March 3

Understanding the role of a TL in schools

Before I started on my journey to become a Teacher Librarian (TL) I saw the role as a bonus position, not one that was essential to the smooth operation of a school. This impression of a TLs worth was impacted by the schools I worked at; none had a TL employed, all had a library space of some kind and only one employed a librarian. What I have come to realise upon reflection, and now being employed at a school that has two TLs, is that these schools were selling themselves short. They mistakenly believed they were saving money on their budget by cutting a non-essential position. A school with a Teacher Librarian employed is more likely to have higher NAPLAN scores than those without one, this according to a study from the School Library Association of Queensland in partnership with the Children and Youth Research Centre (Hughes, Bozorgian, Allan, & Dicinoski, 2013). When funding for a TL is in place the whole school benefits from higher literacy levels.

For me, the TLs role is one of not just increasing student literacy, though this is extremely important, it also comes with a host of other benefits. For the students who don’t enjoy the sporting field, the library can provide a quiet space to read, play a game or just sit, enjoying the space with others of common interests. A nice environment for those students who suffer mental health issues, such as anxiety, where going in to a large open area such as a school yard is overwhelming. A TL can assist in curriculum planning with other staff, curate resources, work with leadership to promote the school vison, and teach research skills. In this day and age it’s impossible to teach a child everything they need to know, we need to teach them how to find the information for themselves and for this they need research skills. Teachers are experts in the content of their faculty, Teacher Librarians are experts in the process of how to research.

The recent campaign Students Need School Libraries, is working to promote the vision that every student should have access to a well-sourced school library staffed by qualified staff (Students need school libraries, 2018). The campaign is striving to increase the community’s awareness of the essential role of the school library. Their main argument is one I whole heartily agree with, that is students need school libraries.

My current understanding of the role of a TL has changed significantly from where it began. TLs make a teacher’s life easier, they provide access for students and teachers to the resources they need, they teach them how to find those resources more efficiently, and they help them organise that information once it’s located (Students need school libraries, 2018). On top of this the role of a TL is one almost of a caretaker, one that is easily located amongst the pleasant environment of a library.

 

References

Hughes, H., Bozorgian, H., Allan, C., & Dicinoski, M. (2013). School libraries, teacher-librarians and their contribution to student literacy development in Gold Coast schools. Retrieved from Brisbane, QLD: https://eprints.qut.edu.au/60260/38/60260b.pdf

Students need school libraries. (2018).  Retrieved from https://studentsneedschoollibraries.org.au/our-mission/

 

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Posted March 3, 2019 by jannet in category ETL401

1 thoughts on “Understanding the role of a TL in schools

  1. Judy O'Connell

    What a good reflection post capturing some critical points about the work of a TL – yes, you have hit the nail on the head: the position does make a different in the school and the lives of students. It’s great that you have experienced this in person and shared this in this post, and also that you have been able to link this reflection to some of the work being undertaken to promote the worth of school libraries. I hope you enjoy your study!

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