Utlize instructional strategies and communication in both formal and informal interactions to promote information and digital literacies.

4.1 Identify Instructional Needs: Gather evidence, prioritizes needs and determines which problems can actually be addressed through instruction. 

4.2 Design Instruction: Engage in design thinking to plan lessons with reasonable instructional goals and all content/activities are aligned with instructional goals

4.3 Deliver Instruction: body language, charismatic, engaging, deliver instruction

4.4 Assessment of Instruction: Student accesses all aspects of instruction, including teaching, materials, and learning

4.5 Support Patron Learning through Effective Instructional Communication: Creates informal learning during interactions with patrons; going beyond giving the patron what they need to actually educate them in teachable moments. 

Instruction is an important part of library work, whether through formal lessons or everyday interactions. Effective instruction begins by identifying learning needs, setting clear goals, and designing activities that support understanding. It also involves communicating clearly, engaging learners, and evaluating whether instruction is meeting its intended purpose.

The lesson plan I created for LIS 654 shows my ability to identify instructional needs by working with the classroom teacher and aligning lessons with social studies standards and what students had already learned (4.1). The unit uses Understanding by Design and Stripling’s inquiry model to create clear goals, activities, and assessments that help students examine multiple historical perspectives (4.2). This demonstrates the importance of planning instruction around desired learning outcomes rather than simply covering content (Wiggins & McTighe, 2005; Stripling, 2010). Strategies such as primary source analysis, group inquiry, and creative projects encourage student participation and discussion (4.3). Exit tickets, formative checks, and a rubric-based final assignment provide a variety of ways to evaluate student learning and the effectiveness of the instruction (4.4). Students also practiced research skills using a credible database and guided questions, helping them learn how to find and use information thoughtfully (4.5).

My co-teaching experiences in LIS 692 and LIS 693 demonstrate my ability to collaborate with classroom teachers to identify instructional needs and design meaningful learning experiences that support student understanding (4.1). In both lessons, planning conversations with teachers helped ensure that instruction aligned with classroom goals and student readiness. The lessons were designed with clear learning goals and activities that supported student engagement and understanding through exploration, discussion, and guided questioning (4.2). Co-teaching allowed for shared responsibility in delivering instruction, supporting students, and adjusting instruction in the moment based on student responses (4.3). This illustrates how combining the expertise of both educators can strengthen instruction and provide students with multiple ways to develop understanding (Loertscher, 2014). Working together allows each educator to contribute different strengths, which results in deeper learning and more meaningful engagement with the content. Informal formative checks, observation of student participation, and student work samples provided insight into how well students understood the concepts and whether instructional goals were met (4.4). Throughout both lessons, clear communication and guided questioning helped students think more deeply and make connections, demonstrating how librarians support learning through collaborative teachable moments (4.5).

Effective instruction requires careful planning and the ability to adjust based on student needs. These projects demonstrate my ability to collaborate with teachers, design instruction, and support student learning through clear communication, guided inquiry, and meaningful engagement. In my future school library program, I will use these skills to co-plan and co-teach lessons that are aligned with classroom content while also building students’ information and digital literacy skills. I will intentionally design lessons that support inquiry, provide clear guidance for research, and help students become more confident and independent learners across subject areas.

References: 

Loertscher, D. V. (2014). Collaboration and coteaching: a new measure of impact. Teacher Librarian, 42(2), 42-47. Retrieved from https://www.davidloertscherlibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2014-Collaboration-and-Coteaching-A-New-Measure-of-Impact.pdf 

Stripling model of inquiry. Emerging America. (2010). https://emergingamerica.org/teaching-resources/stripling-model-inquiry

Wiggins, G., & McTighe, J. (2005) Understanding by design (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development ASCD. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/318021095_Wiggins_G_McTighe_J_2005_Understanding_by_design_2nd_ed_Alexandria_VA_Association_for_Supervision_and_Curriculum_Development_ASCD