Teaching: Observation

To begin the observation & assisting process:

  1. Begin the reading list during slow times on the desk, and consider the reflection questions that accompany the books.
  2. Look ahead a few weeks at the reference desk calendar.  If there are class sessions happening during your desk shift, contact the librarian who is teaching the session as early as possible and ask if you can observe (or assist).
  3. If they agree, ask the librarian you will be on the desk with if they are willing to staff the desk on their own for the duration of the class.  Try to give the librarian a week’s notice.
  4. Try to make time to discuss the workshop with the librarian teaching the class before the class session.  This will give you some idea of what to observe and take notes on during the session.
  5. If you have time to debrief after the session, that will add value to the experience, but that is dependent on the schedule of the librarian you are observing.

Classroom Observation Guidance Form

Teaching: Lesson Planning

Example Research Assignments

In the library, we are asked to teach to a variety of different types of research assignments. Choices about what activities to do during a session, how many sessions to schedule, what types of sources to suggest, and the way to those sources will be evaluated are all dictated–in large part–by the assignment and discipline you are teaching to.

Students appreciate a session that is tied closely to their research assignment, and are more likely to retain important information if you have made the connection to their assignment explicit.

Below are recent examples of research assignments that instructors in different disciplines have sent to librarians in preparation for library workshops for their students. Take a look at the assignments and consider these questions:

  1. What is common between different assignments?
  2. What is unique to individual assignments?
  3. What approaches/topics/resources/skills would you teach to help students with each assignment?
  4. How many sessions would you suggest that students have in the library to prepare them to complete the necessary research for these assignments?

Sample Lesson Plan Template:

Lesson_plan_New_Responsive.docx

Sample Assignments: