Monday, March 31, 2014

NY State's Summer Reading Official Pronouncement: Hear Ye Hear Ye

If you ever wondered what the formal NYSED view is on "Summer Reading" - wonder no more.  Here is the 2009 guidance that was officially posted.  We realize this is 5 years old, but it will remain in effect until the Board of Regents (BOR) officially changes it.  And...with all that is cooking at the state level, I doubt they will endeavor to change anything they don't have to! 

DLD's Summer Reading Link - Click Here!  


Please also keep in mind that there was a new NYSED document posted, on EngageNY.org which also recommends to "increase the volume of student's reading."   Click Here.   (I wrote part of this document for Expeditionary Learning so that is why some of this wording may sound familiar.)  [My own comment in blue--not to be confused with official proclamation.] 

Guidance on Locally Required Summer Reading Assignments   (Title is hyperlinked to NYSED Source) 

THE STATE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT / THE UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK / ALBANY, NY 12234
OFFICE OF CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
www.emsc.nysed.gov/ciai
DATE: May 2009
TO: District Superintendents of Schools, Superintendents of Public Schools,
Principals, and English Language Arts Department Chairs of Public Schools

SUBJECT: Guidance on Locally Required Summer Reading Assignments
The Commissioner of Education has addressed several issues relating to locally required summer reading assignments. This document sets forth guidance and suggestions to assist administrators and teachers in developing acceptable required summer reading assignments.
The New York State Education Department has long encouraged students to read during the summer.  Summer reading provides an excellent opportunity for students to stay connected to literature and to enhance literacy skills developed throughout the school year.  Studies show that reading for enjoyment is a practice that helps all children increase their vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.  In addition, a locally required summer reading assignment, if used in conjunction with other reading instruction strategies, is important for students who receive Academic Intervention Services (AIS).
http://www.p12.nysed.gov/part100/pages/topics.html
The New York State Library’s Statewide Summer Reading Program is an example of an effective voluntary summer reading program.  It is planned and implemented collaboratively with local public libraries and helps students maintain and improve their reading levels over the summer while enjoying reading.  There is no cost to students or their families.  Educators and school administrators are encouraged to become familiar with the State Library’s Statewide Summer Reading Program and other programs offered by their local public libraries and to share information about these programs with students, parents, and teachers.  To review the program, please go to
http://www.nysl.nysed.gov/libdev/summer/
A board of education may distribute suggested summer reading lists, permit extra credit assignments over the summer, or require students to read books over the summer in preparation for discussion after school begins.    Some districts/schools have begun to develop locally required summer reading assignments that generally require students to complete the following:
  • Read one or more specific works from a list of books prepared by the school; and
  • Complete an assignment for credit when school resumes in the fall (e.g., an oral presentation, a book report, a media or electronic presentation, or a test that will count as part of the student’s grade). [These are critical lines as they represent the summary of all the recommendation disclaimers following below. PJ]
Where a district/school chooses to require a summer reading assignment, it must comply with the following:
  • If books are to be used as part of a mandatory assignment, a school district must ensure that they are reasonably available to all students at no cost. Although a school district may indicate that books may be purchased, students cannot be required to purchase any books.
  • Class grades should reflect work done under a teacher’s direction and supervision.  There must be sufficient opportunity for students to obtain teacher guidance and instruction before completing a graded assignment. 
Teacher guidance and instructional support may be accessed by email and telephone or in person, as necessary.
  • Where students are unable to access the instructional support provided by the school district over the summer, they should be permitted to complete the assignment without penalty upon returning to school, while under the direction and supervision of the teacher. [Really?  Then here's the backdoor excuse for each student. No teeth.  PJ] 
  • Assignments should be designed to meet the learning needs of all participating students.
  • Students with disabilities, students who have limited English proficiency and students who are English language learners must have an equal opportunity to complete a locally required summer reading assignment.
The State Education Department also suggests that:
  • Any locally required summer reading assignments be integral to the school district’s existing curriculum.
  • Parents(s)/guardians be encouraged to review the reading list to be aware of the titles and authors and to encourage and help guide their children’s reading.
  • Students should have a choice among one or more required readings.
  • Options should be provided to students for demonstrating completion of the assignment (e.g., a book report, an oral presentation, or a media or electronic presentation).
  • For students who will be away on vacation, all the necessary materials for their summer reading assignment should be provided to them before school ends in June.
  • If assignments are given to determine placement in Advanced Placement (AP) courses or as part of the body of work required for the AP course, the district/school should have appropriately trained teachers available to the students for guidance and assistance over the summer, as well as make all necessary materials available.  [Dare we say that these items impede any summer reading "recommendation."  - Are our hands tied? - PJ] 
Decisions of the Commissioner relating to required summer reading assignments are available at http://www.counsel.nysed.gov/Decisions/home.html.  Scroll down the page to the Volume Numbers.  Volume and Decision Numbers are listed below.  Click on the Volume Number, then click on the Decision Number to view the decision. 
    • Appeal of Curran,    Volume 44, Decision No. 15,235
    • Appeal of Ciotti,       Volume 44, Decision No. 15,162
    • Appeal of Lahm,      Volume 41, Decision No. 14,662
    • Appeal of Lease,     Volume 39, Decision No. 14,219
Please check this website periodically for any future decisions of the Commissioner of Education regarding summer reading assignments.
I trust that you will find this guidance useful. Should you have any questions or concerns, please contact emscurric@mail.nysed.gov


Got Air?

Librarydoor Post repeated here for our local use:
From time to time I am asked about the "research" behind the efficacy of the school librarian.   I want to take a quick minute to post some of the best resources here for those that may need to share these with budgetary decision makers.  (Listed below) 

In this issue of Scholastic's Administrator, I have a short article entitled: Your Hidden Asset.  Let's hope we're not too hidden! (I did not choose the title).  Now, we know that too many administrators just don't frequent your library doors, and Scholastic meant that title figuratively, but let's make it our goal to insure we are seen and heard.   The research will not do you much good if you are not connecting to the classroom, kids, and being visible with your principal.   Consider some Spring SMART goals for visibility.  Here are a few examples:

One of our local elementary librarians, Jen , advocated for bags to enable her to send home 5 books with each student this summer.  She works in a high-needs district and commented, "I know some will be lost, but I don't care.  We have to work to reduce the summer slide and I know many kids have no books at home."   She said she is planning on telling the kids to share and to bring them back.   This will be the first year of this program so it will be interesting to see the data on what is lost.  Dare we say it will be a small cost compared to the lost reading ground retained?   

To find other ways to be seen and hear, order a copy of Make a Big Impact @ Your School Board Meeting.   - From Libraries Unlimited. 

Here are a list of the white papers for advocacy and more: 

  • American Association of School Librarians (n.d.). Strong School Libraries Build Strong Students.  Click here 

  • American Association of School Librarians (2012).  School Libraries Count:  National Longitudinal Study of School Library Programs.    A report of the annual online survey of school library programs in the United States. Findings  indicate that despite cuts in many areas, school library programs remain consistently strong.  However, the survey also indicated that the number of computers outside of the library with networked access to services has significantly increased.   The trend is to increase remote access  to library licensed databases.

  • American Library Association (2007). Libraries Connect Communities: Public Library Funding and  Technology Access Study 2006-2007.    This survey of technology access in libraries throughout the United States demonstrates that  technology is attracting larger numbers of people to public libraries each year. It includes  information on children as consumers of technology, especially as users of databases that help with  homework.

  • American Librarian Association (n.d.). Add It Up: Libraries Make the Difference – Talking Points. These advocacy documents provide readers with talking points in favor of funding of public and school libraries. Public library  School library
  • Center for International Scholarship in School Libraries (2010; 2011).  The New Jersey Study of  School Libraries:  One Common Goal-LearningExecutive summaries of an intense two-phase study of school libraries in the New Jersey educational  program indicating that libraries and librarians contribute to the intellectual life and development of students in complex and diverse ways.

Monday, March 24, 2014

TDQ Webinar today at 3:00

Here are the link to the handouts for our TDQ (Text Dependent Questions)  webinar today @ 3:00.   This short 30 minute webinar will lay the basics for understanding TDQ's - We are not expecting a large crowd today as this was in response to a few questions I fielded.   Feel free to join us if you are reading this! :)  (Limit 35 "seats")


  • Bring a couple of short fiction or nonfiction books that you might typically use in your "fixed" library instructional time.  
  • Be sure to print out the TDQ handout below.  The rubric you can print if you need it also. 


    pdfTDQ's(PDF -291 KB) 1 page primer on TDQ's
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Meeting information
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Topic: What's the scoop on TDQ's?
Paige Jaeger changed the time for this online meeting.

Topic: What's the scoop on TDQ's?
Date: Monday, March 24, 2014
Time: 3:00 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00)
Meeting Number: 594 785 788
Meeting Password: library


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To join the online meeting (Now from mobile devices!)
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1. Go to https://wswheboces.webex.com/wswheboces/j.php?MTID=m40fcec96f76cba74b59013a1176f8bd6
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: library
4. Click "Join".

To view in other time zones or languages, please click the link:
https://wswheboces.webex.com/wswheboces/j.php?MTID=maf955dad4c4c0b3436abef0527184ebd

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To join the audio conference only
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US TOLL: 1-650-479-3207

Access code:594 785 788

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For assistance
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1. Go to https://wswheboces.webex.com/wswheboces/mc
2. On the left navigation bar, click "Support".

You can contact me at:
pjaeger@wswheboces.org
1-5185813700

To update this meeting to your calendar program (for example Microsoft Outlook), click this link:
https://wswheboces.webex.com/wswheboces/j.php?MTID=m19585a58b89a34579ec00646bb289449


WebEx will automatically setup Meeting Manager for Windows the first time you join a meeting. To save time, you can setup prior to the meeting by clicking this link:
https://wswheboces.webex.com/wswheboces/meetingcenter/mcsetup.php


The playback of UCF (Universal Communications Format) rich media files requires appropriate players. To view this type of rich media files in the meeting, please check whether you have the players 

Monday, March 17, 2014

Library Report Cards....Ugh. What's should I do?

If you are asked to consider “grading” in the library then you have to carefully consider what you are teaching.   Whether or not librarians "grade" is a local decision. 


Here are some thoughts we have shared locally: 

Have simple “goals” per grade level, but have them be aligned to CCSS or the Empire State Fluency Continuum.  That you can point to benchmarks you are measuring. Pick from the best few per grade, as suggested in the chart below which we locally chose because they align with the CCSS standards.   

By limiting the “assessment points”, you leave yourself enough room for creativity and flexibility to address other things.  Assess skills of value.  Do NOT assess things like “Dewey” which have negative value in administrator’s eyes.  Word skills for the 21st Century, such as “How is information organized?”  That way you sound “relevant” and “current.”    

If someone asks you about these bullets, they are intended to produce “College and Career Ready” graduates who are ready to research to build and present knowledge.     


Grade Level
Empire State Information Fluency Continuum  grade level benchmarks
 aligned with the CCSS:

K
* Understands the basics of a book
* Distinguishes between fact and fiction
1
* Briefly summarizes facts
* Asks "What do I wonder about now" questions
2
* Asks Open-ended questions (wonder questions)
* Presents the main idea and supporting details
3
* States the main idea
* Searches online catalog to locate information
4
* Identifies keywords for research
* Students will summarize  information to answer questions
* Students will organize ideas appropriately
5
* Uses appropriate material to answer questions
* Assesses questions to determine which can be answered by simple facts, which cannot be answered and which would lead to an interesting inquiry
6
* Draws conclusions based on evidence
* Draws inferences from text
7
* Uses facts and opinions responsibly
* Analyzes information to form a hypothesis
8
* Students will recognize Point of View
* Draws conclusions based on information
9
* Identifies keywords and synonyms for searching
* Students can mind-map ideas 
10
* Understands advanced web searches
* Draws conclusions based on evidence
11-12
* Develops own Point of View and supports with evidence


Some people have been asked to grade: skill, effort and behavior.  That is like saying, “I don’t have curriculum.”  Just remember the “skill” is your curriculum.

Have students self-assess with “I can” checklists per grade level.   Here are some random I cans:

____I can find a book
____I can ask open-ended questions which lead me to investigation
____I can identify an author
____I can use the Opac
____I can identify my keywords
____I can find evaluate a source for credibility
____I can tell you how information is organized
____I can teach my friend how to write a good book review
____ etc.

If you have a bookmark paper per quarter, you will have self-assessment measuring.  Why not let everyone get an “A”?   The state wants us to eliminate all unnecessary testing.  Therefore, Heaven forbid you give a test to get a grade.  The I can checklists will give you the opportunity to disguise assessment in self-direction.  – Color Code them, red, yellow and green giving “steps” of success. 

Remember:  Our goal is college and career readiness—not giving grades.