Flexible Scheduling
Improving Student Learning Through
Expanded Use of the Library Media
Center
Library Media Center
Mrs. Smith's class leaves
Mr. Brown's class enters
Finding Common Ground
What is your definition of
FIXED SCHEDULING
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING
Defining Fixed Scheduling
• Library scheduling that uses auxiliary
subjects (art, music, p.e., library) to
provide release time for teachers.
• Classes are scheduled into the library
media center by the principal or his/her
designee.
• Classes meet weekly with little or no
time for additional library work.
Defining Fixed Scheduling
• Little, if any, correlation between library
instruction and classroom instruction
• Little, if any, instructional collaboration
between classroom teachers and
media specialist.
Does your schedule look
something like this?
Time
8:008:25
8:258:50
8:509:15
9:159:40
9:4010:05
10:0510:30
10:3010:55
10:5511:20
11:2011:45
11:4512:10
12:1012:35
Monday
Mrs. Smith
Tuesday
Mr. Brown
Wednesday
Ms. Lewis
Thursday
Mrs. White
Mr. Blair
Mrs. Jones
Mrs. Brooks
Mr. Compton
Friday
Mr.
Tennyson
Ms. Reader
Ms.
Whitener
Ms.
Planter
Ms.
Carlton
Ms. Allen
Mrs. Partner
Mrs. Wall
Mr. Taggert
Mrs. Oberly
Mrs. Treacher
Mr. Newsom
Ms. Cooper
Mr. Handy
Mrs. Callison
Mrs. Dean
Ms. Tanner
Mrs. Farmer
Mr. Hart
Ms. Olson
Ms. Springs
Ms. Lightner
Mr. Bush
Ms. Fournier
Mrs. Reardon
Mr. Liner
Mr. Stegner
Mr. Peck
Ms. Steele
Ms. Clark
Mr. Paulsen
Ms. Cornwell
Ms. Kerr
Mrs. Late
Mr. Myers
Ms. Byars
Ms.
McPherson
Lunch
Lunch
Mrs.
Spivey
Lunch
Ms.
MacLachlan
Lunch
Mrs. Crawford
Lunch
Mr. Bauer
Mrs. Miller
Defining Flexible Scheduling
• Library schedule created by teachers
and library media specialist.
• Library instruction is directly related
to classroom instruction.
• Classroom learning and library
learning are reinforced.
• Instructional collaboration between
teachers and media specialist is
increased and made easier.
What the research tells us about
Flexible Scheduling
• encourages collaborative planning
• encourages team teaching
• encourages greater integration of
library media program in school
curriculum
• fosters student transfer of learning of
information-seeking skills
• recognizes media specialist as a
teaching professional
What the research tells us about
Flexible Scheduling
• Instructional role of library media
specialist shapes academic
achievement
• Instructional role of library media
specialist predicts test performance of
students
• Requires support from administration
and from classroom teachers
What the research tells us about
Flexible Scheduling
• Where principals expected
collaboration between teachers and
media specialist the library media
programs were more integrated into
the curriculum
• Where media specialist planned with
teams of teachers (either by
department or grade level) more
curriculum integration occurred.
What flexible scheduling provides
for you and your students
• Access to library media specialist and
resources at point of information need
• Partnership in planning and teaching
between teacher and library media
• Information skills (21st Century skills)
taught as part of overall curriculum
• Transfer of learning
Afternoon
Morning
A "True" Flexible Schedule
Monday
8:00 – 9:30
2nd grade
Weather
10:30 – 11:00
Storytime
Kindergarten
– Allen
1:00 – 1:20
7th grade –
Jones (book
check-out)
Tuesday
8:00 – 9:00
Storytime
1st Grade Jones
9:15 – 10:15
2nd grade Weather
12:30 – 1:30
6th grade –
Egypt, Nile
River
1:00 – 2:00
3rd grade
groups –
Pioneers
1:30 – 2:30
3rd grade
groups Pioneers
Wednesday
8:00 – 8:45
Booktalks
5th grade Brown
8:50 – 9:35
Booktalks
5th grade –
Smith
12:30 – 1:30
6th grade
groups –
Egypt, Nile
River
1:00 – 2:00
3rd grade
groups Pioneers
Thursday
8:30 – 9:00
Storytime
1st grade –
Simmons
9:00 – 10:00
2nd grade Weather
11:00 – 11:30
Storytime
1st grade –
White
Friday
8:00 – 8:45
Team Mtg
3rd grade –
LMC
9:00 – 9:45
Team Mtg.
5th grade –
LMC
10:00 – 10:45
Team Mtg.
4th grade –
LMC
1:00 – 1:45
Team Mtg.
2nd grade –
LMC
2:00 – 2:30
Storytime
4th grade –
Wilkins
Rigid schedule masquerading as
flexible
Week of September 18-22, 2006
Time
8:008:45
8:459:30
9:30 –
10:15
10:1511:00
11:00 –
11:45
12:00 –
12:30
12:30 –
1:15
1:15 –
2:00
2:00 –
2:45
Monday
Smith
Tuesday
Brown
Wednesday
Lewis
Thursday
White
Friday
Tennis
Blair
Jones
Clark
Thompson
Wright
Orr
Johnson
Tindal
Hampton
Chandler
Cobb
Alexander
Cross
Arnold
Peters
Fischer
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Irons
Roberts
Cruise
Harrison
Carlton
Hayne
Rowling
Peck
Cornwell
Steele
Hayes
Carroll
Kerr
Rigid schedule masquerading as
flexible
Week of September 25-29, 2006
Time
8:008:45
8:459:30
9:30 –
10:15
10:1511:00
11:00 –
11:45
12:00 –
12:30
12:30 –
1:15
1:15 –
2:00
2:00 –
2:45
Monday
Smith
Tuesday
Brown
Wednesday
Lewis
Thursday
White
Friday
Tennis
Blair
Jones
Clark
Thompson
Wright
Orr
Johnson
Tindal
Hampton
Chandler
Cobb
Alexander
Cross
Arnold
Peters
Fischer
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Lunch
Irons
Roberts
Cruise
Harrison
Carlton
Hayne
Rowling
Peck
Cornwell
Steele
Hayes
Carroll
Kerr
What are the advantages of a flexible
schedule?
• Responsive to needs of classes and
individual members of the educational
community
• Responsive to teacher function and to
individual student use
• Provides access for all members of
educational community
What are the advantages of a flexible
schedule?
• Adapts use of media center to
changing needs of classroom
instruction
• Provides structure and opportunity for
class interaction and large group
instruction
• Allows media center to function as the
school resource and information
center
What are the disadvantages?
• Necessitates establishment of
guidelines for independent student
use
• Necessitates establishment of
guidelines for scheduling of classes
• Can be more demanding on media
specialist's time than fixed
scheduling
Making flexible scheduling
work is everyone’s
responsibility
What is the media specialist's
role?
• To develop a program enabling the
classroom teacher to meet curriculum
goals
• To assist students in
– identifying and locating materials
– selecting proper materials
– using, understanding, and applying
information
What is the media specialist's
role?
– creating, producing, or presenting
information
– developing an interest in and
appreciation of literature
• To plan and teach with teachers
integrating media center/information
seeking skills into curriculum
• To plan with teachers for follow-up
activities
What is the media specialist's
role?
• To plan and implement reading and
literature appreciation activities
• To perform administrative and
technical functions which support
services to educational community
• To plan and implement with teachers
activities supporting classroom
curriculum
What is the teacher's role?
• Provide support for media
center program with
students, parents, faculty,
and community
• Plan thematic units, research
projects, enrichment
activities, literature
appreciation activities with
media specialist
What is the teacher's role?
• Ensure that students have a need for
the information/services of the library
media center
• Schedule class to use media center
at time of need for research, reading,
etc., projects
• Provide input to media specialist on
additional resources for media center
collection
What is the teacher's role?
• Accompany
class to
media center
when
activities
include entire
class
What is the principal's role?
• Express commitment to
philosophy of "flexible
scheduling"
• Interpret to faculty and
staff the library media
program's importance and
relation to school's
instructional program
What is the principal's role?
• Monitor use and scheduling of media
center to ensure equity of access
• Support library media program with
students, teachers, parents, and
community
• Provide time in school schedule for joint
planning by teachers and media
specialist
What is the principal's role?
• Make scheduling classes in the media
center the responsibility of the teacher
and media specialist
• Ensure that teacher remain with the
class during class time in the media
center
• Encourage wide use of media center
and its resources in support of the
curriculum
What is the role of the district
administration?
• Provide support of media center
programs with students, parents,
teachers, and community
• Expressed commitment to concept of
"flexible scheduling"
• Support collaborative planning by
media specialists and classroom
teachers
What is the role of the district
administration?
• Make scheduling classes in the
media center the responsibility of
the teacher and media specialist
• Ensure that teacher remain with the
class during class time in the media
center
I schedule time with the library media
specialist to collaboratively plan instructional
units.
Weekly
Monthly
Once each 9
weeks
Never
I work with the library media specialist to
incorporate information literacy/research
skills into my curriculum.
Weekly
Monthly
Once each 9
weeks
Never
I work with the library media specialist to
incorporate technology skills instruction into
my curriculum.
Weekly
Monthly
Once each 9
weeks
Never
I work with the library media specialist to
incorporate literacy instruction and reading
promotion into my classroom curriculum.
Weekly
Monthly
Once each 9
weeks
Never
I provide the library media specialist with my
long-range plans for the school year.
Yes
No
I keep the library media specialist informed
about changes to my long-range plans.
Yes
No
The library media center is an integral part of the school-wide reading
program.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
The media center program is an integral part of the school’s instructional
program.
1
2
3
4
The media center program is an integral part of my instructional
program.
1
2
3
4
I participate in staff development sessions, workshops, and/or courses
offered through the library media center.
1
2
3
4
I do not feel comfortable balancing curriculum content standards
with information literacy (research) and appropriate technology.
1
2
3
4
I use the technology available in the media center as part of my instructional
program.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
My students feel comfortable asking for assistance from the media center
staff.
1
2
3
4
I keep abreast of new media center resources, activities, and services
through frequent visits to the media center, talking with the media specialist,
and reading the media center newsletter.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
The library media center is an integral part of my reading program.
I feel comfortable in asking for assistance from the media center staff.
I use the media center on a regular basis.
I value the knowledge and assistance I receive from the media
specialist.
I value and use the professional collection available in the media center.
Some considerations
• What services would you like
provided to your students on an ongoing basis that are not possible now
with a fixed schedule?
• Which areas of your curriculum will
best integrate information literacy
skills (21st Century skills) instruction
and literature promotion programs?
YOUR library program must
• Prepare students to independently
access, evaluate, and use
information
• Be a critical instructional area to
teach information skills as an
integral part of the classroom
curriculum
• Be fully integrated into the overall
instructional program of the school
Questions?
Concerns?
Clarification?
Suggestions and Recommendations
• Begin planning now for 2011-2012
– Decide on total flex or partial flex
– Establish collaborative planning times
for remainder of 2010-2011 to
• Review curriculum
• Look for obvious areas of collaboration for
planning and instruction
• Review collection
• Establish plans for updating collection to
fully support curriculum
Suggestions and Recommendations
• Begin planning now for 2011-2012
– Include your district library coordinator
in planning
– Principal or AP should be part of
planning team
– Request assistance from SCDE
– Talk with other schools who have
successfully implemented flexible
scheduling
Incorporate the library program into
major units of study
Nurture students' abilities to learn
independently by
Teaching information skills at the point
of need
Expand units to include library
resources
Gratify immediate need to know in an
accessible library
Rely on one another's special
knowledge and skills by
Arranging frequent planning and
sharing sessions
Tie the library program to educational
goals by
Encouraging and promoting higher-level
thinking in:
Your Library
Martha Alewine
State Contact for School Libraries
100 Merrywood Rd.
Greenwood, SC 29649
malewine@ed.sc.gov
864-229-4230
http://scschoollibraries.pbworks.com