Diversity in the Media Center by Sharon H.
In the media centers I have visited this quarter, I haven't seen much evidence of diversity. Most students are treated one and the same. However, research has shown us that there are different learning styles among individuals that should be addressed by the educational system. As a media specialist, I would like to meet those needs by having different centers that apppeal to different learning styles. For example, a listening center for those who learn best by listening. A center where the students does a hands-on project for tactile learners. A center that incorporates movement for those students who need learn best when active. That is not to say that a student must only use one center, they can rotate if they like.
Another type of diversity is disabilities. In my media center, I would like to have books on different reading levels to accomodate a wide range of reading ability. I would also like to have books with large print for those who may have difficulty seeing small print. Books on tape could be used to aid those with hearing problems. I would also like my media center to be bright and cheerful so that each student would feel welcome to stay and browse for awhile (with their teacher's permission of course).
Thirdly, there are racial and cultural diversities. These areas can be addressed at different times of the year. For example, a center on Martin Luther King for Black History Month or a center with Spanish music, books, and artifacts for the month of May.
I feel that there is a lot of opportunity to address these areas in the media center which is central to all students in the school.
5 comments:
I never really thought about the different topics that fell under diversity. I only thought about race and culture. I love the way you expand on the definition of diversity. I also like the idea of different centers in the media center. However, when would this take place, during media center classes, or everyday whenever teachers send students to the media center?
Sharon,
You have some wonderful ideas for your media center. I agree it is important to have interesting things to include all learners. It is important to make the learners feel comfortable in the media center and make it a place they love to visit and want to stay and learn. Your center ideas sound interesting as well.
I like the idea of creating learning centers within the MC that are designed with varied learning styles in mind; I haven't seen that employed before. It would likely work especially well at the elementary level.
I concur that it is very important to have materials that meet the needs of those with disabilities through books with various reading levels, picture books, books with large print, and audio books for example. I know at the high school level it is especially difficult to find material that is content appropriate at the lower reading levels. At elementary, I don't imagine this would present such a challenge.
You have some great ideas. I think you used to be a teacher. Teachers think about incorporating things like centers into a media center. These are the kinds of ideas that make students want to come back.
Another great idea was to have large print books available. We recently had several large print editions of Beverly Cleary books--like Ralph Mouse--donated to our media center. They are perfect for students with visual impairments or for read-alouds to a class.
Like you, I have not seen evidence of diversity in the media centers I have visited this semester. I have seen a few books pulled and put on top of a shelf, but to me, that is not diversity. I had not thought about a centers approach to diversity. I think it would be an interesting way to incorporate diverse needs of students. I think that many students often bored with the media center because it looks the same (maybe a few different decorations on tables) throughout the year. Your idea of centers would help bring about a freshness and a motivation that is often lacking in the media center. I agree with you that I would like my media center to be bright and cheerful so that each student would feel welcome. I think your idea would help breathe new life into an stagnant media center.
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