Standard 5.4 Strategic Planning and Assessment
Candidates communicate and collaborate with students, teachers, administrators, and community members to develop a library program that aligns resources, services, and standards with the school's mission. Candidates make effective use of data and information to assess how the library program addresses the needs of their diverse communities.
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Reflection
![Picture](/uploads/5/1/0/1/51013159/20161202-173413.jpg?1480731059)
I conducted my student teaching practicum at one of MCPS’ regional summer schools. One of my assignments during this practicum was to evaluate the current library program, identify areas for growth within it, and develop an action plan to address these goals. I began this process by talking with students, teachers, and administrators to gather input from multiple stakeholders. I noticed common trends during these conversations: a need for specific high-interest texts within the library collection, use of centrally purchased research databases, and ease of access to the print and digital resources within the library. Then, I created a survey using Google Forms to gather data from the library users. Their responses helped me identify specific needs within the library and develop a strategic plan to address them.
This was one of my favorite assignments from my graduate program because I had concrete data to prove that my work benefitted the library community. As a result of my analysis, I was able to make changes to address students’ concerns immediately. For example, one clear result of the survey was that students struggled to locate nonfiction print resources in the library. I addressed these concerns by labeling each shelf in terms that students could more easily understand. As soon as I made these minor changes, I noticed that students needed less help from library staff and were quite vocal about the improvements. One student even said, “It’s about time you just said ‘dinosaurs’ instead of that weird number!”
Clearly, this student knew how to solve a common problem but had never shared his ideas because nobody had ever asked. Looking ahead to my future in my own library, I will absolutely continue asking my students, staff, and administrators for their input about needs within the library and ways we can work together to address them. All of the hard work I do in the library is for their benefit, so I want to ensure I am putting my effort into changes that they think are needed.
This was one of my favorite assignments from my graduate program because I had concrete data to prove that my work benefitted the library community. As a result of my analysis, I was able to make changes to address students’ concerns immediately. For example, one clear result of the survey was that students struggled to locate nonfiction print resources in the library. I addressed these concerns by labeling each shelf in terms that students could more easily understand. As soon as I made these minor changes, I noticed that students needed less help from library staff and were quite vocal about the improvements. One student even said, “It’s about time you just said ‘dinosaurs’ instead of that weird number!”
Clearly, this student knew how to solve a common problem but had never shared his ideas because nobody had ever asked. Looking ahead to my future in my own library, I will absolutely continue asking my students, staff, and administrators for their input about needs within the library and ways we can work together to address them. All of the hard work I do in the library is for their benefit, so I want to ensure I am putting my effort into changes that they think are needed.