Ponderings from Phase 2

 

Professional development is one of the topics that resonates most strongly for me from the Phase 2 exploration.  I feel very fortunate to have a job as a Teacher-Librarian and as such, be in a teaching position where I can support both teachers and students.  As our district has put new technology in place, I have been able to get support in my learning by the district technology teacher.  In turn, I have then been able to support others in my school as they figure out the new system.

As one of our school’s professional development representatives, I am in a great position to promote technology use and would like to encourage teachers to form small inquiry groups based on their interests and skill levels with respect to technology (Teacher's Caught in the Action: Professional Development That Matters). In particular, I would like to start a group that focuses on the use of social media in the classroom (A guidebook for social media in the classroom,  50 Ways to Use Twitter in the Classroom).  On Monday,  I am going to use the laptops with my class to do an online discussion on the issue of genetically modified foods.  Knowing my class, I can already tell that this will be a great way to encourage everyone to share their opinion and to join into the discussion.

 

 Another topic that I have been thinking about came from the discussion on World Libraries.  I would like to make use of the resources we have at our disposal rather than seeing ourselves as hard-done-by and letting ourselves get overly negative and frustrated.  First of all, for collaboration, I am fortunate to work with a great group of knowledgeable Secondary Teacher-Librarians and an experienced staff of teachers.  My school is also located in a community with very supportive and involved parents. I need to make use of the resources and talents of those around me that also care about the school library.

 As a group, the Secondary Teacher-Librarians in my district have decided to start meeting monthly.  We are looking to rejoin the British Columbia Teacher-Librarian Association (BCTLA) as this will help us promote the school libraries in our area.  I would also like to ask my colleagues for guidance on applying for grant money (Canada Post Community Foundation, Indigo Love of Reading Grant) for the library and for tips on collaborating with classroom teachers (Teacher-Librarian Resources).  

Updating my library to become more of a modern learning commons has been challenging with a limited budget (Library Decorating Ideas - Pinterest).  My staff members could be powerful allies for making some of these changes affordable.  For example, the Woodwork teacher could make me some signs, the Sewing teacher could help me to patch or cover the used couches we have acquired (the kids love them!) and the Art teacher is already helping by providing art work for the walls.  It has also been suggested to me that many parents in our community may be willing to donate books, furniture and plants that would also help to spruce up the library space.  

 

The Librarian Song 

As for other resources, each time I write a blog, I can't help but be excited by the number of resources that are available for Teacher-Librarians online.  As a group we have common goals; we want school libraries to continue to be a central part of the school community and we want students to be literate users of books and technology.  Whether we call ourselves Teacher-Librarians, School Library Media Specialists (SLMS  , SLMS blog) or school librarian, we have a role in the school which demands that we stay current, be resourceful and be vocal about our roles in an educational community.   Library Lesson Plans  

The library's role in an educational setting is certainly changing with technology, and at some level, the question of what this role will look like has been underlying all my explorations in this course.  Going forward, I'm heartened by what I've learned about using innovative technology and ideas to realize the library's potential for remaining a hub as both a reference centre and source of literature.  But as well, I'm pleased my studies have confirmed that even without the latest and greatest technological advances, a library can still operate as a vital cog in the school community.

         Ikea's Latest Technology - The Book Book

    

Sources:

 https://www.pinterest.com/inthemiddlewith/quotes/

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB4HvVEMFig

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOXQo7nURs0

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