H. Lynn Erickson

You have read Integrating Differentiated Instruction and Understanding by Design: Connecting Content and Kids (Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe, 2006, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) and Understanding by Design, Expanded 2nd Edition (Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe, 2005, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), and you now wonder whether there are any other gems out there to study with your teachers. Then along comes my pick of the litter for this review section: Erickson’s book. This book is required reading for every teacher-librarian who ever hopes to collaborate in the building of exciting learning experiences with teachers. It runs a parallel track with the other two books mentioned, but it offers another amazing dimension for the teacher-librarian. Erickson is the first educational author whose work I have read in the past year who understands the implication of the massive information explosion that is now the real world of every child who is connected to the Internet. She understands that the assemblage of a mountain of facts to pass some kind of test is not enough to survive in the flat world. She understands that building factual knowledge into larger and deeper concepts is the way to build a world-class education. So, she provides several wonderful overview chapters describing and defending the move toward concept-based learning experiences rather than cover material in a textbook. She then provides a method for creating learning experiences that build deep understanding, promote critical thinking, and cultivate creativity. And her strategies fit perfectly into the theory of collaboration promoted by teacher-librarians. Even if Understanding by Design is or has been your theoretical hat, Erickson’s book gives an added dimension and a solid theoretical framework on which to build quality teaching and learning experiences. Read it—reread it. Use some of the many forms and other helpers provided. Doing so will provide every teacher-librarian with the language and the tools to successfully collaborate across the curriculum. (Corwin Press, 2006. 208 pp. $32.95. 1-4129-1700-X.)

Bottom line: A must-study. david Loertscher

Carol Ann Tomlinson and Jay McTighe

Promise me that before you finish reading this review, you will order this book or you will find it in your professional library—and read it! It is difficult, but not impossible for teacher-librarians to find a comfortable role in the current skill, drill, kill mentality, and to teach to the test curriculum. So few teachers seem to have time for library research because their time is devoted to direct instruction, but I anticipate that this trend in education will pass and that a new emphasis will take its place. The Wiggins and McTighe model of Understanding by Design (UbD) (Understanding by Design, Expanded Second Edition, ASCD, 2005) may be that replacement. And the wonderful thing is that teacher-librarians can and do find this model an extremely comfortable fit.

Understanding by Design is an instructional development model that asks teachers to begin with the design of clear statements of what is to be learned (state standards), followed by the design of an assessment (how the teacher will know when the learner has achieved the standard), followed by the design of a learning activity that pushes each student to the height of his potential. In this book, Tomlinson and McTighe marry the principles of UbD with the ideas of Differentiated Instruction (DI) (serving each individual learner regardless of ethnic background, reading ability, learning style, physical or mental disability, or personal situation). When teacher-librarians discover this marriage, suddenly, they feel that the foundation of success for UbD and DI lies in a rich information and technology environment, coupled with the collaborative addition of a learning leader (the teacher-librarian).  One is tempted to shout as the text is read: “Yes! TLs can help! TLs are natural partners! TLs have the tools, the rich information banks, the strategies, and the talent to make UbD and DI work!”

There are three important elements involved in the reading of this book. The first element is that the reader must thoroughly understand the models proposed in the language in which they are presented. In other words, the teacher-librarian must be able to speak the words of UbD and DI in order to communicate with these disciples. The second element is to understand how one’s own methods of boosting reading, information literacy, quality information, and technology tools can make these models work. The third element is that one should model the use of UbD and DI when instructing students in the information literacy process—so that in the end—we are marrying our model with theirs.

This is an important book to feature in professional learning communities at the school building level. In fact, if the principal has not already started a study group, then the teacher-librarian should. In any case, the teacher- librarian should not only be involved but should also be in a leadership role with the teachers, the technical director, and with other education specialists in the school. Even if UbD and DI is not the “next wave” in education, teacher-librarians who take a leadership role in this exploration will be prepared to take a leadership role in any new model that is widely adopted. There is no more important role for the library profession than that of the image that teacher-librarians create as learning leaders. (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2006. 197 pp. $25.95.1-4166-0284-2.)

Bottom line: An essential purchase; a required read; a must-do action item. David Loertscher

Pat Miller

And

Collaborative Bridges: People, Places & Things.

Aileen Kirkham

Bouncing around the school library field are many definitions of collaboration. Some people define it as support of what a teacher is doing or a more cooperative or turn-teaching partnership. Finally, there are those who advocate true team teaching. These two books cover the elementary grades, providing cooperative units that mesh the classroom and the library. They are not quite at the highest level of team teaching, but the teacher-librarian can redesign the units slightly to be such. The authors begin—as they should— with curriculum standards obtained from the McREL national list, and they then design units on topics that are commonly taught in elementary school. There are parts of the unit to be taught in the library and others to be taught in the classroom, all described briefly but adequately with accompanying reproducible worksheets. The result is a cut above the low-level fact-gathering-and-copying stage that actually has the learner doing higher-level compare-and-contrast activities and other charting activities that prompt students to think.

The activities are better than a lot I have seen, but they are still lacking in the overall connection between the classroom teacher and the student. Saying that, however, does not mean that the ideas cannot be done at the highest level of collaboration; they can and should be. It would be very instructive to use a few of these samples in a professional development session where both teachers and teacher-librarians are present. They could see the recommended activities and develop them further into true collaboration units. This kind of workshop material might stand as the bridge from the supportive role of “gather this material,” through the cooperative phase of planning the unit together, and on to the true collaborative, team-teaching phase. These books are ideal for professionals who are having difficulty moving up the collaboration scale. In other words, they can be a first step with a teacher from the support phase into the cooperation stage if the teacher-librarian cannot get the teacher to agree to the full collaboration stage. Some folks achieve greater success by making slower steps toward change, rather than radical ones. (Upstart Books, 2005. 80 pp. $16.95. 1-932146-40-7; 1-932146-41-5.)

Bottom line: Both books are recommended, particularly for those teacher-librarians who are doing professional development with more traditional teaching staffs. david Loertscher