This session I am commencing ETL504 and ETL512 professional portfolio. I have one more elective to go (hopefully I will do this in session 3) and then I will be done!

I started in 2020 and while it has been challenging juggling study during the pandemic with family commitments, it has led to taking a job much earlier than I had anticipated. It has been awesome working while studying, as I have been able to put into action the pedagogy I’ve learned and have seen the results. Being a teacher librarian has been one of the most rewarding jobs I have done and the joy and excitement I see students experience when they love a book/lesson/activity makes all of the hard work in this course worth it.

I am looking forward to hopefully learning some management techniques. I went into a role with two library assistants and it has been challenging managing their relationship with each other, work loads, getting them to adapt to the library being a welcoming environment (!) and so many other things. It has been one of the more exhausting parts of the role!

I have found that as I’ve progressed through the course, I am developing my own voice as an educator and academic. I have often taken for granted the knowledge I have of how the library can add value to the school community and it is only by communicating these ideaseffectively, can they have a chance to be given a life of their own. It has been a steep learning curve in also developing my voice at work, trusting my own knowledge, working with others to get the best outcome.