I am far from the perfect teacher. I can openly say that out loud because well… what is the perfect teacher? However, to analyse your teaching, or be analysed by peers, is tough! I regularly walk out of my lessons contemplating what I could have done better although, I also regularly get stuck with having the confidence to give myself constructive criticism.

As I progress through ETL401, I am seeing the wonderful work of others, that is making me doubt my own. However I have to keep in mind, that this is why we study; to educate ourselves with the new and improved, so we don’t become stagnate. Our teaching needs to continue to improve, so that in turn our students continue to grow,

CURRENT TOPIC: THE LIBRARIAN AND THE CURRICULM

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Sir Ken Robinson’s opinions on the challenges we have within our current education system and the need for change so that we can adapt to what our students need to learn to grow within the 21st century (Robinson, 2010). Watch Robinson’s YouTube animation for an insight into the reasons behind the need for teachers to adapt their teaching to this inevitable change. Our habits and habitat need a clean up!

“AESTHETIC EXPERIENCE; When your senses are operating at their peek” (Robinson, 2010). I resonated with this comment made by Robinson. I felt “seen” (isn’t that what the cool kids say?!). As Robinson begins his explanation of “changing the paradigm”, I realise more and more that I am a standardised library (to a degree). However as he explains, aren’t all schools? We are living in a world where we are judged through school based on our AGE, and then are thrown into a world where AGE know longer matters. You could be working and packing shelves at 17, with a Janice the 52 year old on the same day. How can we expect our students to cope with such a huge change without being exposed to the variants of life throughout their education?

When Robinson (2010) begins discussing the term ‘divergent thinking’ and the necessity behind the creative mind I see an insight. If we have obtain this skill, it is to be more then just productive and present within our daily lives but rather expressive and creative. As shown, when a longitude study was completed on students from their enrolment in Kindergarten and again through middle school this creative thinking; the thinking that cannot necessarily be TAUGHT but rather one that we are naturally born with, begins to decline. WHY? Our current education!

So, how can I change this as a TL? Where can (we) fill the gap within the library so that students are able to explore and hold on to this creative mind. Robinson (metaphorically) asks how we can change the HABIT and the HABITAT?

When continuing to read and reflect throughout this week, although somewhat flat by the thought of my teaching potentially rotting like a week old banana, I have felt some inspiration. I am now in a space where I do have some freedom to allow my students to explore as a self-driven learner within guided environment with me as their mentor. I have mentioned to many, both family and fellow teaching peers, that since beginning this TL role, although still “teaching” my role feels more like a mentor. Someone that the students can confine in and present their learning difficulties and in turn I help them explore their own learning abilities.

As I sit here and continue to reflect on this path of learning and my recent lessons, I cant help but sit smiling. Just last week when teaching Year 4, 40 minutes of our planned 90 minute lesson went out the window. This was so that two students had the opportunity to show (and teach) the class their digital technology skills. These skills that would be helpful for future tasks and assignments. These skills were being listened to and and outstanding work was being produced by all of the class, right there as a whole. I didn’t speak for almost 30 of those 40 minutes. It was fun! It was inspiring! It was collaborative! THE WAY OF THE FUTURE. Now I just have to make more lessons purposely run this way.

This is how my brain feels…. so many thoughts!!!

Have you happened to just stumble across a productive and inspiring lesson of your own lately?