COLLABORATIVE LESSON

Collaborative Lesson
Andrea Bravin
Lib 530
Dr. Pacino
December 2013

Abstract
In this assignment I have prepared a breakdown of the steps I need to take in order to
successfully collaborate with teachers in order to achieve student success. The process involves
working with administrators to improve what the library has to offer, breaking the ice with
teachers and finally an example of collaboration with a teacher.

Collaborative Lesson
One of the major issues I have come across as the school librarian is making the connection
with teachers. There are many who seem to blatantly avoid the library as it is out of their comfort
zone. As I work in a bilingual school, this could be one of the reasons, that maybe they feel it
doesnt relate to their subjects and or their language. This is of course a serious issue as teachers
may not know how the library can aid them in their curricular goals. Most teachers and
administrators have a very limited understanding of the library media center and how it
functions (Kearney, 2000, p. xii). This is especially important in todays 21st Century Learning
environment. Collaboration is the key to teaching students but is also the key to enlightening
teachers and administrators into the benefits of having a supportive library and library
programme. Literacy isnt solely about reading today and to ensure students are achieving 21st
century learning goals librarians must become full curricular partners with teachers so as to guide
students towards information literacy.
In order to set up collaboration it is important to first make that connection with individual
teachers. As I learnt from the reading, the best way to do this is one teacher at a time, one
department at a time. It seems that the best place to start the ball rolling is with a teacher I know
and am friendly with, and / or a subject that I like or have some knowledge of. The process of
collaboration is not simply making a lesson plan but actually connecting with teachers before the
planning stage even begins. I believe the best place to start my collaboration is by approaching
teachers in a social way, during lunch breaks over a sandwich (gorditas/tacos) or coffee. If this
approach doesnt work then department meetings seem like the best place to start as I can discuss
with specific subject teachers what we have, what they need and how we can collaborate to
achieve student success. A department meeting would enable me to know what projects are in the

pipeline and see which teachers are interested in taking the first steps towards collaboration. It
also helps me as the library coordinator/teacher to develop what Kearney refers to as power
bases especially information power information that others consider valuable [and that]
has been developed collaboratively with teachers in response to curricular needs (Kearney,
2000, p. 9). This entails working alongside the administration to provide budgetary support for
resources and equipment and to help with scheduling if necessary as well as permission to take
time from department meetings.
Working with an individual teacher, it is important to get an idea of what and how the
teacher teaches and what kind of assignments they tend to give and by doing so find the best
ways to collaborate. From experience I have found that the best collaborative projects are
interdisciplinary, my favorite being a US History, project where students had to find a connection
between a US historical and a literary character or author covered by the English Department. To
help reinforce the initial connection with the teacher or specific department I would compile a
list of resources, such as websites and useful databases as well as improve the library collection
with an eye to amplifying sources for students and teachers on topics they are covering. At an
initial level Kearney also recommended providing sample lesson plans on a broad range of
topics, share information about new resources in the media center, and provide the most current
instruction resources available (p 77) .
Once having discussed with the teacher the benefits of working with the library I will give
the lead to the teacher to plan their class on their terms as this is something teachers prefer to do
alone but reminding them of the benefits of joint planning. The planning session should
determine what the the teacher wishes to accomplish [and] what students will learn and be able
to do at the end of the unit (Kearney, 79). During planning, standards that wish to be covered

should be looked at broken down for student understanding. AASL and Common Core standards
should be covered in this way in order to develop the curriculum and meet goals. Then I would
research websites and available material in the library to create pathfinders in order to help
students along the research process.
Every semester we have group presentations in preparation for interschool debates and this
is an area I have found myself helping teachers and students with in the past. One of the major
topics in the next debate is Corruption and the Nationalization of State Petroleum. In groups of
4, grade 9 students, after having chosen their topic from a list, would find questions related to the
topic. They would then have two weeks to locate access and evaluate information in order to
formulate their arguments and develop a full bibliography of their sources. This would be
rounded up with a PowerPoint presentation accompanied by an oral presentation.
On the first day the standards to be achieved and a rubric which covers the stages of
research as well as the final presentation would be explained and posted in the classroom and by
doing so students themselves become accountable for the standards. In this case possible
standards could be: 3.1.1 - Conclude an inquiry-based research process by sharing new
understandings and reflecting on the learning. 3.1.4 Use technology and other information tools
to organize and display knowledge and understanding in ways that others can view, use, and
assess. I would like to use the BIG 6 research process as a basis for the assignment. Students will
have time between class, the library and the computer lab. The first day in the library I will give
an overview of the library resources and the Big 6 with emphasis at the beginning on Evaluating
Web Sites and Search Strategies. Over the following days students would have a chance to
search for information in the library and then assess the information they had retrieved in class
the following day. Every stage would be assessed so that they could achieve a smooth transition

through the big 6 stages. During this time they will be given search strategy forms in order to
help them brainstorm and be taught the importance of good note taking and bibliographic skills.
After the first week they would then be given the chance to work in the computer lab with myself
and the teacher there to help them with the production of their PowerPoint. All students would be
offered the opportunity to use the library out of class time and also to ask me for advice and
guidance anytime during library hours.
Lesson 1 Teacher Explanation of the assignment, groups formed, topics chosen. Followed
by intro to library resources and the Big 6. Students then define the information problem and
identify information needed in order to complete the task through concept mapping and graphic
organizers. Lesson 2 Librarian teaches the best ways to recognize a trustworthy web pages
while looking at examples and doing exercises on Web Site Evaluation. Lesson 3 Students are
given an intro exercise on Boolean searches such as keyword searches and strategies. They then
begin their research into their chosen topic. Lesson 4 spent in class reviewing and organizing the
information they have found. Lesson 5 students have more time to research with emphasis
being made on the importance of properly citing their sources as they go along as well as
researching different points of view from various sources and the importance of avoiding
plagiarism. Lesson 6 8 students work in groups to synthesize their work in a PowerPoint
presentation. Lesson 9 10 Final Presentations and teacher gives feedback forms on the
students final oral and PowerPoint presentation.

Conclusion
Through a process of working firstly with administration, I would get access to teachers
through department meetings and flexible scheduling. By working with administration I would
also be able to provide resources that I would later identify alongside teachers as being needed in
order to achieve curriculum goals. Partaking in the planning alongside teachers both promotes
the library and ensures that the librarian and resources aid student success in achieving literacy
standards in alignment with the school vision.

References
Kearney, C. A. (2000). Curriculum partner: redefining the role of the library media specialist.
Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press.
Repman, J & Dickinson, G. K. (2007). School library management (6th ed.). Columbus, Ohio:
Linworth Publishing.
Buzzeo, T. (2008). The collaboration handbook. Columbus, Ohio: Linworth Publishing

"Standards for the 21st-Century Learner", American Library Association, November 8, 2006.
http://www.ala.org/aasl/standards-guidelines/learning-standards (Accessed December 9, 2013)