It has been awhile since my last blog...sigh! Last week I spent my first full week back at school teaching a Year 1 class. Sheesh - I had forgotten how totally draining teaching can be. On the upside the class was great and the teacher well organised. She left me a wonderful letter asking me to treat her class the way I would my own.... I thought that was lovely. The interesting thing with this class is that they are using mind maps. I saw them develop two mind maps over the week and it was fabulous to see that quite a few have grabbed a hold of this idea and run with it. Others are having trouble getting their ideas down on paper and a few of them are looking at it as a separate activity, not related to anything else that they are doing in the classroom. Oh, to have more time with that class.......
Due to my week of work, my TL studies took a backseat as I was expanding on lessons that the teacher left me and doing extra preparation at home. So, now having to jump back into it and juggle assignment work too. I need a holiday! :)
Saturday, 17 September 2011
Saturday, 3 September 2011
Joyce Valenza - a great role model for Librarians everywhere!
I read Joyce Valenza's Manifesto for 21st Century School Librarians (2010)- wow! So many ideas and I'll admit, so much I needed to look up! This is something that every (Teacher) Librarian needs to read and use as a great source of inspiration. She has fabulous ideas on how to get students motivated through Reading, Information landscape, Communication, Publishing and Storytelling. She has tips on creating a better physical space in your library, on how to develop your library collection and on how to introduce new technology tools into the library as well as work on your own professional development for the betterment of yourself and your students.
Then I heard her speak about 'What Librarians make. Or why should I be more than a Librarian.' She is certainly someone that I am going to aspire to be like when I become a Teacher Librarian. You get the real sense that she cares for each and every student that walks through her door and that she is there to make a difference. That's why I became a teacher, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of the children that I had the pleasure to teach. Sure, some of them were hard work, challenging and at times downright annoying but, for each of those children there was always a moment when I thought, "You know, I might actually be getting through to them." There was a brief glimpse of their potential and that was enough for me to keep slogging through.
I also read Taylor Mali's (1999) poem, 'What Teachers Make' which was the inspiration for Valenza's talk. I was reminded of the many times people have asked me how much I make and how cushy a teacher's job is, what with all those holidays! How many times have I wanted to lay it all out there about lesson preparation, rubric writing, assessment marking and report writing that is done outside of school hours. But, I haven't. Now, I'd love to quote from Mali and say,
"You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.........
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?"
Then I heard her speak about 'What Librarians make. Or why should I be more than a Librarian.' She is certainly someone that I am going to aspire to be like when I become a Teacher Librarian. You get the real sense that she cares for each and every student that walks through her door and that she is there to make a difference. That's why I became a teacher, I wanted to make a difference in the lives of the children that I had the pleasure to teach. Sure, some of them were hard work, challenging and at times downright annoying but, for each of those children there was always a moment when I thought, "You know, I might actually be getting through to them." There was a brief glimpse of their potential and that was enough for me to keep slogging through.
I also read Taylor Mali's (1999) poem, 'What Teachers Make' which was the inspiration for Valenza's talk. I was reminded of the many times people have asked me how much I make and how cushy a teacher's job is, what with all those holidays! How many times have I wanted to lay it all out there about lesson preparation, rubric writing, assessment marking and report writing that is done outside of school hours. But, I haven't. Now, I'd love to quote from Mali and say,
"You want to know what I make?
I make kids wonder,
I make them question.
I make them criticize.
I make them apologize and mean it.
I make them write, write, write.........
Let me break it down for you, so you know what I say is true:
I make a goddamn difference! What about you?"
Saturday, 27 August 2011
Great quote and poster (well, fingers crossed!)
It is no longer enough simply to read and write. Students must also become literate in the understanding of visual images. Our children must learn how to spot a stereotype, isolate a social cliche and distinguish facts from propaganda, analysis from banter, and important news from coverage.
Ernest Boyer (Past President, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)
Ernest Boyer (Past President, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching)
Information Literacy ......if others can't define it, then why am I trying???
So, have been faced with the readings for Topic 4 - Information Literacy. Time and time again I am reading about what an information literate learner will be like but not an actual definition for Information Literacy. So I Googled and Dogpiled and Metacrawled my way to .....
"Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner."
(Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals)- CILIP.
I have felt compelled to find a definition and now that I found one that makes sense to me, I can look at the information and refer back to the definition. That's what works for me.
I also found an acronym I like that will help me teach Information Literacy effectively and efficiently;
D.I.S.C.O.V.E.R
Define
Inquire
Search
Collect
Organise
Verify
Express
Reflect (University of Mary Washington - 2007)
"Information literacy is knowing when and why you need information, where to find it, and how to evaluate, use and communicate it in an ethical manner."
(Chartered Institute of Library & Information Professionals)- CILIP.
I have felt compelled to find a definition and now that I found one that makes sense to me, I can look at the information and refer back to the definition. That's what works for me.
I also found an acronym I like that will help me teach Information Literacy effectively and efficiently;
D.I.S.C.O.V.E.R
Define
Inquire
Search
Collect
Organise
Verify
Express
Reflect (University of Mary Washington - 2007)
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Phew.... I'm done!
So, after a couple of weeks of wondering what possessed me to take on two subjects ....I'm done! Well, my first assignment for each subject are done anyway. Now to catch up on the modules.
I read a few interesting things in Topic 3 and for my own learning and retention, I'll write them here:
Project Based Learning (PBL) - Students solve carefully planned and assessed real world problems that have multiple solutions. It is organised around open-ended questions and requires inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration allowing students to learn to work independently, resulting in a final product or performance.
Quality Teaching - 3 dimensions
* Intellectual quality - producing deep understanding of important concepts, skills and ideas. Students engage in high order thinking skills and communicate about their learning.
* Quality learning environment - a classroom where teachers and students work productively and are clearly focused on learning.
* Significance of students work - help make learning important and meaningful.
Dimensions of Learning - offers a way for students to think about the process of learning.
* Attitudes and Perceptions - establish positive attitudes to learning.
* Acquire and Integrate knowledge - relate knowledge to what they already know.
* Extend and Refine knowledge - compare, classify, analyze.
* Use knowledge meaningfully - problem solving, investigation, decision making, reasoning and analysis.
* Productive habits of mind - critical, creative and self-regulated thinking.
16 habits of mind
Supposed to be related to learning but I see these as relating to life in general.
*Persisting *Managing Impulsivity *Listening to others with Empathy *Think flexibly *Think about your thinking *Striving for accuracy & precision *Question & pose problems *Apply past knowledge to new situations *Think & communicate with clarity *Gather data through all your senses *Create, imagine, innovate *Respond with awe and wonder *Find humour *Take responsible risks *Think interdependently *Learn continuously
I read a few interesting things in Topic 3 and for my own learning and retention, I'll write them here:
Project Based Learning (PBL) - Students solve carefully planned and assessed real world problems that have multiple solutions. It is organised around open-ended questions and requires inquiry, critical thinking, problem solving and collaboration allowing students to learn to work independently, resulting in a final product or performance.
Quality Teaching - 3 dimensions
* Intellectual quality - producing deep understanding of important concepts, skills and ideas. Students engage in high order thinking skills and communicate about their learning.
* Quality learning environment - a classroom where teachers and students work productively and are clearly focused on learning.
* Significance of students work - help make learning important and meaningful.
Dimensions of Learning - offers a way for students to think about the process of learning.
* Attitudes and Perceptions - establish positive attitudes to learning.
* Acquire and Integrate knowledge - relate knowledge to what they already know.
* Extend and Refine knowledge - compare, classify, analyze.
* Use knowledge meaningfully - problem solving, investigation, decision making, reasoning and analysis.
* Productive habits of mind - critical, creative and self-regulated thinking.
16 habits of mind
Supposed to be related to learning but I see these as relating to life in general.
*Persisting *Managing Impulsivity *Listening to others with Empathy *Think flexibly *Think about your thinking *Striving for accuracy & precision *Question & pose problems *Apply past knowledge to new situations *Think & communicate with clarity *Gather data through all your senses *Create, imagine, innovate *Respond with awe and wonder *Find humour *Take responsible risks *Think interdependently *Learn continuously
Friday, 12 August 2011
Heard something interesting....
I was speaking to someone over the weekend about going back to school. The conversation was going well until they asked me what I was studying. When I replied, "I'm studying my Masters in Teacher Librarianship", there was a distinct pause and then, "Isn't that a dying profession?" After my own considerable pause, a fierce sense of loyalty made me quote different people from the Forums on 401 and 501 and information that I didn't realise I had taken in came spouting out. I spoke of information literacy; the use of technology and the importance of tying it to the curriculum. I discussed the need for dictionaries in each classroom and the need for students to know alphabetical order. I was on a roll and quite pleased with my arguments for the Teacher Librarian. Then I realised, what an an underestimated, misunderstood profession it is. It is up to us and the other Teacher Librarians out there to toot our own horns and let people know that what we do is important and valuable. So, TOOT if you're a Teacher Librarian!
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Topic 2 - Collaboration and a dying breed
Wow! It has taken me a week now to wade through all the readings for Topic 2. So much information..... so little time to take it all in! The importance of collaboration was something mentioned time and time again. These quotes really stood out for me, "The Principal holds the power either to make or break collaborative efforts.." (Principal support for Collaboration: Morris, 2007)and "Teacher Librarians need to align their efforts with the school's mission and the Principal's vision." (Principals: Catalysts for Collaboration: Farmer, 2007) For me, after reading the roles of T.L - collaborator is an extremely important, yet largely under utilised part of the job.
Reading the House of Representatives findings in School libraries and teacher librarians in the 21st Century Australia (2011), a few things jumped out at me including, "...the profession appears to have been in a state of decline for some years and, in some states, is on the brink of extinction." It cited the Lonsdale review a number of times with quotes such as, "Teacher librarians are viewed by their teaching colleagues as support resources, rather than fellow-teachers [or collaborators]" To me it appears that the view of the T.L is in need of a huge revamp. We don't want to be seen as a dying breed. We need to be making fellow teachers, principals and parents aware of what an important job the T.L has and how, if allowed to work in collaboration with classroom teachers, the students will benefit greatly.
Reading the House of Representatives findings in School libraries and teacher librarians in the 21st Century Australia (2011), a few things jumped out at me including, "...the profession appears to have been in a state of decline for some years and, in some states, is on the brink of extinction." It cited the Lonsdale review a number of times with quotes such as, "Teacher librarians are viewed by their teaching colleagues as support resources, rather than fellow-teachers [or collaborators]" To me it appears that the view of the T.L is in need of a huge revamp. We don't want to be seen as a dying breed. We need to be making fellow teachers, principals and parents aware of what an important job the T.L has and how, if allowed to work in collaboration with classroom teachers, the students will benefit greatly.
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