Tag: Impressions

28
Mar
2023

Reflecting on creating a digital citizenship guide and video

categories: Digital citizenship, ETL523, Reflection

Assignment 1 for ETL523 had many challenges. The most challenging aspect for me was turning my ideas into reality in relation to the website and the video. I had very clear ideas about how I wanted the website and the video to look, but executing the ideas required a lot of practice in new skills, including manipulating HTML code. I have built a website once before using ThinkSpace, so I drew on that experience but challenged myself further by implementing features such as drop-down menus. I had to find my own information about how to do this, since this is not provided through the ThinkSpace user guides. I have never made a video before either, so that came with a new set of challenges with learning how to use unfamiliar software.

One aspect of this assignment that I found interesting was digging deep into Mark Ribble’s 9 Principles of Digital Citizenship, as outlined in ‘Digital Citizenship in Schools’ (2015). I have gained further understanding about areas of digital citizenship that I hadn’t considered before, including digital commerce and digital health and wellness.

Through doing this assignment, I would like to be involved in having an explicit digital citizenship program implemented at my school. All students at my school have a school-provided laptop and a range of, but not all, digital citizenship practices are embedded into the curriculum through teaching and modelling. After exploring through the range of skills required to be a capable digital citizen, I feel we are doing students a disservice by not providing explicit teaching of digital citizenship skills. A lot of these skills are assumed knowledge, but this is not a safe assumption to make. My school has a technology user agreement, which is generally a list of items such as ‘I agree to use my laptop in a responsible manner’, but no further instruction is given afterwards.

Using Ribble’s (2015) 9 Principles of Digital Citizenship as a framework, the students would benefit from explicit teaching of all areas of digital citizenship through the House Tutor Program. Students meet in their vertical house groups two times a week already so a possibility would be to implement a ‘skill of the week’ to be explicitly taught during one of the two sessions.

References

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools (3rd edition). International Society for Technology in Education.

20
Feb
2023

Digital Citizenship – Initial thoughts

categories: Digital citizenship, Digital literacy, ETL523

Once again, I find myself at the beginning of another semester of study, but this one has a different feel about it for a few reasons. Firstly, this is an elective unit to I feel that I have a more focused interest in this topic. Secondly, this is my final unit of study and thirdly, I am also undertaking ETL512 (Professional practice and portfolio) concurrently with ETL523 (Digital Citizenship in Schools). What an exciting time!

I chose this elective because I feel that it is such a poignant topic in this world of non-stop information. I also chose to study this elective at this time because my school is currently undertaking a laptop rollout for years 7-11 and the school is going through the process of what the use of these devices looks like in classrooms and the expectations around their use.

What is digital citizenship and why is it important?

To me, digital citizenship is participating online in a responsible and positive manner. So, what does that look like? According to Council of Europe (2023), “digital citizens can be described as individuals able to use digital tools to create, consume, communicate and engage positively and responsibly with others”. I prefer this definition when compared with the one provided by the NSW Department of Education (n.d.) which states that “a digital citizen is a person with the skills and knowledge to effectively use digital technologies to participate in society, communicate with others and create and consume digital content”. I prefer the first definition because of the inclusion of the word ‘positively’. Ribble (2015) also agrees that the term ‘positive’ is an important aspect of digital citizenship so that everyone can engage in the digital world.

Digital citizenship is important in the fast-paced world of information overload. Being discerning about what we are consuming and engaging with online is so important. Having skills to determine the trash from the treasure is invaluable to our ability to engage with and function in society.

Is digital citizenship different to digital literacy?

This seems to be a bit of a grey area, but according to Pangrazio and Sefton-Greene (2021), digital literacy is the foundation of digital citizenship. We must be competent in the literacies before we can fully participate. Digital literacy is broken down into separate skills that each need to be mastered in order to be competent in the online world. These skills include managing online safety, locating and evaluating information and problem solving (ACARA, 2022).

I am looking forward to learning more about digital citizenship and its role in the school environment.

References

Australian Curriculum And Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2022). Digital literacy. The Australian Curriculum. https://v9.australiancurriculum.edu.au/teacher-resources/understand-this-general-capability/digital-literacy

Council of Europe. (2023). Digital citizenship. Digital Citizenship in Education https://www.coe.int/en/web/digital-citizenship-education/digital-citizenship

NSW Department of Education (n.d.). About digital citizenship. Digital Citizenship. https://www.digitalcitizenship.nsw.edu.au/about

Pangrazio, L. and Sefton-Green, J. (2021). Digital Rights, Digital Citizenship and Digital Literacy: What’s the Difference?. Journal of New Approaches in Educational Research 10(1), p.15-27.

Ribble, M. (2015). Digital citizenship in schools (3rd ed.) International Society for Technology in Education.

16
Nov
2022

ETL567 – Initial thoughts

categories: ETL567, Research in practice

Once again, I am at the beginning of another subject. Over the summer I will be completing the unit ETL567, Research in Practice. To tell the truth, at first, I was not thrilled about having the study this unit. My initial reactions were ‘how is this relevant?’ and ‘this is going to be so boring’. I have decided to change my attitude towards this subject and throw myself in because, hey, I might actually learn something.

So, what does research in practice look like? Having looked over the subject outline my thoughts are that it’s applying analytical research to make improvements or changes in the school library. I would even go so far as to say that these research skills could also assist my students in their research practices. Research in this context is more than fact-finding on the internet. It’s about going deeper into a problem to find possible solutions based on my own findings and the findings of others.

Module 1 asked us to think about a possible research project in our own context. It got me thinking about the Wide Reading Programme and the DEAR programme that are both currently run at school. Through readings and presentations at seminars, I am aware that there is a decline in readings for pleasure in the teenage years. The question I am thinking about is ‘What can we do to reverse this decline?’ Having learned about the ‘Just Read’ programme at Queenwood I am most interested to see if a similar model could work in my school context.

The issues that we are currently facing with the programmes are two-fold. The Wide Reading programme is run from Year 7 to 10 through the English department, with one wide reading session a cycle per class being timetabled. This means the teacher librarians only see their classes once every ten days (on average, sometimes even longer). This is not enough for students to focus on their reading on a regular basis. The DEAR programme is run from Years 7-9 each day for 20 minutes at the beginning of period 5. While this sounds great in theory, I really wonder how often this is actually happening. I would imagine that any practical class (PE, VA, Music, Drama, Science) would not participate in DEAR as it would impact too much on their own class time.

The Queenwood model involves having a dedicated daily 20-minute period for reading. This means it doesn’t impact on any other classes and is regular.

This would be a huge change, but I feel an improvement, to the school. It would require structured research about the students’ current reading habits, as well as review of current literature on the reading habits on teenage boys. Thinking about this process is overwhelming, but I’m hoping that ETL567 can provide me with some practical tools in order to tackle this project.

03
Oct
2022

Digital resources and the teacher librarian

categories: 21st century library, Copyright, Dynamic information environment, ETL501, Information literacy, Reflection, Resource selection, role of the Teacher Librarian

Technology is a great tool to harness information in the 21^st century learning environment. It is the teacher librarian’s (TL) responsibility to ensure that students ‘have access to well-organised systems for retrieving resources’ (Gemell, 2022, July 24), since effective school libraries enhance student learning outcomes (Libraries Tasmania, 2022). This is achieved by providing easy access to information in a range of formats through the use of technology. Effective school libraries also assist with integrating information literacy skills across a range of curriculum areas (Libraries Tasmania, 2022). All these aspects are covered in a well-constructed research page.

Creating digital learning objects is an important role of the TL to support digital literacy for students. A digital learning object is ‘a standalone piece of digital content that can be used and reused for learning purposes’ (IGI Global, n.d.). ‘The TL is well-placed to curate digital resources for teachers and students to access’ (Gemell, 2022, August 22), making them a ‘one-stop-shop for accessing information quickly and easily’ (Gemell, 2022, August 22). This idea is supported by ACT Government (2019, p. 7), stating ‘Teacher librarians are professional curators – they select only the most useful resources for teaching and learning’. By creating research guides, TLs assist in locating reliable, meaningful and authoritative resources in a world of information overload (ACT Government, 2019). Research guides also ‘encourage active engagement in the interactive information seeking process’ (Education matters, 2022).

Teaching and support are required in students’ development of information literacy and research skills (Loh, 2019). Students do not naturally have digital literacy skills (Kirscher & De Bruyckere, 2017). Kelly (2022, September 16) stated that there is ‘value in building the essential skills students need to be successful, particularly when using digital technologies’. I agree with this statement and as a TL it is imperative to teach our students the skills they need to be successful. ‘This world of ever-changing information is a minefield for students to navigate and we are all having to upskill in a variety of areas in order to successfully navigate and access the information we require’ (Gemell, 2022, July 24).

Creating research guides presents challenges relating to copyright. As the TL I must be an exemplar for best practice. This was discussed in relation to the use of book covers as pictures when creating research guides. The main point from the discussion is that using the book covers is highly unlikely to have any negative effects, however it’s important that correct copyright practice is modelled (Oddone, 2022, September 13). I found the smartcopying website to be reliable resource.

Another challenge that arose is the consideration of the reading level of the online resources. Knowing my students is key to selecting appropriate resources, but this was also backed up by the use of website readability checkers. The two that I predominantly used were Webfx for individual pages and Experte for entire websites. The accessibility of the online research guide also needed to be considered. ‘If students are presented with a resource that is not suitable for their needs, then it is of little use’ (Gemell, 2022, September 8). This is also true in the evaluation of search engines. ‘It’s important to think about what the students need out of their searching’ (Gemell, 2022, August 4).

To validate the effort of building a research page, it needs to be used by students and promoted by teachers. It is not a matter of ‘build it and they will come’. Having the research pages located on a platform that students use regularly helps in this conundrum. In my current role, LibBase (part of Infiniti) is used as the research guide platform. These are linked to class pages and promoted in class by the classroom teachers. As a result, these research guides are well-used (Gemell, 2022, August 2022).

In building the research guide I have learnt to consider the readability of a website, including the reading level, navigation and layout. I have also learnt to do some coding (thanks to a wonderful colleague) to ensure that the website was fit for purpose.

References

ACT Government. (2019). School Libraries: The Heart of 21st Century Learning. Canberra: ACT Government: Education. https://www.education.act.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/1435435/School-Libraries-The-Heart-of-21st-Century-Learning.pdf

Education matters magazine. (2022). School libraries supporting 21^st century learning. https://www.educationmattersmag.com.au/school-libraries-supporting-21st-century-learning/

IGI Global. (2022). What is a digital learning object. https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/enhancing-21st-century-learning-using-digital-learning-objects-and-multiple-intelligence-theory/67087

Kelly, S. (2022, September 16). Creating resources [Discussion board]. ETL501, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_62875_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_127076_1&forum_id=_281396_1&message_id=_4131909_1

Kirschner, P.A. & De Bruyckere, P. (2017). The myths of the digital native and the multitasker. Teaching and Teacher Education, 67, 135-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tate.2017.06.001

Libraries Tasmania. (2022). Effective school libraries. https://libraries.tas.gov.au/school-library/Pages/effective.aspx

Loh, C. E. (2019). Envisioning the school library of the future: A 21^st century framework. https://doi.org/ 10.13140/RG.2.2.32524.36489.

Oddone, K. (2022, September 13). Referencing pictures [Discussion board]. ETL501, Interact 2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_62875_1&nav=discussion_board_entry&conf_id=_127076_1&forum_id=_281392_1&message_id=_4222723_1

25
Jul
2022

Dynamic information environment. What does it mean?

categories: 21st century library, Dynamic information environment, ETL501, Information landscape, role of the Teacher Librarian

Before I sink my teeth too far into a new unit, I like to take a moment to pause and really think about what I already know (or think I know) about the subject. What does ‘dynamic information environment’ mean? The word ‘dynamic’ is really the key here. It shows that the world of information is ever-changing and not static or stagnant. The phrase does not specify whether the information environment is physical or digital so I’m going to apply it to both contexts. This world of ever-changing information is a minefield for students to navigate and we are all having to upskill in a variety of areas in order to successfully navigate and access the information we require. So, what does this all mean in the context of a school library and the role of the teacher librarian?

According to Australian School Library Association (ASLA) (2022) the teacher librarian has three main roles. These roles are as curriculum leaders, information specialists and information service managers. Teacher librarians as information specialists and information service managers both contribute to the navigation of a dynamic information environment. The teacher librarian ensures that students and teachers have access to well-organised systems for retrieving resources. For this to be effective the teacher librarian must ensure that these systems are well maintained with the focus being on the users. Just because a system works well for the teacher librarian, it may not be suitable for the school community. These systems must consider both the physical and digital resources.

How does the dynamic information environment relate to the physical space of the library? My initial thought is that the library space must be flexible to accommodate the variety of ways in which the school accesses information. Just like the way the information landscape is every-changing, then the library space needs to adapt to accommodate this constant change. A library space is a place for collaboration, exploration, leisure as well as research and individual study. The physical space must be dynamic in its own way to function within and support the dynamic information environment.

There is a lot to consider and unpack in three words but these thoughts are just the beginning of the learning journey in ETL501.

18
Jul
2021

Approach to conflict resolution

categories: Conflict resolution, ETL504, Leadership, Reflection

Even before doing the questionnaire, I knew that my approach to conflict is to be the peacekeeper. This was always how my family describes me when conflict occurs. To be completely honest, conflict gives me the stomach flips and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I don’t enjoy it and find it anxiety-inducing and stressful. My way to deal with conflict is to try to come to a solution as quickly as possible, even if this means I compromise my own wants for the situation. This came out quite strongly in my score, scoring 14 in the areas of ‘Accommodating’ and ‘Compromising’. My next strongest area of conflict resolution in ‘Collaboration’ in which I scored 13 and ‘Avoiding’ gaining 11. These all seem quite high and on reflection it appears that if I can’t accommodate, compromise or collaborate, then I do everything I can to avoid the conflict. This is in line with the way I perceive myself in conflict situations and reiterates on how others perceive me in conflict situations.

The area of ‘Competing’ only scored 5 points. This is not surprising to me, but I have never thought of this as a deficit in how I manage conflict. My perception of competing (standing up strongly for my ideas) would antagonise a conflict situation. I would rather back down or try to compromise rather than stand firmly with my side of an argument. I feel this is an area that I need to improve on because in order to compromise and collaborate well, all ideas need to be heard and considered rather than being drowned out by the loudest idea.

05
Jul
2021

Leadership and the role of the TL

categories: Collaboration, ETL504, Leadership, role of the Teacher Librarian

What is leadership and how does this relate to the role of the TL? This question has really got me thinking and initially one important term springs to mind. The term ‘collaboration’ comes first and foremost. The concept of collaboration was my big take-away from ETL401 and without collaboration the role of the TL is redundant. One cannot lead without collaborating with others. TLs are the conduit that link the vacuum of the school to outside information. They communicate this throughout the school through collaboration and membership of both the teaching and leadership communities.

Before I go any further, what is meant by leadership? When I think of leadership, I think of someone that others look up to for guidance and information. Leaders have a goal and are able to guide groups to achieve these goals willingly. Leaders are inspiring. When I looked up the definition of leadership a multitude of answers came back. The more I looked the more definitions came up. The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary (2021) defines a leader as ‘a person who leads a group of people, especially the head of a country, an organization, etc.’ This definition doesn’t do very much for me and is too rigid and sterile. Leadership is more organic and involves identifying issues, supporting people and strategizing the best solutions to problems while keeping the humanity of the decisions in mind.

These ideas about collaboration, leaders and leadership are important to the role of the TL because the TL is the link between classroom teachers, curriculum, school leadership and outside information. As an information specialist TLs are at the forefront of sourcing and research skills for students, keeping all parties up to date with resources. As one of two TLs in my current school the importance of library advocacy and collaboration is paramount. We are the linking ingredient at the centre of the school, guiding the research and reading culture of the school. If the TL was considered a stand-alone position than there would be no consistency across the school regarding these areas.

References

Oxford Learner’s Dictionary. (2021). Leader. In oxfordlearnersdictionary.com dictionary. Retrieved July 5, 2021, from https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/leader?q=leader

20
May
2021

Collaboration is the key

categories: Collaboration, ETL401, Information literacy, Inquiry learning, Inquiry models, Reflection, role of the Teacher Librarian

So much has changed in my thinking in the areas of the role of the teacher librarian (TL), Information Literacy and Inquiry Learning Models over the course of this unit it’s hard to know where to start. Even prior to beginning this area of study I had moved my thinking from the TL being a staff member whose roles “included reading a story to each class every week, helping students with borrowing, putting books back on the shelves, and organising and handing out BookClub orders” (Gemell, 2021, March 7, para. 1), even though these are some tasks that I fulfil in my current TL role. On reflection, having read back over my very first post, The Role of the Teacher Librarian (Gemell, 2021, March 7), not once did I mention inquiry learning. I hinted at information literacy but didn’t quite hit the mark by stating that the TL fulfils “a vital role by working collaboratively … to plan and teach units of work in order to assist the students to develop information literacy” (para.2). This collaboration only meant working with a classroom teacher, not the principal and I had no understanding of why this collaboration was important, it was just something TLs did.

Prior to study I thought that Information Literacy just referred to students being able to search for and use information for their assignments. I also never realised that information literacy has no set definition and its use depends on the context and purpose (Charles Sturt University, 2021). With all the different theories and approaches to information literacy no wonder it becomes a daunting area! However, I have come to realise it is so much more than doing basic searches and students writing information in their own words, and the TL plays an important role in this particular avenue of literacy. This does not happen in isolation and is a collaboration between the TL, classroom teachers and the school principal. Without all these elements in sync, the initiative of information literacy will fail before it flourishes (Kelly, 2021, April 30 ).

In my previous experience, inquiry learning was done in-class with the classroom teacher and the students. It never occurred to me that the TL would be an integral part of the process. I also never realised that there were so many different inquiry models to choose from, each offering something different, depending on the context in which they are used. I had only ever worked with Kath Murdoch’s model of designing a journey of inquiry (Murdoch, 2019) (and this was only brought to my attention five years ago) so it was interesting to delve deeper into the world of inquiry learning models and the benefits of using inquiry learning. I have come to the conclusion that a whole-school approach is the most effective way to achieve quality outcomes from inquiry and “the vision of all three (TL, classroom teacher and principal) need to match so that the skills being taught and used by the students are systematic and consistent” (Gemell, 2021, April 9, para. 4). The skills the TL brings to any inquiry learning model are paramount to the success of the program.

I think that my biggest shift in thinking throughout this unit has been the concept of collaboration between TL, principal and classroom teacher. Without a shared vision and collaboration between all three, the failure of information literacy and inquiry learning is inevitable. The roles of the TL, principal and classroom teachers work hand in hand (in hand) and the TL is the butter that holds that sandwich together. “The TL needs to be proactive in voicing the needs of the teachers and students so that the principal can facilitate these needs. The principal can only act on what they know. It is up to the TL to demonstrate the value of the library resources and programs and in turn this enables the principal to be able to fulfil the needs” (Gemell, 2021, March 18, para. 3).

It’s interesting that the idea of collaboration between TL, classroom teacher and principal is not a new one and was shown as a key component to student success in 1999 (Muronaga & Harada) and possibly even earlier. It was a big lightbulb moment when I realised this was such an important component of the TL role and the success of information literacy and inquiry learning models. My biggest question now is how far can you take this collaboration and what would happen? Just imagine the possibilities!

References

Charles Sturt University. (2021). Information Literacy [course material]. ETL401, Interact2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_4194250_1&course_id=_55148_1

Gemell, L. (2021, March 7). Role of the Teacher Librarian. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/03/07/role-of-the-teacher-librarian/

Gemell, L. (2021, April 9). Information Literacy in the school context. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/04/09/information-literacy-in-the-school-context/

Gemell, L (2021, April 3). Inquiry learning vs. standardised testing. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/04/03/inquiry-learning-vs-standardised-testing/

Kelly, S. (2021, April 30). DISCUSSION: 5.4a: Information Literacy. [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University

Murdoch, Kath (2019). A Model for Designing a Journey of Inquiry. Kath Murdoch. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55c7efeae4b0f5d2463be2d1/t/5dcb82551bdcf03f365b0a6f/1573618265386/A+MODEL+FOR+DESIGNING+A+JOURNEY+OF+INQUIRY.pdf

Muronaga, K. & Harada, V. (1999). The Art of Collaboration. Teacher Librarian, 27 (1). 9

18
Mar
2021

The Principal and the Teacher Librarian

categories: ETL401, role of the Teacher Librarian

As I delve further into the course, I am having many lightbulb moments and I seem to be pinging at all hours, thinking through the flashes of realisation. My big lightbulb moment this week was the realisation that the TL’s role is so embedded and interconnected across all areas of the school that it would be hard to think of a school without a TL and library. An important relationship within the school is that of the TL and the principal and how this relationship affects both parties.

The principal is the manager of the school, so their role essentially makes or breaks the role of the library within the school. If a principal does not see the value of the library, then funding is not likely to be forthcoming. However, if the library is viewed as a valuable resource by the principal, then it becomes a hub of learning and collaboration. It has been shown that there is a ‘need for a library to support students’ literacy development’ (Hughes, 2013, p42) and that if a principal believes in a constructivist approach to teaching and learning then a literature-rich library will be realised (Farmer, 2007). In such a setting, collaboration between TL, teachers and principal can ensue. In saying that, the roles of each party need to be clear-cut and this is critical to the success of the collaboration (Haycock, 2007).

The TL needs to be proactive in voicing the needs of the teachers and students so that the principal can facilitate these needs. The principal can only act on what they know. It is up to the TL to demonstrate the value of the library resources and programs and in turn this enables the principal to be able to fulfil the needs. This requires strong collaboration from both the TL and the principal to support each other in their respective roles.

It is obvious that both the TL and the principal need to have a shared vision of the function of the library within the school (Haycock, 2007). If there is a break down in the collaboration between the TL and principal, then the learning outcomes for students is at risk.

References

Farmer, L. (2007). Principals: Catalysts for collaboration. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 56-65.

Haycock, K. (2007). Collaboration: Critical success factors for student learning. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 25-35.

Hughes, H. (2013). Findings about Gold Coast Principal’s views of school libraries and teacher librarians. Chapter 8, School libraries, teacher librarians and their contribution to student literacy development in Gold Coast schools. Research report.

07
Mar
2021

Role of the teacher librarian

categories: ETL401, Reflection

Prior to working as a teacher librarian (TL), I had never really put much thought into my understanding of the role and what TLs do. I have been in my current TL role for several years now so to reflect on my previous experiences I need to cast my mind back. Before I became interested in becoming a TL I taught in both primary and high school settings all over Australia. The idea of becoming a TL crept into my mind several years ago when I was approached to cover the school TL while she was on long-service leave. I was working at the school as the Japanese teacher and had never contemplated stepping into the TL role before. My idea of the role at the time included reading a story to each class every week, helping students with borrowing, putting books back on the shelves, and organising and handing out BookClub orders. It seems that I was on the right track to understanding a fraction of the role as this aligns with the School Library Association of South Australia (2015) which describes one of the roles of a TL is Literature Promotion, specifically guiding ‘students in their reading choices’.

Several years ago, while teaching in a school in Sydney, the TL would take my Year 3 class for a 1-hour session each week. At the beginning of the term we would discuss what I would like her to cover during these lessons. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this TL was fulfilling a vital role by working collaboratively with me to plan and teach units of work in order to assist the students to develop information literacy” (School Library Association of SA, 2015) and was ‘involved in curriculum planning’(What is a Teacher Librarian?, 2021). My view of her role was to cover a unit of work that I wasn’t covering in class, such as a geography unit. The TL was also very good at locating resources that I needed for my class, so I didn’t have to dig through and find them.

I also viewed part of her role as being the caretaker of the operation of the library which required tasks such as returning of books to shelves, managing the borrowing system, looking after book ordering, ensuring books are in a satisfactory condition to remain within circulation, and entering of new books into the catalogue. How hard could it be?

The other role that I have always felt the TL fulfilled is that of ‘silence-enforcer’ within the library space, but at the same time, promoting it as a space to have literary conversations. It has always seemed a bit of a contradiction, but a role that the TL needs to fulfil none-the-less. The TL must be able to find the appropriate balance between these requirements of different library users.

On reflection I can see that the role of the teacher librarian is multi-faceted and complex and involves being able to make appropriate judgements in managing the library space and services. Since working as a TL I know there is more to the role and I still have a lot of learn.

References

School Library Association of SA. Slasa.asn.au. (2015). Retrieved 3 March 2021, from http://slasa.asn.au/Advocacy/rolestatement.html.

What is a Teacher Librarian?. Asla.org.au. (2021). Retrieved 6 March 2021, from https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian.