1. Welcome to my graduate portfolio. The work you’ll find inside was gathered from my home school, Longfellow Elementary. A lot of great things have happened inside those doors and I’m excited to share my hard work with you. Please click on the door and we’ll get started! Sincerely, Matthew C. Winner Proceed to My Graduate Portfolio

2. Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Welcome to my SLM Portfolio. This portfolio is designed for the McDaniel School Library Media Program and organized according to the four AASL/NCATE Standards for Professional Preparation Programs for School Library Media Specialists. American Association of School Librarians’ Information Power identifies the four roles of a SLM. As you go through this portfolio, please look for evidence of my:  role as (a) information specialist, (b) teacher, (c) instructional xxpartner, and (d) program administrator;  reflection on practice;  integration of standards;  personal growth. To navigate this electronic portfolio, click on the individual links throughout the presentation to navigate to the desired pages. The best place to begin is the Table of Contents. There you will find links to all of the following elements: Overviews of all four of AASL’s certification standards Reflection statements and artifacts for all thirteen related objectives to the AASL standards My professional resume. Feel free to contact me about anything concerning this portfolio: Matthew WinnerMatthew Winner. Click Here to Move to the Table of Contents.

3. Table of Contents  Introduction Introduction  Resume  Standard One Standard One  Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior  Literacy and Reading Literacy and Reading  Access to Information Access to Information  Stimulating Learning Environment Stimulating Learning Environment  Standard Two Standard Two  Knowledge of Learners and Learning Knowledge of Learners and Learning  Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher  Information Literacy Curriculum Information Literacy Curriculum  Standard Three Standard Three  Connection with the Library Community Connection with the Library Community  Instructional Partner Instructional Partner  Educational Leader Educational Leader  Standard Four Standard Four  Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using  Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical  Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4

4. Standard One USE OF INFORMATION & IDEAS Standard 1 Overview School library media candidates encourage reading and lifelong learning by stimulating interests and fostering competencies in the effective use of ideas and information. They apply a variety of strategies to ensure access to resources and information in a variety of formats to all members of the learning community. Candidates promote efficient and ethical information-seeking behavior as part of the school library media program and its services. Related Objectives to Standard 1 Click on the links below to navigate to the different objectives with their related artifacts and reflection statements: Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior Literacy and Reading Access to Information Stimulating Learning Environment || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

5. Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Artifacts File: Do Something (ppt)Do Something File: Find Your Cause (pdf)Find Your Cause Link: DoSomething.orgDoSomething.org Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior Candidates identify and address student interests and motivations. Okay, it’s a big deal… but what does it have to do with me? Children and teens alike share a common interest and motivation: if something in the world affects them, they are more likely to care about it. The idea for the Do Something! reading promotion activity spawned from an outstanding website for teens called DoSomething.org, where teens are encouraged to “Find the cause you care about and get the facts so you can take action.” I was drawn to this particular website because of its sparse text, vivid images, and moving statistics. The website layout spoke to the interest of its audience: teenagers. I was immediately inspired and set out to use the same approach in order to draw teens to literature: sparse text and vivid images that draw the audience in. I selected three issues affecting teens on different levels. Homelessness was selected because it affects teenagers locally, occurring in their own neighborhoods, and being a visible cause they could take action against. I selected Global Warming as an issue affecting teenagers globally, knowing it was an issue that many people face on some level every day of their lives. In order to reach teens on a more personal level, I selected the Fight Against AIDS as an opportunity to connect with a cause that may affect them or someone they know. Finding your cause, your motivation to fight for change, changes you. Through this project I, too, was changed. Searching for causes to share and linking those causes to literature titles profoundly affected me. The statistics shocked me and I immediately felt a sense of urgency to share the information with others. In a library setting, this feeling of urgency can be the passion with which books are shared and booktalked to students. (continued here)continued here || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

6. Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Artifacts File: Do Something (ppt)Do Something File: Find Your Cause (pdf)Find Your Cause Link: DoSomething.orgDoSomething.org Efficient and Ethical Information-Seeking Behavior Candidates identify and address student interests and motivations. (continued)continued The Do Something! reading promotion activity quickly took shape as a sort of grassroots library campaign, using posters and motivating text to draw students into the library, to inspire them, and to help them seek a cause they felt was worth fighting for, all the while exposing them to outstanding literature involving characters dealing with these same issues and causes. I linked the causes with outstanding literature titles located through EBSCOhost’s NoveList, then checked for positive reviews through BooksInPrint.com. The result is an opportunity for students to explore their interests while discovering great literature along the way. The Do Something! reading promotion activity not only introduces students to new books and issues affecting their world, it urges them to do something about it. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

7. Literacy and Reading Candidates use a variety of strategies to promote leisure reading. They model their personal enjoyment of reading in order to promote the habits of creative expression and lifelong reading. What kind of BookBird are you? The BookBird Literary Society was created as a school community book club with the intention of joining together our community of school members, parents, and children. I established the book club as a means of encouraging in my students a life-long love of reading. At Back to School Night I described BookBirds simply as a book club for students and their parents and teachers. The success of the book club anchors on the idea that, “By bringing together teachers, parents, and children, we hope that discussions centered on literature will be a springboard to reading enrichment and a bonding between community, school, and family.” BookBirds meets quarterly and advertisements detailing the upcoming event are sent home with students a month before the event. Students can check out the book from our school library or the public library, borrow it from a friend, or purchase a copy from a local bookstore. Each BookBirds meeting is special and unique because of the families who attend and their responsiveness to the book selection. We kick off the book club with rousing activities based on the book and designed to get students talking about what they’ve read. Often the activity prompts students to consider what they would do in the situation faced by the main character or to extend their understanding and enjoyment of the story by reenacting events from the book. After reading Gordan Korman’s Swindle, I set up my laptop in the library media center and gave students a chance to create a mugshot of themselves. (continued here)continued here || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts File: BookBirds Reading Club (pdf)BookBirds Reading Club File: Thematic Literature Activity (pdf) - to be added upon completion for SLM 553

8. Literacy and Reading Candidates use a variety of strategies to promote leisure reading. They model their personal enjoyment of reading in order to promote the habits of creative expression and lifelong reading. (continued)continued Students then described their special skills, such as “expert paper airplane engineer”, and humorous criminal histories, like, “arrested for not finishing all of the vegetables on his plate before asking for dessert.” Students always try to “top” the idea I provide, challenging one another to be more creative or more outrageous with each response. After some light snacks, often relating to the book in some way, and casual meeting and greeting, we call our meeting to order. Students gather on the floor in front of the rocking chair, books close at hand, while their parents and teachers take seats in chairs encircling the them. Prior to the meeting, I prepare several thought-provoking questions to get the attendees to reflect on, react to, or think critically about the story. While these questions are pulled from a basket and read aloud to the group, all BookBirds have an opportunity to share their reactions to the story. I not only moderate, I also participate. After all, the books I select are often personal favorites. After a night of rousing conversation and engaging activities, parents complete a survey about the event while students have a chance to explore additional books published by the author or relating to events in the book. We leave changed, having shared the experience of reading a great book together. Before starting BookBirds, I faced a population of over 400 students who all shared mixed feelings toward reading. Through BookBirds, I now can witness students motivated by what they read, reacting to texts and sharing their perspectives through discussions. It gives me an entirely new view on how my passion for reading affects how I can motivate students to read! || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts File: BookBirds Reading Club (ppt)BookBirds Reading Club File: Thematic Literature Activity (pdf) - to be added upon completion for SLM 553

9. Access to Information Candidates identify means of providing remote access to information. “Information is a source of learning. But unless it is organized, processed, and available to the right people in a format for decision making, it is a burden, not a benefit.” ~ William Pollard According to the World Internet Usage Statistics (internetworldstats.com), approximately 215,088,545 U.S. citizens, or 71.6% of the U.S. population use the Internet. Websites are becoming the standard in schools and school libraries for disseminating information to the community. By acknowledging the aforementioned as fact, the need to create an appealing, easy-to-use website as means of providing remote access to information for users within the school and its community is not only evident, but critical for the success and survival of the school library in the 21st century.internetworldstats.com When creating a library media center website for my elementary school, I first had to consider the audience it would be serving. I determined that the site layout should be easy enough for students to navigate independently, but contain the information parents may have about the policies and procedures of our library. Because I incorporate use of the county’s subscription databases into library lessons, I also felt providing safe and easy access to these databases from home was high priority. Deciding on the layout was difficult, as the design was limited by a number of factors including the nature of the information being shared on the webpage, the necessary appeal of the site to the intended audience, and the number of webpage elements supported by the web- building software I was using. I explored several library media center websites from colleagues in Howard County in addition to sites found across the country. (continued here)continued here || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts Link: Library Media Center HomepageLibrary Media Center Homepage

10. Access to Information Candidates identify means of providing remote access to information. (continued)continued I settled on a layout that incorporated the school colors and mascot, linked to the subscription databases and notable online resources for students, and contained an easily accessible navigation bar for directing users to the desired information more easily. I included a link to our public access catalog on the homepage, for easy student access, and formatted the policies and procedures into a “frequently asked questions” format, so that students and parents could match their needs to a question provided. I also included links to the county’s school library media curriculum in addition to an information literacy curriculum chart I created to give students and parents a snapshot of the objectives covered in library media each quarter. When I first started the website design, I thought of it as an opportunity to promote the library to our school community. Through the design and construction process, however, I grew in realizing the website played a much bigger role that simply giving a window into our library. This website was an advocacy tool for our entire library media program. It had to clearly represent everything I stood for. Now the website stands as a representation of my media program, and it is something I can stand behind in promotion and as an advocacy tool. My website design was driven by the need to provide information to the school community in an organized, cohesive, and accessible format through which users would benefit from, but not be burdened by the information. The result of my efforts was a highly effective library media website that can stand on its own in providing support, access, and information to our school community. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts Link: Library Media Center HomepageLibrary Media Center Homepage

11. Stimulating Learning Environment Candidates plan and organize library media centers according to their use by the learning community. A place for everything, everything in its place. ~ Benjamin Franklin There’s no question about it; a well-organized school library is a thing of beauty, valued by its patrons, utilized for a variety of functions, and reflective of the school’s climate and values. In an idealistic world, library media specialists would have the opportunity to design and implement a layout for the library media center. The design would meet the state and national standards of exemplary library media programs, fully stocked with the newest in high-quality print and non-print resources and equipped with the latest and best technologies, utilized for a variety of functions, and reflective of the school’s climate and values More likely, however, a new media specialist or media specialist new to a library is inheriting a preexisting library and collection. The media specialist will most certainly face challenges such as immovable shelving, worn furnishings, or lack of storage space and he or she will be unable to alter factors such as the amount of natural light the library receives or the overall shape of the library media center itself. Such factors present a number of challenges, but can still be overcome while accomplishing a design that meets standards such as those found in the Standards for School Library Media Programs in Maryland. The library media center at Longfellow Elementary is shaped like a trapezoid and is open for patrons to come and go as they please. When redesigning the library to better meet the needs of the learning community I planned for easier mobility from one side of the library to the other and paid special attention to utilizing the great size of the library media center in order to accommodate several different functions simultaneously.(continued here)continued here || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts File: Library Media Center Map (pdf)Library Media Center Map

12. Stimulating Learning Environment Candidates plan and organize library media centers according to their use by the learning community. (continued)continued In order to assure ease of mobility around the library, I designed the shelving to allow the greatest ease of movement between book shelves. I organized the Fiction collection closest to the 4th and 5th grade pods because the 4th and 5th grade students frequent the fiction section most often. Likewise, I organized the Everbody section closest to the primary grade pods. I placed the instructional area within the Nonfiction collection so that the shelves could serve as natural “classroom” walls, at the same time providing ample space for working on projects or hosting meetings. Additionally, I created space by the Reference materials for students to do independent or group research, or for teachers to work with pull-out groups without distracting a class I may be teaching. I also established a mini lab at the other side of the media center for students to use for research purposes, for staff members to use in order to access their email accounts, or for parents use. At the start of designing my library media center’s layout I was nearly caught up in my ambition, failing to think realistically about the task. As I labored with the assignment, trying new designs, rearranging preexisting furniture and shelves, I gradually began to realize my library needed to be more than a teaching space and collection of literature. It needed to be the model of my school’s climate and values in miniature: a place where learning happens, but also a place welcoming and accommodating to all of its community members. A place where nothing stands in the way of a child seeking answers to a question or simply looking for a good book. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard One Use of Information and Ideas Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Artifacts File: Library Media Center Map (pdf)Library Media Center Map

13. Standard Two Teaching and Learning Standard 2 Overview School library media candidates model and promote collaborative planning with classroom teachers in order to teach concepts and skills of information processes integrated with classroom content. They partner with other education professionals to develop and deliver an integrated information skills curriculum. Candidates design and implement instruction that engages the student’s interests, passions, and needs which drive their learning. Related Objectives to Standard 2 Click on the links below to navigate to the different objectives with their related artifacts and reflection statements: Knowledge of Learners and Learning Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher Information Literacy Curriculum || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

14. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Knowledge of Learners and Learning Candidates design library media instruction that assesses learner needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes to assure that each is integral to information skills instruction. What’s searched by thousands, stretches all across the Internet, and is made up of a little bit of everything single thing you could imagine? ~ It’s the FACT MONSTER! Beware! In order to affectively teach information skills, the library media specialist must carefully design his or her library media instruction to ensure that the assessment of learner needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes are each integral to the lesson. When creating the Fact Monster lesson, I first had to determine the information skill I wanted the students to learn. I decided on creating a lesson for third grade that introduces students to using an online almanac, and there by meeting the Howard County Essential Library Media Curriculum goal of using print resources effectively and efficiently. I approached teaching this lesson from the standpoint of feeling that student exploration with teacher guidance can yield a highly effective and instructionally motivating lesson. Students were introduced to Fact Monster, an online almanac, and then asked to explore the resource in order to get a better handle on what exactly an almanac offers information seekers, how the information is organized, and how it differs from other reference materials. I also differentiated instruction and instructional groupings in order to improve the attentiveness of the students and to provide appropriate groupings for the specific parts of the lesson. For example, the lesson begins whole-class in order to assess the general experience level of the class with using almanacs and to allow an opportunity for students to benefit from the individual contributions of their classmates. (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: The Fact Monster (pdf)The Fact Monster

15. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Knowledge of Learners and Learning Candidates design library media instruction that assesses learner needs, instructional methodologies, and information processes to assure that each is integral to information skills instruction. (continued)continued The activity itself calls for students to work in pairs. This provides students with a partner who can help by offering his or her experience in using Internet resources, understanding oral and/or written directions, and allows the support that some students need when exploring new concepts. Finally, students work independently to create a working definition for an almanac. The lesson then concludes with students returning to the whole-class grouping to share what they’ve learned. I designed to challenge students to consider how they find information while at the same time revealing to the teacher what materials students recognize as sources of information. The activity asks students simply to locate two basic facts and explain how they located the answer. The questions are designed more for the benefit of the search for the information, rather than for the challenge of locating a difficult answer. This allows all students to be successful while at the same time revealing that students can follow a variety of steps to obtain the same answers. I’m constantly looking for ways to motivate my students and unfortunately, much to my chagrin, this lesson originally took on much more than I could handle. I originally intended to carry the “monster” theme as far as possible, which resulted in a less-focused and ultimately less effective lesson plan. After carefully considering what makes up an effective lesson, I grew to realize that the adage of less is more regarding media lessons rings true. A lesson focused on specific skills with time planned for student exploration is far more valuable than following out a theme to the nth degree. Artifacts File: The Fact Monster (pdf)The Fact Monster

16. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher Candidates work with classroom teachers to co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess information skills instruction. It takes two to make a thing go right. It takes two to make it out of sight. ~ Robb Base The relationship we share with classroom teachers is valuable to the success of our students, as are the efforts we take to bridge the learning in the general education classroom with those skills learned in library media. Through co-planning, co-teaching, co-assessing with classroom teachers, we send a strong message to our students of the power of cooperation. Unfortunately, rigidly scheduled media classes, emphasis placed on teacher planning time, and the general challenge collaboration presents makes authentic collaboration between teacher and library media specialist difficult to accomplish. Only through strong advocating of the library media program and genuine support from classroom teachers can authentic collaboration take place. One such Kindergarten teacher at Longfellow Elementary happens to not only be a strong supporter of the library media center and the value books play in the lives of students, but also is a strong advocate for collaboration. Collaboration is a natural part of her inclusion class and she was eager to work together on a library media lesson. When we met to plan, the teacher indicated that she would be taking the class on a nature walk the following week to gather leaves that the students would sort and categorize. We decided to focus our lesson on the science objective of the observable environmental changes of the seasons paired with the library media objective of interpreting data/information displayed in a variety of formats. (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: Leaf Man Lesson Plan (pdf)Leaf Man Lesson Plan File:Leaf Man Worksheet (pdf)Leaf Man Worksheet

17. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Effective and Knowledgeable Teacher Candidates work with classroom teachers to co-plan, co-teach, and co-assess information skills instruction. (continued)continued It wasn’t long before we were thinking of Lois Ehlert’s Leaf Man, and, soon after, the ways students could use the leaves collected on their nature walk for a Leaf Man or Women of their own. After fully conceptualizing the lesson, the teacher and I determined who would teach what aspects of the lesson and how we would support one another during our teaching. We tried to teach in our areas of expertise, but made sure that we were working as partners in all parts of the lesson. My responsibilities focused mainly on the author’s craft, for example, while the teacher elicited responses from students as they brainstormed different fall activities. Our culminating activity provided an opportunity for us each to assess the students as they were asked to create a sketch of their leaf man doing a fall activity and then complete a sentence reiterating what their leaf man likes to do. The sketch accomplished the library media goal of demonstrating the ability to interpret information to generate new understanding and knowledge, while the sentence accomplished the objective of writing to express personal ideas. I was initially trepid about co-teaching a lesson, having never co-taught before and fearing that it wouldn’t truly be a shared experience. I think I grew in my faith in classroom teachers and their support of the library media program through this opportunity. It took a great deal of trust, respect, and communication, from both of us in order to successfully co-plan, co-teach, and co- assess the students, but just look at the outcome… a fantastic lesson that we both enjoyed teaching and an experience that bears repeating! Artifacts File: Leaf Man Lesson Plan (pdf)Leaf Man Lesson Plan File:Leaf Man Worksheet (pdf)Leaf Man Worksheet

18. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Information Literacy Curriculum Candidates incorporate technology to promote efficient and equitable access to information beyond print resources. The Internet? Is that thing still around? ~ Homer Simpson Students of the 21st century are growing up in a technology-fluent world far different than the one their parents grew up in. But while the Internet puts an infinite wealth of information at the fingertips of its users, it fails to give them the direction needed to make sense of what they’ve been given. As such, library media specialists are charged with not only teaching students to be effective and efficient users of information, but also providing equitable access to the information found beyond print resources. In designing the Digging Up History lesson, I not only intended to provide students with an opportunity to compare encyclopedias in both print and digital formats, I also wanted to promote access to the online resources available to our students and funded by the county. By their nature, print resources limit access to information because they can only be viewed by one student at a time. Reference materials such as encyclopedias are also costly and have a limited shelf life, as information is constantly being updated. In contrast, one stark advantage an online encyclopedia has over its print companion is that the information can be updated frequently and can be accessed by numerous users simultaneously. But, like all information resources, the information is useless unless the user knows how to access it. In Digging Up History, students searched for answers to questions covered in the Grade 4 social studies curriculum using both print and digital encyclopedias. Students used the World Book Encyclopedias and World Book Online.(continued here)continued here Artifacts File: Digging Up History (pdf)Digging Up History

19. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Two Teaching and Learning Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Information Literacy Curriculum Candidates incorporate technology to promote efficient and equitable access to information beyond print resources. (continued)continued By working in pairs, students were able to explore the print and digital formats at the same time, recording their search strategies, results, and article features of each source. While each source had its own advantages and disadvantages, there was no mistaking the convenience of being able to access the wealth of information contained on World Book Online from home. This is exactly the equitable access to information library media specialists strive for; that access which extends a student’s ability to locate information from limited print resources of the school library to a significantly greater online library of materials. By giving students the chance to explore the resource from school, where the library media specialist can highlight its features and help to ensure students are making the most out of their use of the online resource, the library media specialist is also preparing that student to be an efficient user of technology at home. There is great value in print resources, but in an increasingly technologically-literate society, it is imperative that students become efficient users of technology. Like many media specialists, I struggled with the idea of abandoning our print resources in lieu of resources available on the Internet, but media specialists need to recognize that the printed word is not going away. Books have their place and value in the library, but, as with finding the right tool for the job, the Internet should be embraced in the library and explored head-on for new ways of promoting efficient and equitable access to information beyond print resources. Indeed Homer Simpson, the Internet is still around and it’s speaking the language of our 21st century learners. Artifacts File: Digging Up History (pdf)Digging Up History

20. Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Standard 3 Overview School library media candidates provide leadership and establish connections with the greater library and education community to create school library media programs that focus on students learning and achievement; encourage the personal and professional growth of teachers and other educators, and model the efficient and effective use of information and ideas. Related Objectives to Standard 3 Click on the links below to navigate to the different objectives with their related artifacts and reflection statements: Connection with the Library Community Instructional Partner Educational Leader || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

21. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Connection with the Library Community Candidates participate in professional associations. School Library Media Centers..bring students and information together. ~ slogan of the Maryland Association of School Librarians My involvement in the Maryland Association of School Librarians has blossomed since joining the organization two years ago. While I believe every school library media specialist should be a member of a professional library association, whether at the county, state, or national level, the true value of membership comes through active participation in the organization. I first joined MASL in order to fulfill a sense of responsibility as a future library media specialist. Not long after joining I had the opportunity to attend the annual state conference in Ocean City, MD. With so many interesting sessions, opportunities to receive promotional materials from vendors, and an outstanding keynote speaker, I got my money’s worth out of the conference several times over. Best of all, perhaps, was hearing a local author share her craft and newest publication at an afternoon session. Her books made such an impression on me that our school later hosted her for a memorable author visit. MASL is perhaps best known for its librarian-nominated, student-selected Black-Eyed Susan book award. At the conference attendees can attend sessions book-talking the newest nominated titles. After sitting in on the Grades 4-6 presentation I spoke with a presenter about nominating a particular chapter book I was quite fond of. She not only took note of my suggestion but also kept in contact with me via email throughout the year on other suggested titles. Not long after I was invited to join the selection committee for grades 4-6, where I have since been actively reading and evaluating new and outstanding literature for students in grades 4-6. (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: MASL Reflection (pdf)MASL Reflection Link: MASL Conference WikiMASL Conference Wiki

22. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Connection with the Library Community Candidates participate in professional associations. (continued)continued The selection committee meets monthly to discuss recent reads and construct a list of the nominees for the next school year. It’s been a tremendous opportunity to meet and talk about literature with school librarians, some actively teaching, others retired, each month. I am forming new friendships and I am able to network with librarians from across the state. Shortly after joining the selection committee I was also given the opportunity to present the newest nominated titles in the Grades 4-6 category at the annual conference, held this year at Turf Valley in Ellicott City, MD. I book-talked two of ten nominated titles to a room full of interested school librarians and even had a chance to share some ideas with the attendees about how to promote the books to students through the wiki space set up for the MASL conference. Prior to joining MASL I had an appreciation for professional associations, but lacked an understanding for the potential involvement and impact an individual could have in such an organization. Maintaining membership in MASL has been a terrific experience. I have gained access to countless library resources through outstanding networking opportunities. I have witnessed the compassion and thought that goes into selecting titles for the Black-Eyed Susan award, thereby increasing my respect for the award. I have also had the opportunity to present to my peers throughout the state at the annual conference, an experience I never would have predicted when first joining MASL. All of these aspects of my participation in this professional association have shaped and continue to shape me into a better library media specialist. The impact of what I’ve learned on how I teach is tremendous, and not only do I gain a lot from these experiences, my students and staff also benefit from what I’ve learned and how I’ve grown in my profession. Artifacts File: MASL Reflection (pdf)MASL Reflection Link: MASL Conference WikiMASL Conference Wiki

23. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Instructional Partner Candidates acknowledge the importance of participating on school and district committees and in faculty staff development opportunities. Artifacts File: Library Basics 101 Handout (pdf)Library Basics 101 Handout File: Staff Development Write-up (pdf)Staff Development Write-up Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. ~ excerpt from “Do-Re-Mi”, The Sound of Music Being a library media specialist is a service-oriented job. Though this can, at times, be one of the more stressful aspects of the occupation, it undoubtedly can be the most rewarding. Our reputation as information experts is affirmed through the faculty staff development opportunities we, as library media specialists, participate in and host at our schools. Unfortunately, only a few staff members are familiar with our library procedures. Those same teachers are the most common staff visitors to our library. On the other hand, the library staff receives several emails a week asking for basic materials teachers could just as easily locate themselves if they had experience with simple procedures such as using the PAC system, checking out materials, or locating materials on the bookshelves. Though I co-head the technology committee at our school and value the monthly opportunities we have to meet and share new ideas and applications of technology in our school, I felt that the subject of library usage and procedures didn’t fit under the umbrella of any of our school’s committees. I scheduled a meeting with our administration to discuss the possibility of offering an information session on library basics to our staff. My administration was very helpful in terms of determining the best way to approach this development opportunity with the staff while still considering the difficult schedules of the classroom teachers. (continued here)continued here

24. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Instructional Partner Candidates acknowledge the importance of participating on school and district committees and in faculty staff development opportunities. Artifacts File: Library Basics 101 Handout (pdf)Library Basics 101 Handout File: Staff Development Write-up (pdf)Staff Development Write-up (continued)continued We determined a date to offer the inservice and made attendance voluntary. I advertised for the session a week in advance, honing in on the topics I felt staff members would value. Participants in our brief, before-school Library Basics 101 session learned how to use the Public Access Catalog, locate items on the shelf, check out materials using the circulation system, sign out AV materials, and how to access outstanding resources for educators through the Howard County Library’s A+ Partnership website. The overall experience was fantastic for me. I not only got to know a couple of our staff members a little better, I also got to advocate for our library media program while at the same time empowering our staff members with the resources available to them through our library. This time around I struggled with finding an ideal time to offer the session while also maximizing attendance, but perhaps I’ll have an opportunity to share the information at an upcoming staff meeting. Offering Library Basics 101 helped me to realize the importance of sharing this information with our staff in order to increase usage of the library, understand the needs of the educators in our building, and advocate for our library media center. Sometimes we, as school librarians, take for granted that our staff may not know enough about library media procedures to comfortably make use of the resources. Starting at the very beginning is a good place to start, and makes for an excellent staff development opportunity.

25. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Educational Leader Candidates utilize information found in professional journals to improve library practice. Artifacts File: Advocacy Reseach Paper (pdf)Advocacy Reseach Paper I get by with a little help from my friends. ~ The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Advocacy may well be the single most important job of the library media specialist. On par with or perhaps above maintaining a strong collection or being an effective teacher, advocating for your library media program means standing behind all that you do as a library media specialist in the school building for the students, the staff, the parents, and the community. I completed a research assignment on advocacy in the library media center which may just have well been a new awakening for my perceived role in this profession. As I read through twenty plus articles on the topic from important journals in the library media field such as Knowledge Quest, School Library Journal, Teacher Librarian, and Library Media Connection, I found my vision of the library media profession taking shape in a whole new way in my mind. After writing the assignment and presenting it to my peers, it was time to put my research into action. After all, one of the most important pieces of advice gained through my reading was to be visible as a library media specialist. Because the library is in most cases the central hub of the school, it goes without saying that the importance of being seen is evident. The impact on the way others view the library media center and its programs is central to the success and support of the media center. One of the suggestions the journals mentioned for being seen was to publish a semi-weekly newsletter highly events involving the library media center.(continued here)continued here

26. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Three Collaboration and Leadership Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Educational Leader Candidates utilize information found in professional journals to improve library practice. Artifacts File: Advocacy Reseach Paper (pdf)Advocacy Reseach Paper (continued)continued Taking this suggestion, I’ve started a semi-weekly email newsletter called “Media Matters” in which I give basic information on library-related events such as book clubs and reading nights, technology tips, and easy, playful reminders of library procedures. By keeping the information brief and to-the-point I am able to effectively communicate important information with our staff continuously throughout the year. I’ve also formed a library advisory committee that will meet for the first time at the beginning of the next quarter. The committee was formed through an idea mentioned in several journals in order to not only raise awareness for events happening in the library or to call attention to policies and procedures, but also to look toward how the library can better serve our community. Our first meeting will include members of the staff, administration, parents, and students looking at what resources we can make available to community members through simple but effective means. This may include keeping the library open an extra 30-45 minutes each day for parents and students to have access to the computers, an opportunity to check out materials, and access to our library’s reference materials. Most importantly, I’ve internalized what I’ve read in order to be more conscious of how I can improve library practice on a daily basis. When I first became interested in being a library media specialist I could think of nothing more important than promoting literacy for children and adults. Through the research process and the experience I’ve gained I not only see the bigger picture, I’m working to help others see it, too. This isn’t my library. It’s our library. This library won’t be great because of me, but rather because of how I work with others to make it strong. I don’t get by alone, but rather with a little help from my friends.

27. Standard Four Program Administration Standard 4 Overview School library media candidates administer the library media program in order to support the mission of the school, and according to the principles of best practice in library science and program administration. Related Objectives to Standard 4 Click on the links below to navigate to the different objectives with their related artifacts and reflection statements: Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio

28. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Candidates develop procedures to analyze the effectiveness of library media policies, procedures, and operations. “Don't wait for something big to occur. Start where you are, with what you have, and that will always lead you into something greater.” ~ Mary Manin Morrissey In my brief experience as a library media specialist I have observed many media specialists trying to take on too many projects on their own. Though it can be said the role of the library media specialist is in exhaustive profession, it’s important for media specialists to be aware of the help that is available at their fingertips through the school community of parents and teachers eagerly awaiting a chance to be a part of something big. I formed a library advisory committee in response to a survey given at the end of the last school year regarding the perceived role of the library media specialist. After reading about the effectiveness of well-organized library advisory committees through an article in School Library Journal, I felt that forming an advisory committee would be an excellent way to advocate for our library media program. I also saw it as an opportunity to strengthen our library media policies and procedures through consideration of our handbook as a committee, rather than as an individual, as was the case when I created the handbook. If forming the advisory committee was the means of advocacy and communication of the library media program, than developing the agenda for our first meeting was the method. The survey results indicated that, while most people strongly associated the library with books and reading, very few connected the library with any sort of community involvement or outreach. The focus of our first meeting immediately became clear: how can we improve our community involvement and outreach through the library media center? (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: Library Advisory Committee Agenda (pdf)Library Advisory Committee Agenda File: Informal Perception Survey (pdf)Informal Perception Survey File: Survey Analysis Reflection(pdf)Survey Analysis Reflection

29. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Managing Information Resources: Selecting, Organizing, Using Candidates develop procedures to analyze the effectiveness of library media policies, procedures, and operations. (continued)continued After taking time to consider our involvement in the community as a school library, I suggested to some teachers interested in serving on the advisory committee that we extend our hours in the library by thirty minutes each day. This would allow parents and students to access the library materials outside of school, check out additional materials through parent library accounts, and offer the computer lab for school and personal use. By the week of our first meeting of the library advisory committee, the agenda was set. We would start off by reviewing the role of the committee and of the library media specialist as defined by ALA in Information Power. We would then briefly discuss the location and content of the library media center handbook. We would conclude the meeting with an open discussion of the possibility of extended hours in the library. The first meeting was a great success and I left with a greater sense of community ownership and involvement in our library media center. When I first began my job as a library media specialist, it seemed all-too-easy to take on the tasks and responsibilities of the library myself. Now that I acknowledged the school community’s ownership of the library, I have a greater sense of how we must always make sure the library’s policies, procedures, and operations are reflective of the school community’s needs. Instead of looking at all we lack, we embrace all we have in our school and through our library. With the help of the library advisory committee, our school can share in our vision of a great library reflective of the needs and talents or its school community. Artifacts File: Library Advisory Committee Agenda (pdf)Library Advisory Committee Agenda File: Informal Perception Survey (pdf)Informal Perception Survey File: Survey Analysis Reflection(pdf)Survey Analysis Reflection

30. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical Candidates develop and evaluate policies and procedures that support the mission of the school and address specific needs of the library media program, such as collection development and maintenance, challenged materials and acceptable use policies. “And the Lord spake, saying, 'First shalt thou take out the Holy Pin. Then, shalt thou count to three. No more. No less. Three shalt be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three”. ~ from “The Holy Hand Grenade” scene, Monthy Python and the Holy Grail Creating a policy and procedure handbook from scratch for a library media center is no easy task. Not only do you feel compelled to cover every possible topic and situation occurring within the world of the school library, you may also feel tempted, as with the instructions for the use of the Holy Hand Grenade, to spell out in great detail the specifics of every policy and procedure so as not to leave any questions unanswered. I first considered the most important policies and procedures to include in our library media handbook. Among the list were checkout procedures, an overdue book policy, purchasing and ordering procedures, and acceptable use and copyright information. From here I considered what county library policy and procedures should be shared with the parents and staff, in addition to what information I felt needed to be put into writing for our staff members and parents as a means of protecting myself and maintaining a consistent procedure. Our library did not have a formal procedure handbook at the time I started at Longfellow Elementary. Instead, the previous media specialist maintained a printed copy of the county’s library policies. It was critical that I create a well-organized and clearly-written library media center procedure handbook that I could stand behind. I was new in the building and I knew I would be a different library media specialist, knowing I would design a program that best reflected my vision for the library, (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: Library Media Center Procedure Handbook (pdf)Library Media Center Procedure Handbook

31. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Managing Program Resources: Human, Financial, Physical Candidates develop and evaluate policies and procedures that support the mission of the school and address specific needs of the library media program, such as collection development and maintenance, challenged materials and acceptable use policies. (continued)continued When possible I used the wording of the county’s policies and procedures in the handbook to maintain a consistent alignment with what has already been established at the county level. However, when it came to writing policies and procedures specific to our library, such as the specific materials policies and procedures for the staff, parents, and students, I used a wording friendly to the students, but clearly defined to the parents. Our school’s mission is “excellence in teaching and learning so that each student will participate responsibly in a diverse and changing world.” In addition, our students adhere to a motto of being safe, responsible, and respectful at all times. Recognizing the importance of being consistent with the expectations of the school, I included a behavior management policy in the handbook outlining how these three virtues apply to the library media center. I also included information on challenged materials procedures and acceptable use policies so that users of the library can easily be made aware of our stand on these issues and our alignment to the county’s policies and procedures. I didn’t realize how important a well-written handbook was until completing our library media center’s handbook. I took great care in making sure common issues were addressed while at the same time anticipating what questions our school community may have about the library media program. Ultimately, I created a collection of policies and procedures that is reflective of me and of my vision of the library media program, minus the references to Monty Python’s Holy Hand Grenade procedures. Artifacts File: Library Media Center Procedure Handbook (pdf)Library Media Center Procedure Handbook

32. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment Candidates collaborate with teachers, administrators, students and others in the school community to develop, implement, and assess long-term, strategic plans. You can’t stay in the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes. ~ Winnie the Pooh The library fits into the School Improvement Plan in a big way, whether spelled out in the plan itself or implied in its goals and focus areas. Because of the importance of the library media program and its impact on successful education within the school, it goes without saying that the library media specialist should become a member of the school improvement team. Unfortunately, passive media specialists can easily be consumed with the overwhelming responsibilities associated with the job and neglect the opportunity to advocate for the library media program on a platform that functions at the core of the school’s principals and policies: the School Improvement Team. I fit the mold for the aforementioned passive media specialist when I first started in the position. With so many new things going on and a seemingly endless list of tasks left to do and growing each day, I didn’t consider the potential strength in library media advocacy offered through the School Improvement Team. Lucky for me, I have an administrative team who understands my effort to improve the library’s presence in the school community and the value of the library as a resource to its students and staff. I was invited to join the School Improvement team mid-year last year as a means of providing valuable input into the school’s Goal 2 progress: Each school will provide a safe and nurturing environment that values diversity and commonality. (continued here)continued here Artifacts File: Longfellow School Improvement Plan (pdf)Longfellow School Improvement Plan

33. || Opening Page || Table of Contents || Standard 1 || Standard 2 || Standard 3 || Standard 4 ||Opening Page Table of Contents Standard 1 Standard 2 Standard 3 Standard 4 Standard Four Program Administration Matthew Winner’s Professional Portfolio Comprehensive and Collaborative Strategic Planning and Assessment Candidates collaborate with teachers, administrators, students and others in the school community to develop, implement, and assess long-term, strategic plans. (continued)continued At first the meetings seemed to focus strictly on student progress in reading and math, specifically in relation to the quarterly reading and math assessments as well as student performance on the MSA. Though these subject areas felt initially foreign to the media field, being that I neither teach students to read nor teach them math concepts, I quickly realized the impact I have as a professional in children’s literature and information-seeking strategies. Serving on the School Improvement Team has given me a greater sense of the needs in our school, the efforts our teachers and committees are making to help our students be successful, and the resources our school provides to the community in an effort to create a safe and nurturing environment. Likewise, I have had the distinct opportunity of being able to speak on behalf of the library media program on our efforts to promote lifelong literacy among our students and staff. In addition, I’ve also worked to promote our continuing focus on developing a strong collection of materials that is reflective of the school curriculum goals as well as the needs and interests of our students. I’m working with teachers and administrators to develop, implement, and assess long-term, strategic plans to ensure the success of our students and an environment where students can be successful. Never has it been more clear to me that great things don’t happen while waiting in the Forest for others to come to you. You need go to them sometimes and be a part of the change you want to see in the school for the benefit and success of the students, staff, and school. Artifacts File: Longfellow School Improvement Plan (pdf)Longfellow School Improvement Plan