Game On!

I think teachers and librarians are natural problem solvers. When we see something or hear something that needs to be solved, we spring into action. Which is why giving that responsibility over to students can be a bit of a challenge at times. And it's going to take practice.

Case in point. Yesterday, I had a discussion with a staff member about a reading survey she did with her students. A common thread with these sixth graders was "Could we have more graphic novels in the library?" My answer was "Yes, of course, I'll see what new ones I can find."

STOP!! Step back. Ask the guiding question: "What decisions am I making for my students that they could make for themselves?" Ah HA! I feel the tide turning toward student empowerment. Do they feel passionate about this topic? They sure do. It's time to put my money where my mouth is ... literally ... by way of the library budget.

I went back and talked to the staff member this morning about turning this into a project for this group of students. And she was all for it. Suddenly we were talking about presentations to the PTA, communicating to a wider audience to get ideas, leadership opportunities, etc. So, let the project begin! I'm excited to see where this first step takes us.

And, by the way, this idea was inspired, once again, by Joyce Valenza talking about innovative ideas at IASL. Andy Plemmons (@plemmonsa), a librarian in Athens, GA, has a "Student Book Budget Committee" in his library. So, a shout out to Andy for the inspiration! Maybe his students could give my students some tips and advice? Stay tuned!

I heard it! Did you?

Right before school started, I read the book Empower: What Happens When Students Own their Learning by A.J. Juliani and John Spencer. After having just recently read George Courus' Innovator's Mindset, this book was the perfect complement.

With all the ideas from both of those excellent books swirling around in my head, I went to work on planning the year. At first, I was feeling so overwhelmed. There were so many things I wanted to change about the way I teach in the library. What should I focus on first?

I was floundering until I remembered a reflection question presented in Empower. What decisions am I making for students that they could make for themselves? This became my anchor. Suddenly it became clear where I needed to start. And I'm very excited to try some of the new ideas I have come up with.

First up: I'm totally changing what my fourth graders will be doing this year in the library. At the end of last year, I took a survey with these kids. I asked them "What would you like to do in library next year?" They then brainstormed a list of ideas. Now, that list has become a list of project options. Students will choose a project (or suggest another idea not on the list), set a goal and get to work! I will be the "Guide on the Ride" as Juliani and Spencer call it.

When I was describing this to students during our first 4th grade library time of the year, I heard it. I heard the prolonged "S" at the end of "yes" that indicates enthusiasm, excitement and approval. I don't know who's more excited, my students or myself. I think it's going to be a great year!

What's your box?

Just one more day until our students arrive, so I thought it might be a good idea to explain the title of our blog: "Forget the Box." Because, basically, that's going to be our call to arms this year for our Tech Cohort groups.

During Joyce Valenza's presentation at IASL in April, she told a wonderful story about a woman who she sat next to on an airplane (I think) with which she had a discussion. This woman was a self-made entrepreneur. After listening for awhile to the woman, Joyce's comment was that she must really think outside the box. The woman's response was: "Joyce, what makes you think there's a box?"

That phrase really stuck with me. How often do we confine ourselves to a certain way of thinking, creating our own box that we must escape in order to try something innovative?And when I shared the phrase with my Instructional Coach, Megan, it really resonated with her, as well.

So this year, we're all about "Forgetting the Box!" We will not confine our thinking. We will take risks, think bigger and be ready to help our students do the same.

How can Research Projects be Innovative?

When our district librarians started looking at the Iowa Core Standards, it became clear that there was something missing. The core at every grade level mentions research, such as "Conduct short research projects that build knowledge ..." but it never discusses what good research looks like. 

As a group, we decided to create a model to communicate to teachers what good research includes. We called it "Good Researchers will ..."

1. Ask a question
2. Find reliable information
3. Take notes using their own words
4. Cite all sources
5. Communicate new understandings

This was the elementary version. Our Jr. High and High School Librarians have a different version of this.

So, as I was reading through the Innovator's Mindset, I really liked this visual about the things that should be happening in the classroom

And I started thinking about the research process and how I could show teachers that when we do research, we are hitting a lot of these areas. The picture below is what I'll be sharing with teachers this fall:

I would say that choice is probably the most crucial component to making research innovative. Choice in the questions they are asking, choice in the resources they are using and choice in how they communicate their findings. So, let the research begin!