The conceptualizing of and structuring of a learning commons shifts both the thinking of what a library media center is as well as its learning imperative in the school. Rather than being defined in terms of collections and instructional activities that focus primarily on an information-centric paradigm--the finding, accessing, and evaluating of…

This article is Part 3 of a three part summary of selected articles from the journals of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) over a period of thirty-five years from 1972 to 2007. This three-part series in the April, May, and June (2009) issues of "School Library Media Activities Monthly" ("SLMAM") illustrate the evolution in…

This is Part 2 of a three-part summary of selected articles from the journals of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) over a period of thirty-five years from 1972 to 2007. This three-part series in the April, May, and June (2009) issues of "School Library Media Activities Monthly" ("SLMAM") will illustrate the evolution in…

Differentiated instruction has been around for over fifteen years, and like many educational practices, the attention to it is cyclical. In this article, the author talks about how differentiated instruction is used to teach reading. The author also talks about the role of library media specialists in differentiated instruction in reading.

This article features an open letter written by the author to her school library media colleagues, applauding those who are providing informative and interesting staff development activities for teachers, administrators, and their library media peers. She reminds her colleagues about their role in staff development and not to underestimate the…

This article is the second part of a two-part article on a learning project developed through the Independent Learning Centre (ILC) program at Concordia Lutheran College. The first part of this article can be found in the January 2009 issue of this journal and discusses how the applications of the "AASL Standards for the 21st-Century Learner"…

It is evident that many schools across the country are sweeping aside the fun and invigorating parts of education in order to prepare students for standardized tests. More and more classroom teachers are finding that they have less time to assign creative, hands-on projects and tasks to their students. On the elementary level, for example,…

A basic definition of "cyberbullying" is provided by Nancy Willard, director of the Center for Safe and Responsible Internet Use. She has defined cyberbullying as using the Internet or other mobile devices to send or post harmful or cruel text or images to bully others. The advent of social networking has highlighted cyberbullying. Library media…

Middle school students are not reading for pleasure as frequently as they formally have, due to the influx of video games, cell phones, MP3 players, and other electronic device. This is not even to mention the common stresses of the average middle school student. Current research on reading motivation finds that as children move from upper…

Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21) is a comprehensive plan sponsored by thirty-one organizations and businesses. Involved are organizations such as Apple, Microsoft, Dell, and Verizon, to name a few, and such organizations as the National Education Association, the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the American…

"As good as we are, we can always get better." At first thought, one might dismiss it as the chant of an overly optimistic cheerleader. As one really begins to think about it, though, this seemingly simplistic message is one everyone should strive for daily. But how does one get better? It does not simply happen by sitting isolated in the school…

The 65% Solution seems to be in the news on education these days. Some governors have endorsed it, a growing number of legislators are trying to legislate it, and, in more and more states, petitioners are trying to get it on the ballot. Backers want this initiative to be spread across the nation. In short, this movement hinges on a simple, but…

School library media specialists at all levels have been investing long hours in preparing and implementing lessons. They try to coordinate these lessons with teachers, and, in the best-case scenario, they collaboratively plan and deliver the instruction. The missing piece is an indication of whether or not students have actually been learning.…

Describes four peer networking projects initiated by school library media specialists in Georgia that promoted curriculum development, collection development and library services, cooperation between school and public libraries to share online resources, and cooperation between public and school libraries to share magazine articles. (LRW)

The second of a two-part series discusses the new American Association of School Librarians/Association for Educational Communication Technology guidelines for school library media programs, focusing on the final five chapters which cover (1) personnel; (2) resources and equipment; (3) facilities; (4) planning and administration; and (5) district,…