Nicholas Warren. Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative ‘Learning Commons’ Approach. ABQLA Conference 2015.

1. Diverse Schools,
Adaptive Services: An
Alternative ‘Learning
Commons’ Approach:
Nicholas Warren

2. Overview
• Where do I work?
– EMSB, 13 Alternative Schools
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

3. My Initial Challenges:
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren
Principals and Teachers

4. My Overall Duties
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

5. Key Initiatives and Activities
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

6. Key Initiatives and Activities
• 1. Research Skills / Information Literacy Classes
• 2. Articles: Selection, preparation and discussion co-facilitation
• 3. Staff Book Talks (started by Focus High School teacher)
• 4. Third Space Activities:
Guitar Classes, Bicycle Maintenance Programs,
Educational Minecraft Sessions
• 5. Various Other Duties: Website maintenance, computer
installation and maintenance, local tech. support, tutoring, co-
facilitation of poetry workshops, grant-writing, etc.
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

7. Challenges
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

8. Challenges
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren
- Adaptation Periods
- Being a low priority sometimes
- Constantly shifting and interrupted workspaces
- Tiny official budgets
- Disruptive, difficult, and sometimes destructive or dangerous
students
- Surprises
- School travel logistics
- Having the resources you need at the wrong school
- Having un-catalogued books everywhere

9. Cheap
Tricks,
and
What
I’ve
Learned
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren

10. Cheap Tricks
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren
- Find used books from Renaissance Friperies (and similar)
- Be very selective with purchases and try to buy value-added
materials: (Example: The DK Knowledge Encyclopedia)
- Repair books with whatever is at hand (usually scotch tape and
school glue)
- Make book displays out of the cardboard boxes from book
shipments
- Ask for good quality book donations

11. Some of What I’ve Learned
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren
- Things don’t necessarily go as planned – expect the
unexpected!
- Projects you are working on can be altered, forgotten about,
praised or eliminated at any time: Be adaptive and handle
rejection
- I am part of a team, and 13 teams as well. I’m on the front lines
and rarely have a ‘desk’ or an ‘office:’ Social skills and forming
relationships with staff and students are key
- Generally be ready to lend a hand, keep an open mind, fill the
gaps, help out – and jump in
- The kids have crazy lives and so do the teachers!

12. End Part I. Enter Julia Stark!
Diverse Schools, Adaptive Services: An Alternative 'Learning Commons'
Approach: Nicholas Warren