Two Heads Are Better than One (Tables)

Table 1. How Study Participants Defined the Benefits of Classroom–Library Collaboration (N=15)

Concepts

Times Mentioned by Individual Respondents
(Percentage of Participants)

More individualized attention for students

11 (73%)

Increased ideas

9 (60%)

Increased/integrated resources

9 (60%)

Increased creativity

8 (53%)

Broader perspectives on curriculum

7 (47%)

Support for planning

5 (33%)

Shared responsibility for curriculum

3 (20%)

Increased potential for success

2 (13%)

Lesson/unit assessment

2 (13%)

Increased student achievement/motivation, Integrated curriculum, Modeling partnership or teamwork, Professional growth for teachers, Support for curriculum standards

1 (7%)

Table 2. Pre– and Post–Preservice Education: Questions Related to the Roles of School Library Media Specialists in Instruction, N=15 (pre) and N=15 (post)

Question: School library media specialists should be responsible for

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Don’t
Know

teaching reading.

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

3 (20%)

6 (40%)

10 (66%)

6 (40%)

1 (7%)

2 (13%)

teaching research skills.

2 (13%)

6 (40%)

11 (73%)

7 (47%)

2 (13%)

2 (13%)

teaching every area of the school curriculum.

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

4 (27%)

7 (47%)

7 (47%)

6 (40%)

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

Table 3. Pre– and Post–Preservice Education: Questions Related to the Cooperative and Collaborative Roles of School Library Media Specialists, N=15 (pre) and N=15 (post)

Question: School library media specialists should

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Don’t
Know

help classroom teachers find materials.

6 (40%)

9 (60%)

8 (53%)

6 (40%)

1 (7%)

help classroom teachers design and plan lessons and units of instruction.

5 (33%)

4 (27%)

8 (53%)

9 (60%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

help classroom teachers co-teach lessons and units of instruction.

3 (20%)

7 (47%)

12 (80%)

6 (40%)

2 (13%)

assess students’ learning on projects in which they have taught some or many components.

2 (13%)

3 (20%)

9 (60%)

12 (80%)

3 (20%)

1 (7%)

provide in-services for classroom teachers to help improve teaching practices.

1 (7%)

6 (40%)

6 (40%)

7 (47%)

7 (47%)

0

1 (7%)

2 13%)

school library media specialists should help classroom teachers learn new technologies.

3 (20%)

8 (53%)

8 (53%)

5 (33%)

3 (20%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

Table 4. Pre– and Post–Preservice Education: Questions Related to the School Library Media Programs, Principal Support, and Student Achievement, N=15 (pre) and N=15 (post)

Statement:

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Don’t
Know

School library media programs should be a critical part of the literacy program of the school.

9 (60%)

13 87%)

5 (33%)

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

School principals should set the expectation for classroom–library collaboration.

4 (27%)

4 (27%)

7 (47%)

10 (66%)

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

2 (14%)

When school library media specialists and classroom teachers collaborate for instruction, student achievement should increase.

9 (60%)

13 (87%)

5 (33%)

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

Table 5. Post–Preservice Education: Questions Related to University Classroom Interventions Related to the Practice of Classroom-Library Collaboration (N=15)

Question: During my preservice education,

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Don’t
Know

the texts I read about classroom–library collaboration influenced my thinking about the role of school library media specialists.

8 (53%)

6 (40%)

1 (7%)

guest speakers' testimonials about classroom–library collaboration influenced my thinking about the role of school library media specialists.

9 (60%)

6 (40%)

the instructor’s testimonials about classroom–library collaboration influenced my thinking about the role of school library media specialists.

11 (73%)

4 (27%)

my own experience collaborating with classmates on assignments increased the value I place on collaboration.

12 (80%)

2 (13%)

1 (7%)

my own experience collaborating for instruction with a classmate during my practicum increased the value I place on collaboration.

8 (53%)

5 (33%)

2 (13%)

my own experience collaborating for instruction with a mentor teacher during my practicum increased the value I place on collaboration.

4 (27%)

7 (46%)

1 (7%)

3 (20%)

my own experience collaborating for instruction with college instructors increased the value I place on collaboration.

6 (40%)

7 (46%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

Table 6. Level of Professional Staffing in Student Teaching School Placements (N=14)

Full-Time Certified
School Library Media Specialist

Half-Time Certified School Library Media Specialist

Paraprofessional Serving in the Role

No Library

Fixed Library Schedule
(All Elementary)

8

2

3

1

12

Table 7. Post–Student Teaching Survey: Questions Related to the Cooperative and Collaborative Roles of School Library Media Specialists (N=14)

Question: During my student teaching experience,

Yes

No

Don’t Know

Not Applicable

the school library media specialist was responsible for teaching reading.

1 (7%)

10 (72%)

3 (21%)

the school library media specialist was responsible for teaching research skills.

6 (43%)

5 (36%)

2 (14%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist was an educator responsible for teaching every area of the school curriculum.

11 (79%)

2 (14%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist helped classroom teachers find materials.

9 (64%)

4 (29%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist helped me design and plan a lesson, lessons and/or a unit of instruction.

13 (93%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialists co-taught lessons or units of instruction with me.

1 (7%)

12 (86%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist assessed students’ learning on projects for which she/he taught one or more components.

1 (7%)

12 (86%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist provided in-service training and offered other forms of professional development for me and/or other classroom teachers.

2 (14%)

10 (72%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

the school library media specialist helped me or other classroom teachers learn new technologies.

1 (7%)

11 (79%)

1 (7%)

1 (7%)

I observed or heard that other classroom teachers collaborated with the school library media specialist.

1 (7%)

12 (86%)

1 (7%)

Table 8. Post-Student Teaching Survey: Questions Related Library Programs, Principal Support, and Student Achievement (N=14)

Question: During my student teaching experience,

Yes

No

Don’t Know

Not Applicable

the school library media program was a critical part of the literacy program of the school.

6 (43%)

7 (50%)

1 (7%)

the school schedule provided time for classroom–library collaboration.

3 (21%)

10 (72%)

1 (7%)

the principal at the school where I did my student teaching established an expectation for classroom–library collaboration and to provide planning time/support for collaboration.

9 (64%)

4 (29%)

1 (7%)

I noticed that student achievement increased when I collaborated with the school library media specialist.

2 (14%)

4 (29%)

8 (57%)

Table 9. Level of Professional Staffing and Type of Schedules in First Year of Classroom Teaching Schools (N=12)

Certified
School Library Media Specialist

Paraprofessional

No One in the Role/No Library

Fixed Library Schedule

7

2

3

6

Table 10. Post–First Year Classroom Teaching Survey: Questions Related to the Cooperative and Collaborative Roles of School Library Media Specialists (N=12)

Question: During my first year of classroom teaching, the school library media specialist

Yes

No

Don’t Know

was responsible for teaching reading.

10 (83%)

2 (17%)

was responsible for teaching research skills.

6 (50%)

5 (42%)

1 (8%)

was an educator responsible for teaching every area of the school curriculum.

10 (83%)

2 (17%)

helped classroom teachers find materials.

10 (83%)

2 (17%)

helped me design and plan a lesson, lessons and/or a unit of instruction.

12 (100%)

co-taught lessons or units of instruction with me.

2 (17%)

10 (83%)

assessed students’ learning on projects for which she/he taught one or more components.

12 (17%)

provided in-service training and offered other forms of professional development for me and/or other classroom teachers.

3 (25%)

7 (58%)

2 (17%)

helped me or other classroom teachers learn new technologies.

2 (17%)

9 (75%)

1 (8%)

Table 11. Post–First Year Classroom Teaching Survey: Questions Related to School Library Media Programs, Principal Support, and Student Achievement (N=12)

Question: During my first year of classroom teaching,

Yes

No

Don’t Know

the school library media program was a critical part of the literacy program of the school.

7 (58%)

5 (42%)

the school schedule provided time for classroom-library collaboration.

3 (25%)

9 (75%)

the principal set the expectation for classroom-library collaboration.

1 (8%)

9 (75%)

2 (17%)

I noticed that student achievement increased when I collaborated with the school library media specialist.

1 (8%)

6 (50%)

5 (42%)