Welcome to my brand new blog at Charles Sturt University Thinkspace.  After all of these years why have I finally jumped into the Blogging World?  Well, the simple answer is that it is my homework as part of a Masters Degree in Teacher Librarianship, but the good news is, that unlike homework that I had to do when I completed my first education degree, I am actually excited about this homework.  So let’s go back a step, Masters Degree, teacher librarianship?  What? Where? When? How? Why??????

My name is Sarah Mounsey and I am a mum, a primary school teacher and a children’s author. I have only just gone back to full time teaching a year ago after being a stay at home Mum for the past eight years.  It was a wonderful eight years of spending precious time with my three boys and I also managed to do some part time teaching and published three children’s picture books in the Paw Prints series, which had been a dream of mine for as long as I could remember. My publishing journey led me to visit lots of schools for author talks in Singapore, Malaysia and Australia. During this time I met some truly wonderful teacher librarians, who I loved discussing favourite books and authors with, and they also opened my eyes to show we what a contemporary library should be, and how the role of a teacher librarian has changed.  I have also closely followed the blog of Megan Daley, an amazing Teacher Librarian from Brisbane. It made me think that it was something I would like to explore at some point and I am delighted that I will become the Junior School Teacher Librarian (TL) at my current school in August. I believe this will be the beginning of an exciting new chapter for me. I have thoroughly enjoyed being back in the classroom again, but I am excited that as the TL I will be involved in teaching 30 classes every week. I think the management and curriculum roles that I had in my previous school in UK will also help.

I have had lots of amusing reactions when I have told people that I will become the TL at my school and especially when I have told them that I will be starting my Masters of Education in Teacher Librarianship to commence this role. I think many people are still stuck with the stereotype of what they think a librarian should look and behave like.  Picture someone VERY old, with hair pulled back into a tight bun, specs on the end of their nose and being very busy stamping due dates in books and saying ‘shhhh’, as regularly and loudly as possible!  Why would you need to go to University to learn this role?

The great news is that school libraries are not meant to be quiet places anymore.  They should be busy places, at the heart and soul of the school where people should be researching, evaluating, collaborating, inquiring, using various forms of technology, playing chess and other games and reading typing or writing.  The TL should be working with all of the teachers and children in the school to inspire and enhance their learning experiences, whether it be to help develop research skills, or sharing useful online information, or developing the reading collection to reflect the changing curriculum. AND of course it should still be a place where students and teachers like to come TO READ FOR PLEASURE and to be introduced to fabulous new authors and new books that will stay with them for life.

Can you tell that I am a little bit excited by this?  Well I sure am!  I LOVE teaching, I LOVE children’s literature and I LOVE writing for children. I am also a little nervous as I know there is so much I have to learn.  Technology is constantly changing and children need to be taught how to use it effectively to develop their ideas and knowledge.  I also will be learning a lot about how to do this because learning on-line through distance education  is new to me.  Will I write children’s books again? Absolutely!  I could not stop if I tried!  I have so many ideas swimming around in my head and drafts in notebooks and on my computer.  It is just the simple matter of T-I-M-E.  Three gorgeous little boys, a full time TL job and completing my Masters Degree means that I do not think there will be a great deal of free time for such fun.  So for now I will be reading, reading and reading, which for those of you who know me well, know that it will be no hardship.  I will be reading hundreds of children’s books (YIPPEE!), that I will be able to recommend to all of the children at school and I will be reading dozens of journal articles for this degree so that I can become a teacher librarian who does not sit at the circulation desk and just check out books but instead flies around the school and library sharing all that I learn about research skills, information literacy and, of course, reading for pleasure.  Most of these blog posts will be reflecting on articles that I read and with more of an academic focus, but I have certainly enjoyed writing this one. I will finish this first blog on my post with one of my favourite quotes from a legend in the world of children’s literature.

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