AASL Standard 3
Knowledge & Application of Content
Candidates in school librarian preparation programs are knowledgeable in literature, digital and information literacies, and current instructional technologies. Candidates use their pedagogical skills to actively engage learners in the critical-thinking and inquiry process. Candidates use a variety of strategies to foster the development of ethical digital citizens and motivated readers.
3.1 Reading Engagement: Candidates demonstrate a knowledge of children’s and young adult literature that addresses the diverse developmental, cultural, social, and linguistic needs of all learners. Candidates use strategies to foster learner motivation to read for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment.
3.2 Information Literacy: Candidates know when and why information is needed, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner. Candidates model, promote, and teach critical-thinking and the inquiry process by using multiple literacies.
3.3 Technology-Enabled Learning: Candidates use digital tools, resources, and emerging technologies to design and adapt learning experiences. Candidates engage all learners in finding, evaluating, creating, and communicating data and information in a digital environment. Candidates articulate, communicate, model, and teach digital citizenship.
How it Aligns
The book talks that I performed throughout the course of my MLIS work align with reading engagement. They featured diverse books and helped to motivate my students to want to checkout and read the books that were being talked about.
The lib guide aligns with the information literacy and technology-enabled learning standards. A lib guide is a digital tool that allows for users to explore a certain topic more in depth with focused resources. It also allows for users to easily find information that is current and relevant to the topic they are studying.
What I learned
I have always loved to recommend books to students and teachers, long before I found myself in the position I am in now. However, just talking off the cuff about a book that I'd just read or read about, is much different than having to plan and execute a book talk or commercial. These assignments really helped me to understand that I need to plan out exactly what I am going to say. I even did a little experiment and talked about a book to one of my classes, just on the fly, then later that week I showed them one of the book talks with the same book and the difference was overwhelming. They were so much more engaged in the book and they all wanted to check it out. This was a perfect example of why planning what I will talk about is so important. Now, I understand that I can't do that for every book, but it has made me more mindful of how and what I say when I'm giving an impromptu talk in the stacks with students.
The lib guide was a difficult assignment because the format was so new to me. Once I figured out what a lib guide truly was, I loved making the STEAM focused one for my students and teachers. Stem/ STEAM have been a focus that I've wanted to bring into my library over the last few years and making this lib guide not only led me to some awesome ideas but also intrigued some of my students and teachers as well. So much so, that we now have a STEAM club that meets twice a week in the library and we've even gone so far as to center the club around a piece of text, so not only are we exploring STEAM ideas but incorporating literature into the club as well.
Student Impact
Student's love of reading is at the bedrock of our profession. I love nothing more than helping a student find something that will bring a light to their eyes, or change the way they see the world. However, "research indicates that ..voluntary reading is at risk." (Short et al., 2018) There have been studies done that show voluntary reading correlates with academic achievement and that proficient readers have more financially secure jobs and chances to advance. (Short et al., 2018) So why then, if this is the case, are we not doing more in schools to promote the love of reading. I truly think something as simple as books talks and commercials can "hook" the reader so that they pick up a book that they may have never given a second glance. It is our responsibility to make the books come to life for these students so that they read because they want to and not because they have to.
A Lib guide is a subject specific platform that pulls together information about a certain topic or subject. The key to being a good lib guide is that the resources contained with the guide have to be from authoritative sources. If it's a source you wouldn't use to write a paper in school, then it's a good bet that it probably shouldn't be on your lib guide. The lib guide is an amazing tool for teaching research and integrating technology and digital tools into said research. In an elementary school setting library guides are an essential tool to helping students begin to learn about research and digitally and information literacy.
References
How to do Book Talks in the Elementary Classroom. (2019, May 1). The Colorful Apple. https://thecolorfulapple.com/2019/03/book-talks-in-the-classroom/
S. (2020). LibGuides - Content Management and Curation Platform for Libraries. Spring Share. https://www.springshare.com/libguides/
Sharp, C. (2017, October 24). The Book Whisperer Donalyn Miller Talks About Book Talks [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aVS_Gmi1ls&feature=youtu.be
Short, K. G., Lynch-Brown, C. M., & Tomlinson, C. M. (2018). Essentials of Children’s Literature (9th ed.). Pearson.