Summary

The teachers that participated in my survey work at Carrie E. Gould

Elementary. Gould currently has 61 staff members that were emailed my
request to complete the survey. Of the 61 staff members, only 19 (31%)
participated. While only a small percentage of the total staff, I was able to
analyze the data and draw some conclusions of the results.
The attitudes toward the SLMS and the SLMP itself is positive. Throughout
the survey she received comments such as does at a great job of helping
with technology, she will find them (materials) for me, appreciate her
willingness to work with my students, and she is extremely helpful. The
SLMP is viewed as good (3) to excellent (11), out of 17 responses, when
participants were asked to rate the assistance provided by the library staff.
Participants were asked to list what services they considered to be
invaluable. They responded with student research abilities, COWs, SLMS
student contact, assistance with using the library, story time, and student
access to resources. When asked what their perception of the SLMS was,
12 of the 19 participates indicated teacher/co-teacher. Yet only 7 indicated
that they had collaborated with the SLMS on lessons this year. Ten
teachers indicated that students from their class visited the media center at
least weekly. Seven teachers stated that students from their class visit the
media center either never, rarely, or monthly. The perception of materials
available from the media center is positive; thirteen chose good to excellent
while five saw it as average to poor. Fifteen teachers think the facilities are
good to excellent. Three teachers view it as average to poor. The large
majority of teachers (16) think the accessibility to the media center was
good to excellent, while two think it was average. When given the option to
improve the media center in one way, all responses except one would
chose to add more space. Only one response was for more technology
resources.
My first reaction, when analyzing the data was disappointment. The data
did not produce the results that I had expected. While I was disappointed
with my results, I also cant hide my disappointment with the lack of
response from the majority of staff. My questions were vague in some
areas. Such as, I should have had digital resources included to media
center collections (Rate the following: Collections (books, periodicals, and
audio/visual). I wish I would have added accessibility for students with
special needs to the accessibility to the media center. I would have added

the option of would you like to as an option (Have you used the media
specialist this year to co-plan or co-teach a project). Also, I wish I would
have added flexible as an option of students visiting the media center (How
often does your class as a whole or individually visit the media center).
My conclusion of the SLMP at Gould is that, overall it is viewed as an
important part of the learning community. I also feel that, while viewed as a
teacher, most participants do not understand what it means for the SLMS
to be a teacher librarian. I know that before this semester, I had never
heard of it. Teachers view the SLMP plays a part in the learning
community, but havent experienced a true teacher librarian being a
collaborator in teaching the lessons. Its hard to miss something you dont
have any knowledge of. Even if a teacher has seen or worked at a school
with a teacher librarian, they cannot make the SLMS at their new school be
one. They can talk to the SLMS and encourage them or share the idea
within the learning community, but it is still up to the current SLMS. Being
expected to be a teaching librarian has to be part of how their evaluation,
only then will it become the norm. The way things stand now, the SLMS, or
whoever comes after, has to take a leadership role in collaboration to make
it happen.