JamieWinchell

April3,2015
FranklinFineArtsAcademy
District299
Chicago,IL

Description
FranklinFineArtsAcademyisaK8magnetschoolintheOldTownneighborhoodofChicago.Withcloseto
400students,mostgradeshadonesectionof32andseveralgradesweredividedintotwosections.Vivian
Krauswasmysitesupervisorforthisplacement,andshewasendlesslyaccommodating,supportive,and
encouraging.Shepreferredtotakeontheclassroommanagementaspectofteachingandencouragedmeto
trynewthingsandpracticeincorporatingmyskillsasahighschoolEnglishteacherintothelibrarysetting.We
usedaweeklytemplateforlessonplanningtoplotoutessentialquestions,guidedinstructionmethods,
studentactivities,standards,andlearningoutcomesforeachgrade.Withafastpacedfixedschedule,
sometimesseeingKindergartenonperiod,8thgradenext,and3rdgraderightafterthat,oursystemof
instructionalorganizationwasessential.
Innovationwasespeciallyimportantbecausemyplacementhappenedforthetwoweeksdirectly
precedingFranklinsspringbreak.Attimeswewereabletocollaboratewithclassroomteachersonclassroom
contenttodovetailourinformationliteracyandstorytimelessons.Thishappenedwith4thgradersandtheir
studyofwordparts:weempoweredsmallgroupstoexploreonlinegamesaboutsuffix/prefix/rootsandthen
toevaluatetheminasharedGoogledoc.IcreatedaKahoot!gametoreinforcelibraryskillsforSchoolLibrary
WeekandweusedKahoot!asanicebreakerfortheirhistoricalstudies.
Analysis
STANDARD4TeachingandLearning.Thelibraryinformationspecialistencouragesandengages
studentsinreading,viewing,andlisteningforunderstandingandenjoyment.Thecollectionand
functionsofthelibrarymediaprogramrespondtovariousdevelopmentallevels,physicaland
intellectualdisabilities,specialgiftsandtalents,diverseculturalbackgrounds,anddifferentstylesof
accessingandprocessinginformation.4A.knowsmethodsofcollaborationwiththeothermembers
ofthelearningcommunitytoensurethattheschoollibrarymediaprogramisabletomeetthe
individuallearningneedsofstudents.

TheFranklinLibraryservedasanactivehubofstudentlearning:studentsdroppedbybefore,during,andafter
schooltoreturnandcheckoutbooksandtovisitwithVivian.Manyteachersgatheredtheretochatwith
Vivianaboutteachingandlifeoverlunchorduringtheirprepperiod.Withastudentteacherpresent,she
sometimesaskedthemforopportunitiestoconnectourLibraryworkwiththeircurriculum;someteachers,
likethosein8thgrade,tookusuponthis.Schoolwideinitiatives,likemorphemicawarenessinthe4thgrade,
wasanopentargetforustohitwithrespecttoclassroomcontent:determinedbytheprincipal,ourcoverage

ofitwasanadministrativeexpectationofLibraryservices.Differentiationandcollaboration(LISStandard4)
forstudentcenteredlearningaremultilayeredandtakerequiremanyavenuesandrevisedeffortstoattain.
Analysis
Iwasenthusiasticforthisopportunitytobridgethegapbetweenmyprofessionalexperiencesasan
EnglishteacherandInstructionalTechnologyCoordinatorwithlibraryinformationteachingandlearning.One
aspectIparticularlyenjoyedwaslowkeyreadersadvisoryandstudentinitiatedinteractionsaroundreading
forenjoyment.TheopportunitytotalkbookswithyoungpeopleisoneIgotagreattasteofinthisinternship
andisoneIwillenjoyenormouslywhenIamateacherlibrarianinmyownright.Modifyingmyinstructionand
knowingresourcestomeetlearnersvariousneedsisanotheraspectIgotonlyatasteofbutisoneIwill
pursuewithauthenticitywhenIaminaschoolofmyown;havingstudentsviamultipleclassesandcontent
areaswillsurelyhelpwiththis.AndcollaborationwithteachersisoneofthemainreasonsIamworking
towardschoollibrarianship:Iunderstandmysupportrolemoreintimatelybecauseofthisplacement.
Sometimestherewillbeadministrativemandates,sometimesteacherswilltakemeuponinitialoffersto
collaborate,sometimesIwillneedtowingittomakethemostofourlibrarytimetosupportstudents
understandingandenjoyment.