Collaborating with Teachers: Questions and Answers

Do you have questions about collaborating with teachers in the library? Have you ever wondered how to work with a flexible library schedule? This article provides you with the opportunity to ask those questions.

What is the difference between collaboration and collaboration with a flexible schedule? Do you have to collaborate and have a flexible schedule?

TEAM APPROACH

Collaboration is a team approach to teaching. In collaboration, the partners “share goals, have carefully defined roles in the process, and plan much more comprehensively. Units and projects are team-planned, team-taught, and team-assessed” (Buzzeo 2008, 30). An example of this could be a research project defining historical influences during the 1800s. In data-driven collaboration, the partners “share goals, have carefully defined roles in the process, and plan comprehensively based on the results of evidence of student knowledge, skills, and learning, such as grade level standardized assessment” (Buzzeo 2008, 44). One instance of data-driven collaboration could be using the standardized tests or quarterly benchmark tests to determine that the students are still having difficulty with indices, then creating a unit based on this area of difficulty.

Using a flexible library schedule can be added to this project. This type of schedule is based on student and teacher needs. For example, a class may come in every day for an entire week to work on a research project or students may have two days with back-to-back lessons, one to reinforce main ideas in fiction and one for nonfiction. This type of schedule is not the same week after week. There can be a flexible schedule without collaboration, but for the most part, effective and efficient use of the flexible schedule is in conjunction with the collaborative aspects of team teaching.

THE LIBRARY SCHEDULE

A library can be collaborative, however, with or without a flexible schedule. The flexible schedule often occurs out of the needs being discussed between the librarian and the teacher during their planning sessions. For example, a teacher might come to the librarian wanting to design a sequence of lessons around inferring skills (inferring from pictures, inferring from text and pictures, and inferring from text only). Together, they create a three-day lesson sequence but do not want to wait three weeks to finish this sequence because the skills progressively build upon each other and momentum would be lost if the teaching team waited to have lessons only once per week. Having the lessons taught within a shorter time sequence allows students to make connections within a shorter period of time. A three-day series of inferring lessons to be collaboratively taught in the library is created because of the need for a shorter time period, thus necessitating a flexible schedule.

It is easiest to begin with collaboration and then consider the need for flexible scheduling. The librarian can shuffle the schedule and work with other teachers to change time slots to make the best accommodations for everyone. Eventually, many teachers, with the encouragement of the librarian, will come to the conclusion that the best thing to do is start with a blank slate for the schedule. (They see how willing the librarian is to be flexible around the needs of the teachers.) With a blank schedule each week, the teachers sign up for the times that fit their class needs. Teachers only appreciate this, however, if they see the purpose behind flexibility in the schedule.

Even with a flexible schedule, a few teachers will want to retain their once-a-week library visits at the same time each week. However, they often will see the value of the flexible schedule when there is an assembly or some other activity that interferes with their library time. This provides the librarian with the perfect opportunity to offer a different time slot. Over a period of time, these teachers will come to see the value of a flexible schedule… it just might take a little longer.

PRINCIPAL SUPPORT

The first thing on the to-do list in presenting this idea to the administration is to determine how and why collaboration and a flexible schedule benefits the students. Once a solid foundation of knowledge about collaboration can be clearly defined, the case can be made for implementation. The librarian should have all pertinent research, and highlight important parts that state how collaboration affects student achievement. Recent research on this issue can be found in the references at the end. A meeting should be scheduled with building administrative staff and they should be provided with the relevant research prior to the meeting. After the administrators have had time to read the research, ask them for questions prior to the meeting. The case for collaboration can then be presented with clear and concise talking points. Some possible talking points could be:

• Lowers student to staff ratios
• Focuses teaching
• Re-teaches for individual needs
• Raises student achievement
• Provides more resources (physical and personnel)
• Incorporates standards and information skills into real-world activities
• Supports teachers
• Assists with the implementation of schoolwide initiatives
• Builds teamwork between general education staff and library staff
• Enables collaborative responsibility for planning and implementation lessons
• Influences test scores directly

The librarian should try to think of questions the principal might be concerned about and answer those questions prior to being asked. During the meeting, the librarian can share explicitly what would be changed and how the principal’s help will be needed. The principal can be invited to observe a library that is already implementing librarian/teacher collaboration as well as a planning session between teachers and a librarian at a school that is already collaborating. A collaborative lesson can also be arranged with a trusted teacher in the building, and the principal can be asked to visit. The principal can then visit the implementation of the planned lesson. A copy of the collaborative lesson plan should be given to the principal ahead of time, including all pertinent objectives.