Books (1.6, 3.8)**

Book Talks are done by the media specialist regularly to encourage students to read a variety of materials. A sample book talk handout is provided. When these are done, book covers, the text, and any pictures are shown using the document camera. The student handout provides students with the books discussed and materials that are related if they have an interest in these topics.
 * Book Talks (1.6)**



Daily, scrolling announements run through our closed circuit television system. Teachers are required to keep these announcements on throughout the day. As the media specialist, it it my job to provide slides on the announements about books we have available for checkout in the media center. Typically these are new materials. A picture of the book is provided as well as title, author, and an interest-grabbing summary.
 * Scrolling Announcements (1.6)**