A Form of Our Own: Guidelines-Based Assessment of Teacher-Librarians

1. A Form of Our Own:Guidelines-Based Assessment of Teacher-Librarians Patricia Owen, NBCT powen@bex.net Megan Oakleaf, PhD moakleaf@syr.edu  50 handouts have been reserved for presentation attendees

2. WHY CREATE A TOOL? • Local Need • District adopts a Praxis-type evaluation form for teachers • Adopted evaluation form inconsistent with teacher-librarian (TL) Information Power roles • Teacher • Instructional partner • Information specialist • Program administrator

3. WHY CREATE A TOOL? • Problems Encountered: • ODE does not provide a T-L evaluation tool (because Ohio is a local control state) • Existing evaluation tools do not meet criteria (not ACS-based, wrong format, lack rubrics, etc.) • T-L’s want to participate in creation of their evaluation tool (a form of their own!) • T-L’s seek to use their evaluation tool to advocate for their libraries • T-L’s promote evidence-based practice

4. THE LITERATURE SEARCH • What evaluation tools are available? • Teacher-focused evaluation forms • Existing T-L evaluation forms

5. TEACHER-FOCUSED EXAMPLES Component 1.1 Acquires and uses knowledge about students as individual learners in preparing lessons which consider students’ diverse backgrounds, communities, and interests. Component 3.4 Tracks individual student progress by instructional and non-instructional records. Component 4.1 Contacts all families about academic and social progress of the students and events in the classroom, encourages parental involvement in the student’s education.

6. EXAMPLES OF EXISTING T-L EVALUATION FORMS

11. OUR SOLUTION?Create a New Form!

12. RESOURCES FOR CREATING“A FORM OF OUR OWN” • ODE website – Library Guidelines (ACS) http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?pa e=3&TopicRelationID=340&ContentID=13952&Content=31719 • KSU ILILE http://www.ilile.org/instructionalRes /checklists/libraryguidelines.html • Praxis format • Conform to district model

13. STEPS TO CREATE EVALUATION TOOL • Identify ACS (K-12 library guidelines) to use in place of Praxis teacher evaluation content. • Choose a grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, K-12). • Consolidate similar indicators, benchmarks, standards. • Ignore repetitious indicators, benchmarks, standards. • Omit items that don’t fit local context (ex. email). • Eliminate minutia (ex. research listserv information). • Determine performance levels (unsatisfactory, needs improvement, proficient, distinguished).

14. STEPS TO CREATE EVALUATION TOOL • Create forms. • Summative conference form • Pre-observation form • Rubric (professional practice components)

15. BEST PRACTICES FOR CREATING A RUBRIC • Tie evaluation criteria to the standards. • Identify 3-5 levels of performance. • Educate administrators about ACS; create a shared performance expectation. • Write clearly. • Concrete • Concise • Common terminology • Consistent (parallel) construction • Clearly differentiated levels • Quality-focused

16. RUBRIC4.14.2

17. RUBRIC4.34.4

18. SUMMATIVECONFERENCE FORM

19. PRESENTING EVIDENCE TO ADMINISTRATORS • Binder of library evidence (print or electronic) • Example documents • Library web site screenshots • Lesson plans, collaborative units, teaching schedules • Parent contact log • Student assessment data • Policy & procedure manual documents • Diagrams; student photos; library activities photos • Sample handouts/fliers/newsletters • Professional development records • Library promotions (ex. RTR bookmark)

20. 4.4 Remote access24/7 accessConnect district pageInfo about library services & resourcesOPAC access

21. 4.4 Peer-reviewed teacher resources

22. 4.3Assist teachers with integrating technology into the curriculum

23. CREATING A FORM OF YOUR OWN • Begin with ACS (library guidelines). http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDetail.aspx?page=3&TopicRelationID=340&ContentID=2489&Content=32808# • Choose a grade level (K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12, K-12). • Consolidate similar indicators, benchmarks, standards. • Ignore repetitious indicators, benchmarks, standards. • Omit items that don’t fit local context (ex. email). • Eliminate minutia (ex. research listserv information). • Choose a format that matches the teacher-focused evaluation form. • Create forms (summative, etc).

24. CONCLUSION • T-L’s need evaluation forms of their own. • T-L’s need to help create their evaluation forms. • ACS (library guidelines) provide a framework. • Guideline-based tools reflect all T-L Information Power roles. • Guidelines-based tools allow T-L’s to demonstrate their value using evidence-based documentation.

25. Questions?Thoughts? A Form of Our Own:Guidelines-Based Assessment of Teacher-Librarians Patricia Owen, NBCT powen@bex.net Megan Oakleaf, PhD moakleaf@syr.edu