Standard 1:
KNOW STUDENTS AND HOW THEY LEARN
The highly accomplished Teacher Librarian (TL) needs to actively seek to understand learners and their needs to effectively support learning (Senate Inquiry, 2011). They have a range of teaching strategies that teach students from diverse backgrounds and learning abilities, and actively support staff to develop and implement these strategies in their classrooms. They promote the understanding and use of policy and legislation in specialist areas, such as students with disability, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.
Information literacy and ICT literacy
The highly accomplished TL has a thorough and highly comprehensive understanding, use and responsibility for digital technologies. IFLA defines a TL as having responsibility for "the school's physical and digital learning space where reading, inquiry, research, thinking, imagination, and creativity are central to teaching and learning." IFLA (2015:25) The TL will actively seek out opportunities to support students and teachers through the modelling of the use of digital technologies within the school community. To further address the learning needs of students, the TL will provide curriculum support, digital citizenship programs and provide Professional Development to staff to enable them to further support the learning of students (ASLA,2014).
The TL at site 2 operates at a graduate level in this field. She has demonstrated an ability and willingness to learn about necessary digital technologies and programs operating within the school community however appears reluctant to proactively seek out opportunities to learn and incorporate ICT into the Library. Her lack of knowledge and drive to learn in this area limits her ability to support student learning or assist teachers with differentiated curriculum development.
When I come to power, I will maintain my own professional development through online learning programs and conferences. I will continue to be a member of academic and collegial communities, which will keep me informed about upcoming in servicing in digital technologies. To maintain currency and support, I will attend conferences about new and emerging digital technologies. To inform and support staff and students, I will actively seek out opportunities in the development and delivery of curriculum using digital technologies. I will use school data and interact with staff and students to gather a thorough understanding about the diverse backgrounds of the student body, in an effort to use ICT knowledge to assist teaching staff to make informed, engaging, ICT supported, and differentiated, student centred programs.
Promotion of Reading
The highly accomplished TL is passionate about reading, books, and literacy and will seek out opportunities within the student community to promote a love of the written or illustrated text. They will have an in-depth knowledge of the reading levels and genres of the student and teaching body, and will use this information to actively stock and advertise the collection. The highly accomplished TL will proactively seek out opportunities and events, and will create interesting and eye catching book displays that are constantly changing, drawing the school community into the library as an active an vibrant learning hub of the school. Research by Krashen(2004) cited in IFLA states that "there is a direct link between reading level and learning results, and that access to reading materials is a key factor in developing enthusiastic and skilled readers." IFLA (2015:39).
The TL at site 2 demonstrates an understanding of the students' reading habits and levels, however she is severely hampered in her ability to purchase engaging stock by a very restricted budget. Marca (2014:23) identifies external constraints (in this case a small budget) as an element that affects the TL's ability to actively foster a healthy reading environment. Although there is a deep desire to promote and purchase stock that would encourage healthy borrowing patterns in the school community, she seems to have lost the will to fight. The ageing stock is one attribute that impacts the all ready poor fictional borrowing patterns, which sends a negative message to the Principal, who in turn is reticent to allocate funding for new stock in a library which has a declining audience.
When I come to power, one main priority will be to inform the Principal on the average high school budget, and make a well informed and clearly documented connection between a well resourced library and student outcomes. The 2016 Softlink Australian and New Zealand school library survey (2016:6) states that the average expenditure allocated to government high school libraries with a population over 800 students is $20 000, in sharp contrast to the less than $5000 that she is currently working with. IFLA states that "Students who score higher on standardised test tend to come from schools with more school library staff and more access to services and resources such as books, periodicals and online material..." IFLA (2015:24).
The TL at site 2 promotes reading within the school using initiatives such as "Word of the Week" whereby she advertised an unusual word on the daily notices, and rewards the first few students who can come to her with the correct meaning of the word. She also themes book displays around current assignment topics or Australian occasions (such as Anzac Day). Occasionally a travelling suitcase, which includes a random selection of current literature for student and teacher perusal, is delivered to the school. This is used as a literary device to encourage and promote reading outside of the normal genre.
When I come to power, I will consider the promotion of literacy and reading as a crucial element of my role as a highly accomplished TL IFLA (2015:39). I will continue the promotion of reading, however I will make displays more eye catching and engaging. A brightly decorated stand with themed books and props to draw students into the library is inviting and informative. The ability to make use of current assignment topics or Australian occasions is a wise and effective way to engage students and encourage them to visit the library. Themed Book clubs which meet in the library are also another option for drawing students and teachers into regular reading habits, link these to publicly displayed book reviews with ratings, and you create reading communities within the school, and a healthy, vibrant reading culture soon evolves. Sites such as Pinterest can also be used to access a variety of ideas and inspirations. Professional TL web based groups such as OZTL are also full of advice and opportunities to learn and share.
Information literacy and ICT literacy
The highly accomplished TL has a thorough and highly comprehensive understanding, use and responsibility for digital technologies. IFLA defines a TL as having responsibility for "the school's physical and digital learning space where reading, inquiry, research, thinking, imagination, and creativity are central to teaching and learning." IFLA (2015:25) The TL will actively seek out opportunities to support students and teachers through the modelling of the use of digital technologies within the school community. To further address the learning needs of students, the TL will provide curriculum support, digital citizenship programs and provide Professional Development to staff to enable them to further support the learning of students (ASLA,2014).
The TL at site 2 operates at a graduate level in this field. She has demonstrated an ability and willingness to learn about necessary digital technologies and programs operating within the school community however appears reluctant to proactively seek out opportunities to learn and incorporate ICT into the Library. Her lack of knowledge and drive to learn in this area limits her ability to support student learning or assist teachers with differentiated curriculum development.
When I come to power, I will maintain my own professional development through online learning programs and conferences. I will continue to be a member of academic and collegial communities, which will keep me informed about upcoming in servicing in digital technologies. To maintain currency and support, I will attend conferences about new and emerging digital technologies. To inform and support staff and students, I will actively seek out opportunities in the development and delivery of curriculum using digital technologies. I will use school data and interact with staff and students to gather a thorough understanding about the diverse backgrounds of the student body, in an effort to use ICT knowledge to assist teaching staff to make informed, engaging, ICT supported, and differentiated, student centred programs.
Promotion of Reading
The highly accomplished TL is passionate about reading, books, and literacy and will seek out opportunities within the student community to promote a love of the written or illustrated text. They will have an in-depth knowledge of the reading levels and genres of the student and teaching body, and will use this information to actively stock and advertise the collection. The highly accomplished TL will proactively seek out opportunities and events, and will create interesting and eye catching book displays that are constantly changing, drawing the school community into the library as an active an vibrant learning hub of the school. Research by Krashen(2004) cited in IFLA states that "there is a direct link between reading level and learning results, and that access to reading materials is a key factor in developing enthusiastic and skilled readers." IFLA (2015:39).
The TL at site 2 demonstrates an understanding of the students' reading habits and levels, however she is severely hampered in her ability to purchase engaging stock by a very restricted budget. Marca (2014:23) identifies external constraints (in this case a small budget) as an element that affects the TL's ability to actively foster a healthy reading environment. Although there is a deep desire to promote and purchase stock that would encourage healthy borrowing patterns in the school community, she seems to have lost the will to fight. The ageing stock is one attribute that impacts the all ready poor fictional borrowing patterns, which sends a negative message to the Principal, who in turn is reticent to allocate funding for new stock in a library which has a declining audience.
When I come to power, one main priority will be to inform the Principal on the average high school budget, and make a well informed and clearly documented connection between a well resourced library and student outcomes. The 2016 Softlink Australian and New Zealand school library survey (2016:6) states that the average expenditure allocated to government high school libraries with a population over 800 students is $20 000, in sharp contrast to the less than $5000 that she is currently working with. IFLA states that "Students who score higher on standardised test tend to come from schools with more school library staff and more access to services and resources such as books, periodicals and online material..." IFLA (2015:24).
The TL at site 2 promotes reading within the school using initiatives such as "Word of the Week" whereby she advertised an unusual word on the daily notices, and rewards the first few students who can come to her with the correct meaning of the word. She also themes book displays around current assignment topics or Australian occasions (such as Anzac Day). Occasionally a travelling suitcase, which includes a random selection of current literature for student and teacher perusal, is delivered to the school. This is used as a literary device to encourage and promote reading outside of the normal genre.
When I come to power, I will consider the promotion of literacy and reading as a crucial element of my role as a highly accomplished TL IFLA (2015:39). I will continue the promotion of reading, however I will make displays more eye catching and engaging. A brightly decorated stand with themed books and props to draw students into the library is inviting and informative. The ability to make use of current assignment topics or Australian occasions is a wise and effective way to engage students and encourage them to visit the library. Themed Book clubs which meet in the library are also another option for drawing students and teachers into regular reading habits, link these to publicly displayed book reviews with ratings, and you create reading communities within the school, and a healthy, vibrant reading culture soon evolves. Sites such as Pinterest can also be used to access a variety of ideas and inspirations. Professional TL web based groups such as OZTL are also full of advice and opportunities to learn and share.
Current displays upon entry to Site 2 library
