From my recent Slideshare presentations, I have had a number of questions about what my thinking is about the role of teacher-librarians? Here is the slide that has generated some discussion on this and the one I use to explain how we, in West Vancouver, are trying to support digital literacy and move forward with inquiry-based learning:
We don’t have the ‘middle layer’ of support for our schools that some districts have; we have no district coordinators, helping teachers, district support teachers or other similar positions that many, particularly larger districts, have to support the work of the teacher and schools.
In part because of size, and in part because of vision, we have made commitments around school-based staffing; thus, we are required to develop a model to support digital literacy and other innovative learning relying on the work in schools with limited outside support.
I call this the “Just in Time” solution, where we have principals and vice-principals who are learning leaders. Regardless of their technology skills, they know their pedagogy and find ways to connect learning goals to technology and, more importantly, provide leadership around curriculum and assessment. We have also been overt in recent years with our postings and our hirings — having digital skills is an expectation for new principals and vice-prinicpals. They are our first circle of support, and we need to continue to support them to lead the learning (including digital learning).
Teacher-librarians are our second circle of support. In a recent interview with Dr. Paul Shaker on Your Education Matters, I said that as we move forward “teacher librarians are more important than ever.” My experience has been that next to the principal, the teacher-librarian is often key in moving the learning agenda forward. In schools that are moving forward, it is very often the teacher-librarian, working side-by-side with teachers on staff, who find new ways of working with students.
The third ring of the “Just-in-Time” solution is key staff members; they are formal leaders like secondary curriculum coordinators, or informal leaders who have an influence on staff, who are able to help in the moment to support digital literacy. Teachers cannot wait for a workshop in six weeks, when they are stuck now; they rely on our network of staff — formal leaders, teacher-librarians, and key teacher leaders — all working together.
I saw the power of the teacher-librarian working with Gordon Powell (click on his name to check out his great blog), when I began my teaching career at McRoberts Secondary in Richmond, and then later in Port Coquitlam, as Principal at Riverside Secondary working with Sue Kilpatrick and Ron Haselhan, who simply “got it” in their roles supporting and working with teachers and students. I am hardly an expert on teacher-librarians, but I have now seen first-hand — in three school districts — the important leadership role they play.
My thanks to Moira Ekdahl, a teacher-librarian from Vancouver and a recent winner of the CLA Angela Thacker Memorial Award who, in her recent post here, did a much more articulate job of pulling together my thoughts around teacher-librarians. On the topic of library transformation, the BC Teacher Librarians Association have a wonderful document: The Points of Inquiry.
As we lament that little change has taken place, or how slow the change has been, many teacher-librarians have transformed what they do to stay relevant and ahead of the curve. We have many who are seeing their roles, as Seth Godin does, “as producer, concierge, connector, teacher and impresario” (Later, in this post, Seth stole my line about librarians being more important than ever).
Finally, one more place worth reading on the topic is Gino Bondi, Principal at John Oliver in Vancouver, and the work they are doing on a Learning Commons. Thanks to Gino and Moira, Building a Learning Commons, is now on my summer reading list.
I like your take on librarians, Chris. In the last couple of years, we have had a crackerjack librarian who has transformed our library into a learning centre. She is focused on providing a comfortable and technologically rich learning environment for students and teachers. She co-teaches with our staff, and provides all of us with technological resources, leadership and inspiration in terms of curricular support and digital citizenship. She has truly made a significant difference to our school in just two short years. Sadly, she is retiring next year. However, has left a template for innovation behind her that will lead future librarians who will come to our school.
Your diagram is bang on, and something that I will bring to our district to consider as we continue to adopt new technologies and 21st century learning skills.
Thanks for the post.
Thanks Cale. It is great to hear others have similar experiences with the ability of a teacher-librarian to help transform a school.
“Just in Time” (JIT) was primarily introduced into industry to reduce cost and improve efficiency. Your borrowing of an industrial concept to explain and/or improve learning environments is but one of many ideas that can be borrowed and adopted (see Kaizen at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaizen) to fuel improvement outside of industry and for public systems.
The effective teacher-librarian often models “guide on the side rather than the sage on the stage” practice in a way that can help others educators understand this approach to learning.
Thanks Martin for the feedback. Technology pro-d just doesn’t work with the professional development structure of getting together on six days during a school year. Districts that kind find other structures to support teachers with digital literacy in the moment they are looking for support are going to be the ones moving ahead.
[…] From my recent Slideshare presentations, I have had a number of questions about what my thinking is about the role of teacher-librarians? Here is the slide that has generated some discussion on this and the one I use to explain how we, in West Vancouver, are trying to support digital literacy and move forward with inquiry-based learning: We don't have the 'middle layer' of support for our schools that some districts have; we have no district coo … Read More […]
[…] My Take on Librarians supportive and wise words from Chris Kennedy, Superintendent of Schools for West Vancouver BC, and one of the most progressive voices in Canadian education. […]
Very kind words on your blog post, thanks.
Thanks Al for sharing my post with all of your readers.
A great post, Chris
Your “Just in Time” solution is one that resonates with me in that it honours and recognized the expertise of the leaders in the building.
For far too long, librarians have been viewed as “the circulation desk, blow the dust off of the shelves gate keepers of under subscribed paper backs and magazines”. If we are going to move forward in continuing to build upon what our already exceptional education system, we have to view our librarians as our source of in-house pro-d, our staff learning coaches who in opening up the doors to their Learning Commons can help all stakeholders in the building construct meaning within a new and excitingly relevant paradigm
Koechlin, Rosenfeld, and Loertscher nail it when they put forward their premise that the librarian oversees the fusion of “the collaborative dynamics of the school library with technology-rich labs and expertise and provides a seamless portal of flexible physical and virtual learning resources and spaces.”
By being on the cutting edge in the “city on the edge” (as Moira is proud of saying) librarians combine their expertise with the development of relevant participatory learning experiences. In doing so, they help both staff and students become energized to make meaningful connections and develop strategies for successful learning.
Thanks Gino – it is exciting to watch the project at your school and see how it develops. Many of us look forward to seeing the progress.
Re-read this post after seeing the thoughtful work that a team at Lansdowne Middle School is doing – genuinely educational and digitally thoughtful as well. T-L critical to the work. (from Sooke/Lower Vancouver Island network celebration yesterday).
Thanks Linda. Since writing this post and seeing the reaction of T-L’s in our province – and the excitement they have over their evolving roles I am more convinced how important this role is to our system evolution.
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