Professional Reading Reviews
Volume 31, Number 4, April 2004
Ken Haycock
Thoughtful, in-depth reviews of the newest in professional
resources for the school library. Includes brief reviews
of new titles publisher Ken Haycock deems Worth
a Look!
Research in the Real Classroom: The Independent
Investigation Method for Primary Students.
Cindy Nottage, Virginia Morse
Web Searching Strategies: An Introductory
Curriculum for Students and Teachers.
Sam Miller
I Think, Therefore I Learn!
Graham Foster, Evelyn Sawicki, Hyacinth Schaeffer and Victor Zelinski
The Information-powered School.
Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock, Eds.
Inquiry-based learning: Lessons from
Library Power.
Jean Donham, Kay Bishop, Carol Collier Kuhlthau and Dianne Oberg
The Literacy Principal: Leading, Supporting and Assessing
Reading and Writing Initiatives.
David Booth and Jennifer Rowsell Plus: New
titles worth a look
Research in the Real Classroom: The Independent Investigation
Method for Primary Students.
Cindy Nottage, Virginia Morse Reviewed by Barbara Troisi
This manual provides primary educators with strategies for learning and teaching
the research process, based on the seven-step Independent Investigation Method
(IIM). The authors have designed a comprehensive guide that is tailored to
address every detail an instructor may require in order to successfully accomplish
the tasks with ease. A complete model is introduced but because of its flexibility,
any curricular unit may be adapted to meet the needs of all learners. Based
on whole class instruction and addressing students’ diverse levels of
literacy, the model contains an abundance of resources to enhance the investigation
process. They include instruction of key skills based on NCTE/IRA Standards
for English Language Arts, strategies for students and teachers, essential
collaboration with the teacher-librarian, competencies designed for novice
and advanced researchers, methodology based on mini-lessons, and suggestions
offered through use of a sample lesson model. The Teacher Resources section
furnishes samples, forms (unit plans and assessment), references and graphics.
This model is thorough and provides valuable guidance for teachers as they
integrate the components of the research process in the primary curriculum.
It also promotes the TL’s status toward a mutual beneficial collaborative
relationship with school stakeholders. (Maupin House, 2003. 112pp. $19.95.
0-929895-55-X).
Bottom Line: Collaborative opportunities
abound for primary teachers and TLs.
Web Searching Strategies: An Introductory Curriculum for
Students and Teachers.
Sam Miller
Reviewed by Barbara Weathers
This is a very good book for those beginning to learn how
to effectively search the Web. Organized in two sections,
the content in the first is designed for
independent investigation by Grades 9-12, as well as teacher training. The
second section contains lessons for Grades 5-8. There
is a real harmony here because
of the specific correlation between the chapter headings in the first section
and the same chapter headings, appropriately targeted for middle school,
in the second.
Content includes a description of how search
engines work, how to refine searches, selecting the right
keywords,
capturing images, citing and evaluating web sites.
Exercises are primarily designed for use with the search engine Google,
with Teoma and Alta Vista “sometimes used for comparative
purposes.” Worksheets
in the second half of the book are fully reproducible and answers are included
in the appendix, along with the national technology standards for both
teachers and students. (ISTE Publications, 2003. 119pp. $24.95.
1-56484-207-X.)
Bottom Line: With terms like “truncation” and “meta-search” included,
this is the perfect jumpstart for becoming a successful web searcher.
I Think, Therefore I Learn!
Graham Foster, Evelyn Sawicki,
Hyacinth Schaeffer and Victor Zelinski
Reviewed by Michele
Farquharson
Written by four Canadian curriculum supervisors for the
Calgary Catholic School District, this book provides
historical, theoretical and practical information
about metacognition (albeit with an uneven focus), with specific references
to the Alberta Department of Education. The book, with
an 8 1/2 X 11 format and
just over 90 pages of text, includes an introduction and one chapter each
devoted to Language Arts, Math, Science and Social Studies.
It is difficult to argue with the statements presented, often couched in “motherhood” language;
e.g., “Anyone who believes that one’s most important mission in life
is self-understanding and that language and literature foster self-understanding
will applaud current attention to metacognition” (p. 26). The book is filled
with this type of language, giving the reader a sense of covering a lot of ground
without much substance. Auditory, visual and kinesthetic learners are discussed
in a two-page inclusion. Many books and theories have been dedicated to this
topic alone, which I perceive as learning styles and not metacognition. However,
practical information on how to foster and/or alter specific student tasks into
projects with a metacognitive dimension is useful. Although not specifically
mentioned, the authors imply the importance of teacher-librarians and libraries
in promoting and teaching metacognition.
“ To ensure a metacognitive dimension …. the
teacher should ask the students to identify and consider
various research and presentation strategies
for developing a position. Research options could include the use of library
reference books, CD-ROMs, textbooks, Internet sources... These research
options may not be readily apparent to students so it is
important for teachers to build
a repertoire of research strategies for students” (p. 76). (Pembroke
Publishers, 2002. $18.95. 96pp. 1-55138-148-6).
Bottom line: Good introductory
text for beginning teachers.
The Information-powered School.
Sandra Hughes-Hassell and
Anne Wheelock, Eds.
For the Public Education Network
(PEN) and the American Association of School
Librarians (AASL)
Inquiry-based learning: Lessons
from Library Power.
Jean Donham, Kay Bishop, Carol Collier
Kuhlthau and Dianne Oberg
Reviewed by Ken Haycock
The Library Power initiative was a national project coordinated
by AASL and PEN and funded by the DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s
Digest Fund for more than $40 million. It remains the
most extensive school reform effort on the continent,
involving more than 700 schools serving more than one million students in
impoverished
communities. And what was learned?
Inquiry-based Learning: Lessons from Library
Power draws on the research conducted by the authors
at Library Power sites. Based on a constructivist
view of learning
and research-based principles of how children learn, modes of inquiry form
the foundation for the teaching and learning philosophy. As teacher-librarians
become
more confident in their roles and collaborate more with teachers, essential
questions begin to guide students’ learning and effective teaching
and learning strategies derived from professional and research literature
are used. Actual case studies
make clear that positive change can occur.
The researchers outline the importance
of a common inquiry model in the school, which creates a step-by-step process,
a common language for planning, a guide
for students and a means for monitoring student performance. Keys to success
are the adoption of such a model, a collaborative school culture, development
of an articulated curriculum and principal support. Teacher transformation
and the resulting change in norms in the school do not occur through telling,
however,
but rather through ongoing staff development and opportunities to learn
over a period of years.
Faculty capacity for change, instructional leadership by
the principal, shared leadership within the school, collaboration and teacher
learning through
staff development support the implementation of an integrated program.
These are
enhanced by attractive facilities and appealing and relevant resources.
(Linworth, 2001.
88 pp. $39.95. 1-58683-031-7.)
The Information-powered School builds on
these research lessons and provides guiding principles
and specific steps and resources for implementation.
Each chapter is contributed by a different Library Power site. Successful
implementation
requires high-level commitment from decision-makers and teacher-librarians
who can deliver: leadership; collaboration; curriculum and collection
mapping; commitment
to continual personal learning; partnerships with the community. The
tool kit provides models and templates for needs assessments
and planning to
improve effectiveness. Possible objections to developing a fully integrated,
collaborative
program based
on flexible scheduling are also noted, with suggested responses.
While
a full-time teacher-librarian with a full-time aide may
not be realistic in many schools, particularly when coupled
with
refurbished
facilities
and new collections, the principles embodied here have endured over
time and
many studies.
While it is mildly insulting to read that TLs are “not just keepers
of books anymore” (indeed, they haven’t been for more than
30 years in many school districts), the fact remains that the key success
factors for
quality programs are not well known to teachers, administrators or
even many TLs. (American Library Association, 2001. 138 pp. $35. 0-8389-3514-1.)
These
two books provide renewed attention, in an accessible way, to
the rationale and resources necessary to support implementation of
those
programs.
Bottom line: Never forget Library Power and the lessons
learned.
The Literacy Principal: Leading, Supporting and Assessing
Reading and Writing Initiatives.
David Booth and Jennifer
Rowsell
Reviewed by Ken Haycock
What
teacher-librarian wouldn’t want to work with a “literacy
principal”?
Although running schools is a complex business, literacy is a core feature
of that business and thus of the principal’s role.
Or should be.
The principles involved in developing a literary
school are as one might expect: create a school literacy
team;
involve everyone collaboratively in
the process;
work together to examine practices; ensure that everyone is vested in
the success of literacy initiatives. This is not so easy
to achieve, however.
It requires
principal leadership, appropriate teachers’ knowledge, skills and
disposition, a collaborative and professional school community, program
coherence and technical
resources. Shared leadership is also a critical piece.
The authors provide
numerous example of the principles and practices of reading and models
for literacy program initiatives, together with practices
of “literacy
principals” to drive this focus. They describe useful strategies
and important interventions for teachers with students experiencing different
types of challenges.
In this regard, the material is especially useful.
What is disturbing
about the book, however, particularly by a writer/researcher who appears
regularly at school library conferences, is the complete
omission of the role of the teacher-librarian as a literacy leader.
Classroom collections
are mentioned and promoted; school libraries are not. Reading for pleasure
is obviously a focus; school libraries are not. Two pages on using “school-based
educational specialists” do not even mention the TL. Professional
development is important; the role of the TL in providing formal and
informal staff development
in children’s literature or electronic resources does not appear.
Stephen Krashen’s work (The power of reading: Insight from the
research) in which he reviews the critical role of libraries and TLs
in reading is not cited. Encouraging
the use of school libraries, incorporating the expertise of the TL, promoting
the use of the public library – these are all missing. The principal
is encouraged to involve parents in “shelving books, reviewing
new materials and reading with children” in the library. That’s
the sole mention.
“ Literacy education, like any innovation, requires
change leadership.” It
also requires acknowledging the human and material resources that
exist and exploiting them to full advantage in responsible,
creative ways. Regrettably,
a key player
is completely ignored here. (Pembroke, 2002. 128 pp. $19. 1-55138-146-X.)
Bottom
line: Great ideas could be even better with a TL. |
