Part C: Reflective Practice
As a classroom teacher I have conducted many inquiry learning activities and I have engaged with the librarian as an Information Literacy expert, but not to formulate the task. Now that I am the TL, I understand how much I can offer teachers as an expert in Information Literacy as well as a co-constructor and designer of carefully planned backwardly mapped Guided Inquiry units (Kennedy and Green, 2014). Additionally I can offer continued intervention and support to students out of class time to increase personal connection, engagement and resilience (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2011). This also includes student-led conversations which help build connection through collaboration, questioning and talking through ideas which can lead to deep learning and analysis (Heal & Goodwin, 2023).
The inquiry process is also a chance for me to grow connections with the teaching community in order to offer innovation and real-world assessments for students so they become 21st Century learners. This collaboration is essential for TLs to create holistic learning over multiple KLAs to ensure the General Capabilities are addressed and students can develop deep learning through critical and creative tasks which foster metacognition (Together for Learning, n.d.).
I have discovered that the Inquiry Process is a synthesis of the TL role. As the information specialist within the school the TL is the key person for staff and students to access for research assistance and access to the physical and digital collection. The TL can also improve Information Literacy according to the General Capabilities to improve students ability to source and critically analyse the information that they use. The TL is also a classroom teacher and has his or her unique experience and ideas to add richness to all KLA collaboration during the development of a GI unit. Lastly, and probably the most important part of the role is the TL’s accessibility outside of the classroom to discuss and challenge students to reach deep levels of thinking, questioning and analysis because students reach a deeper level of understanding when teachers stretch their thinking process through discussion and questioning (Knowledge Banks, 2023).
Other students have written how their knowledge has been extended through advocacy, literacy, collaboration, complexity and insularity (Bailey, 2015; Diamond, 2012; Templeton, 2019; Pericles, 2012; Parnell, 2018). While I also have been challenged in all these areas, my biggest learning has been how the TL can be best placed to incorporate the General Capabilities into the school. As a teacher I have relied on syllabus links, which incorporate the General Capabilities to some extent, but I have discovered that the library is best placed to match the outcomes through Guided Inquiry collaboration to add depth and richness to content delivery (Gleeson, 2023, September 27).
Moving forward, I have opened discussions with the principal to advocate for the Library to become the backbone for the General Capabilities and the building block for curriculum enrichment so students can become 21st Century learners. The most effective way to achieve this is through Guided Inquiry which can be across all KLAs including subject areas that I had not thought of such as Music, Art and STEM (Kennedy and Green, 2014; NSW Government n.d.). But that is only the start of possibilities, I can add depth and key skills to information literacy, help teachers delve into ethical and intercultural understanding by creating real world links through the books and digital material that I have available, but also through more collaborative activities such as human Libraries. I can add value and depth to numeracy by creating a Maker Space with STEM activities, and I can obviously address Literacy skills across the school. All of this requires collaboration with teachers, and my ability to advocate for my role as well as support from my principal. The key skill for a TL is to think laterally and be prepared to compromise in the collaborative process to co-create the best unit of work to meet the demands and time requirements of each KLA.
References
Bailey, N. (2015). Critical Reflection ETL401. Informative Flights – Musings of a Teacher Librarian. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://intlnadine.org/2015/01/25/critical-reflection-etl401/.
Diamond, F. (2012). Part C – Critical Synthesis about the Role of the Teacher Librarian. English and literary education. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://fleurdiamond.com/tag/etl401/.
Gleeson, L. (2023). TLs (IL + GI) = Lightbulb. Chasing my Tale. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/lindagleeson/2023/09/27/what-is-guided-inquiry/.
Heal, J. & Goodwin, B. (2023). Movement from Engagement to Deeper Thinking. ASCD. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://www.ascd.org/el/articles/moving-from-engagement-to-deeper-thinking.
Kennedy, K., & Green, L. S. (Eds.). (2014). Collaborative models for librarian and teacher partnerships. Information Science Reference. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-4666-4361-1.
Knowledge Banks. (2023). Classroom Dialogue: Talk for Learning. https://www.teachingtimes.com/knowledge-banks/classroom-dialogue-talk-for-learning/.
NSW Government. (n.d.). Stem Support. https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/k-10/understanding-the-curriculum/programming/stem-support.
Ontario Ministry of Education. (2011). Getting Started with Student Inquiry. https://www.onted.ca/monographs/capacity-building-series.
Parnell, L. (2018). Reflective Practice ETL401 Assignment 3 Part C. Liz at the Library. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://lizisatthelibrary.wordpress.com/category/reflective-journal/etl401/.
Pericles, K. (2012). Thinking about roles of the Teacher Librarian. It;s all about the Learning: Kimp’s Blog. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://kpericles.edublogs.org/2012/04/06/thinking-about-roles-of-the-teacher-librarian/.
Templeton, T. (2019). Its the skills that matter. Learning through the Library. Retrieved October 1, 2023 from https://literacylearningliterature.com/category/etl401-teacher-librarian/.
Together for Learning. (n.d.). Discovery and Guided Inquiry. School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons. Retrieved September 28, 2023 from http://www.togetherforlearning.ca/discovery-and-guided-inquiry/.