Reading through the Standards
for professional excellence for teacher librarians (ALIA,
ASLA) I believe they lie parallel with the standards of professional
practice for the Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT). As a teacher
librarian we are to model the practice of expertise and excellence in
teaching. The VIT standards say of its teachers that we 'know the
content they teach,' the difference with teacher librarians is that
they also know the content of other teaching areas, teacher
librarians are 'our every subject specialist' The
21st
Century Media Center Program. The national curriculum (ACARA)
focuses on cross-curriculum priorities and general capabilities
across all subjects, this is often where teachers are the weakest.
Teacher librarians are able to support this weak area by having a
knowledge 'about learning and teaching across curriculum areas and
development levels' (standard 1.2, Standards of professional
excellence for teacher librarians) seeing the big picture and where
curriculum resources can fit in. Being an involved and collaborative
curriculum planner is one of the roles librarians can play. Reading
through the detail of each standard pointed out to me how much I have
already been able to fulfil in each standard. Having a background in
not only teaching but also in integration and as a laboratory
technician has meant I have already started to see the broader side
of curriculum outside of the classroom.
Purcell (2010) suggests that school
library media specialists (SLMS) play many diverse roles under the
major categories of leader, instructional partner, information
specialist, teacher and program administrator. I believe it is
realistic for SLMS to fulfil each of these roles. I think it is also
important to be able to delegate administrative, clerical or shelving
tasks to library assistants as suggested by Purcell if we are to be
effective in these roles. Personally I feel I would want to give
priority to the roles of program administrator, instructional partner
and information specialist. I feel better suited to the supportive
nature of these roles. Herring (2007) separates the roles of teacher
librarians further, e.g. staff and budget managers or website
developer, which just goes to show just how much librarians actually
do.
Reading Valenza's manifesto offered
some fantastic and practical suggestion about what library teachers
should be doing. I agree with nearly all the points made, we should
have the desire to see all those aspects in place. Some were as
simple as changing your desktop screen savers and backgrounds to new
or interesting reads. I do not feel that everything on the list
should be done in one library or by one librarian, it does not seem
realistic, practical or effective. I feel like the librarian would be
spread too thin and not display expertise in each area (Jack or all
trades, master of none...).
Within your experience, how do
principals perceive the role of the TL?
Each school is different, I have been
at schools where the teacher librarian is part of leadership
meetings, presents PD's and partners well with teachers. In this type
of school setting I believe the principal perceives the teacher
librarian role as vital and interwoven with school life. The teacher
librarian is seen as a leader, specialist, and program administrator.
However I have also been at schools on the flip-side. The teacher
librarian is always busy shelving or loaning books and does not play
much of a role outside of the physical library. Teachers do not
actively seek curriculum help and the school leadership does not
perceive the library or librarian as important when there is digital
technology (ipad or laptop classes) taking its place. Purcell (2010)
suggests that '[i]f school library media specialists are doing their
job well, they are making a difference in the ways teachers teach and
in the ways students learn.' In my school example where the teacher
librarian is focused on the physical library, the library is not
making an impact on teaching or learning. Teaching will go on
regardless of the library rather than led by the library. Purcell
(2010) and Lamb (2011) both discuss the need for teacher librarians
to 'prove their worth' that the role of teacher librarian is still
needed. As current budget cuts (especially in America) see the
library taking a large hit, there is downsizing of staff and
resources. If principals are not seeing the large number of roles a
teacher librarian can play they will be perceived as non-vital when
the budget is re-evaluated.
Two practical suggestions for
teacher librarians to help change perceptions:
Take part in hosting short PDs on
curriculum resources available or how to use digital technologies.
Attend subject curriculum meetings, to
offer input and understand what resources will be needed in the
library.
“ Are school librarians an
endangered species?”
The response to this question given by
the 5 leaders in 30 Seconds
Thought Leadership: Insights from Leaders in the School Library
Community is no,
however it comes with an 'if'. If there is redefining, if there is
still core values to follow, if we are leaders in displaying new
technology, and if we can continue to play a unique role. Henry
Jenkins believed teacher librarians need to redefine their role; take
on the role of coach for online content navigation and as an online
mentor. Doug Johnson suggested that no matter what the library looks
like in the future if its purpose is still guided by the core values
of;
- intellectual freedoms
- teaching good digital citizenship
- providing a safe place
- fostering critical thinkers.
Delia Newman highlighted that what
makes us unique is our expertise in finding, evaluating and using
information for learning, the ability to learn with information.
References
Australian School Library Association (ASLA) and Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). (2004). Library standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians http://www.asla.org.au/policy/standards.aspx
American Association of School Librarians (AASL) (2012). 30 Seconds Thought Leadership: Insights from Leaders in the School Library Community
Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In Ferguson, S. (ED.) Libraries in the twenty-first century: charting new directions in information (pp.27-42)
Lamb, A. (2011). Bursting with Potential: Mixing a Media Specialist's Palette, Tech Trends: Linking research to improve learning, 55(4) 27-36
Purcell, M. (2010). All librarians do is check out books, right? A look at the roles of a school library media specialist, Library Media Collection, 29(3) 30-33
Valenza, J. (2010). Manifesto for 21st Century Librarians, School Library Journal Blog
Victorian Institute of Teaching. (2003). Standards of professional practice for full registration, http://www.vit.vic.edu.au/standardsandlearning/Pages/professional-standards.aspx
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