Texas Elementary Principals Homepage

Read It  -> Share it -> Learn it->

Learning, Collaborating, Improving Learning

Presented by Olympia Garcia, Joanna Hatch, and Cindee Hersey

      You know how our STAAR scores are showing that the students need to improve on their critical thinking and inquiry skills? And how the teachers are already so overwhelmed with covering all of the TEKS and every minute is filled with instruction? What if I had a solution to that problem and it wouldn't mean adding staff or buying new curriculum? There are two imperative roles that I play that can make a great difference in student achievement. First, I am an instructional partner. When principals give school librarians flexibility in scheduling, they provide opportunities for them to plan with teachers and co-teach units aligned with the grade level TEKS. Research shows that student test scores increase when the librarian spends more time collaborating with and training teachers. Collaboration benefits students and teachers. The teachers and I would each contribute our areas of expertise to the lesson. Teachers bring their knowledge of the TEKS and instructional strategies, while I bring knowledge of the 21st Century standards and Web 2.0 tools. I am already at the grade level planning meetings so I know right where I can support the teachers.Teachers benefit because we share the responsibility of planning, teaching and assessing. It is truly a win-win for everyone!

     Second, I am an information specialist. What better approach to captivate student's interest in learning then through technology? I am a technology-integration leader who can find interactive digital tools to engage students in the learning process. I can provide professional development to teachers on how to utilize current technology tools in the classroom. Additionally, students will gain research and critical thinking skills necessary for college and beyond through the application of inquiry learning. Students will learn to be ethical and responsible users of information while also learning the content area curriculum. When can we get started opening up my schedule so I can start collaborating with teachers and enhancing our curriculum with 21st Century inquiry skills?"

Marketing Tool:

Awesome Resources

Why Collaboration is Essential