From listening to Karen Bonanno’s works at the ASLA, 2011 conference: A profession at the tipping point: Time to change the game plan, and her 2015 A profession at the tipping point (revisited) the take home message for me is that school librarians are not an endangered species. If they approach their role with enthusiasm and drive they have the ability to be one of the school’s most valuable and essential resources. Individual teacher librarians who don’t embrace the opportunities that the unique position holds will endanger their usefulness. However, as a whole the profession sits in a very good position to be drivers of change and continue to play a key role in student learning.
Day: March 27, 2019
Discussion essay
The idea of having to compose a discussion essay for the first time in 20 years is very daunting. It has placed me in the position as a student on the other side of the classroom for the first time in 20 years. It has also given me a greater awareness of the fears that my students face when asked to complete a task. I found that the online meeting was extremely useful. Unfortunately I had already began my research, and after the meeting I realised that my track was slightly off and needed realigning. It was excellent to get that clarity about what was needed for the task. It highlighted to me the need to take the time to carefully read the task, and do careful preparation and planning even prior to beginning my research. It also reinforced to me the fact that often my students get lost at this beginning phase, and without clarifying what is needed for a task they can’t possible be on the right track. I’m really seeing a greater connection between what I’m learning and how I can relate this to my teaching.
