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Annual Reporting: Making the Invisible Visible

Annual Reporting: Making the Invisible Visible

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An annual report can be a powerful tool that gives a teacher librarian the ability to provide transparency, take accountability and advocate for their library. In this blog post I elaborate on these three concepts, detailing some of the ways an annual report can be beneficial to a school library and to the role of a teacher librarian.

 

For transparency:

Creating an annual report plays a part in making the invisible visible. Karen Bonanno (2011) describes how teacher librarians were viewed during the Australian Government’s Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools (House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment, 2011), stating that many stakeholders:

“…referred to the profession as an invisible profession. They didn’t know what you did. They didn’t know who you were. They considered that you did not have any significant contribution to the learning experiences and the academic excellence of students because they could not see any direct evidence of that” (Bonanno, 2011).

An annual report gives a teacher librarian an opportunity to articulate and demonstrate the integral part a school library has in the teaching and learning of a school. It also brings to light other “invisible” areas that may go unnoticed, such as the impact volunteers have in the day-to-day functioning of library processes (McKenzie, 2009).

 

For accountability:

If teacher librarians are to convince school leadership to financially invest in their school library, they need to demonstrate how the allocated funds are used effectively and the impact on teaching and learning. The National Library of New Zealand (n.d.) has detailed some ideas on information to include within the report, such as highlights of the year, usage statistics, how your library has engaged students as readers, and how you have supported inquiry learning and digital literacy.

 

Teacher librarians are reflective practitioners and an annual report is a valuable opportunity to provide personal accountability by reflecting upon the achievements of the school library and your impact as the teacher librarian. In doing so, teacher librarians can identify areas of strength and areas of improvement to enact upon in the following year. This can also be used to demonstrate proficiency against the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011), specifically the standards: 3.6 Evaluate and improve teaching programs, and 6.3 Engage with colleagues and improve practice.

 

For advocacy:

Advocacy is integral to the role of a teacher librarian. Having the data to demonstrate how your school library impacts the teaching and learning within your school is crucial in advocating for its importance, and an annual report provides key evidence of this. An annual report can be distributed to the executive leadership team. It can be repackaged using more community-friendly language and distributed to other stakeholders such as teachers, parents, carers and other community members.

 

Although it may be time consuming to create, an annual report has multiple capabilities to demonstrate the strengths of a school library and the teacher librarian. It brings to the forefront the invisible attributes and can also act as a way for a teacher librarian to embed reflective practice within their role, which can then be subsequently used for advocacy.

 

References:

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL.  https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

 

Bonanno, K. (2011). ASLA 2011. Karen Bonanno, Keynote speaker: A profession at the tipping point: Time to change the game plan. https://vimeo.com/31003940

 

House of Representatives Standing Committee on Education and Employment. (2011). School libraries and teacher librarians in 21st century Australia. Commonwealth of Australia. https://www.aph.gov.au/parliamentary_business/committees/house_of_representatives_committees?url=ee/schoollibraries/report.htm

 

McKenzie, D. (2009). Importance of creating an annual report. [blog]. Library Grits. http://librarygrits.blogspot.com.au/2009/06/importance-of-creating-annual-report.html

 

National Library of New Zealand. (n.d.). Annual Report. https://natlib.govt.nz/schools/school-libraries/leading-and-managing/managing-your-school-library/annual-report

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The difference between a proficient and highly accomplished teacher librarian

The difference between a proficient and highly accomplished teacher librarian

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What separates a proficient teacher librarian from a highly accomplished one? By analysing the Australian School Library Association’s Evidence Guides and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011), one can identify the skills and qualities that set highly proficient teacher librarians apart from those who are proficient. This blog post will use teaching standard 3.4 Select and use resources to compare and contrast.

 

As all my experience has been centred around classroom teaching, I currently do not have any practical experience within the school library. However, when looking at teaching standard 3.4 in the ASLA Evidence Guide for teacher librarians in the proficient career stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014b), I can see parallels between skills that I have developed in the classroom and those that are implemented by a proficient teacher librarian. For instance, the first example of evidence states: “unit of work, lesson plan or learning activity that involved students’ use of digital resources” (Australian School Library Association, 2014b, p.10). I have experience planning, sharing, and implementing a junior primary Unit of Inquiry on coding using apps on iPads. When undertaking the role of a teacher librarian in the future, I will be able to transfer across some of my skills developed in the classroom. However, once in the role I need to know where to go to further develop my skills and become a highly accomplished teacher librarian.

 

The first place to look for this information is the ASLA Evidence Guides for Teacher Librarians. Below are screenshots of teaching standard 3.4 from the Evidence Guide for teacher librarians in the highly accomplished career stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014a) and the Evidence Guide for teacher librarians in the proficient career stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014b):

An extract from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Highly Accomplished Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 11).
Teaching standard 3.4 from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 10).
An extract from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Highly Accomplished Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 11).
Teaching standard 3.4 from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Highly Accomplished Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 11).

When comparing the two Evidence Guides, there is one quality that is weaved throughout the examples given for a ‘highly accomplished’ teacher librarian that is missing from the ‘proficient’ teacher librarian examples. That quality is: collaboration. The proficient teacher librarian is undertaking tasks crucial to their role, but the involvement of other stakeholders in the processes appear limited. The highly accomplished teacher librarian builds upon this by engaging others within the school community. This is evidenced by the many collaborative verbs included within the example, such as ‘assist’, ‘co-operate’, ‘recommend’, ‘share’, ‘demonstrate’. It also highlights the different stakeholders in which they are collaborating with, such as staff, colleagues, and professional networks. They essentially become the information expert that guides their school community in the resourcing of the curriculum.

 

Collaboration is also the key focus from teaching standard 3.4’s ‘illustration of practice’ video entitled Selecting Resources (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2016). The video interviews Teacher Librarian Anne Chowne, who gives us a glimpse into how she collaborates with a wide range of staff, such as planning with a fellow teacher librarian and consulting with the director of teaching and learning. She also describes how she collaborates with teaching staff in the development of the collection; showing teachers what is available in the library and filling in resourcing gaps.

Teacher Librarian Anne Chowne collaborates with the director of teaching and learning (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2016).
Teacher Librarian Anne Chowne collaborates with the director of teaching and learning (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2016).

The significance of collaboration in the success of the school library is backed by Hughes-Hassell and Mancall (2005, p.66), who state that “collaboration is the key concept underlying the development of learner-centred collections and collection services”. Creating a collaborative culture as a teacher librarian is no easy feat, as I have reflected on in a previous blog post, but for a school library collection to remain relevant and reflect the needs of its learning community, it is essential that the teacher librarian develops and maintains a culture of collaboration within their school community.

 

So, what does this mean for me as a future teacher librarian? From analysing the Australian School Library Association’s Evidence Guides (2014a, 2014b) and the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011) it is clear that developing strong relationships with those I will work with within the school community is essential to become a highly accomplished teacher librarian. I will also need to seek out, join and be an active participant in professional networks in the broader community. Prioritising collaboration should ensure that I am able to provide my future school community with a 21st century library that meets the needs of the teachers and learners within it.

 

References:

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL.  https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

 

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2016, April). Selecting resources

. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYGyYV8AxPU&t=280s

 

Australian School Library Association. (2014a). Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Highly Accomplished Career Stage. ASLA. https://asla.org.au/evidence-guides-tls

 

Australian School Library Association. (2014b). Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage. ASLA. https://asla.org.au/evidence-guides-tls

 

Hughes-Hassell, S. & Mancall, J. (2005). Collection management for youth: Responding to the needs of learners. ALA Editions.

The ASLA Evidence Guide: Teacher first, librarian second

The ASLA Evidence Guide: Teacher first, librarian second

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The Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014) is a window through which I am able to gain a comprehensive understanding of what will be expected of me when I eventually step into the role of a teacher librarian. As discussed in my first blog post, I am commencing this degree with limited predetermined ideas of what the role should be. This has allowed me to look at the role through fresh eyes and form my ideas from the ground up. This has been particularly pertinent as literature has indicated that the role is constantly evolving to adapt to learning in the 21st century (Lamb, 2011, p. 27). The Evidence Guide gives me a clear indication of what will be expected of me when I eventually do step into the role of a teacher librarian.

 

From first glance, this document clearly articulates that the role is teacher first, librarian second. By building upon the standards outlined within the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011), the Evidence Guide emphasises that teaching is at the core of the role. Through the elaborations made on the descriptors, the document outlines the pedagogy that a teacher librarian would need to demonstrate to be considered proficient within their role. One such example can be seen below within the focus area 2.1 Content and teaching strategies of the teaching area.  The elaboration on the descriptor states that: “Proficient teacher librarians use their knowledge of current content requirements and teaching strategies to plan and teach a wide range of topics” (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 6).

An extract from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014).
An extract from the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014, p. 6).

This indicates to me that planning and teaching is not isolated to classroom teachers alone. The inclusion of the word ‘wide’ when describing the topic range suggests that the content a teacher librarian would be planning for will overlap slightly with the planning of a classroom teacher (through collaborative planning), and goes beyond that of literacy, digital literacy and information literacy skills. Mandy Lupton (2014) recognises the teacher librarian’s unique “birds-eye view” perspective and proposes that teacher librarians utilise this and become curriculum consultants within their school (Lupton, 2014, p. 23). Reading the Evidence Guide clearly reinforces that the role of a teacher librarian is one that is strongly embedded in pedagogical undertakings of the school.

 

I have reflected upon how I would use the Evidence Guide to inform my practice in a previous blog post. In this post I applied the perspective of a reflective practitioner; using concepts of ‘structure’, ‘challenge’ and ‘support’ to frame my analysis. Throughout my learning in this degree, I will continue to make connections to the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (2014) to further my understanding of the role of a teacher librarian.

 

References:

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL.  https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

 

Australian School Library Association. (2014). Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage. ASLA. https://asla.org.au/evidence-guides-tls

 

Lamb, A. (2011). Bursting with potential: Mixing a media specialist’s palette. TechTrends : Linking Research & Practice To Improve Learning, 55(4), 27-36. https://doi-org.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/10.1007/s11528-011-0509-3

 

Lupton, M. (2014). Inquiry skills in the Australian Curriculum v6: A bird’s-eye view. Access, 28(4), 8-29. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/78451/1/Lupton_ACCESS_Nov_2014_2pg.pdf

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Using the Australian School Library Association’s Evidence Guides for Teacher Librarians as a Reflective Practitioner

Using the Australian School Library Association’s Evidence Guides for Teacher Librarians as a Reflective Practitioner

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Reflection is a major element in teacher growth and development, thus it is common to hear teachers referred to as ‘reflective practitioners’ (Ghaye, 2011, p.22). Tony Ghaye (2011) emphasises the importance of reflection for growth within the teaching profession by stating that “with structure, challenge and support, the reflective process enables thinking and practice to move forward” (Ghaye, 2011, p.23). The Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011) acknowledges the role it plays in reflection for growth by stating that the Teaching Standards “inform the development of professional learning goals, provide a framework by which teachers can judge the success of their learning and assist self-reflection and self-assessment” (p.3). Using Ghaye’s (2011) statement on reflective process above, I am going to shape my discussion of how I intend to use the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014) around the three concepts of ‘structure’, ‘challenge’ and ‘support’.

 

Structure

One structural element to consider in demonstrating my practice against ALSA’s Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014) is how I will physically document my evidence of proficiency. With many digital platforms available, it is essential to choose a platform that will allow me to easily exhibit my artefacts, associated annotations, and reflections. Being involved in the curation of a portfolio via a digital communication platform will give me, as a teacher librarian, the opportunity to demonstrate and enhance my skills in the ICT area. It also provides an opportunity as the information specialist of the school to lead by example. With technology evolving so quickly, the platform that I may end up using in my practice may not even be invented yet. Or it may very well end up being through this blog – who knows! Changes within this digital realm are something that I will need to keep abreast of over the coming years to ensure that I can choose a platform that will exhibit my knowledge and abilities well.

 

Challenge

The very first place to begin when using the evidence guides is to identify areas of strength and highlight areas of further development. I will then select 2-3 standards for which I wish to improve and formulate challenging but achievable goals. Barbra Braxton (2016) encourages teacher librarians to create S.M.A.R.T goals; using the standards contained within ALSA’s evidence guides to formulate specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and timely goals (para. 9). A plan will then be formulated that clearly articulates ways in which I can achieve these goals. This could be through professional learning, personal research or reaching out to other information professionals, which leads us to…

 

Support

Teaching is a collaborative profession where we are constantly working in partnership with other teachers, students, executive, parents and many external stakeholders. Therefore, collaborative skills are essential, particularly in relation to professional growth. With this understanding I recognise that there is an importance in reaching out and connecting with other teacher librarians in my area and through online communities. Identifying other teacher librarians who may have expertise in particular fields and drawing upon their knowledge will help support me to address deficits within my own professional knowledge. Seeking feedback from within my own school, from teachers, executive and even students themselves, will also help me better serve their teaching and learning needs.

 

Using the Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage Stage (Australian School Library Association, 2014) within a constant cycle of reflection, I will be able to address the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership, 2011) in my future role as a teacher librarian. Considering some key points around structure, challenge and support will put me in a good position to continue with my personal learning and growth well after I have completed this degree. I recognise that by improving my own professional knowledge, practice, and engagement in the teacher librarian field, I will have a positive impact on the teaching and learning outcomes within my school.

 

References:

Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership. (2011). Australian Professional Standards for Teachers. AITSL.  https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

 

Australian School Library Association. (2014). Evidence Guide for Teacher Librarians in The Proficient Career Stage. ASLA. https://asla.org.au/evidence-guides-tls

 

Braxton, B. (2016, Term 2). The professional learning hat. Schools Catalogue Information Service. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-97/the-professional-learning-hat

 

Ghaye, T. (2011). Teaching and Learning Through Reflective Practice: A Practical Guide for Positive Action. Taylor & Francis Group.

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