PART C PORTFOLIO

This subject is the first in my Master of Education journey, as I work towards gaining a teacher librarian qualification.  I have learnt a great deal this semester about what it means to be a teacher librarian, and I don’t think that I have ever actually met one that measures up to my vision of what is possible, despite 10 years in many schools

I chose the Teacher Librarian course, because “library” seemed a good fit for me personally.  I am an avid reader, I don’t have a genre preference, I love books.  I also love to write and draw, and so the idea of being surrounded all day by books - novels, information books and picture books - seemed ideal.  I was concerned that I wouldn’t be “teaching” anymore, but thought  looking after the books would make up for that.  I would still be part of a school, and get to talk to the children, and share my passion for reading and learning.

By the second week of starting ETL 401, I realised that “librarian” was a better fit than I had imagined.   I would still be teaching - Herring’s term Teaching Partner (Herring, 2007) struck a chord as I saw that rather than being on the periphery of teaching, my contribution to student learning and achievement would be significant and exciting.  I would still be an important part of the school, and the utilisation of technology to enhance teaching practice is something that I am eager to explore.  I described the library as “the beating heart of the school” in the first post I made on my blog (Knowledge Virtuoso - the Beginning of a Learning Journey), and I haven’t changed my mind about that.

My second blog post was a description of the librarians of my school days.  I read in  Hartzell (2002) , that one possible reason that we encounter resistance from other staff is that their experience of what a librarian is, drawn from their own school days is so different to what is on offer now.  It’s true that it was my love of books that drew me to consider librarianship, and not the librarians I knew during my K - 12 years.

I have described the library experiences of my own school years in my blog post titles “Misperceptions” (17/7/11).  They were uninspiring, and the library that will be mine to run, will not be that way.

The beginnings of my vision for My Library was kindled by Braxton (2008).  My response to her article can be found on my blog  under the heading Librarian as Literacy Leader (25/7/11).  Braxton refers to creating the “Wow factor” (paragraph 25), and she has many practical suggestions on space management, collaboration and use of technology.  Braxton gave me so many ideas about what I will be doing as a librarian.   Then in Topic 5, I had another encounter with Joyce Valenza (2010), and the scope of what could be achieved seemed to roll out before me.  Valenza is inspirational, I am sure I will refer to her Manifesto again and again.

As the course progressed, I realised how much I had underestimated what was involved in the librarians job description.  I struggled with the Herring and Purcell readings on the role of the teacher librarian (you can see the evidence of this in my blog, in the posts titled “I’ve Cracked It”, 26/7/11 and “Assignment 1” 19/8/11).  Herring lists 11 roles, and says that his list is by no means exhaustive (2007, p30).  He talks of prioritising what needs to be done, and the decisions that need to be made about how to accomplish what is necessary for your own situation.  This was complemented in Topic 6, by the readings on time management, practical advice (Gilman 2007).

My views of the role of the  teacher librarian in the school have been challenged, and I am now convinced (and delighted) that teaching is still a big part of the librarians role, as they work in partnership with classroom teachers.  Teacher Librarian is still a good fit for me, despite the transformation of my expectations.  The other skills I have which I thought would be underutilised in the position are actually a major asset - effective teaching skills, the ability to work with others, and the potential to be a leader.  I am glad that there is more to Librarianship than cataloguing, colouring in, stocktakes and tidying the books to make sure their spines are all facing outwards.

REFERENCES

Braxton, B (2008).  The Teacher Librarian as Literacy Leader, Teacher Librarian  35 (3) pp22-26.  Retrieved from:

http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=

Gilman, T. (2007).  The four habits of highly effective librarians, The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 23.  Retrieved from: http://chronicle.com/article/The-Four-Habits-of-Highly-E/46544/

Hartzell, G  (2002).  The Principal's Perceptions of School Libraries and Teacher-Librarians.  School Libraries Worldwide, 8 (1), pp92-110.  Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=eric&AN=

Herring, J. (2007) Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.) Libraries in the twenty-first century : charting new directions in information (pp. 27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.  Retrieved July 20, 2011from: http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL401201160WD/page/0344cb53-f5fc-4725-8

Purcell, M. (2010).  All librarians do is check out books right? A look at the roles of the school library media specialist. Library Media Connection 29(3), pp. 30-33.Retrieved from:  http://web.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/detailvid=13&hid=10&sid=2168625c-5199-421b-9207-488549d9e944%40sessionmgr15 &bdata= JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=ehh&AN=55822153

Valenza, J. K. (2010). Manifesto for 21st century school librarians. October, VOYA Magazine: Kurdyla Publishing. http://www.voya.com/2010/09/15/tag-team-tech-october-2010/

Nearing the end

I am starting to worry about this blog a little, the last part of my assignment is looming large, and I wonder if I will have enough material to draw on when I get to it.  The comforting thing is, I have actually read a great deal, and written a great deal in other places, so I guess technically, I can upload some of those thought to the blog.

My view about the teacher librarians role have changed.  I don't think I have ever met a TL quite like the vision I now have of what that role can be.  I had no idea that it was so involved, so essential, with so much potential to impact students learning.

The librarian at my daughters school is a lovely woman (and to be honest, I have my eye on her job, shes no spring chicken, so perhaps she will just hang on until she retires, which sadly could be a good while).  Lovely woman, yes, but.  I have filled in for her on occasion, and the work she has left is not at all inspiring.  Reading stories (and I love doing that, so I wouldn't complain), and then a bit of colouring, a bit of borrowing, a bit of an overview of where things are in the library.  And to be fair, perhaps that is just what she leaves for me to do, so I don't muck up her real work, but I haven't seen anything that convinces me that this is the case.


The other librarian I have subbed for is also delightful.  And when I did her job, one of the tasks she left me in her free period, was to "tidy up the books", making sure all their spines were straight :-/.  Oh, and there was a worksheet on Whatsisname Dewey (of The Decimal System fame).  But that was just a straight comprehension.    I want to see a real librarian.  I want a Joyce Valenza, but all I'm getting is more Miss Masters, the large-spectacled librarian of my own high school years, who covered the books, put stuff away, and pulled out the encyclopaedias for us when we needed to research.  Or waved us in the right general direction at least.  Where are the Proper Librarians hiding?

But what gives me the right to judge and criticise?  If the schools don't mind that they cover books and read stories to the Preps, why should I?  Mostly, it's because it drives me mad to know how they are short changing the kids.  And I know that even now, one subject into this course, my vision for what is possible is so much bigger, and I want a library of my own to run.  I want to work on dreaming up fabulous units of work with other staff, I want to create a library wiki to publish the students writing, whether it is fiction or book reviews.  I want to make pathfinders, and web sites, and provide teachers and students with great resources, i want to show them that there is more to the internet than Googlesearch.  I want to make author visits happen.  I want to be at the centre of a library that hums. 

But I will never ever call it an iCentre.  And that's as a dedicated Apple user.  iCentre, honestly, I might as well tattoo "try hard" on my forehead.  Sorry Michael Hough, I loved a lot of your ideas, but not that one :-).

I need more time

There are so many things that I want to do, and I want to do all of them well, but somehow that isn't happening.  I have read great swathes of information for ETL 401, and I have made notes about my reading, and pondered the offerings of various authors, but I haven't blogged those thoughts, and  I should have.

I was going to blog yesterday, but I got sidetracked by Joyce Valenza.  That woman must have a time turner, or a TARDIS or something.  She is truly inspirational.  Because of Joyce, I now have iGoogle as my homepage, complete with meandering penguins, and I am setting up Delicious bookmarks.  And I feel like there must be an easier/better way to do this than the rather longwinded process I am making of it, but I haven't quite worked it out yet.  I've got Joyce in my delicious file.  I feel sure I will go back to her time and again.

Yesterday I read Cibulka et al, and their review of the literature on learning organisations.  It seems to me that lack of time is something we all struggle with.  Excellence takes time, and we are time poor.  the reading suggested that even our own personal development needs to take a more constructive approach, they call it "a proper sequencing of knowledge acquisition" - the steps should begin with the why of what we are learning, then examples, then an allowance for supported application.  Not just a workshop, then let loose.

The authors also insist that collaboration must be authentic, not forced, not artificial, but how can you get people to change the way they do things if they don't want to and you aren't going to make them because then it isn't authentic?

There are so many demands on our time that, sometimes for survival, the best option is the one that takes the least time.  This may not be the best for our own development or for student learning, but when you are stretched, and wondering how you can fit it all in, it can seem like the only solution.  If only education was such a priority to society, that it was thought to be worth investing more in.

I'm not sure how to say what I think without it sounding like a political statement.  I don't want that. 

Initial thoughts about Information Literacy

Although this is titled "initial thoughts", it isn't true that I haven't been thinking about information literacy before this topic.  In fact, it was several weeks ago, when the term started coming up more and more  that I  went on a search to try and nail down exactly what it meant. Which is when I discovered that it was complicated, and everyone seemed to have their own idea about what it might be.  It felt like trying to hold a handful of sand without spilling any.  Everytime I thought I was getting somewhere with my understanding, I'd read something else that would disagree, or flat out contradict what I'd thought.  I remember deciding at one point that my mind was too mundane to understand.

And then I started reading through the topic four readings, and Herring and Langford both stated outright, that Information Literacy is hard to define, because everyone seems to have a slightly different idea about what it might mean.  Yeah, no kidding.

I quite like Herring's list of what Information Literate students can do.  That was helpful.  Information literacy seems to be the ability to think about what you need to know, make decisions about where you might find it, and if it is a source with authority, how you might present it, how it fits with what you already know.  Lots of metacognitive stuff.  I wonder if I am information literate?  I think I'm still developing.

Incidentally, I love that I have a dictionary widget on my desktop.  I use it every day.  More than once.  I know a LOT of words, my vocabulary is reasonably extensive, but I need that dictionary.  It's awesome.

And I really like the PLUS model.  It makes a lot of sense to me.  Although Eisenberg had me converted to the Big 6 model when I read that too.  I like that it isn't necessarily a linear process, that you can go back and forth as needed.  It makes the way I work seem more purposeful.  Sort of.

Eisenberg also said that information literacy isn't just about knowing what we do need, and getting it.  It's also about understanding what we don't need, and filtering that out.  I'm not good at that bit.  I want to hoard all my information, I'm not good at letting go of the things I don't need, because I might need them in the future.  If my computer was made of books, it would look like this:

I would prefer it to look like this:

without the plants, because I would just kill them.

This is because I have all these stupid files with notes on things I've read that I Might Need One Day.  And I don't really understand how the trash can on the mac works, sometimes it does, other times, it doesn't.

But, I digress, although I'm very pleased that I can insert pictures into my blog with so little bother.   you learn something new every day.

I have something to say about the Langford article, or book chapter or whatever it was.  And I'm not going to be very nice about it.  I didn't like it.  I thought it was badly written, and boring.  She spent over half the article waffling about how difficult it was to define information literacy (yes it is).  Compared to Eisenberg and Herring, I got nothing out of it.  Thats probably all I have to say about that.  Sorry Langford.


I'm still waiting for a really pithy description of what information literacy is. 

Assignment 1

It's been a long time between essays for me, 11 years since I finished my Graduate Diploma of Education, and university has changed a great deal in that time.  And to be honest, I've changed.  As I get older, near enough is no longer good enough, and I look back on my post school university experience, which is even further away, a good 20 years in fact, and I am no longer that person.  I was so much lazier then, and my brain didn't seem as stretchy as it is now.  There is no way I could have completed a Bachelor of Arts and had the responsibility of running (or perhaps co-piloting would be more accurate, as a work from home husband has certainly changed the way our home life functions) a household of 6 people, and ensuring that all their different needs are met.  I wish my organisational side had developed a bit more, sometimes it seems like I am drowning, in paper, in dust, in laundry. 

The first essay for 401 has been challenging.  It was quite a complex task, comparing the two different authors, and at first it felt like I was trying to compare apples and turnips, they were so dissimilar.  In the beginning, I felt that Purcell had the upper hand.  All those neat headings.  But reading, and rereading the Herring chapter, (and rerereading, and again), I discovered that I really liked what he had to say.  Not in a "I have to like it, because I know he lectures on this subject, and I'm probably going to run across him over the next two or three or four years", but a genuine respect for his ideas.  Although a few headings wouldn't have gone astray. 

I have been consumed by the essay writing process.  And the next essay I write, I will be more organised as far as referencing goes.  In my defence, I was organised.  And I had all the articles neatly stashed in a folder on my desktop labelled 401 assignment 1.  I had loads of notes, and quotes ready to use.  I had the names of the articles, page numbers, dates.  Everything.  Almost.  I overlooked the whole "include a URL if you accessed it online".  Sigh.  It took hours to re-find all those articles.  Hours and tears of frustration.  Fortunately, I'm blessed with a loving family, and a dear patient friend, who sat with me, searching for articles, making me cups of tea and building me up when I despaired.  And I did find them all in the end.  The worst part of the process was seeing all the promising looking articles I could have used, but missed the first time round.  And knowing that I was already far too far over the word limit to even seriously consider trying to pack more into that miniscule word limit.


Last night I finally bit the bullet, and had a serious look at reducing the word count.  I was at 2377, too far over the 10% grace that is allowed.  I had to lose 177 words.  And I did.  Not one word more than that though.  My word count sits right at 2200 words.  I cannot possibly sacrifice even one more word.  I'll never be a write of short stories, it just isn't in me. 

So I thought that today, as well as trying to catch up and make a good start on Topic 4, I'd also resurrect this poor neglected blog.  I'll try to put a serious post up tomorrow about all the reading I've done today.  Reading I've enjoyed.  My brain is so limber now, and I am getting the "totally engaged and focussed" feeling that I like so much.  Onwards.

So much Reading

This morning, I read another Ross Todd article (2002), School Librarians as Teachers.  I tried to make a link to it, but the test took it to my own CSU login.  I didn't think that was very helpful, but the name of the article should help anyone who wants to get there, find it.

To summarise - deliberate, and carefully thought out library programs have a positive impact on students learning.  This has to occur within the context of a supportive principal.  He also said that (anecdotally), many TL's don't keep abreast of the research, so are unaware of best practice, and the reason given was that the research was considered irrelevant to their day to day working lives. 

Considering the breadth of the TL role, and all that it may encompass, that many TL's simply don't have the time to keep up with professional literature.  And if they are working in a climate where the expectation is the TL hides away in the library, messing about with the books, and providing RFF for the "real" teachers, it could be a little frustrating, and daunting and overwhelming to try and change that culture into something different.

Just by the way - Ross Todd uses a LOT of words.  I wouldn't mind something a bit pithier myself.

Hmmm, test post

I haven't been able to view my blog for close to two days, and I am just trying to work out why. 

Interesting Article: Libraries as iCentres

I'm not convinced that using the Apple branded 'i' prefix is necessarily a good practice, it didn't work for vegemite, it's unlikely to work any better for the school library.  Criticism of cutesy/try-hard names aside, this was an interesting article.  Whether it will be any use for assignment one remains to be seen.

Basically, the authors premise was that the changing nature of the world and technology meant that it was essential that librarians expand their role to become 21st century leaders in education.  That libraries become learning hubs, where technology skills are properly taught.

He listed a whole raft of issues that "young people" have as far as accessing web based information.  And as I read through the list, I realised guiltily, that at 40+, I commit a fair whack of these internet crimes.  So obviously, being 'young' isn't the agent, perhaps it is simply being inexperienced.

So here's my conrete example to prove that I'm not just waffling.  It's true, I am a quick scanner as far as web pages go (this is a bad thing), and until a few weeks ago (when I read James Herrings second chapter for 501, the course I dropped at the beginning of this week when I realised I would probably just scrape through and not get all that I wanted out of both courses if I continued to study them concurrently.  And possibly have a nervous breakdown into the bargain, I never do things by halves.  It's important to recognise one's weaknesses and plan accordingly.  I was already driving the family mad with constant reading and shushing and ignoring, and two minute noodles for dinner, I owe them better than that.  But I digress...)

So the Herring chapter convinced me to take a look at Google Advanced search, and then dogpile, and the webinar got me searching databases at the university library, and working on my search skills, I have discovered that I get far more out of the time spent at the computer looking for things.

I am learning to slow down and read carefully.  After I have searched effectively.  I just needed to be shown that this was more effective than my rather haphazard approach. 

So although the author of my article (whose name has gone out of my head, Mac something or other, if you're interested me, leave a comment and I will dig it out of my carefully labelled Assignment 1Research Folder on my desktop), although the author makes a big case for the librarian as leader, I actually think he could have spent a little more time on that essential teaching role. 

Perhaps school students, like me, feel like the web is a big dark place, full of teetering stacks of information (rather like the Room of Requirement at Hogwarts), and they are blundering around in that darkness.  They just need someone to give them a torch to light their way.  Librarian as teacher!

I've cracked it

After a third reading, and two separate note takings, I think I finally have a handle on the Herring chapter.  Good thing too, since we are writing a paper on it. 

So, now to decide which roles I am going to choose to critically compare with the Purcell article.  I think I may have to invent my own terms after all.  And I think I will concentrate on the librarian as school leader, and information specialist.  Though I was mightily tempted by the administrator/collection developer role as I read through it today.  I will admit here, that that side of the role does have an appeal for me.  I love books, and I am delighted by the idea of working out what my community needs, and how to fulfil that, whether with print resources, or digital.  Fortunately Information Specialist was covered after admin in Herring, and I was re-engaged with that.

Of course, I could well change my mind several times in th next three weeks.

On another note, I requested several books from the library this morning, 3 I think.  Somehow, the knowledge that I don't have to shell out for postage has made that an easier proposition.  And I'll be assured of some packages in the next few weeks.  There's nothing like interesting post.

Librarian as Literacy Leader

There has been a great deal in the readings about the various roles of the teacher librarian, and yesterday I came across one that struck a chord with me - Barbara Braxton on The Teacher Librarian as Literacy Leader Braxton Article


Anyway, the article began with two pictures (these are mental pictures, so use your imagination) - the first was of a group of upper primary boys waiting at the library door for it to open at lunchtime so they could continue reading Deltora Quest, and get more gems for their belt.  The other was of a teacher reading To Kill a Mockingbird to Year 6, and the children squirming in their seats because they just didn't get it.

Maybe it's the To Kill a Mockingbird thing that got me in, that being one of my favourite books, as a hook it worked for me.  The idea of making that book something children recall with boredom and dread sends cold shivers down my spine.  It is a beautiful book, and I love it, but I have a bit of a thing about exposing children to material earlier than they are ready to handle it, it's wrong, and can really spoil their enjoyment of it when the right time comes, their memories tainted by their earlier experience.

The whole article though was full of lovely ideas for getting students and staff INTO your library.  I want a library of my own, so I can start putting some of these wonderful ideas into practice.  I want to make the library a place where the kids want to come.  I want it to hum.  I want to work on the creation of a great space. I want to get authors in, and have morning teas where the kids can talk to them.  I want to get the kids to help choose books that they think should be in their library.  What a great way for them to feel that sense of ownership.

I asked my teenagers if they felt like the library at their school was theirs.  They looked at me like I was speaking an alien language.  "Library?  What would I go to the library for?"  I must have looked a little broken hearted, as they reassured me that "my" library would no doubt be wonderful and relevant.  But I was still sad that that library in my head is not the library of their experience.

I will not be Madame Pince, keeper of the library, and protector of the books.  I will be so much more.

Multiliteracy

I am reading the Herring article again tonight, taking more notes, highlighting more sections, and feeling utterly overwhelmed by how much I don't know, and how impenetrable the article seems to me.

Part of my problem is that I'm not familiar with all the terms that are used.  I am thankful that I have the advantage of having read the second chapter of the 501 text by Herring, which is far more accessible, and which introduced me to the wonder of Google Advanced Search.

I will confess now, to even consulting the Wikipaeida site in search of a definition for that illusive word "multiliteracy", and even the Big W didn't help me get a handle on it.  I did come across an extremely interesting looking blog though, which I have added to my interesting links list.

I feel stupid tonight :-(.  I know I'm not.  But thats how I feel.

Misperceptions

I have just read the Hartzell pieces today, and found them very accessible.  It got me thinking about my own school experience, and my own thoughts about What A Librarian Is Like.

In my primary school, there was no librarian.  I went to a one teacher school in the middle of nowhere, the "library" was in a corridor, and we went through it to get out the back door.  The other end of the corridor held an art supplies cupboard, and along the opposite wall to the cupboard we left our little school ports lined up in a neat row.  There were shelves and shelves of books, no catalogue system, and no-one to guide us in what was a good read, other than the classroom teacher, who filled every role in the school, including all the admin, playground duties.

In High School, our librarian wore glasses and said shush a lot.  She really did.  I always thought of her as fairly formidable, and if I wanted to know anything, I'd blunder around on my own looking for it rather than bother her while she was carrying out important tasks like covering books, and writing down on students cards what they were taking out of the library, or fixing the date stamp.  Eventually, the library got one computer.  In the librarian's office.  Behind a locked door.

And I still want to BE a librarian?  Yes.  Yes I do.  I have to admit though, that the readings I have done so far, and it is only week 2, have given me much to think about. The role is so much bigger than I envisioned, so much more.

I was on another forum, a completely separate from the University, non-academic, "women's interest" forum, and I was sharing my excitement about being back at uni.  Another poster asked me why I needed a Masters to run a library?  The implication being that shelving books surely didn't require such a high level of education and training.  Sound familiar?

Anyway, it made me think about why I am doing this course, and what I want to achieve.  Articulating it to this random online person helped me clear it up in my own head.  I don't want to just be the "putting the books away" person.  Or the person who covers the books.  Or the person who says shush all the time.  I want to make a difference in the school.  I want to be a part of the learning process still - I like teaching, so that still needs to be a part of my role.  I want to be in charge.  And I want to know how to fulfil the role effectively.

The Beginning of a new Chapter

I have been relief teaching for ten years.  In that time, I have taught every grade to year 10.  I have relieved every subject you could think of.  Including days in libraries, and it is those days in the library, surrounded by books that I have felt most at home.  

I have long thought that Librarian was a good fit for my skill set.  I love being part of a school.  I enjoy the work with students, but the extra dimension of the library role tingles my fingertips.  I love books, I am excited by new technology, and the way the world is changing.  A librarian seems to be almost the beating heart of the school.    

So here I am, at the beginning of my journey to become a Teacher Librarian, though I must say I like the ring that Media Specialist has.  It seems a better description of a role that is bigger than I knew even 2 weeks ago, before I started reading for this subject.