Module 4: Curriculum & Instruction

In this module, you will explore school library instruction and collaboration by examining what school librarians teach and how they teach it.

Module Objectives

  • Interview a school librarian or classroom teacher about collaboration.
  • Examine the role of the school librarian as teacher.
  • Identify methods to increase the intellective capacity of learners.

Think

  • Module 4: Implicit Bias & Microaggressions and Module 5: Systems of Inequality from Hughes-Hassell, S., Rawson, C. H., & Hirsh, K. (2019). Project READY: Reimagining equity and access to diverse youth [online curriculum]. https://ready.web.unc.edu/
  • Part III – Building Intellective Capacity (pp. 121-150). In Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain. Thousand Oaks: Corwin.
  • Chapter 3: Introduction to the School Librarian Standards (pp. 31 – 52). In American Association of School Librarians. (2018). National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries. Chicago, IL: American Librarian Association.
  • The school librarian’s role in reading. (2020). Available at Position Statements. (n.d.) American Association of School Librarians. https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements
  • Position Statement on School Library Scheduling. (2019). Available at Position Statements. (n.d.) American Association of School Librarians. https://www.ala.org/aasl/advocacy/resources/statements

 

Create

Interview a school librarian or a classroom teacher using the questions below. Add your own questions as desired. You may conduct your interview using whatever method is easiest for you (phone, videoconference, email, in person). Write a brief anonymized summary of your interview. Be sure to include information on the grade level / subjects taught for the individual you interviewed. Write a reflection that includes areas where you were surprised, new things you learned, and questions you have.

School Librarian Questions:

  • What is the most important thing a school librarian teaches?
  • Are you on a fixed or flex schedule? Would you prefer to be on a different schedule? Explain.
  • Do you collaborate with other educators in your school? Why or why not?
  • What are the biggest barriers to collaboration?
  • What are the biggest strengths to collaboration?
  • How do you assess learner progress?
  • How do you identify other educators to collaborate with? What do you do to encourage collaboration?

Classroom Teacher Questions:

  • What do you think the school librarian teaches?
  • Have you ever collaborated with your school librarian? Why or why not?
  • What are the biggest barriers to collaboration?
  • What are the biggest strengths to collaboration?
  • Are you familiar with the school library standards for your state? Nationally?
  • What information literacy, research, or digital citizenship skills do you teach?

Share

Share your anonymized interview summary and reflection in the Collaboration discussion forum.

Respond to two of the following discussion prompts in the Module 4 discussion forum:

  • Share two passages from Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain that you find especially significant or meaningful and explain your selections and how they relate to one another.
  • Summarize the main argument of the book. Do you find it convincing? Explain.
  • Identify an important area of the text where you disagree with Hammond. Summarize the argument and explain why you disagree. Is your disagreement important to the overall argument Hammond is making?
  • What are Hammond’s key recommendations to educators in their efforts to build intellective capacity? In what ways does she connect these recommendations to cultural responsiveness? Do you find these recommendations and connections convincing? Why or why not?

Respond to at least three of your classmates from either discussion thread.

Grow

Continue your Project READY journal.

Additionally, complete a mid-semester check in using the method indicated by your instructor. You will be asked to answer the following questions:

  • Have you participated in all module discussions in a timely manner?
  • Have you responded to at least three of your classmates each module?
  • Are you compiling your learning journal?
  • How many times have you met with your mentor?
  • In what areas do you feel successful?
  • What challenges have you encountered?
  • What questions do you have at this stage of your learning journey?