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Værker af Jody K. Howard

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I often refrain from reviewing books by colleague who I know very well, but I will make an exception because this book brings up a much larger issue that the school library profession needs to address immediately. Dr. Howard does a credible job of demonstrating the concept of curriculum from a long perspective held by librarians. Like so many authors, she presents a philosophical role of the library as an organization that is attempting to push its agenda into “school” as it perceives it ought to be. This philosophy has a set of ideas, vocabulary, and traditions that we feels that others should embrace. The problem is, we are at a crossroads. If, for example, the role of charter schools increases exponentially across the U.S. as expected, the school library community needs to recognize that it has absolutely no traction in the whole charter school movement. The second realization is that folks don’t work on our agenda; they work on theirs. Thus, the major question: How does this profession stand a chance of achieving relevance let along indispensability? When charter schools have the freedome to innovate curriculum, why don’t they consider the “library” as any solution to a vision they are trying to establish? It is unfortunate that this book is appearing just before the release of new AASL national standards in November of 2017. Will there be a central shift in vision or more of the tried and true of the past? We wonder what an approach would be like if it were it to think about the role of the library through the lens of personalized learning, self-directed learning, creativity, social media, flipped classrooms, project based learning, and a myriad of other ideas that have been unleashed by a rebellion against No Child Left Behind. What if it took notice of the current trend to leave assessment requirements to the states rather than to the federal government? It is fascinating to watch the Future Ready initiative led by Mark Ray and Shannon Miller. Their concept is to embrace the language of a movement in education, speak its language, and empower building level librarians the opportunity to have a major seat at the school level and then re-imagine their role as librarians rather than first trying to impose their vision as a counter to the movement on the table. It is a huge shift that many school librarians don’t know how to respond to. And, where is there a student voice in all the change? It would be fascinating to assemble a think tank of the best minds from organizations such as ASCD, P21, and IStE. What about major educational voices like Sir Ken Robinson, Larry Cuban and Sylvia Martinez. How about leaders of experimental schools such as the Summit Schools in California and the Two Rivers Charter School in Washington D.C., Think what would happen if student representatives from diverse backgrounds; and inventive minds from professional school librarians were also included. Would they fight? Compete? Talk past one another? Or, invent, create, and image a very new but disruptive view. It would be a fascinating experience. So, in summary, Dr. Howard, you have a credible book here worth thinking through. And, then, we as a profession have to stand back an ask ourselves: So what? and What’s next?… (mere)
 
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davidloertscher | Apr 22, 2017 |

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Værker
2
Medlemmer
13
Popularitet
#774,335
Vurdering
4.0
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1
ISBN
4