Post- Reflection

I can not believe that the end of the semester is only less than 2 weeks away. It seems like yesterday, when I was anxious and frustrated trying to figure out how this project would finally come together. But that day is here and I can sit back and relax knowing that my collaborative unit plan is finished.
Looking back on this semester long project, I can say that I learned a lot about being a school librarian, collaborating with a classroom teacher, and communicating in a professional manner.
This project allowed me to put on my future profession's shoes and act as a school librarian. In this role, I was able to find different resources that helped define the curriculum that the classroom teacher and myself would collaborate on. I found websites that other school districts had compiled on our topics. These resources really helped to guide our unit curriculum. I was also able to compile a list of web 2.0 resources that would allow students to experiment with technology and also strengthen their information literacy. I also used these applications to develop interactive assessments that not only evaluated a student's knowledge of the topic, but also forced students to use creativity and technology to complete the assignment.
Through this project I was also able to have my first helping of collaborating with a classroom teacher. My only hope is that every collaboration can work as smoothly as it did with Andrea. We had a great working relationship with open lines of communication. We worked together to make sure we were creating a unit that would most benefit student's needs. We combined our skills and past experiences to make a unit that accesses a student's topical knowledge while also building information and technology literacy. Our partnership helped to create a unit that would not only teach students the necessary standards but that also prepares them for life in the real world, where technology and information is growing exponentially.
This is a vital skill to have as a future school librarian, because collaborating and becoming a leader in the school community is an important part of the job. I was able to use different techniques to communicate with my partner: personal meetings, posting comments to our wiki, and email communications. Through these various mediums we were able to discuss, plan, and put our unit into action.
Overall, this collaborative unit project has taught me many skills that will be valuable as a future school librarian. I'm glad I had the opportunity to create this unit with Andrea, and test how it will really be like as a school library professional.