Reaching Alternative
Learners Via the Library
•
•
•
•
Back Story
Skills Learned
Library Stuff
Literacy Stuff
Back Story
• Why
– Library in shambles
• When
– Fall 2011
• Who
– ALP to the rescue!
• What
– They loved it!
Manual to Mental
• From Shelving to Other Skills
• Bonus!
– They LOVED it!
Job Skills
• Prioritization
– Teacher vs. Student
– Remain calm when busy
• Taking
g Direction
– From Librarian
– From Teachers
– From Administration and above
Job Skills
• Independent Task Accomplishment
– Possibly the greatest skill someone can learn
• Customer Service Skills
–
–
–
–
Multi-Tasking
Personable
Patience
K
Knowledgeable
l d
bl
Library Skills
• Dewey Decimal System
– Shelving
– Adding new books, categorizing
• Genre/Theme Displays
– One table of 25+ books
– Smaller displays of 8 books each
• Themes
Th
b
based
d on popular
l b
books
k
• Incorporating non-fiction
Library Skills
• Library Automation Software
– Necessary skill for library assistant
– Checking in and out
– Weeding, adding books (ISBN, Title,
Author), DDS to find correct categorization
number
– Resource Lists
– Look up books within district
Library Skills
• Prepare books for circulation
– Add via Destiny
– Cover books
– Print and affix labels
– Tedious, numerous steps, demands
patience
Critical Thinking
• Help Students Find Books
– Must know authors, themes, how to read
spines, judge a book by its cover,
collection
– Ask
A k lleading
di questions
ti
• What is your favorite TV show?
• What is the last book you read that you liked?
– Students don’t always know what they are
looking for
Critical Thinking
• Genre/Theme Displays
– Decide on theme based on curriculum
• Confer with teachers
– Use Fiction & Non-Fiction to fill displays
• Internet Research
– Use Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Goodreads to find
b k tto add
books
dd tto our collection,
ll ti
tto check
h k reviews,
i
and to compare costs.
– Check other library websites
Critical Thinking
• Use Library Software Independently
– Each assistant has their own login and can use the software
if II’m
m not there.
there
– Able to perform many tasks in Destiny.
• Weed
– Based on age, circulation, status
– Classics: Certain authors, using copyright date as a guide,
“Have
Have you heard of it?
it?”
IIndependence
d
d
and
d Personal
P
l
Responsibility
espo s b ty
• Progressed to
– Running
g Book Fair
– Managing Cash Register
– Supervise Library
• Gavyn’s
G
’ Picks
Pi k
–
–
–
–
Chose 8 books and had to write teasers
Students checked out books
Teachers checked out books
Students wanted to do their own picks
Computer Skills
• Library Automation Software
• Computer Skills
– MS Word for teasers
– MS Excel for book lists and cost analysis
– Basic Troubleshooting
• Internet Research
–
–
–
–
Goodreads.com
Goodreads
com
Barnes & Noble
Amazon.com
J i Lib
Junior
Library G
Guild
ild
st
21
Century Skills and the
Library
• Perfect resource for teachers and
students
• Learning and Information
• Information, Media, and Technology
• Life and Career
Experiential Learning
•
•
•
•
•
Leadership
Communication
Motivation
Comprehension
Interpretation of personal experiences
Defining At-risk
• Nearly impossible
• Range of factors
• Common Factors are:
At-risk continued
•
•
•
•
•
Literacyy
Discipline/Disruptive Behavior
Socio-economics
Socio
economics (poverty)
Attendance
Family/Culture (Low level of parental
education)
• Learning Disabilities
Literacy’s
Literacy
s Link to At-risk
• High school students receive little direct
reading instruction
• Students with below grade level reading
scores are at significantly higher risk of
dropping out
out.
Combating Literacy’s Link to At-Risk
•
By using the library in conjunction with ALP:
– Storytelling instruction
• By using stories/tales on an elementary reading level, stigma
and embarrassment removed
• Turning reading into “practicing storytelling skills”
• Develop comfort zone; no teasing
• Library become familiar – how to check out books, sections in
library that appeal to them = more likely to check books out
• Reading for personal interest and natural curiosity
• Reading
R di iin any fform ((personall iinterest
t
t vs. academic)
d i ) iincreases
skills
• Graphic novels – great place to start
Emotional/Social Aspects
•
•
•
•
•
Independence
Individuality
(Prothrow-Stith and Spivak, 2005)
Teachers who reach out p
play
y a significant
g
role in the p
positive
socialization of at-risk students.
Research has shown, moreover, that students engaging in atrisk behaviors can be influenced by
y positive
p
role models,, and
thereby establish connections with the school and community.
At-risk research: a brief overview
• Lange
L
1998
• Type I
– Alternate school of choice
– Popular
– Resemble magnet school
– Programmatic
g
themes/emphasis
p
on
content or instructional strategy
At-risk research: a brief overview
continued
• Type II
– Students are “sentenced”
sentenced
– Last chance
– Focus on behavior modification
– Little attention to modifying curriculum or
pedagogy
At-risk research: a brief
overview continued
• Type III
– Remediation and Rehabilitation (academic,
social/emotional,, or both))
– Goal is successful return to mainstream or
traditional educational settings
g
Data: What is it?
• Don’t
D ’t b
be iintimidated
ti id t d
• 2 kinds
– Qualitative and quantitative
• Quantitative is:
– Numbers, statistics, measurable and
comparable
p
– Quantify data and generalize results
Data: What is it? (continued)
• Qualitative is:
– Descriptions,
p
observations, anecdotal
evidence, emic (insider) and etic (observer)
perspective
– Significant data
What does the data say about our
program?
• Q
Quantitative:
tit ti
– Disciplinary infractions are down
– Attendance rate is up
– Percentage of courses passed is up
• Qualitative:
– Engaged learners
– Peer leaders
– Volunteers
– Positive faculty perception
Our Programs and Initiatives
• Programs
– Twilight Success Academy
– Twilight Chance for Change
• Initiatives
– Bridgeback
– Academic Assistance
– Behavior Intervention Plans
– Parent/Community/Stakeholders (Epstein's
Framework of Six Types of Involvement)
In the works…
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Reading to elementary students (Face Time)
Peer Mentors and Peer Mediators
Mariner Minutes
Attendance Counseling
Boys and Girls Club Partnership
Alternative to Suspension