Standard 1.1 Knowledge of Learners and Learning
Candidates are knowledgeable of learning styles, stages of human growth and development, and cultural influences on learning. Candidates assess learner needs and design instruction that reflects educational best practices. Candidates support the learning of all students and other members of the learning community, including those with diverse learning styles, physical and intellectual abilities and needs. Candidates base twenty-first century skills instruction on student interests and learning needs and link it to the assessment of student achievement.
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Reflection
![Picture](/uploads/5/1/0/1/51013159/curriculum-chart.png?221)
My first assignments in SLM506 Collection Development were to complete a curriculum chart and school analysis. These assignments were essential in teaching me how to ensure a library collection meets the personal and academic needs of its patrons.
The curriculum chart gave me the opportunity to analyze each grade’s curriculum using online MCPS resources and interviews with staff members. This helped me understand my students’ growth and development because I was able to watch concepts build across grade levels. Once I identified the various topics studied in each grade and subject area, I compared these topics to the resources in my school’s library to identify gaps in the collection. Conducting this process each year ensures that teachers and students are able to find resources to support the content they are learning in class.
My school analysis involved collecting data about my school’s population, media facilities, print and digital resources, assessment scores and staff. We were also required to analyze how this data has changed over the past five years. Even though I had already worked at Fallsmead Elementary School for three years, this data was very enlightening.
I learned that my school’s population has become much more diverse in recent years and that our number of ELL and special education students has increased. This helped me appreciate the multitude of cultural influences on learning present in the school. I also had the opportunity to interview my school’s media specialist to discuss how these changes have influenced the print collection. She shared the importance of ordering books to reflect the diverse learning styles, physical and intellectual abilities, and needs present in the school population. This ensures that every member of the school community feels represented in the library collection and therefore, feels respected by the school community itself.
I also analyzed the collection to identify additional areas of need, such as books featuring characters of Asian descent or unique learning needs. This process was essential because school libraries should be reflective of the students they serve. Learning how to analyze a school’s population, the curriculum, and areas of need within a library collection will help me transition to my new role when I am hired as a media specialist in MCPS.
The curriculum chart gave me the opportunity to analyze each grade’s curriculum using online MCPS resources and interviews with staff members. This helped me understand my students’ growth and development because I was able to watch concepts build across grade levels. Once I identified the various topics studied in each grade and subject area, I compared these topics to the resources in my school’s library to identify gaps in the collection. Conducting this process each year ensures that teachers and students are able to find resources to support the content they are learning in class.
My school analysis involved collecting data about my school’s population, media facilities, print and digital resources, assessment scores and staff. We were also required to analyze how this data has changed over the past five years. Even though I had already worked at Fallsmead Elementary School for three years, this data was very enlightening.
I learned that my school’s population has become much more diverse in recent years and that our number of ELL and special education students has increased. This helped me appreciate the multitude of cultural influences on learning present in the school. I also had the opportunity to interview my school’s media specialist to discuss how these changes have influenced the print collection. She shared the importance of ordering books to reflect the diverse learning styles, physical and intellectual abilities, and needs present in the school population. This ensures that every member of the school community feels represented in the library collection and therefore, feels respected by the school community itself.
I also analyzed the collection to identify additional areas of need, such as books featuring characters of Asian descent or unique learning needs. This process was essential because school libraries should be reflective of the students they serve. Learning how to analyze a school’s population, the curriculum, and areas of need within a library collection will help me transition to my new role when I am hired as a media specialist in MCPS.