Tag Archives: Curriculum

Reflecting on collection development

Posted on by
Reply

Early in my journey to becoming a qualified teacher librarian (TL) I had not contemplated the complexities of the TL role (Piper, 2020). Resourcing the curriculum has given me the opportunity to deepen my understanding and knowledge of collection development and management. This reflection demonstrates my understanding of the role and nature of library collections. I highlight some key challenges TLs need to overcome in their multifaceted role while maintaining a dynamic library collection. As I embark on my professional journey as TL, I contemplate some practical ways in which I can meet the needs of my school community and advocate a collection of dynamic resources to strengthen the school curriculum.

Having worked in a school library, I have had the fortune to develop some understanding of library collections and how these are managed. The application of my understanding, however, was limited to basic management practices. I now know that library collections require expert management and development practices (Piper, 2022b). School libraries aim to provide access to resources for students, teachers, parents and the wider school community (NSW Government, 2021). TLs ensure that library resources are available to entertain, inform, support, and develop curriculum needs through their expert collection management (Australian School Library Association, 2022).

As a small school in a lower socio-demographic area, my library has historically relied on physical resources that are increasingly dated and provide little stimulus for innovative learning. Library collections should hold diverse resources presented in a range of formats for optimum engagement. A well-maintained library collection includes quality resources that support the school’s curriculum; is actively supported by the school community; considers potential limitations such as budget, accessibility, and ethics (Cooney et al., 2017). Library management must be undertaken with purpose and accountability through the implementation of a library collection policy and procedure. It is clear then, the library is a repository for a dynamic collection of resources that is managed and maintained by the expert TL.

Examining the many facets of collection management highlights necessary processes for evolving school libraries. Historically, communities have acknowledged libraries as repositories of resources (Vaughan, 2022). Collection management requires cyclic reviews of the resource collection to ensure resources are useful and meaningful (Saponaro & Evans, 2019). It has long been recognised that library users must have access to current resources to meet the demands of rapidly changing information landscapes (Fitzpatrick, 2000). By critically reviewing and assessing digital and physical resources within school libraries, TLs can ensure that relevant resources are meeting the needs of teachers, their diverse learners, and the evolving curriculum.

A library’s collection is informed and guided using policies and procedures (Braxton, 2018). Library policies and procedures are necessary for ensuring the library collection is useful and relevant for the library clientele. A search online demonstrates many examples of school library policies which include frameworks describing resource selection, acquisition, budgets, maintenance, and challenges (Christensen, 2018; St Andrew’s Cathedral School, 2012; Our Lady of the Assumption School, 2019).

A notable observation of library management policies show that selection and deselection criteria are reliable collection maintenance frameworks. The American Library Association identify selection criteria and aids that are used assist the TL when evaluating resources (American Library Association, 2017). As part of my course requirements, I had to create an annotated bibliography specific to the needs of my clientele, a Stage 3 cohort within my school (Piper, 2022a). My annotated bibliography identified examples of selection criteria that included: budget, learning needs, current collection holdings, resource formats, availability, and appropriateness of resources. Further, selection aids were identified as being helpful tools to source and evaluate resources that could contribute meaningfully to the library collection (Bertland, 2015). This exercise made me realise that I had already been using selection aids without understanding their relevance to collection management and development. With this knowledge, I now know that my resource selection practices will be enhanced.

TLs are expert managers of resources as well as teachers of information literacy (NSW Government, 2021b). TLs are qualified to lead information literacy programs which are supported by relevant and accessible resources that facilitate a quality curriculum. The use of collection policies and procedures enable TLs to demonstrate accountability and integrity when collating resources (IFLA School Libraries Section Standing Committee, 2015). Advocating a quality selection of resources demonstrate leadership from the TL in developing information literacy programs and facilitating the needs of the school community (Allen & Taylor, 2017).

TLs face several challenges when developing and managing collections (Softlink, 2019). These challenges can include budgeting, acquisition workflow and ethical issues. I reflected on elements of supply issues for school libraries and how overcoming shortfalls in access and budgeting needs can vary due to school specific scenarios (Piper, 2022c). Budgets can be sensitive topics with various curriculum areas vying for larger budgets. Expert TLs advocate strategically for reliable resources that meet curriculum needs (Ejikeme & Okpala, 2016). Similarly, ethical concerns must be monitored ensuring authorship is recognised, user responsibilities are practiced, equitable access considers the sensitivities of cultural and linguistic needs (Jacobs, 2008).

When I consider my own priorities for my TL role within my school, three areas stand out as being of importance: developing a greater understanding of school budgets; the implementation of a library collection procedure; and ensuring teaching and learning programs have access to relevant quality resources. These priorities will facilitate a quality library collection that is recognised and used by all members of the school community.

Looking ahead, I know that I need to encourage robust collaborative practices with my school leaders so that the development of the library collection is transparent, purposeful, and applicable to the needs of my school (Hutchinson, 2017). Consulting the school’s scope and sequence and liaising with colleagues will develop clear recommendations in budgeting for the acquisition of resources to support changing curriculums. Implementing a collection development policy will strategically advocate specific resources to support innovative learning programs. Together, these resources and learning programs will foster information literacies skills equipping students for the future (ACT Government, 2019).

The use of policies and frameworks to govern library collections establishes confidence in the TL to demonstrate professionalism in their role. By applying my knowledge and expertise in collection development and management, I aim to curate a dynamic collection meeting the discerning needs of my school community.

References

ACT Government. (2019). School libraries: the heart of 21st century learning (pp. 1–13). ACT Government Education. https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1435435/School-Libraries-The-Heart-of-21st-Century-Learning.pdf

Allen, L. E., & Taylor, D. M. (2017). The role of the academic Library Information Specialist (LIS) in teaching and learning in the 21st century. Information Discovery and Delivery, 45(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1108/idd-09-2016-0030

American Library Association. (2017, December 20). Selection criteria. ALA American Library Association. https://www.ala.org/tools/challengesupport/selectionpolicytoolkit/criteria#:~:text=Top%20Five%20Recommended%20Public%20Library,Publishers%20Weekly

American Library Association. (2021, December 19). The importance of library policies. ALA. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/importance-library-policies#:~:text=Libraries%20have%20a%20responsibility%20to,equitable%2C%20and%20non%2Ddiscriminatory.

Australian School Library Association. (2022). What is a Teacher Librarian? ASLA. https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian

Bertland, L. (2015). Selection tools for school librarians. Resources for School Libraries. https://www.sldirectory.com/libsf/resf/selection.html

Braxton, B. (2018). Policies and procedures. 500 Hats the Teacher Librarian in the 21st Century. https://500hats.edublogs.org/policies/

Christensen, E. (2018). Heaton Public School library collection management policy. NSW Government Education. https://heaton-p.schools.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/doe/sws/schools/h/heaton-p/localcontent/2018_library_collectionmanagementpolicy.pdf

Cooney, E., Galvin, M., Graetsch, S., Mitchell, P., Ryan, S., & Stoove, T. (2017). A manual for developing policies and procedures in Australian school library resource centres. (2nd ed.). Australian Library and Information Association.

Ejikeme, A. N., & Okpala, H. N. (2016). Promoting children’s learning through technology literacy: challenges to school librarians in the 21st century. Education and Information Technologies, 22(3), 1163–1177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-016-9481-1

Fitzpatrick, C. (2000). Navigating a new information landscape. Social Education, 64(1), 33–34. http://www.socialstudies.org/sites/default/files/publications/se/6401/640107.html

Hutchinson, E. (2017). Navigating the information landscape through collaboration. SCIS, 101. https://www.scisdata.com/connections/issue-101/navigating-the-information-landscape-through-collaboration/

IFLA School Libraries Section Standing Committee. (2015). IFLA school library guidelines (B. Schultz-Jones & D. Oberg, Eds.). International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. https://www.ifla.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/assets/school-libraries-resource-centers/publications/ifla-school-library-guidelines.pdf

Jacobs, M. L. (2008). Ethics and ethical challenges in library instruction. Journal of Library Administration, 47(3-4), 211–232. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930820802186548

NSW Government. (2021). Library. NSW Government Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/policy-library/policies/pd-2005-0221#:~:text=The%20purpose%20of%20the%20school,Information%20Communications%20Technology%20and%20literacy.

Our Lady of the Assumption School. (2019). Library policies. Our Lady of the Assumption Ennogera; Brisbane Catholic Education. http://www.olaenoggera.qld.edu.au/about-us/policies-and-procedures/Pages/Library-Policies.aspx

Piper, J. (2020, March 13). Thoughts on being a teacher librarian. Lines of Thoughts Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2020/03/14/thoughts-on-being-a-teacher-librarian/

Piper, J. (2022a, May 9). Developing a relevant library collection. Lines of Thoughts Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2022/05/09/developing-a-relevant-library-collection/

Piper, J. (2022b, May 9). Developing and managing library collections – first thoughts. Lines of Thoughts Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2022/05/09/developing-and-managing-library-collections-first-thoughts/

Piper, J. (2022c, May 16). The makings of a good supplier. Lines of Thoughts Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2022/05/16/the-makings-of-a-good-supplier/

Saponaro, M. Z., & Evans, G. E. (2019). Collection management basics. In Proquest.com (7th ed.). ABC-CLIO, LLC. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/csuau/reader.action?docID=5762942

Softlink. (2019, August 13). 7 Challenges for school libraries – revisited. Softlink. https://www.softlinkint.com/blog/7-challenges-for-school-libraries-revisited/

St Andrew’s Cathedral School. (2012). St Andrew’s Cathedral School Library Policies. St Andrew’s Cathedral School. https://www.iasl-online.org/resources/Documents/PD%20Library/sacs_library_policies_2012_NEW.pdf

Vaughan, D. (2022). A brief history of libraries. In Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/story/a-brief-history-of-libraries

Reimagining the library for 21st century learning

Posted on by
Reply

I often thought of leadership as a weighty title to hold in any context. My first understanding of school leadership was a hierarchical model from the top position of the principal, to executive team, to class teachers then students and the wider school community. Observing key personnel within my school structure has helped me to understand the distributive nature of leadership amongst school staff (Wieczorek & Lear, 2018). In my observations, principals and the school executive team plan, negotiate and drive support for the implementation of program initiatives for the benefit of the school (Bustari, 2020). However, it is the contribution of other key roles such as the teacher librarian (TL), that combine to create a successful and innovative learning environment.

Having already acted in a teacher librarian role for a short time, I have had a glimpse of the valuable role TLs play within schools (Piper, 2021a). In collaboration with key members of my school community I partnered with class teachers to plan units of work, with the executive team to review and evaluate student learning and programs, and with the principal when initiating changes to the library. Although I recognised my experiences as one of collaboration, I was not aware of the leadership qualities that I already display and those I need to further develop. I was not fully aware of the leadership capacity in which I found myself.

I pondered the question, what makes a leader? Reading about leadership styles has made me understand the attributes of different leaders and how these can have a positive impact on organisational areas within the school (Lynch, 2016). I now have a greater understanding of the importance of collaboration and negotiation when working with members of the executive team, and how my knowledge as an information specialist can upskill and motivate classroom teachers (Merga, 2020). When I reflect on the many inspirational figures in my career that display leadership qualities, I can now identify specific leadership styles that contribute to the successful achievement of their roles (Piper, 2021b).

Learning about leadership has taught me to understand and appreciate the purpose of strategic planning. Strategic planning identifies the processes that need to occur for changes to happen within the school (Crowley, 2011). As part of the course content, I completed an exercise observing a range of school library vision and mission statements (Piper, 2021c). This highlighted the importance of being clear and succinct when writing these statements and how their differences are important for creating memorable statements that set the tone for strategic plans. I now understand that strategic plans are essential for negotiating and actioning change and improvements within school libraries.

A deeper understanding of leadership from a TL’s perspective has prompted me to question: how might I take this knowledge and apply it to my library and my role? Schools need libraries that are facilitated by qualified TLs (Australian School Library Association, 2019; Kammer et al., 2021). By recognising and sharing my expertise as an information specialist and intrinsically valuing the contributions I offer to my school team, I know I can make changes that will benefit students and staff alike in my school. By embedding general capabilities within my library program, I can share my knowledge in team teaching practices that will benefit our students who are learning essential skills for the 21st century. My focus on implementing strategies and tools, such as makerspaces, will ensure my students build confidence in information and digital literacies necessary for 21st century learning, (South, 2017).

Having now learnt about leadership qualities that are present and necessary in TLs, I now have specific ideas for change and innovation within my school library. I now feel better prepared as a TL leader to successfully navigate challenges and any resistance to change in developing a future ready library.

 

References

Australian School Library Association. (2019). What is a teacher librarian? ASLA: Australian School Library Association. https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian

Bustari, M. (2020). The principal roles in making an excellent school library. Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, 511, 123–127. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.201221.027

Crowley, J. D. (2011). Developing a vision: Strategic planning for the school librarian in the 21st century (2nd ed.). Libraries Unlimited.

Kammer, J., King, M., Donahay, A., & Koeberl, H. (2021). Strategies for successful school librarian and teacher collaboration. Research Journal of the American Association of School Librarians, 24, 1–24. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1292862.pdf

Lynch, M. (2016, August 7). 4 major types of educational leadership. The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/4-major-types-of-educational-leadership/

Merga, M. K. (2020). School librarians as literacy educators within a complex role. Journal of Library Administration, 60(8), 889–908. https://doi.org/10.1080/01930826.2020.1820278

Piper, J. (2021a, July 21). Observations of leadership in the TL role. Lines of Thought: Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2021/07/22/observations-of-leadership-in-the-tl-role/

Piper, J. (2021b, September 22). Leading by example. Lines of Thought: Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2021/09/22/leading-by-example/

Piper, J. (2021c, September 22). Planning strategically. Lines of Thought: Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2021/09/22/planning-strategically/

South, S. (2017). School libraries as incubators – where good ideas hatch! Scan: The Journal for Educators, 36(1), 14–19. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan/past-issues/vol-36–2017/school-libraries-as-incubators-where-good-ideas-hatch-

Wieczorek, D., & Lear, J. (2018). Building the “bridge”: Teacher leadership for learning and distributed organizational capacity for instructional improvement. International Journal of Teacher Leadership, 9(2). https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1202334.pdf

Planning strategically

Posted on by
Reply

Strategic planning requires clear and transparent goals that engage key stakeholders in schools. These include leadership teams, teachers, students and the broader school community. Fundamental to illustrating these goals is the existence of vision and mission statements. Understanding the difference between the two, and their importance in strategic planning, is imperative to quickly establishing a profile of the school and the objectives they wish to achieve.

Bruce Johnson’s video highlights the difference between a mission and a vision statement. A mission statement describes the current principles and focus of an organisation, and a vision statement illustrates the aspirational goals of an organisation.

A series of videos presented by Erica Olsen, clearly explained the difference between the two statements and how a mission and vision statement can be written. I really liked how she provided clear checklists that keep the writer accountable for their statements. This led to an interesting exercise where I delved into my school’s vision statement and critically analysed it using the checklists. Interestingly, I found that although it was labeled a vision, it clearly displayed attributes of a mission statement. This was equally true for the school’s library vision statement. Moreover, the latter’s statement was not even titled as mission or vision, but rather purpose. It led me to think about how people may incorrectly percieve a school’s objectives and vision if such statements were incorrectly written and labelled.

Although there are many aspects of a school to consider when planning strategically, a key thought process was keeping accountable to the strategic objectives outlined by the SMART acronym. Keeping objectives Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound, ensures targets and goals set by the school leadership team can be realised within a reasonable time frame.

With this in mind, I begin to think about the role of the TL and their position within the school. Understanding curriculum needs, available resources, scope for improvement and projecture into a 21st century educational agenda and the needs of the students within the school, it is clear the TL has a valuable collaborative role to play within the school leadership team. Planning strategically for the future requires a key player who is central to the school and offers expertise in a range of educational agendas such as literacies, resources and curriculum.

Reflections for ETL402

Posted on by
Reply

Using literature in a primary school library setting seems an obvious choice in the teaching of a range of literacy skills. This subject gave me the chance to obtain and analyse fictional literature to explore characters, settings, complex narratives and develop an understanding and familiarity of authors and illustrators alike. My understanding of literary learning was stretched, prompting me to look at literature in a critical and analytical way. How do I find and select appropriate literature to teach concepts embedded in Key Learning Areas (KLA’s) such as history?

I was aware of some literary award sites that promote quality literature (Piper, 2021a) such as the Children’s Book Council of Australia (Children’s Book Council of Australia, 2021). Reading the rigorous selection processes that occur for books to be shortlisted and awarded, I began to understand the value of using literary awards as a means of recognising quality literature. Obtaining and reading some of these books showed me the value they can add to a range of KLA’s. The recognition and inclusion of cross-curricula priorities in the NSW syllabus demonstrates that students’ understanding, knowledge of and application of inquiry skills is necessary for viable discussions about our world (NSW Government, 2021). Researching the use of literature in KLA’s, I was presented with various lists of suggested texts that can be used to support the NSW curriculum (Board of Studies, 2017; NSW Department of Education, 2017a; NSW Department of Education, 2017b). Similarly, resources were made available supporting the use of literature when teaching history (Australian School Library Association, 2012). These lists showed me new resources I can use in my future teaching programs.

Using quality literature necessitates the practical use of a range of teaching strategies that highlight particular qualities of texts. Through my research I was made aware of explicit strategies. Some of these strategies include dialogic reading (Whitehurst, 2013), word clouds (Wolff, 2020), book trailers (Clarke, 2017) and digital timelines (Cox, 2012) to name a few. It quickly became clear to me that I was already implementing dialogic reading with great success. In a school where reading has been highlighted as an area for improvement, using picture books to teach and enhance concepts or themes is a reliable way to engage students regardless of their ability and backgrounds. Now that I am aware of other strategies that promote literary learning, I will endeavour to increase the use of strategies, such as word clouds and digital timelines, to engage all my students in their understandings of literature.

Creating a literary learning resource kit challenged me to think about the qualitative value of resources available. I questioned my bias in selecting and including specific literature in my school library (Piper, 2021b). The more I thought about the possibility of bias and others’ input and recommendations, I realised the focus needed to be about the quality and usefulness of texts and more importantly the clients of literature in the school. As a teacher librarian I aim to nurture the educational needs of children so that they may grow to be informed citizens able to make appropriate choices. As a facilitator of library resources, it is my goal to ensure literature is inclusive, appropriately selected, informative and engaging for students in my school.

 

 

References

Australian School Library Association. (2012). Primary school resources to support the Australian history curriculum (pp. 1–13). Australian School Library Association.

Board of Studies NSW. (2017). Suggested texts for the English K-10 Syllabus (pp. 5–85). Board of Studies NSW. https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/global/files/english-k10-suggested-texts.pdf

Children’s Book Council of Australia. (2021). About the Children’s Book Council for Australia. The Children’s Book Council of Australia: Since 1945 – Your Connection to Story; The Children’s Book Council of Australia. https://cbca.org.au/about

Clarke, R. (2017, March 19). How free book trailers can be used to inspire reading and writing. Teach Wire: Your Link to the Best in Education. https://www.teachwire.net/news/how-free-book-trailers-can-be-used-to-inspire-reading-and-writing

Cox, C. (2012, January 12). Creating timelines. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/creating-timelines

NSW Department of Education. (2017a). Human Society and Its Environment Guide to using picture books in History K-10 (pp. 1–54). NSW Department of Education. https://education.nsw.gov.au/content/dam/main-education/teaching-and-learning/curriculum/key-learning-areas/hsie/media/documents/history-es1-s1-s2-s3-s4-s5-guide-to-picture-books-in-history.pdf

NSW Department of Education. (2017b). Using picture books for intercultural understanding (pp. 1–27). NSW Department of Education. https://www.hsiensw.com/uploads/4/7/7/1/47718841/picture_bks__intercultural_understanding.pdf

NSW Government. (2021). Learning across the curriculum. NSW Government Education Standards Authority. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/learning-areas/hsie/history-k-10/learning-across-the-curriculum

Piper, J. (2021a, April 27). Getting to know children’s literature. Lines of Thought: Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2021/04/27/getting-to-know-childrens-literature/

Piper, J. (2021b, May 3). To include or not to include…. Lines of Thought: Reflections of a Teacher Librarian. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/jennyp/2021/05/03/to-include-or-not-to-include/

Whitehurst, G. J. (Russ). (2013, April 24). Dialogic Reading: An Effective Way to Read Aloud with Young Children. Reading Rockets. https://www.readingrockets.org/article/dialogic-reading-effective-way-read-aloud-young-children

Wolff, R. (2020, March 8). The best free word cloud generators to visualize your data. MonkeyLearn Blog. https://monkeylearn.com/blog/word-cloud-generator/