1. Flexible Scheduling
Improving Student Learning Through
Expanded Use of the Library Media Center
Library Media Center
Mrs. Toler’s class leaves Mr. Tipmore's class enters

2. Finding Common Ground
What is your definition of
FIXED SCHEDULING
FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

3. 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 assistant
principal.
• Classes meet weekly with little or no time
for additional library work.

4. Does your schedule look
something like this?
Time Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00- Mrs. Smith Mrs. Brown Ms. Lewis Mrs. White Mrs. Phelan
8:25
8:25- Mrs. Boon Mrs. Jones Mrs. Messamore Mrs. Compton Ms. Reader
8:50
8:50- Ms. Hume Mrs. Partner Mrs. Wall Mr. Taggert Mrs. Oberly
9:15
9:15- Planning Planning Planning Planning Planning
9:40
9:40- Ms. Cook Mrs. Carlton Mrs. Kerchevall Ms. Tanner Mrs. Farmer
10:05
10:05- Mrs. Allen Mrs. Hurt Mrs. Payne Ms. Springs Mrs. Lindow
10:30
10:30- Mrs. Bush Mrs. Hagan Mrs. Reed Mrs. McCormick Mrs. Hall
10:55
10:55- Mrs. Peck Mrs. Pickens Mrs. Clark Mrs. Thompson Ms. Cornwell
11:20
11:20- Ms. Major Mrs. Settle Mr. Myers Mrs. Camron Mrs. Toler
11:45
11:45- Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
12:10
12:10- Mrs. Spear Ms. Mack Mrs. Crawford Mrs. Warren Mrs. Miller
12:35

5. 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.

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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.

9. 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

10. A "True" Flexible Schedule
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8:00 – 9:30 8:00 – 9:00 8:00 – 8:45 8:30 – 9:00 8:00 – 8:45
2nd grade Storytime Booktalks Storytime Team Mtg
Weather 1st Grade – 5th grade – 1st grade – 3rd grade –
Toler Tipmore Hume LMC
10:30 – 11:00
Morning
Storytime 9:15 – 10:15 8:50 – 9:35 9:00 – 10:00 9:00 – 9:45
Kindergarten – 2nd grade - Booktalks 2nd grade – Team Mtg.
Thompson Weather 5th grade – Weather 5th grade –
McCormick LMC
1:00 – 1:20 12:30 – 1:30 11:00 – 11:30
5th grade – 1st grade – 12:30 – 1:30 Storytime 10:00 – 10:45
Tingle (book Life Cycles 4th grade 1st grade – Team Mtg.
check-out) groups – Messamore 4th grade –
Plants LMC
1:30 – 2:30 1:30 – 2:30 1:00 – 2:00 1:00 – 1:45 2:00 – 2:30
Afternoon
3rd grade 3rd grade 3rd grade Team Mtg. Storytime
groups - groups - groups - 2nd grade – 4th grade –
Pioneers Pioneers Pioneers LMC Lowe

11. 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

12. 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

13. Making flexible
scheduling work
is everyone’s
responsibility

14. What is the media
specialist's role?
• To develop a program enabling the
classroom teacher to meet curriculum
goals
• To plan and teach with teachers
integrating media center/information
seeking skills into curriculum
• To plan with teachers for follow-up
activities

15. What is the media
specialist's role?
• To assist students in:
– identifying and locating materials
– selecting proper materials
– using, understanding, and applying
information
– creating, producing, or presenting
information
– developing an interest in and appreciation of
literature

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. What is the teacher's role?
• Accompany
class to media
center when
activities
include entire
class

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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

23. Some considerations…
• What services would you like provided
to your students on an on-going 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?

24. 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

25. Questions?
Concerns?
Clarification?

26. Suggestions and
Recommendations
• Begin planning now for 2012-2013
– Include your district library
coordinator in planning
– Principal or AP should be part of
planning team
– Talk with other schools who have
successfully implemented flexible
scheduling

27. 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

28. Martha Alewine
State Contact for School Libraries
100 Merrywood Rd.
Greenwood, SC 29649
malewine@ed.sc.gov
864-229-4230
http://scschoollibraries.pbworks.com
Edited to present to HES by:
Amber Thompson