Learning To Lib

I have the joy of being a Teacher Librarian at a small, inner-city, K-7 elementary school. Some goals we had for this year were to teach students about information literacy through library skills in the physical library, our online catalogue, and our digital databases. Our current reference collection is not very large and we had plans to add to it. We lacked print copies of atlases, encyclopedias, proper dictionaries, etc. However, our whole planned changed a few weeks ago when we learned we would not be going back to school and instead we needed to equip students with resources at home. Now that student learning has been moved online I find myself in the same mindset as many other teachers—wishing I had somehow prepared my students for this. In particular, I wish I had taught more students specific digital citizenship lessons as well as how to access our online reference resources. The digital citizenship stuff I can teach as we build their learning through an online platform a...

  One of the highlights for me as an inquisitive historian has been finding out the history behind the different types of information-keeping we have learned about. The invention of databases, indexes, dictionaries, and reference works causes curiosity within me. I think, someone "way-back-when" thought that this information was so important (whether it be for daily life or to propel education) that they needed to create a system of keeping that information. That system needed to be governed by rules and follow a pattern. That system needed a name. It needed to be made public. The use of the system needed to be taught in schools.  In our classroom lecture this week we learned about the history of the dictionary specifically. To highlight one entry, one dictionary called Dr. Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language was developed in 1755. Dr. Johnson was quoted as saying, "t he chief intent [of creating this dictionary] is to preserve the purity and ascert...

Pedagogical Adoption of Reference Resources When it comes to the adoption of a new concept or pedagogical strategy, a learning leader cannot force the adoption on the stakeholders involved. As if being converted to a belief system, stakeholders must first believe that the perceived outcome of the change is one worth trying to attain even if it means changing their current systems. To get stakeholders to that place takes a very careful presentation. Once the learning leader has been successful in gaining the approval and willingness of their stakeholders (teachers), the implementation process can occur. However, through the process of implementation comes a myriad of questions along the way. I would argue that, if the learning leader does not sufficiently and respectfully attend to the questions of the stakeholder, the new system may fail at this early stage. In any given roll-out of a program or idea, if teachers feel something is being prescribed upon them, they ofte...

Theme Two: Face to Face Encounters         In this theme, the lessons and readings that stood out the most were the facts an opinions regarding the face-to-face encounters of the Teacher Librarian who is encouraging students towards the right piece of information or collaborating with colleagues about an integrated unit. This part of our job does not come with a rule book, but really requires keen listening, knowledge of ones online and print catalogue, and creative implementation skills that span the ages of each grade in one’s school. I found the article by Shayne Russell entitled “Teachers and Librarians: Collaborative Relationships” to be very encouraging. I’ve read many articles around this and similar topics, but this one was unique because it really builds UP the Teacher Librarian in value. Where other similar articles spend time persuading the TL to advocate boldly to their administrator, this article outlines the standard of what an administrator sho...

Assignment 1: What in the Word is up with this Wesource? INTRO: WHAT IS A REFERENCE SOURCE AND WHO MAKES THE DECISIONS? “The school librarian collaborates with the teaching staff to develop an up-to-date collection of print and digital resources in multiple genres that appeals to differences in age, gender, - ethnicity, reading ability, and information needs.” (AASL, 2009, 38)             The role of information selector is a heavy burden to bear. If this person ultimately has the final say on what information ends up in the library, the place where students come to answer their questions and staff comes to seek out high-quality, teachable truths, that individual must be trained in analyzing what materials will add to or take away from their collection all while still considering factors such as authorship, currency, biases, and cost.             Furthermore, th...