This is the second in a series about Personalized Learning.
One of the easiest things about personalized learning is setting it up. In my last post, I explained personalized learning and different ways to achieve it. If you are just getting started with personalized learning, Academic Choice is a great place to start.
Academic Choice is a Responsive Classroom practice that provides students with choice in what and/or how they learn. When students are provided with choice, engagement and motivation increases because students are empowered by the choices they are making in their learning.
Academic Choice is a natural place to start with personalized learning because students get to choose the books they want to read every time they visit the Library Media Center! It is a natural to extend choice to the Library Media Content that we teach.
When I first transitioned into the Library Media Specialist role, I was focused on getting to know my students, making the space student friendly, and building the Library Media curriculum. As a classroom teacher, I was quite verse in incorporating Academic Choice to the point that I could do it as naturally as breathing. As I transitioned into Library Media, my initial steps of incorporating Academic Choice at first, was limited.
First, I taught students how to use Shelf Markers to find books and keep the shelves tidy, how to move around the library when looking for books, and the procedure for borrowing books. At the time, I had them bring the books to the computer so that I could learn their names! This first week EVERYONE borrowed books. I knew that for the next week to be successful, I would need to incorporate Academic Choice.
Book circulation is the one time during a fixed schedule that can lead to behavior problems if students don’t have something to do. Having a fixed schedule where every class and every child is scheduled to come to the Library Media Center, every child is guaranteed the opportunity to borrow books. What happens over time is that students forget to return their books on time and so those who are not borrowing books that day need something to do!
Initially, Academic Choice for all grades was simple: Borrow Books or Read. This was a deliberate decision so that they children became accustomed to looking for books, taking care of the shelves, and moving safely and calmly around the library. This also gave me insight into what books were popular, and how children searched for books. Their habits led me to gentrifying the library books by the end of the school year.
It is important to keep Academic Choice simple at first. Many students do not know how to make a choice, so something as seemingly simple as borrowing books or reading can feel overwhelming to those who don’t. Starting with a ‘this or that’ choice is a great place to start. The same is true with providing choices that they already know how to independently complete. Students already knew how to search for books, so this was a great way for everyone to practice that skill, along with caring for the bookshelves, even if they were not borrowing a book.
A critical life skill is being able to make a decision. We all have to make decisions in life. Some choices that we are faced with are more critical than others. Peer pressure can lead us to making choices that can directly affect or health or well being or that of someone else’s. Purchasing decisions can directly impact our financial health. Giving students the opportunity to practice making decisions in low impact ways prepares them for the decision making process that they will inevitably face later in life.
There are a couple of ways that I teach children to make choices, even the two year olds that I teach in September!
Frequently, because of time or age and developmental considerations, I explain why the children may be interested in a particular choice. I also attempt to use language that demonstrates my faith in their good intentions. This is critical in helping kiddos who are teacher pleasers or perfectionists feel like it’s no big deal in returning a library book late and that everyone can still participate in book circulation. This meets the kiddos’ needs for belonging, significance, and fun.
“If you are someone who brought your book back, you are most likely going to choose to borrow books today. If you are someone who didn’t return your books today, but know that you are going to bring them back tomorrow, you are also going to want to look for books because you may want to put them on hold for when you return them tomorrow. If you are someone who knows that you won’t be returning your book until next week because you are finishing it up, or are reading a different book at home you are going to want to find a book and a cozy spot to read today.”
I typically have them give me a thumbs up when they know what they are going to do during circulation. Something I plan implement next year that I saw a pretty spectacular kindergarten teacher do is to have the children put their finger on their nose when they know. I love the play on words with this!
As students get really good at making this type of ‘this or that’ decision, I increase their choices. Usually, I do this by introducing different ways they can read. In our Library Media Center, students can read books, read online, read on EPIC, or read AR Books. I spend about a week or two introducing each of these reading choices and have this cute poster that I put out for them to remember the reading choices.
As the year continues, I increase the choices. Kindergarten, First Grade, and (this year only) Fifth Grade end up with 3 circulation choices: Borrow Books, Read, or Type. After they borrow books, they can then read or type this way everyone is still engaged in an activity! Second through Fourth (and next year Fifth) Grade end up with 6 circulation choices: Borrow Books, Read, Puzzles, Games, Coding, and Engineering.
I include various types of literacy for them to engage in during circulation because coding and engineering are the other types of literacy I teach throughout the year. I include puzzles and games as another way to practice problem solving as well as collaboration.
The next post is about using Academic Choice in Library Media lessons.
