There has been several significant moments that have shaped and provoked my thinking in regard to this.
During my earliest readings regarding the history of Australian Libraries (Lundin,1981; Nimon and Hazell, 1990; Watts,1999)) I remember being struck by how challenging it has been not only to establish libraries but to maintain validity. From my continued readings, I began to realise that the TL's ideal role has never been an easy one to validate and is indicative in other parts of the world such as Canada (Haycock,2003). Readings examining this ideal role as being an information specialist who is allowed time to collaborate with and work alongside teaching staff in resource based learning activities to enhance student learning outcomes across the curriculum shocked me (for example Haycock,1991; Henri,2005; Johnson,2002). I had never considered that before, let alone seen it in action in any school I have worked in over the last 20 years. I just didn't see it in any private, state, primary or K-12 setting I have experienced.
As I then began to connect with many current practitioners to discuss such matters, they all confirmed the inconsistency between what I have been learning with what is actually going on in the real world. It struck me that best practise is not easily catered for and has resulted in years of lost potential for schools in this situation. What struck me was lack of funding and the struggle to obtain and maintain it, as far back as the earliest libraires in Australia, coupled with a lack of vision (as expressed in my Scholarly paper, Assignment1,2009) results in a terribe misuse of the TL's role. It became profoundly obvious that all TL's I contacted, even after completing this course or one of similar nature, are now working in a system that severly restricts putting into action the valuable knowledge, skills and commitment they could employ. I say this with direct reference to the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians (ASLA; ALIA) It amazed me that we can have such a fine document and yet not see it in action, once again highlighting the enormous task ahead of us.
What was begininning to become apparent to me, became more so as I meticulously read forum entries where many participants expressed bewilderment and frustration at complacency and restrictions in their schools regarding the ideal TL role let alone have important documents such as essential Role Statements. It was disheartnening for me see that TL's are a far cry from what was being advocated in our course.
And yet my respect for this role was increasing. Reflecting on the ideal position the TL has at the school I work at, being one of purely Information Specialist, I sensed in myself greater approval that this role existed. No longer did I think that the best use a TL could have was to read books to children, take teacher release or maintain resources. In an early blog, (March 5th, 2009) I wrote that this course has "inspired me to look with more respect on the role the TL can have in the learning setting." Instead a TL's role was becoming for me a very comprehensive and knowledgeable resource of all that pertains to Information Literacy across the curriculum in both Information Specialist and teaching realms.
Coupled with this was my growing sense that TL's currently need to take urgent yet controlled leadership to inject and enforce vision into their school setting as this ideal role, even if set in place, can still be undervalued (as addressed in my Scholarly Paper,Assignment 1,2009). What I sensed and recorded in an early blog (24th Feb,2009)as the need to be proactive, expanded as I read papers dealing with overcoming obstacles (for example Nimon and Hazell,1990;Henri and Asselin,2005). I found myself agreeing with long term TL's such as Alan Trueman stating in his critical reflection blog (3rd June, 2009) "It is very easy to settle for mediocrity in one's performance and to blame extraneous influences for such a state." I now see that TL's are highly educated people with much to offer and they need to educate those around them. They are responsible for making the most of every opportunity to voice and maintain vision so as to implement best practise.
In my blog titled"Who's Information Literate? Not me apparently!"(8th May,2009) I am one fine example of a school teacher who desperately needed to be made aware of the many terms and concepts I have learnt in this course. TL's have a huge task in educating others so they too can at least understand the importance of TL's being used effectively. Helping others to grasp the potential we have in enhancing student outcomes is of paramount importance.
Currently I am growing in understanding that if we are going to be at the forefront of helping to implement Process Models (such as Kuhlthau's, The Big6 or PLUS) then we need to firstly overcome the hurdle of gaining our rightful place in school community's as experts in this field - experts that not only have excellent knowledge but wisdom to implement this as experienced teachers. As I stated in my first assignment(2009), "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I can now clearly see that a major role of the TL is in promotion of vision that school leadership, extended teaching body and wider school community will learn to respect and incorporate as they grasp the potential of this invaluable role that expertly enhances student learning outcomes.
Without a doubt this course has inspired me to help get this profession on its feet- not in theory(as that is certainly in place) but in practise. I would particularly like to pursue how to become a leader implementing vision and best practise even agaisnt all odds.
I have also discovered a particular interest in exploring the TL's role as it relates to Kuhlthau's model, even expanding on her incorporation of the affective domain. Briefly, I believe that for a process model to be trully holistic, it needs to address the whole person - body(physical), soul(mind/will/emotions) and spirit(intuition/beliefs/convictions). For me , Kuhlthau's process model is the only one that directly addresses most of these as she includes the emotions/feelings. But why and where does the arousal of emotions occur? Where does it ring a bell or strike a cord? - in the intuition/beliefs/convictions of the inner self. I have already thought over this deeply and exploring it further as it relates to TL's helping students understanding the learning process is an area I would like to pursue.
What a journey so far! This is trully more exciting and relevant to student outcomes than I ever expected and it is encouraging to be in a field where I sense an explosion of appreciation and respect as school communities become educated as to the most excellent role and use of the Teacher Librarian.
Reference List
* Australian School Library Association and Australian LIbrary and Information Association (2001). Learning for the Future:Developing Information Skills in Schools. Carlton South, Victoria: Curriculum Cooperation.
* Australian School Library Association and Australian Library and Information Association(2004). Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians. Canberra:ASLA
* Alan,T. (3rd June,2009) Critical Reflection. From http://ajtrueman.blogspot.com/2009/06/et1401-assignment-critical-reflection.html Retrieved 14th June 2009
* Sandeman,B (5th March,2009) Windy Day
* Sandeman,B (24th Feb, 2009) Hello Again
*Sandeman,B (8th May,2009) Who's Information Literate? Not me apparently!
*Lundin,R(1981), School Library Development in Australia. School Librarianship. Pergamon Press,Sydney,pp 1-21
*Nimon,M and A, Hazell(1990) Promoting Learning. Challenges in Teacher Librarianship. School Library and Information Services. Adelaide,Auslib Press
*Haycock,K(2003)The Crisis in Canada's School Libraries. The Case for Reform and Re-Investment .TOronto. Canada Association of Canadien Publishers
* Henri,J. and Asselin(2005). Teacher Librarians:Mirror Images of Teachers and Pioneering Voyages. The Information Literate School Community. Wagga Wagga,Centre for Information Services,CSU,pp135-145
*Sandeman,B (2009). Teacher Librarianship. Scholarly Paper 1 for Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship.
*Watts,J(1999) The Teacher Librarian Past. A Literature Review pp29-42
* Haycock (1991) Resource Basee Learning. A Shift in the Roles of Teacher,Learner
*Henri,J(2005)The Information Literate School Community. Issues of School Leadership. Wagga Wagga. Centrre for Information Services.
*Johnson,D(2002) The Seven Most Critical Challenges that Face our Profession. Teacher Librarian-May/June
*Herring,J. James Herrings PLUS Model. From http://farrer.csu.edu.au/PLUS/index.html Retrieved 9th June 2009
*Herring,J,Tarter,A and Naylor,S (2002) An Evaluation of the use of the PLUS model to develop pupil's information skills in a secondary school. School Libraries Australia. Vol 8,No1 pp1024
*Kuhlthau,C(1995) The Process of Learning from Information. School Libraries Worldwide, Volume 1,No1 pp1-12
*Kuhlthau, C (2004) Seeking Meaning. A Process Approach to Library and Information Services. Libraries Unlimited.Westport.Canada.pp13-27
*The Big6 Model .From http://ww.big6.com/ Retrieved 9th June,2009
