Utilize instructional strategies and communication in both formal and informal interactions to increase information competence.

 

4.1 Identify Instructional Needs: Gather evidence, prioritizes needs and determines which problems can actually be addressed through instruction.

 

4.2 Design Instruction: Engage in design thinking to plan lessons with reasonable instructional goals and all content/activities are aligned with instructional goals.

 

4.3 Deliver Instruction: body language, charismatic, engaging, deliver instruction.

 

4.4 Assessment of Instruction: Student accesses all aspects of instruction, including teaching, materials, and learning.

 

4.5 Support Patron Learning through Effective Instructional Communication: Creates informal learning during interactions with patrons; going beyond giving the patron what they need to actually educate them in teachable moments.

 

Evidence

•  LIS 693 Lesson Plan Parts 1, 2, and 3

  • 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5

• LIS 654 Inquiry Unit Plan

  • 4.1, 4.2, 4.5

• LIS 618 Booktalk

  • 4.3, 4.5

 

School librarians are teachers who just happen to have the largest set of books and instructional materials in the school. Like some other teachers (AIG, physical education, arts) we teach a wide variety of students across all grades and levels. To reach such a diverse population, we have to rely on student-centered, formal and informal interactions to meet the needs of all students. The pieces of evidence I have in this part of the portfolio document formal lesson plans which include more formal (slides, worksheets) and informal (discussion, makerspace activities) instruction methods. In addition, I have included a few examples of virtual interactions including using the Internet as a research tool and a short form video designed to reach students accustomed to this format.

 

Starting with the lowest grade, 1st graders, the LIS 693 Lesson Plan project engages emerging readers in a research project to learn more about owls. Because this is a common, familiar animal, students are immediately able to share what they already know to scaffold the discussion opening the door for a teachable moment. We then introduce the use of online resources, guided by a brief worksheet that students could fill out as they learn more and answer their research questions. Given this age group, the Internet resources were carefully curated to be age appropriate but engaging. The worksheet served as an assessment of their learning. I was able to implement this lesson in a co-teaching environment with another teacher, having an additional instructional resource which greatly supported an interactive experience with students.

 

The LIS 654 Inquiry Unit Plan is a three-lesson unit for 4th graders to teach foundational research skills like information literacy, online discernment, and differentiating between fact and opinion. As the new librarian at a school that had been without a librarian for a few months, I realized that even 4th graders needed additional instruction in some of the fundamental research skills. These three lessons are each structured in a way that begins with the simplest content first and the most challenging at the end. While this is a common structure for any lesson, in this case, I knew in advance that the initial content was significantly below some of the students and the last content might be beyond some of the students’ knowledge and skill levels. In teaching these lessons, I applied several differential instruction strategies to meet learners where they are. Activities included physical and digital exploration of library resources and makerspace opportunities for students to be creative. The makerspace activities included a sharing session, where interested students could share their drawings, writings, and other measures of understanding with their peers.

 

The LIS 618 Book Talk was directed at high school students to encourage them to expand their understanding of what a graphic novel can be. The talk introduced three recently published books under the realistic fiction graphic novel category that explored themes of immigration, disability, and resilience. While graphic novels have been exceptionally popular for some time, students may be unaware that there are YA graphic novels that explore the serious historical, cultural, and social issues of our time. These graphic novels address ethical issues that promote critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the human experience. While the book talk focused on three specific books, students were encouraged to conduct their own exploration of this category for books that would most interest them. The short, informal video format of this book talk has become popular with readers of all ages. This is an essential tool for school librarians to be able to communicate with students.

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References

 

Lawrence-Brown, D. (2004). Differentiated instruction: Inclusive strategies for standards-based learning that benefit the whole class. American Secondary Education, 32(3), 34–62. https://www.jstor.org/stable/41064522​

 

Tomlinson, C. A. (2014). The differentiated classroom: Responding to the needs of all learners. ASCD. https://files.ascd.org/staticfiles/ascd/pdf/siteASCD/publications/books/differentiated-classroom2nd-sample-chapters.pdf​