BELIEFS ABOUT EDUCATION

5. We believe in the integration of knowledge. Student understanding of the "whole" is better than the sum of its parts. In upper grades, team teaching units across subjects is becoming widespread.

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WHAT THIS MEANS FOR LIBRARIANS

5. Libraries are perfectly suited to function as labs for the integration of disciplines.
A. Text books are being used more as resources than as the sole authority on the topic. Teachers who believe in a Whole Language philosophy are wonderful supporters of good literature. Much has been written about the partnerships of teachers and librarians in this area. (A cautionary note: in workshops and professional groups, teachers are encouraged to acquire books for their classroom "libraries" often forgetting or ignoring resources that have been in the school all along.)

B. Librarians will be assisting students with information needs outside of regular expectations. For instance, a math class, calculating the cost of the Twelve Days of Christmas may seek information regarding the cost of a goose a-laying or a social studies group may need assistance with statistical analysis. Answers to questions similar to these will probably require resources outside of the library or school walls.

C. Also, librarians should be acutely aware of the ineffectiveness of teaching information skills in isolation. A student is more ready to learn about the cumulative index in Something About the Author when an author component has been assigned in a literature class than when a librarian is searching for a lesson that will fit into an scheduled time slot.

WHAT ASSESSMENT MIGHT LOOK LIKE IN THE LIBRARY

Note: One type of assessment has been matched with a specific trend only as example . Please remember that there is much overlap and these methods may apply to other situations!

5. Today standardized pencil and paper have be relegated to a lesser role. They are seen as an unreliable method of measuring a student's knowledge. Standardized tests do not always focus on the important lesson, rather on tiny pieces which are easy to correct. Material evaluated in such a chopped up manner results in a chopped up curriculum. Also, educators are realizing that more than one answer may be acceptable. Even a 'wrong' answer may have value if the method of arriving at it is good. Therefore asking a student to explain, in writing, the process he used is important. For example, you might want to have your students record their thoughts, feelings and actions as they move through the research process in the form of a journal, learning log or I-search paper. Not only do these forms of writing provide you with a medium for assessing student progress at each stage in the process, but they can also be used by students for self-assessment and peer assessment

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