Where Does Your Authority Come From

1
Where Does Your Authority Come From?

• Evelyn Bussell, MLS
• Douglas Elementary Creative Arts Science Magnet
  School
• Raleigh, NC

2
True authority does not come from the
superintendent, principal, or even the teachers
worked with every day it comes from a very large
achievement gap . . . The chasm between the
academic expectations for learners and the
current achievement levels of students within the
schools. Zamuda, 2006
3
ALL educators are responsible for causing
students to learn.

• Not just the classroom teacher
• Not just the teacher assistant
• Not just the support/resource teachers
• Not just the media specialist
• Not just the principal
• Not just the superintendent

4
So what does that mean?

• YOU the Media Specialist have a right to
  teach!
• When students are in the Media Center, YOU are
  responsible for their learning!

5
But teachers just see me as another special, a
babysitter . . .

• If you dont like how youre being treated, then
  youre also a part of the problem.
• The Media Center is your classroom and you have a
  right to ask teachers not to teach below grade
  level in regards to information literacy.
• Do not tolerate anything just to get classes into
  your space.
• Youve got to help teachers see that you are the
  expert

6
So how do I take authority?

• First . . . Clarify your vision and goals
• What do you want your school to look like in the
  future?
• Define measureable attainable goals of student
  achievement
• Be explicit about your principles, values and
  beliefs about teaching and learning

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What my job isnt . . .

• To cover content defined by the parameters of
  teacher tasks
• To leave it in the hands of classroom teachers to
  evaluate student achievement in Information
  Literacy
• To only work with the students who come through
  the library media center doors
• Zamuda, 2006

8

• Secondly . . . Get credible evidence
• If you dont have the data youre just a person
  with an opinion
• Collaboration You gotta have it just like the
  3rd grade teacher depends on the 2nd grade
  teacher to have prepared students beforehand . .
  .
• Keep focused on what is being evaluated STUDENT
  LEARNING.

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Questions to guide the data collection process

• What do we have to find out?
• What data are currently available?
• What new data do we need?
• How do we obtain data?
• How can we collect data in a valid and reliable
  form?
• Zamuda, 2006

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• Thirdly . . . Assess the inevitable gap
• Dont teach on assumptions.
• Stop and think about why your students arent
  more successful.

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• Next . . . Plan actions to narrow/close the gap
• Backward design
• Use essential questions to guide your teaching
• Work with staff to strategize an action plan

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Cornerstone Assessments

• Anchor the curriculum around important, recurring
  tasks.
• Require understanding and transfer of learning.
• Provide evidence of authentic accomplishments.
• Zamuda, 2006

13
A call to action

• Grades communicate data about student
  achievement.
• Student achievement data provides evidence of the
  success of the school.
• Gaps between current reality and vision of
  success are the engine of change and the focus of
  school improvement resources.
• Without taking part in the grading of student
  achievement, the work of library media
  specialists is relegated to nice but not
  necessary.
• Zamuda, 2006

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• Lastly . . . Analyze results and act on feedback
• Get feedback daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly,
  etc.
• How are you doing in relation to your long-term
  goals?
• Keep changing and make it happen!