School Library Media faculty, students teach ways to collaborate with teachers
“Convince Them to Collaborate” was the title of the presentation given this fall by McDaniel School Library Media instructor Kay Craig, and McDaniel graduate students Maggie Potito, Kathleen Casper, Lindsey Weaver, Samantha Roller, Hannah Ricci, Trisha Deen, Maria O'Toole, Carly Josephson, and Carla Ramdat during the Maryland Association of School Librarians Conference in Hagerstown, Md.
“One of the most difficult roles for a school librarian is that of instructional partner,” said Mona Kerby, coordinator of the college’s School Library Media program. “Our session was a hit with the conference attendees.”
During their presentation, Craig and the students advised librarians to reach out to teachers and their school community with an eagerness to be involved in the classroom experience.
Ideas ranged from having librarians place bookmarks in teachers’ mailboxes that state the benefits of an instructional partnership to sending goodie bags filled with small gifts, such as a rubber band to indicate the librarians’ flexibility or a ruler to show a willingness to “go the distance” to help accomplish the teachers’ curriculum needs.
McDaniel’s Graduate School Library Program aims to develop outstanding teachers, instructional leaders and administrators of quality school libraries. The program offers courses in literature for children and young adults, technology, information literacy skills.
The program meets American Library Association/American Association of School Librarians Standards for Initial Programs as a nationally recognized program for the preparation of school librarians. It also meets certification requirements of Maryland State Department of Education for Library Media Specialist and is recognized by the Pennsylvania State Department of Education.