The role of the Teacher Librarian in schools
My understanding of the role of Teacher Librarian has changed immensely over the last few months. As a teacher of Senior English and French, I have spent many afternoons wandering the shelves of our library looking for inspiration from texts to assist with my teaching of novels and to find ways to share my love of literature and reading with my students. I would access our online catalogue and databases or indeed seek help from our TL. My dream was to foster a love of literature my teachers and parents instilled in me. I would observe our TL in her domain and envy her job of being surrounded by books!
Now I realise this exceptional role is multi-faceted and goes beyond the cataloguing and ordering of books! I was totally oblivious to the demands of a TL and I realise I have totally underestimated the incredible service our TLs offer our students and teachers alike. TLs are more than book shelvers…they are a curriculum leader, information specialist and information services manager (ASLA, 2018). This description is totally daunting and I have no idea how I am going to be all this and more. Having transitioned into the role of TL at the beginning of the year with no previous experience, I am swimming solo in an ocean of the unknown and I am terrified.
The digital world is a constantly changing entity and will continue to evolve as the world becomes more proficient with such technological advancements. With Queensland moving into the new QCE system this year, we as teachers have been charged with the task of providing our students with the 21st century skills that underpin our syllabuses, including ICT skills (QCAA, 2019). The need for TLs to have a great command of these 21st century pedagogies and curricular can only strengthen the skills of and benefit teachers and students (ACT Government Education). Our role is incredibly important and the more I learn about this role, the more apparent it becomes that the library is, in essence, the heartbeat of a school. The direct impact the digital world has on us, as educators and more specifically teacher librarians, means that we must be abreast of information and resource services and learn how to implement these, as well as use and teach others how to implement them into their daily practice. It is paramount that TLs are well-informed and proficient in their skills and have the capacity to impart this knowledge with students and colleagues alike.
The Australian School Library Association states that TLs are ‘uniquely qualified [and] valuable because curriculum knowledge and pedagogy are combined with library and information management knowledge and skills (ASLA, 2016). In fact, research conducted both overseas and in Australia reports that students’ learning outcomes and achievements improve when there is a qualified teacher librarian on staff (ACT, Government Education). What an incredible responsibility and role we are going to play.
The nature of the world we live in today, compared to the world I grew up in, is vastly different. We have information at our fingertips, and an abundance of information actually, and to navigate these sources can be daunting for anyone. Our role as TL is to help students effectively locate reliable, authoritative and meaningful resources (ACT, Government Education).
It’s an exciting time to be at the helm of a multifaceted role that is going to be pivotal to the learning success of our students of the future. Students of the 21st century. We need to equip our students (and teachers) with the skills to navigate the information overload and be discerning with locating, selecting and evaluating this material to create the best possible learning outcomes for our core business – our students.
ACT Government Education. (2019)
https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0020/916301/School-Libraries-21st-Century.pdf
QCAA, Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2019) https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senio
Australian School Library Association. (2016).
https://asla.org.au/about-asla
This is an astonishingly honest and thoughtful, as well as scholarly, reflection and response to the question asked. It captures so many issues and important ideas that it’s almost a summary of what to look for really for any new student. I find your use of references to present your thoughts to be excellent, and the personal aspect of the post is also powerful within the reflection. Keep up the good work throughout your study!