2/9/2016

So, when we filled out the midterm report last week, we realized that I needed to work more on teacher collaboration (one of my learning outcomes). I knew that this week Ms. Gratto and I would be meeting with the PE and Health teacher to help her plan for a project she is doing on substance abuse with 7^th grade (more on that later). But as I came in this morning, Ms. Schell was getting ready to go visit a 7^th grade classroom and give a talk about how to do online research and what resources are available through the library website.

Ms. Schell used to be a science teacher before she became a librarian. So the science teacher asked for her collaboration organizing an activity where students have to do a presentation on an assigned African American scientist. Ms. Schell already had the list of names and she knew what kind of information they had at the library on print and online.

I do not have much experience in the classroom that is why I always appreciate being able to observe other teachers work. Ms. Schell’s talk was short and to the point and together with the science teacher she showed the students how to quickly find the information they are looking for (the names of the scientists were preselected by the teacher, the students picked each name from a hat and the assignment includes a bullet list of the specific information the teacher wants the students to find on each scientist).

Ms. Schell succinctly covered reliable sources and citations and then gave them a print out with the sources they could use and where to find them. Sometimes I think they make things too easy for the students, but at the same time I realize that they have much more experience with them and know their needs much better than I do ;)

Towards the end of the day the PE teacher came in for a meeting about the upcoming assignment. This is the first time she is having her students do a PSA so she is starting from scratch. I sat in the meeting as they discussed different ideas on how to approach the assignment. Ms. Gratto offered to help her find a good rubric and they talked about how they need to come up with a list of topics for the students to choose from. Ms. Gratto is also going to give the students a quick reminder about the ABCs of note taking. 
I thought it was very interesting how quickly these two instructors put together and good and instructive assignment that it is going to challenge the students and also help them learn on their own.