I walk into almost all of our schools in West Vancouver and very often the first thing people want to show me or talk to me about is the changes happening around the library. Or more specifically, schools are taking great pride in their learning commons spaces that are developing. While the physical spaces are exciting, the changes to our mindsets are far more powerful. We are not destined for new schools in West Vancouver anytime soon but the rethink of the library has been both a symbolic and concrete shift in how we think about space and how we think about learning. The school library – a centre piece in schools – is now the modern hub for learning.
I like the library metaphor from Joan Frye Williams (shared in this blog from Joyce Valenza):
Our libraries should transition to places to do stuff, not simply places to get stuff. The library will become a laboratory in which community members tinker, build, learn, and communicate. We need to stop being the grocery store or candy store and become the kitchen. We should emphasize hospitality, comfort, convenience and create work environments that invite exploration and creativity both virtually and physically.
The library as a kitchen – I love it.
And just what does this look like?
A couple weeks ago I was at West Bay Elementary for the opening of their new space. Recently, I have been to other formal and less formal tours at unveilings at a variety of schools including Eagle Harbour Montessori, Bowen Island Community School, Cypress Primary, Irwin Park Elementary and West Vancouver Secondary. There are many elements all of these spaces have in common. One immediately gets the sense that the primary goal was to draw more students in to do individual and collective work. There are spaces for silent study, but also other areas that often look more like a coffee shop than a traditional library. In listening to West Bay Principal Judy Duncan, describe their vision for their space, she said, “We believe the library is a hub of our school, a space where learners of all ages gather to learn through conversation, collaboration, independent study and purposeful play.”
Our work in West Vancouver, both with spaces and mindsets is not happening in isolation. We have been influenced by the work at universities, like this work at the University of British Columbia, the work at other schools in BC, like this work at John Oliver Secondary in Vancouver and the work at public libraries, including the efforts of our own local library – the West Vancouver Memorial Library. For my thinking, a particularly useful document is Facing the Future – A Vision Document for British Columbia’s Public Libraries. It’s author, Ken Roberts, the former Chief Librarian of the Hamilton Public Library, argues that “there is a growing realization that physical libraries are becoming even more important community spaces, places where people gather, share and learn from each other.” In short, the shift that public libraries are facing is the same ones that schools are facing and we have a lot to learn from and with each other. The BC Teacher Librarians’ Association, an amazingly thoughtful and forward-looking organization have also produced a document to help schools in the midst of the transition.
The photos below give a sense of some of the uses of the new space at West Bay, and what we are seeing across our district as we make these shifts.
For more on the specifics of this particular transformation, Principal Judy Duncan has blogged about Transforming Learning Spaces to Meet Today’s Learners.
At the recently held Ontario Library Conference, I made the argument that we can get hung-up on the money when it comes to learning commons spaces. But it is first about mindsets – we need to embrace new ways of learning and find ways for our space to reflect these changes and be the gathering places for our all our learners. The thinking around the learning commons is symbolizing the shifts we are seeing with learning throughout our schools.
The School Library as Learning Commons is as you say Chris, a paradigm shift happening across the country. Here in Manitoba we are having these conversations at the local and divisional levels. I certainly concur with your postulation that the learning commons is symbolic of a much larger transformation of learning and teaching. I am sorry that I missed your presentation @OLA. The school library as a kitchen… Kevin
Thanks for identifying “Learning Commons” as a mindset and continuing to use “library.” I’m for both.
Libraries have always been places to ‘get lost in a book’, or ‘seek answers’, which themselves are good things 🙂
But the thoughtful design behind a Learning Commons (including the 24/7 virtual space) creates a space for collaboration, inspiration, creation, and connection. I love the idea of a shared network of Learning Commons – we have so much to learn from each other – community, elementary/high school, post secondary….
Thank you for linking us to these great documents as well!
Another resource to add to the conversation, Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Common in Canada http://clatoolbox.ca/casl/slic/llsop.pdf
[…] RT @ChrisWejr: Yes! –> The Learning Commons Mindset by @chrkennedy #bcedchat #think35 cultureofyes.ca/2015/02/12/the… […]
Most parents I know would get behind fundraising to support changes like these to their schools’ libraries. There is so much scope here for community involvement, too.
Yes, this kind of work is definitely something that parents and the community can get behind.
As a once-and-always teacher librarian I love the direction libraries are heading! Thanks for sharing what’s happening in SD45 – looking forward to “borrowing” these learning commons ideas!!
Thanks Ian. I guess you might have to come to West Vancouver for another visit.
[…] https://cultureofyes.ca/2015/02/12/the-learning-commons-mindset/ […]
Reblogged this on EdTech Mentorship Network and commented:
A reblogged posting from a BC Superintendent of Schools. Thanks Chris Kennedy – thanks for always being open to sharing.
Reblogged this on the KSS Learning Commons.
Al – I continue to appreciate our ongoing connections in the digital world.
Thanks. I try 🙂
Reblogged this on Reflective Curiosities and commented:
A wonderful perspective of the Learning Commons. It is so true and so obvious that learning occurs anytime, with anyone and anywhere. (Richardson, 2013) Thank you, Chris for another inspirational post.
Thanks so much Hieu for the kind words. I appreciate you sharing this with your network.
Reblogged this on Whitten Society Connections and commented:
Chris Kennedy’s post is thoughtful, uses words carefully and references useful material on developing the “Learning Commons Mindset” and its implementation. The post ends relating the mindset to schools, but my takeaway is that the mindset has power only if all parts of a community can work together to make the best use of material and human resources.
Thanks so much of the kind words. I would add that if one changes the physical space and doesn’t address the larger change in mindset it is time and money wasted. In the end the library, or learning commons in just a space. The power is in the collective vision over learning and the use of the space that is important.
Thank you Chris for your reflective post, and for highlighting the changes taking place in our libraries around the district. The change in mindset must also filter down to students so that they understand and are able to embrace how powerful the changes can be (whether in the library, or classrooms) to their learning and ability to self-regulate.
[…] The Learning Commons Mindset […]
[…] Read: https://cultureofyes.ca/2015/02/12/the-learning-commons-mindset/ “I like the library metaphor from Joan Frye Williams (shared in this blog from Joyce […]
[…] off ideas ends the improv very quickly. I think it works the same way with learning. In The Learning Commons Mindset, Kennedy shares a quote that the library learning commons is not just a place to get stuff; […]
[…] The Learning Commons Mindset The School Library as Learning Commons is a paradigm shift that is happening around the world. “We can get hung-up on the money when it comes to learning commons spaces. But it is first about mindsets – we need to embrace new ways of learning and find ways for our space to reflect these changes and be the gathering places for our all our learners. The thinking around the learning commons is symbolizing the shifts we are seeing with learning throughout our schools.” […]
Reblogged this on librarynbct's Blog and commented:
In the tough times facing our profession, despite our huge potential to impact learning, it is nice to see a school district that is “getting it right.” Kudos to West Vancouver schools.
Thanks for the kind words. It has taken a lot of work to develop some common thinking around this in our district. It is a very exciting time in West Vancouver!
[…] This article is interesting. Though set in a Canadian primary school it can be adapted for a secondary situation https://cultureofyes.ca/2015/02/12/the-learning-commons-mindset/ […]
[…] 1. The Learning Commons Mindset […]
[…] need to stop being the grocery store or candy store and start being the kitchen” (Retrieved from https://cultureofyes.ca/2015/02/12/the-learning-commons-mindset/, Sept. 30, 2016). When I read this it fit perfectly with this module’s recipe theme. With […]
[…] Vancouver’s Superintendent Chris Kennedy’s blog post, titled The Learning Commons Mindset, caught my interest because I follow him on Twitter and he used to be part of SD 43. In order to […]