Elizabeth Andrews is the school librarian at McBee High School in McBee, SC. She works in a unique setting in which she serves both middle and high school students, as McBee High is home to students in grades 6-12.
Elizabeth and I had a discussion on collaboration. When students visit the library at McBee High, they sit in groups of 3-4 at tables. This is an easy opportunity for students to have group discussion and work with each other. Elizabeth says that while she is teaching, she is purposeful about stopping to have students talk with their tables. Often times, when given the opportunity to share out, many students are hesitant to participate. They may feel intimidated or as if their answer is not "good". Elizabeth discussed a strategy she uses to combat this. She tries to move from table to table, listening to students conversations. This allows her choose students to share who otherwise may be reluctant. She also uses Jamboards as a way for all students to participate in lessons. Jamboard is a feature students can use on their Chromebooks.
In order to have a successful library program, collaboration should not only occur with students during the class, but also with teachers. Elizabeth collaborates with teachers in the middle school to teach research skills. When they are completing projects, they often times come to the library to conduct research. She has shown them where to find books in the library and how to use databases. She did state that she wishes she had more time to collaborate with teachers, especially in the high school departments.
As in most things, there is not enough time to accomplish all she would like to accomplish. Teachers are so often pulled to do other things during their planning that it is nearly impossible to meet with for planning purposes. Time is the most challenging part of collaboration for Elizabeth.
No comments:
Post a Comment