ETL 401 TOPIC 3: THE TL AND THE CURRICULUM

After completing the readings for this topic, I have become even more aware of the benefits to the school community of recognizing and implementing the expertise of the TL.

The TL brings not only knowledge of available resources, but understanding of new educational developments in IT that can enhance learning experiences for students. The depth of student experience can be consolidated with cooperative planning by class teachers and the TL implementing RBL and RBT. Teachers benefit by sharing the responsibility for planning and implementation with the TL, leading to increased levels of student learning as different styles of learning can be matched with a variety of resources. Increasing levels of ability by students contributes to development of positive self esteem and confidence in incoporating information skills into other subject areas.

As part of the teaching team, principals should expect TLs to be involved in planning and implementing units of work with class teachers. Apart from the educational benefits for students, the TL's involvement ensures that the resources that have been purchased by the school are being utilized and an important part of the school budget is being used appropriately. The involvement of the TL in the curriculum with class teachers and students also contributes to the development of building school community.

The standout points and readings for me in this topic were:

• Information literate students are proficient locators, capable evaluators and responsible, creative users of information. (AASL & AECT, 1998) in (Campbell 2002).

• Implications for educators are clear, students can no longer be expected to learn a finite body of language.

• http://www.det.nsw.edu.au/inform/yr2002/mar/pedagogy.htm - Productive Pedagogy - this reading appealed to me because I identified with the philosophy behind it. I liked the way that it incorporates existing classroom practice and focuses on the vital aspects necessary for student learning: intellectual quality, relevance (connectedness), socially supportive classroom environment and recognition of difference. It was also stated that students need to be involved in learning work, not busy work. I really dislike seeing students time being taken up with "busy work". I liked that recognised philosophies , Bloom's Taxonomy, de Bono's Six Thinking Hats and Gardner's Multiple Intelligence are incorporated into classroom use and not simply put aside for another new theory. I believe in taking the best from the old and the new to enhance what is offered to students.

• The Curriculum Corporation website - fantastic range of support materials and services.

• School Library Association of Queensland (SLAQ) (2008). Resource based learning guidelines. Well set out points to integrate for RBL and RBT.
  

Finally, and just for a laugh... I came across this quote from Michael Moore on OZ Tl Net -

I really didn't realize that librarians were, you know, such a dangerous group...They are subversive. You think they're just sitting at the desk, all quiet and everything. They're like plotting the revolution, man. I wouldn't mess with them. LOL

REFLECTION: ETL 401 TOPIC 2 READINGS

Again, the list of readings has been comprehensive and enlightening. I can now understand why there is a need to document student outcomes and keep evidence of their learning through the use of library resources. I have also learnt about the variety of methods that can be used to obtain evidence of positive learning experiences by students.

In the school where I work, we have a very supportive principal and so far, we have fairly good levels of staffing and a budget which allows for new stock to be purchased quite reasonably. However, should there be a change in leadership or pressure from the board to justify why we need more staff or simply maintain where we are at, then we need to be prepared with evidence. Before these readings, I wasn't even aware that such an aspect of the library existed!

We also have an active Information Literacy program working with students from Kindergarten to Year 8. Support for older students occurs when they come in individually to use the library for research or recreation. However, my concern is that the lessons learnt in earlier years need to be revisited, to remind and reinforce the students of the steps they used in assignment preparation. It would be great to have lessons dedicated to all senior students when we could assist them in locating and using information accurately and efficiently. This would also help catch the students who enrolled in later school years and who didn't have access to the earlier Information Literacy program.

At the moment, budget and timetable constraints are the restriction for this.

The readings are so helpful in broadening my understanding of what a teacher librarian should be. I feel positive that I can contribute to student learning through what I am learning in this course. . . which is one of the reasons I enrolled.

TOPIC 1 ETL401 CANADA, HERRING AND MY FUTURE CAREER

After reading Haycock's article, I felt alarmed and saddened at the state that Canada's school libraries are now in. Although much evidence was cited by Haycock to support the validity and benefits of teacher librarians for student learning, so little is being provided by the state that the figures in terms of funding of resources and personnel are at a minimal or non existent level. This article really had the feeling of a voice crying out in the wilderness.

This surely will not happen here. The funding that DET provides for TL training and the number of courses available for training into the profession indicate the positive attitude which training institutions have for the need to skill appropriately qualified teacher librarians. Active professional organisations such as ALIA and ASLA and other TL networks also assist in keeping standards professional and dynamic.

Herring's article was a much more positive read and really helped consolidate the positive impact TLs can have in their school. Embracing new technologies and assisting students to use skills to locate and understand the wealth of information that is now available to them, as well as applying this knowledge in different contexts is a skill that needs to be taught by qualified TLs, hopefully in partnership with classroom teachers. I also learnt that resourcing a school library needs to be based on discussion and collaboration with the school community, so that the collection is relevant for the recreational and learning needs for each school.

After reading Herring's article, I feel positive that there is a future for teacher librarians as a profession. The evidence that supports the gains in student learning, the opportunity to have a positive impact on students and fellow staff through collaboration and also the challenge to progress with the use of new technologies to facilitate learning and a positive attitude to school libraries is exciting and achievable.

The standout quote for me from all the initial readings we have done so far is from the podcast by Dagmar Schmidmaier in speaking to a CEO, who told her " You're providing me with informationI didn't know I needed."

This impacted on me because it made me think of all the times that I have helped students or staff with an inquiry and given them a little more than their initial inquiry. It is the 'ah-ha' light bulb moment when they really understand and you see a little smile, a look of relief or a great big grin or you get a 'Thanks Miss"... that is providing them with information they didn't know they needed. The impact is also on the level of staying ahead, so that you are needed to help sort out all the information that we all can now access so readily.

I am really looking forward to putting into practice what we are reading and to having my understanding and practices challenged and extended.

ETL 401 Reflection on starting the course

The readings for ETL 401 have been really interesting so far. Some of the challenges facing the profession, I can already identify within our own library at work. What is good about ours though is the Information Literacy program that is already in place. Now I need to get up to speed with some of the jargon eg, resource based learning, guided inquiry etc

I have also seen some of the blogs that students have established and they look so inviting and an expression of their creativity. I want to learn how to do that and not just have a list of postings. Must explore what this 'blogspot' can do . Need to become the master of this technology which is so new to me, not let it be my master.