At the beginning of
this subject of Teacher Librarianship, I had a preconceived view of the role of
the teacher librarian (TL) which was not overly positive. Based on previous
experiences of TLs and the stereotypes portrayed in the media and literature, my
view of the role of teacher librarian in schools encompassed no more than an
orderly person who looked after books and protected an atmosphere of silence. I
did not understand the relationship between ‘teacher’ and ‘librarian’. My
experience taught me you were one or the other. In my combined role of Music
Teacher and Teacher Librarian, I was always extremely quick to put the Music
Teacher aspect first. I was, after all, a trained teacher, not a qualified
librarian. At this point I was completely unaware of the research supporting
the impact of a qualified TL in schools or the complexity of the role.
My first major learning
experience and turning point came right at the start, during the two day
induction course where I was bombarded with the reality of the role and what
lay ahead in order to gain my qualifications and function effectively in a
school library. This lay the foundation
for my first blog entry titled 21C
Librarian. (Creating this entry was a separate learning experience in
itself as I learned how to create a blog and ethically insert a picture.)
I have learned many
things both theoretically and practically throughout the subject. In completing
the module readings and activities as well as assignments, time
management has become a necessary ally, both personally and professionally.
Through reading and participating in the online forums I not only clarified new
thoughts and ideas (Selection
and the School Context, 16 March 1:29pm) but gained valuable experience and
insight into what it must be like for our students as they face new information
and challenge preconceived ideas. The forums highlighted that this learning
journey is shared and that often it’s things as simple as quotation
marks (04 March 1:17pm) that make finding information so much easier. The
forums became a place of encouragement and celebration of small successes (Relief!
04 March 1:15pm) and emphasised my role in creating a similar space for my
students.
In reading about the
different author’s views on the role of the TL and the ASLA Standards of
Professional Excellence (2004), I experienced a significant dip in
confidence, similar to those described in Kuhlthau’s
ISP Model, as I came to realise the enormity of the task ahead.
Feelings of inadequacy came to the surface in my blog post entitled The Role of
the Teacher Librarian....Swimming? and
there was a certain degree of fear at the thought of technology playing a vital
role in the life of a TL. I discovered, however, that as I began to use
technology, making many mistakes along the way, through the encouragement of
the forums from both lecturers and students, I became more competent in skill
level and confident to take risks. I discovered what a gift
technology can be to TLs who have the courage to explore it.
Aspects of the role of
TL which stood out for me were those of leadership and collaboration. It became
clear that through budgetary accountability, censorship of materials, promoting
adherence to copyright laws and developing information literacy throughout the
school, the teacher librarian must be a leader. It also became evident that collaboration
is the key to resourcing a learner-centred curriculum, reinforcing my belief
that everything we do in schools must be for the benefit of the learning
community.
Perhaps the most
surprising aspect of the role concerned the professional nature of the TL
through policy development and accountability. Writing a formal Collection
Policy for ETL503
not only highlighted the importance of acquiring appropriate resources to
support the curriculum within each individual school environment, but also provided
evidence of another leadership quality essential for teacher librarians. It was
extremely satisfying to present the completed policy to my school executive and
receive their positive feedback.
A defining moment took
place when I realised that I am a living example of the information
literacy process in action. In completing
module activities and assignments, I had to recognise a need for information
and utilise various skills and formats to find it. Relying on module readings
would not be enough. I had to search for myself, and develop the necessary skills.
Each source, and the content within, needed to be evaluated and critical
thinking applied in order to draw my own conclusions, and appropriately present
what I had learned. In reflection, I have been walking in my students’ shoes
and have experienced all the feelings (Kuhlthau, 2012) that accompany anyone on
an information literacy journey.
My challenge now is to
keep walking. Keep the learning journey going. Only in this way can I change
others’ perceptions of the role of teacher librarian and truly experience
Abilock’s “transformational process” leading to a “lifetime habit” of learning (2004).
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