Beginning the journey …

I am exceptionally proud to call myself a Teacher Librarian. I always say that I have the best job in the school, as the person who is tasked with fostering a love of reading; teaching essential information literacy skills; sending beautiful books home with students to share with their families; and resourcing staff with a variety of materials to support classroom teaching and learning.

I have been a TL for a few years now, and I came to it via a few years of primary classroom teaching. My initial qualification was a Grad Dip in Information Management in 2011, and I’ve been lucky enough to have worked in primary school libraries ever since (with 2 small stints of mat leave thrown in!).

This course is truly going to increase my knowledge in the best possible way – I have learnt much ‘on the job’, and from some wonderful colleagues – now it’s time for me to step up and become a true expert in my field. There is so much more I want and need to know in my diverse role. ETL 401 (Intro to Teacher Librarianship) is already getting me thinking about how I go about developing a culture of reading, teaching and assessing students in important information literacy skills, and supporting teachers in their teaching and learning.

The role of a primary Teacher Librarian is quite different to that of a secondary TL (in my opinion). I work in a multi-campus independent P-12 campus, where I am exceptionally lucky that our 5 libraries and multiple (approximately 6) Teacher Librarians and numerous Technicians and Assistants are valued. Primary TL’s generally run their own programme, as well as supervising students before school, at recess and lunch times and after school, as well as supporting teachers to find appropriate resources for their teaching. I will undertake this course with my Primary TL lense firmly placed.

There is so much to learn – not least navigating a blog. My current job uses a LMS to convey information – so it’s been awhile since i’ve blogged. I am looking forward to reflecting critically throughout this course – it’s something I do regularly in my teaching, and it’s something I ask my students to do in response to activities we undertake, stories we read and goals we set. Becoming the student again is quite daunting, but I aim to make this course as practical to my current role as possible and I believe it will only improve my communication with my colleagues, my teaching of students and knowledge of my role.