Leading and Learning in the Library

Below is a brief look at the the learning that happened during the months of November through February via the library and the various roles of the Teacher Librarian (Instructional Partner, Literacy Leader, Information Specialist , Learning Environment Manager and Learning Specialist).

Each role will have the specific components from the AFTL four domains. There is overlap between the domains and the different roles. For simplicity sake, I used the components from the draft copy of the SPS TL Manual.

Instructional Partner

AFTL Components

1a: Demonstrating understanding of Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy

1e: Planning an instructional library program aligned with the priorities and curricula

2b. Establishing a culture for learning

3b: Collaboration: Serves as an instructional partner who works with teachers in the design and teaching of inquiry based learning aligned with curriculum

4a: Reflecting on practice

• part of the weekly ongoing student inquiries in two grade one classrooms
• assisting grade 6/7 with blogging
• supporting the Genius hour in a grade five classroom (keyword searching, introducing tools to share and presenting skills)
• providing resources for Ts related to their curricular teaching
• ILLs (InterLibraryLoans to support ongoing units in the classroom - 169)
• introduced Sketchnoting collaborating with Arts Ed teacher and grade 6 students
• completed a mini inquiry unit with grade two class using PWIM pictures
• assiting grade sevens on Telemedia day
• working with grade six class with Pink Day assembly and setting up a LibGuide page to highlight and share their learning
• working with grade five classroom on presenting skills

AFTL Components

1a: Demonstrating understanding of Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy

3c: Literacy: Models and facilitates thinking strategies for comprehension and response, creating and composition, assessment and reflection

4b: Maintaining and extending the school library collection

• Organized and ran the Scholastic Book Fair
• Pulled and highlighted student and teacher interest themes (seasonal and curricular)
• organized, promoted Love of Reading Culture with wrapped books in Feb
• Purchasing literature for students and staff focusing on math
• Continuing to develop relationships in order to recommend interest and appropriate reading level books to instill that love of reading
• modeling being a reader in a variety of formats
• Recommending and suggesting the SPL for programs and visits
• Researching and purchasing LGBTQ resources

Collection Development - Resources added

Everyone/Picture Books: 40

General Fiction: 32

YA: 14

Graphic Novels: 9

E Non-fiction: 2

Non-Fiction: 2

Math Focus:1

Maker Focus:5

FNIM: 6

PROF: 7

Books Read to Preview for Collection Development

Everyone/Picture Books 43
Graphic Novels: 5
Gen Fiction: 4
YA: 7

Non fiction: 17

Circulation Stats (Nov- Feb) and the Current Total (Sept -Feb)

67 Faculty: 2 385 3 984

820 Students: 17 817 29 211

Total: 20 202 33 195

AFTL Components

3a: Information Literacy: Models processes for locating, acquiring, evaluating, using, and sharing information to solve problems and further inquiry

3d: Digital Fluency : Assists students in becoming digitally fluent

• working with last of the three grade four class to introduce pre-searching, key words, databases and evaluating web sites to bridge into inquiry units
• weekly inquiry research with grade two grade one classrooms (1D, 1K)
• working with grade 6 class using key words to search effectively SPL website and databases
• created game based learning Breakout game on effective searching with five classrooms (6L, 6/7L, 7F, 7P and 8M)
• introduced keyword searching with grade five class to assist with research for genius hour
• working with grade 2's to save pictures for grandparent photostory

AFTL Components

1c: Goal Setting :Establishing goals for the school library program appropriate to the setting, division and school initiatives, and the students served

1d: Demonstrating knowledge of needed resources and the process for acquisition, both within and beyond the school and division

1f: Assessing the school library program and making appropriate adjustments

2a: Creating an environment of respect and rapport

2c: Establishing and maintaining school library procedures

2d: Establishing and maintaining a plan for managing student behaviour

2e: Organizing physical space

3e: Responsiveness : Demonstrating flexibility and responsiveness

Welcoming Ks as a Classroom in the Library

• Removed E section of the library and placed in Graphic Novel Section
• Shifted Graphic Novels to be absorbed into Regular Fiction
• Moved Reference to side to use shelving for E section
• Rearranged fiction and YA section and library to provide for K space
• Rearranged schedules to accommodate Ks in the classroom

Library Assistants

• continue to work with library assistants to greet students in a warm and welcoming manner while using the circ computer to check books in and out, sort resources according to their spine labels (Everyone, Fiction etc) to place on the cart,
• adding Destiny skills (temporary titles, adding holds)
• empowering students by allowing students to shelve certain types of resources back into the library for student use independently (Blastoff Readers, fiction series)
  

Office Space

• all tech cupboards labeled and tech equip put on Destiny permanently or as temp
• Plug in stations purchased so all robotics and cameras can be charged on a regular basis

AFTL Components

1b: Contextualizing the division’s priorities and the school’s initiatives to address student needs and interests

1d: Demonstrating knowledge of needed resources and the process for acquisition, both within and beyond the school and division

4c: Communicating with the larger community

4d: Participating in a professional community

4e: Engaging in professional development

4f: Showing professionalism

• Joined and attended the Visible Learning PD focusing on literacy using the book Visual Learning for Literacy, Grades K-12: Implementing the Practices That Work Best to Accelerate Student Learning Nov 29
• Collaborated to develop the core collection tender list based on existing Willowgrove library collection
• Shared with TL colleagues Breakout game based used for orientation
• Created and shared a Breakout game for staff on searching and areas of the library
• Worked with colleagues creating Sketchnotes session and worked with Arts Ed teacher to share sketch note lessons and attended a sketchnote PD
• Attended SSLA Webinars on: Changing the Mobile Teaching and Learning Landscape with Naomi Harm and also Fiction and Nonfiction Reading with Adrienne Gear
• Joined a Professional Book Club Talk Like Ted and attended two meetings
• Attending monthly YA Twitter book club (#2jennsbookclub)
• Attending a TL Twiiter chat #ndlibchat
• Joined a Makerclub through the university and developing a maker Breakout for attendees with TL colleagues

Professional Reading

Completed

DIY Literacy: Teaching Tools for Differentiation, Rigor and Independence

Talk Like Ted

Rainbow Family Collections:Selecting and Using Children's Books with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Content

Reading in the Wild

Currently Reading or Next Up

Conferring with Readers Supporting Each Student's Growth & Independence

Make Writing

The Writing Strategy Book