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I cannot agree more that teacher librarians are looked
to for everything from evaluating and acquiring new resources to developing new skills. I like Barbara Braxton’s blog on the 500 Hats
of a TL, as our role is certainly becoming quite varied! My favourite way to share what I learn
with colleagues is through collaboration with them IN their classroom. I get to connect and learn with
students. It also allows me to share the
new technology or learning strategy with a teacher as they learn to use it,
which I hope gives them the confidence to be able to try it on their own the
next time. If lucky they may even collaborate
with another teacher and the ripple effect will take over! We have a technology crew (District
Technology Innovation Coordinators) in our district with each having a family
of schools that they connect with, introduce new technology to, and help with
guidance and expertise. They,
thankfully, see the value in a TL position and like to train us with new
technology with hopes we can go back and share with everyone.
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As far as my admin goes, mine is energetic, supportive,
and forward thinking. We ran into each
other at our last pro-d day where we were at an innovative education
conference. We spent our whole lunch
hour bubbling with excitement about plans for the school with our newly
acquired ideas. I am not sure I will be
able to keep up with her, but together we share, plan, and support new ideas
and our visions for the school.
To be honest, I think I have more I need to be doing than I am actually
doing to be more responsive to the needs of my fellow educators, staff, and
parents. I do think a library website
with lists of tools and links to resources and teaching ideas would help meet
professional development of staff.
Having it all organized in one easy to find place would at least give
staff an idea of what is out there!
Videos on how to incorporate technology into their class would give them
inspiration I hope. I like this quote
from 7 Reasons Why Digital Literacy is Important for Teachers: Digital literacy
doesn’t require that teachers become experts, but it does require that they
understand the digital tools that can unlock their deeper teaching potential. Although I have emphasized mutual
respect and trust with colleagues in the past, this year I can spend more time
helping teachers on HOW to use resources with the redesigned curriculum and
help teachers’ exploration of curriculum topics and competencies. I think it is important to gain input from
staff in regards to areas we need to explore further. I have always wanted to get a library
committee together that would include staff, parents, and students to create a
solid vision for our space and to discuss areas requiring improvement or change.
I have done well at weeding the student library
collection but not the teacher resources.
This week’s assignment has me thinking about how I could handle this. I am thinking I will put on display teacher
resources at a staff meeting. When it is
my turn to share I can remind teacher to browse the resources and ask them
which they use and then discard those that no one is using. Once that is weeded we can then look to see
what areas we would like to see broadened.
I came across Anna Crosland’s great idea to get books circulating. I could do this with teacher resources and our
regular collection:
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To continue to be responsive to the needs of my educational
community, I plan to carry on being receptive and available to teachers’ needs,
continue to model my own personal inquiry and improve and share my own teaching
skills. I will continue to bring in
experts or skype with them where my expertise cease. I’d like to follow the Working with Colleagues, A Guide for ICT Mentors as it states that a TL is to provide colleagues with training, support,
and advice, and collaborate with them as they move towards more effectively
integrating ICT into their teaching and learning (2002, P.14). Okay, so this article dates itself with the
older model computers on the front cover, but some great nuggets of advice in
the write up like how to assess the needs and interest of teachers and setting
personal action plans. One other piece
of advice I took from it was to start small and build on success (2002, p.23),
as you can start to feel overwhelmed with so much one is trying to do!
In addition to starting
small, I think it is important to work at the comfort level of each colleague. Edutopia has some good ideas on how I can work with teachers
with the tools they have or are willing to use.
For example if you only
have one computer in a room, I can offer a bite size option such as: starting a
collaborative blog, curate resources, build a google site to house class
content, or record screencasts for providing onscreen instruction.
Finally, we have revived our TL LSA and this means we have
the opportunity to share with each other, but also a chance to start a TL
mentor ship program to work together with newer TLs.
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References
7 Reasons Why Digital Literacy is Important for
Teachers. (2018). Retrieved from
https://rossieronline.usc.edu/blog/teacher-digital-literacy/
(2002). Retrieved from
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/education/kindergarten-to-grade-12/teach/pdfs/curriculum/appliedskills/mentors.pdf
Braxton, B. (2018). 500 Hats | 500 Hats.
Retrieved from http://500hats.edublogs.org/500-hats/
Crosland, A. (2018). Anna Crosland (@crosland_a)
on Twitter. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/crosland_a
How to Integrate Technology | Edutopia. (2018).
Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/technology-integration-guide-implementation
Thank you for sharing these ideas. I am not (yet) a librarian and, as a classroom teacher, I appreciate the connection I have with my French Immersion TL (we have 2, one for the English programme and one for the French programme). Recently, we built an inquiry together around book genres. He introduces the genre and does a little activity in the library, then I continue building knowledge around that genre in the classroom. It has been a joy watching his teaching techniques and I have learnt much from him, but I am one of the few teachers who takes advantage of working with him! He has been at our school for 25 years and is very well-liked and thought of...he has even taught 3 of our present FI teachers, but he has shared with me that he is dismayed that our staff do not go to him for sharing, help or collaboration. I think that the TLs in our school are significantly underutilized, which is a crying shame. They have so much to offer, especially where the new BC curriculum is concerned or new technologies. I am not sure why our school has this culture (this is my 8th year there) but, on the plus side, I can see it changing a little as new staff are coming in. I LOVE the idea that you go into the class to teach in the classroom. Perhaps this is an idea I can share with our TLs as maybe the teachers would feel a different level of comfort if they stayed in their own space instead of going to the Learning Commons? I also agree with you when you stated that TLs need to work at the comfort level of the teacher. I know that technology can overwhelm certain teachers at our school but I can see that having the TL introduce one concept from which the teacher could build (or not) would be less stressful. It sounds like you are doing amazing things. Your school is lucky:)
ReplyDeleteI like your plan to model your own personal inquiries and teaching skills. When we are transparent about our own learning what we are doing is often infectious (in a good way). Your post reinforces the idea that the best professional development is that which meets the individual needs of teachers in their classrooms.
ReplyDeleteA very well done blog post that reflects honestly on the challenges, opportunities and directions for moving forward within your specific school community and staff. You've identified many useful strategies, approaches, modifications and realizations that you can't know it all, but you can explore new ideas together. You've got some concrete goals, and ideas for moving forward, as well as some allies and support in the form of your admin, and your local LSA for connecting with others to achieve your goals. Overall, a strong post all about continual growth and support.
ReplyDeleteI love how you have ideas I can take and immediately use. Putting an interesting book or new resource by the staff sign in book would work well at my school. At my school the photocopier room is inside the library. It's great because teachers are always coming in to use it and thats when I can connect with them. Face to face is best!
ReplyDeleteWe are on the same page about creating some sort of online resource page for teachers. I know that is something that will have to be started and slowly added to over time. Maybe it's as simple as starting a personal google doc you start with and then when you feel ready it can be shared with staff. That way you can take it with you to the next school you work at. That is where by brain goes as I am on a temporary library contract until December and I dont know if I will be at a new school in January.
That is so wonderful you have a technology crew in your district that you can learn from and use for guidance.
Heather, do you think there will be another workshop that will allow me to get my hands on the microbits?I would love to try using these with one of my classes, but I don't think Kidston has any.
ReplyDeleteI am in the middle of weeding out the teacher resources as well. I feel like we have so many good resources that nobody is using, as well as ones that will likely never be used again. The resource area has become a bit of a dumping ground for "old stuff" that "may" be used again.
I need to talk to you about the TL LSA, it would be good to get to know some of the other TL's in the district. I met the Kal Secondary TL, and she was pumped that we are doing Coding Quest this year.
I've also bookmarked the 7 Reasons Why... site! I can always count on a new resource or two when I read your blogs!
See you on Wednesday!
D
Coding is NOT an area of strength for me, so hopefully you can help me out on that front as I know you are all over that stuff. Ask Corrine Mcwhinney about the microbits...
ReplyDeleteWe need to get together as a LSA. Your invite will come through your library email address:) Thanks for the reminder that we are past time to meet!