Will the REAL Librarians Please Stand Up?

My name is Bernard Bott and I am a library media specialist in Schenectady, New York. Throughout this blog I will be demonstrating and hopefully assisting educators in navigating through the Common Core Standards and connecting research to help guide instruction.

Librarians are THE (do you hear me? THE) source for collaborative lessons that foster lasting and real skills in students. The college drop out rate, especially in urban areas, is staggering. Why? Students are not prepared for the next level of independent, research based classes. The Common Core Standards are very research heavy and emphasize text complexity and informational writing. Librarians have been doing this for years! I remember when I started in 2005 with The Big 6 Research Method. It has transformed over the years but the message remains the same: Information literacy is ESSENTIAL!

Let's start with a tiny post on the flipped classroom. Sophia.org is a great starting point. What is the flipped classroom? The days of straight lecture 100% of the time are over, plain and simple. While lecture might still has a place in the classroom, we must focus on the students and put learning in their hands. This is easier said than done, especially in urban schools where often times students have responsibilities that outweigh doing homework. But flipping the classroom isn't homework! Check it out---Next week we'll start with Chapter 1 of the Common Core-terback. Enjoy!