One part of school librarianship I have yet to get use to is the idea of assessment and measuring the learning progress of students. I've worked in public libraries for so long that it seems like a foreign concept to me. Having no real previous experience with state curriculum or learning goals, it can be a little frightening. The learning standards really put into perspective what teachers are responsible for and how important it is to teach a curriculum that assists students in reaching their personal and academic goals.
The Universal Design for Learning doesn't dictate or make suggestions for what is to be taught but rather how it should be taught. Teacher librarians, like all other teachers, must be aware of the methods they use to teach students and whether or not the methods are working. The UDL suggests that by differentiating instruction teachers can reach a wider range of students. As a librarian this means not only reading to children and helping them find books, but also engaging them with smart boards, computer programs, tablets, apps, and so much more.
Setting aside preconceived notions about how students learn helps in the implementation of new methods. Each student has a different set of abilities and having assessments that cater to those abilities helps showcase there knowledge. Teachers can gain a better understanding of some disabilities to understand how they can better helps some of their students.
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