The main take-aways I had in Theme 2 is that the role of the Teacher Librarian is vast, complicated, and varies between individuals, schools, and districts. Fulfilling the role is a large order and does not necessarily mean that can be completely fulfilled. In lesson 5, we discussed the role of the Teacher Librarian through the lens of providing opportunities for collaboration, relief time, and interviews. Largely, what was discussed in the forum was that "modern day Teacher Librarians" are unable to sacrifice the amount of time Riedling recommends to conduct interviews with students to provide them the best service possible while using the School Library Learning Commons. Other perspectives in the forum indicated that Teacher Librarians work with a lot of classroom teachers to pull and collect reference materials to have ready for when the class uses the School Library Learning Commons. However, I noticed that this method was largely successful if there is contact, communication, and collaboration between the classroom teacher and the Teacher Librarian. In my own school, we submit year-long plans to our administration, so if we were to have a Teacher Librarian, it would be easy enough for them to ask for a copy from administration. In having access to year-long plans, the Teacher Librarian is best able to have an idea about what to discuss with a particular classroom teacher. Personally, the contrast between the documents we read was most explicit when considering the lack of teacher involvement in the reference interview with students, as well as the lack of independence in the Riedling text. To me, it seemed as if the Teacher Librarian was doing all of the work, which does not help foster a sense of independence for the student, and does not necessarily allow the student to meet the requirements of the assignment as set out by the teacher. For me, lesson 6, about the role description of the Teacher Librarian was frustrating because the description, in most schools or districts is vague, and across districts the duties differ. I also found it strange that the job description was hard to find, as well as lists of responsibilities. Often, in job postings there are duties and responsibilities, however, most times I found a list of qualifications when searching for those postings across Canada. One norm I did find in reading the posts by others was that overall, there was a general section which could basically be summed up as "duties as assigned" which to me indicated covering for a classroom teacher so they receive their prep, substituting in a class where a substitute cannot be found, as well as coaching and leadership opportunities. My opinion about "duties as assigned" is overwhelmingly positive: in that I largely find the role of the Teacher Librarian to be one of service to others - serving students in the school, serving teachers in their classroom and in the School Library Learning Commons, as well as serving administration and the school district in fulfilling the vision of the school or district wherever the School Library Learning Commons fits. Being in a service role, to me, is where I ultimately want to be. As a classroom teacher, service is not quite a term used in the job description, often because instruction, planning, and curriculum is more about delivering, not assisting or helping (like the role of the Teacher Librarian). The Teacher Librarian, therefore, must be humble - something I am still working on. I find myself able to distance myself from my classroom self, something that took years and a lot of self-care to achieve. I find that EAs in our schools are most skilled with distancing themselves from their work where they see fit, and I have taken a lot of their advice to achieve what I see as being a positive and workable balance. Image Source: https://fundamentalacademy.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wearing-lots-of-hats-300x265.jpg?w=300 We also discussed in lesson 6 how some of the description of the Teacher Librarian is constrained by time and budget. I found my own thoughts to be validated in that collaboration requires time, but not all administration is able to offer that time for the Teacher Librarian to meet with others within the school. If I were in a Teacher Librarian role, I would certainly advocate for a floating substitute teacher to be brought in to relieve classroom teachers for a few blocks to meet with me. In that relief time, we could sit down and talk in the School Library Learning Commons and discuss what they are doing in their classroom, how I can help, and what I can do to take something off of their plate. It might mean receiving a lot of work all at once for myself, however, the potential for working ahead together is far greater than a few extra hours of work to help someone on my team. From my perspective, lesson 7, being about reference resource goals is incredibly timely. I am currently working toward transitioning my school for my departure, as well as readying the staff as they transition to one-to-one classes in grades 4-9. I personally have made inquires and suggestions to and about various programs, services, and databases for the school to use as they work on integrating technology into their classrooms. With a big curriculum change in Alberta, the school and administration is not looking toward replacing textbooks or "trying something new", and understandably so. I discovered in my Assignment 1 that we currently should have access to a variety of databases for our school and for reference resources online, provided that we know our jurisdiction username and password. I have asked many times, and my principal is not sure if we have received it this year or not, so I have been encouraging him to obtain it so I can help get the staff acquainted with the materials available to them to teach their students.
I mentioned in my own post and was relieved to read others also mention that a lack of access (either portability or readability) prevents a lot of our students from learning the information in our reference resources. With the resources being so expensive already, acquiring a variety of them on similar topics with similar content with different reading levels is a significant challenge. This theme was timely and relevant in my own work, which I appreciated. I was humbled and learned about the various "hats" Teacher Librarians take on, which includes developing relationships by conducting reference interviews, as well as collaborating with classroom teachers, to advocating for funds for the School Library Learning Commons. I continue to believe that the role of the Teacher Librarian is that of a service role in the school community. Finally, I think that ultimately, the goal should be about providing access and opening doors, not closing them to our students, all while maintaining self-care. References Government of Alberta. (n.d.). Alberta Online Reference Centre. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from http://www.learnalberta.ca/OnlineReferenceCentre.aspx
KPMG Global. (n.d.). Union Budget 2018-19 [Digital image]. Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://home.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/in/images/2018/01/budget18-Pre-Budget-Survey.jpg? Riedling, Ann, Shake, Loretta & Houston, Cynthia. (2013). Reference skills for the school library media specialist: Tools and tips, (Third Edition). Santa Barbara, CA: Linworth. Wearing Many Hats [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2019, from https://fundamentalacademy.files.wordpress.com/2017/01/wearing-lots-of-hats-300x265.jpg?w=300
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My beginning with the end in mind is centered around my ultimate goal of obtaining a position in B.C. when I move at the end of June. I will be spending this December working on getting together application packages and sending them off before I head to Victoria for the Christmas break. This final assignment for this course is the final assignment for my term. Report cards were due to my principal earlier today, and while I have assignments due for other classes later this week, they have been submitted already. I can finally breathe a sigh of relief, practice on the range with my Archery team tomorrow, help more with our school's Christmas Concert, and update my IPPs. In my final vision project, I have created an online digital resume/portfolio. There are a variety of pieces to it, including audio clips, videos, pictures, letters, and student work samples. I have cataloged all of my PD that I can remember, various sessions I have run and been a part of, as well as indicated which classes I have taken toward my Teacher Librarianship Diploma. I think that my final vision project indicates fairly well the amount of effort I put into my projects, assignments, and overall work. I am thorough and meticulous, organized and reflective. I hope that my use and familiarity with technology comes through in my project, and I hope that it is well received. In an effort to make sure the site is more accessible, I have removed all of the important contact information from my references (those who could be contacted), as I want to keep their information private until requested. I have also removed the password for the site, again, for accessibility purposes. In my resume section, I have elaborated more than what I have included on a resume I would submit to a school district. Here is the link to my online portfolio and resume. Let me know what you think!
www.kristabelanger.com Last night, after waiting over an hour in the Edmonton airport security line, stressed about the outcome of the lineup, I landed in Victoria (well, Sidney, but that's close enough). My husband who lives in Victoria while I finish off the school year picked me up and drove me to the rental to be reunited with my cats and dog. And then, today, it rained. I knew to bring a rain jacket - but my plans were foiled for my first day of fall break. Instead, I sit in the living room with a cat on my chest, a cat on my feet, another purring in my ear, and the dog travelling between upstairs to see my in-laws and downstairs to ensure I am still here. Over the next 6 months, I'll be Victoria-bound more than two or three times, with my vision set on obtaining a job somewhere in Victoria, Sannich, Sidney, or Sooke. My vision project revolves around the single goal of finding a job. In Alberta, there are more teachers than jobs. I have heard the opposite about interior B.C., but nothing about South Vancouver Island. I have been on the Make a Future site, but have not found any Teacher Librarian positions (I'll be finishing my diploma at the end of August). I know it's early, and I know that we are only 2.5 months into this school year, but job searching is stressful for someone who plans for everything. What makes things difficult in my perspective is that I am coming in as an out-of-province teacher with no ties or connections. In Manitoba and Alberta, those were priceless in the hiring process! Doing whatever I can to be noticed and stand out may make the difference between being hired or not. The goal of my vision project is to come up with an online resume/digital portfoilo where I can showcase what I have learned over the course of this diploma, have a quick reference for anyone interested in reading about my PD, references, having a tour of my classroom, or seeing sample lessons or unit plans. I have been working on my resume for about a week now, purchased a domain, activated a password (it has contact information for my references, including two Deputy Ministers I previously worked for), and started uploading files. I consulted a few different teaching portfolios, but none fit my vision. I consulted the following:
While the end goal is to get hired (it would be pretty great to be a Teacher Librarian or have a classroom position right away), the short-term goal is to find something I can use and offer up as a reference for administrators and others in the hiring process. References Banner: Victoria – An International City. Victoria BC [Digital image]. (n.d.). Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://www.victoriabc.ca/
Carnaghi, M., Ms. (n.d.). Ms. Megan Carnaghi - Professional Teaching Portfolio. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://carnaghiteachingportfolio.weebly.com/index.html Dulmage, K. (n.d.). Kyra Dulmage • Elementary Educator. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from http://kyradulmage.com/ Östergren, M. (n.d.). Online Teaching Portfolio- Monica Östergren. Retrieved November 9, 2018, from https://ostergrenm.weebly.com/ Sometimes, I am the staff member who offers to perform the role-play in front of my colleagues. Sometimes, I am the staff member who is found at the school on the weekend, straightening up to make everything "just right". Sometimes, I am the staff member who finds that one interesting tidbit of information or way to help that makes everyone else's lives just that much easier. And sometimes, I am a little too hard on myself. Source: https://womenforone.com/portfolio/grace-meeting-moments-journey-picking-back-humble-enough-learn-not-hard-michelle-peluso/ I have treated this course as a way to relax after an especially hard Monday or Tuesday at work. I have also treated this class as a way to learn at my own pace, under the direction of my own personal interests. These inquiry blog posts have been right up my alley (with the exception of the really difficult post previously). I feel like each week I have carved out a bit of PD time, just for myself. It is too easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same things over and over again. So this blog post is a celebration of all of the little things I have since made time for, all of the times I have stood up in the rut, looked out, and saw all the other teachers digging and navigating their own ruts and trenches around me. Without further ado, I bring you... Krista's list of Reminders and Learning to Herself to Escape THe Rut
Source: https://sylvaniadigitallearning.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/pd-session-basic-google-literacyg/
I needed to write this post today, because in a number of these courses, I have spent a lot of time thinking about how to be better, to do better, to know more, without expressing what I already know. Many of these courses are set up so that it's a competition in the discussion forum for who has a better idea, who is first to respond, the number of responses in a given week is counted toward/against your mark. It's just one big rat race without truly taking the time away to decide what is important for you in your specific circumstance. This inquiry, this phase 2, for me, was liberating and validating in that I am able to communicate what I know, what I have chosen to take on, and manage how it all fits together. References [Google Wormhole of Life]. (2015, October 5). Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://sylvaniadigitallearning.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/pd-session-basic-google-literacyg/
[LifeVestInside]. (2011, August 29). Life Vest Inside - Kindness Boomerang - "One Day" [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwAYpLVyeFU Kittle, P. (2013). Book love: Developing depth, stamina, and passion in adolescent readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann. Women For One. (2015, December 11). [Grace]. Retrieved October 29, 2018, from https://womenforone.com/portfolio/grace-meeting-moments-journey-picking-back-humble-enough-learn-not-hard-michelle-peluso/ This week's topic is incredibly timely and important for our students and our own understanding as teachers and teacher librarians. The knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of how learning literally extends beyond the four walls of our classrooms, and figuratively extends beyond the four walls of our communities is imperative to how learning needs to take place. I follow a Facebook group called HONY (Humans of New York). A number of years ago, Brandon Stanton, the photographer of the photo essay series compiled a bestseller of photos and stories of the title: Humans of New York. Since the release of that book, and a number of years later, HONY has extended itself to travelling to various countries and documenting the stories of people affected by the Rwandan Genocide, stories from veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan (Invisible Wounds), among others. Stanton's current project, documenting the stories of the Rwandan Genocide is particularly heartbreaking. At the time of this post, Stanton has released parts 7/9 of a woman who witnessed her own father's murder and the separation of her family. She has documented a variety of ways she has come close to death herself. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcm6kwWv09o HONY provides updates throughout the day on each of the stories with accompanying photos. The audience never knows which way the story will turn. The current story is agonizing to read, and even more difficult to read when not all of the parts are posted at once, as I am now thinking about what happened to her after her life was spared. What I always find comforting is the discussion in the comments section on the HONY posts, because ultimately, many of the people in the community are left speechless. In the Genocide series, the undercurrent has been through all of the stories, that the names of those who sacrificed themselves so others could live, or those who died without cause and because of their background are to be named and respected. The storytellers have said that by repeating the names of those innocent who died, they will not be forgotten. All of this being said, it is amazing that people across the globe can be brought together to create a community to bring one another up, to selflessly support each other, and to act with others' best interests at heart. HONY uses Patreon, which is a monthly subscription/donation service where Stanton funds his trips and makes donations on behalf of the Patreon members. Through Patreon, the members have paid for childrens' school tuition, for business start-ups, and to non-profit organizations where Stanton has interviewed it's organizer. All of the donations go directly to those who need it, and never to an entire community. However, the result is often that the entire community benefits because the generosity is often paid forward by those on the receiving end. A number of years ago, Me to We swept Canada. The premise was that students in their schools could work to benefit their schools, communities, and organizations across Canada. As the organization grew, the overhead increased, and it's my belief that the percentage of funds raised through the program being sent to non-profits plummeted. While perhaps an excellent idea, I think it ended up falling flat. I'll admit that when I saw our topic about Developing World Libraries, I had a fairly stereotypical image in my head. Given that, I took to the internet. Many images were not particularly helpful (see image below). As an aside: one of the images linked to another student in this course from 2014, so I thought that was neat! Source (google search: developing world libraries) Feeling uninspired, I took to reading the results from my search instead. What I came across should not have come as a surprise to me, but it did. The first, non-scholarly result resulted in the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, whose goal is "to improve the lives of “information-poor” people while positioning the world’s public libraries as critical community assets for learning, creativity, and community development" (Gates Foundation, 2018). To me, it seems as though this goal is a no-brainer - libraries (both school and public) may not be struggling to the same extent as libraries in developing countries, or developing libraries, but there always seems to be a struggle to accommodate and be of interest to the needs of any community and context. According to the website, "The most successful public libraries around the world are proactively engaging with their communities to understand local needs and customize services to address community problems. What’s missing are the facts and data about how libraries directly improve people’s lives—including impact that advances the global Sustainable Development Goals. Without tangible proof to back up what library leaders intuitively know to be true, libraries will be forever fighting an uphill battle for recognition and resources. The knowledge and tools to measure library impact already exist. Leaders in the field must now commit to making outcome evaluation an integral part of library operations and using it to prove their worth" (Gates Foundation, 2018). I agree that support from those in positions of power, including principals, superintendents, and government bodies must be prepared to support our libraries and learning spaces to ensure that they are protected and valued. Image source: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries I found that while the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is not established in a developing country, it does serve developing libraries. The program is meant to provide opportunities for learning in libraries around the world. What is frustrating is the lack of transparency on their website about what actual physical programs are ongoing within libraries supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Image source: https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries In my search, I also came across a website which spoke specifically to the need for electronic learning materials in colleges. While it addresses the need for resources, the article specifically calls out for the need of digital resources for students. The article states that "Having access to digital resources means that students have access to a large amount of information across a breed of topics; a click of a button produces a wide range of information contained in a specific subject area of need" (Baidoo, SAGE Connection, 2017). I often think that districts and high schools without subscriptions to electronic databases simply are not doing a good enough job in preparing their students for University. I get that the cost is extravagant, and I also understand that it is not something necessarily practical in every district. I remember attending University for my first year and having to take an Introduction to Interdisciplinary Writing where I learned absolutely everything about writing MLA, APA and Chicago type writing. I wrote essay after essay, paper after paper, reference page after works cited page, title pages, the whole nine yards, and my professor simply ripped every single sentence, punctuation mark, and mechanic to pieces. That particular course paved the way to my success in later years, because I never learned how to use a database before the class, I knew some of the basics of a works cited page, but never how to actually complete it. My writing is by no means perfect, nor is my formatting, but at least I know enough that I can help my students. When I taught high school, I told my students that the single recommendation I would make to them would be to take a University writing course because they would learn there what I simply did not have access to teaching them at our school. I wrote earlier that I think not providing students access to using a database in their schooling prior to college or University is doing them a disservice. I make this statement out of frustration for those students who were not fortunate enough to take the same course I did, who chose a "fun" elective and later regretted it. If a country who is not considered 'developing' is doing a disservice to it's students, imagine a developing country and what it is not able to provide it's students. According to Wired, "four years ago, the United Nations predicted that more than half of the global population would be connected to the internet by 2017" (Global Internet Access is Even Worse Than Dire Reports Suggest, 2018), which, according to Wired, was not met. According to the International Telecommunications Union, "[the UN] counts a person as using the internet if they managed to get online at least once in the last three months," which is problematic because "The economic benefits of having internet access don’t kick in or become real until you are using the internet consistently" (Ellerly Biddle, Global Voices Advox, 2018). Another problem with the definition of access is that "in some countries there is very fast connectivity, in others you might have a spotty 3G connection that goes in and out, so what you can do with it is really restricted" (Dhanaraj Thakur, 2018). In addition, the technology required for internet access "remains out of reach for many around the world due to cost" (Wired, 2018). Even when there is access to a phone or the internet, "women in many developing countries are still less likely than men to use the internet" (2018), due to affordability, general literacy, and digital literacy. Given all of this dire discussion regarding the limitations currently in our world, libraries in developing communities certainly are going to continue to struggle. To summarize: - Access depends on both affordability and physical access of a device. - There remains a lack of access worldwide to the internet through cell phones and through tablets or other devices. - Women are less likely than men in developing countries to access the internet due to affordability and literacy. - Foundations like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation say that they are helping provide access to technology in developing countries, but are not transparent in their successes beyond a few pictures and videos on their website. - Close to home, students are not equally provided access to databases and services which will aide them in their post-secondary studies. - Online communities can promote inclusion, feelings of empathy and compassion, as well as foster incredible change. - Simply standing by and waiting for change to happen is not enough. - Utilizing and relying on a large corporation may not be the most effective way to create change and provide access. - Technology recycling programs which have been abandoned should never have been abandoned in the first place. With people upgrading to new devices year after year, destroying or repurchasing them instead of donating them is wasteful. References [Cell phone recycling]. (n.d.). Retrieved October 24, 2018, from https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwja-oGSxKDeAhXUOn0KHSs5AEMQjRx6BAgBEAU&url=https://hobi.com/tag/cell-phone-recycling/page/3/&psig=AOvVaw1J5bLDc9D-R1sYNN8QJ9Gf&ust=1540520470300096
[Mashable]. (2013, October 15). This Is The Human Behind "Humans of New York" | Mashable Docs [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bcm6kwWv09o Dreyfuss, E. (2018, October 23). Global Internet Access Is Even Worse Than Dire Reports Suggest. Retrieved October 24, 2018, from https://www.wired.com/story/global-internet-access-dire-reports/ Gates Foundation. (n.d.). Global Libraries. Retrieved October 24, 2018, from https://www.gatesfoundation.org/What-We-Do/Global-Development/Global-Libraries Ogut, P., P., & University College London. (2017, October 06). Humans of New York: Platform for social change or sentimental storytelling? Retrieved October 24, 2018, from http://wpmu.mah.se/nmict172group4/2017/10/06/humans-new-york-platform-social-change-sentimental-storytelling/ SAGE Publishing. (2017, April 13). Digital resources in developing world libraries: Supporting research needs and increasing usage. Retrieved October 24, 2018, from https://connection.sagepub.com/blog/opinions/2017/04/13/digital-resources-in-developing-world-libraries-supporting-research-needs-and-increasing-usage/ |
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