Where has the time gone?

Boy time really does fly.  Its been a while since I have had a chance to add a new blog so some catching up is due.  While I have posted on the forums my views of the subject content so far, this blog will be more my personal reflections about those postings.

The readings provided for the subject have certainly prompted a lot of discussion on the forums and its great to be able to see others point of view.  As mentioned in my previous blog, I have always felt that libraries and librarians in primary schools have not appeared to be used effectively in the context of the classroom or curriculum.  The research shows that this has been the case and that changes are being effected to ensure that better value is given to the service and that the service itself can change to better reflect its ability to assist the school and its mission. 

As mentioned in my post of 2 August, I think the statements and standards proposed for identifying good TL's are a too broad.  The idea that librarians should be providing students with opportunities to embrace reading and become lifelong learners is a bit like reinventing the wheel.  Keep in mind also that I bring a primary school perspective to these musings which can be decidedly different to those working in secorndary schools.  The English syllabus for primary schools consists of three strands:  talking and listening, reading and writing.  These strands are very explicit in their description of what students should be achieving at certain stages of development and what teachers are required to provide in learning experiences.  25% of the weekly timetable is given to literacy so many hours are spent providing students with opportunities to not only become expert readers of many different genres but also develop a love of reading and the skills that reading can instill in students.  Why then should librarians also provide opportunities to students?  As for lifelong learners, this catch phrase is littered throughout the syllabus documents and other rationales distributed by the Department so are libraries simply a tool for etended practice for students?

I believe the key to libraries in our primary schools is collaboration with teaching staff first and foremost.  Yes they need to be included in the policy and funding procedures of the school and to develop an ethos that reflects the school but, without collaboration with teachers in order to enhance the learning in context I feel they simply become a fill in activity while teachers are on RFF.  Libraries are information depositories and I believe its important that students are taught a variety of ways in which they can obtain information.  Constructivist pedagogies and inquiry based learning demand that students make their own meanings of information but how to do this if they cannot access the information that is available.  Information literacy development is more than just googling an idea or phrase.

One final point that I would like to make on librarian roles is the adminstration aspect.  Admin is a part of all our lives but it doesnt have to be time consuming.  I think school libraries would benefit from self service check in/out systems similar to universities etc.  Students would become independent in their borrowing activities freeing up this time for the librarian.  Also, the system could provide valuable data in digital form that could be used to evaluate library use at the school.

Welcome!

Welcome to my blog.  This is a first for me and I am embracing the new skills and challenges.

About me!!!  I am currently in my final year of B Ed (Primary) at Charles Sturt University.  This subject, ETL401 is my one and only elective in my final semester.  I am also undertaking my final prac and internship over the semester so as always, the workload is monumental.

I have two passions in life outside my family.  One is teaching and the other is books.  My entire life I have spent reading everything I could get my hands on.  These days the reading is mostly academic with some light reading at the end of the day purely for enjoyment.  While I love technology and use it everyday in many forms including social networking, there is nothing that beats the feel of opening a book to discover new worlds, characters or information.  So when electives were posted this was the obvious choice for me.

As an avid library user and being involved in schools for years as both a parent and a teacher, I have felt that school libraries seemed to be under utilised.  Kids would go in, be read a book that often had no connection to their curriculum context and then as a reward for sitting still would get to colour in a picture about the book.  Now in fairness, my exposure to these learning experiences were intermittant so I could have been wrong.  There just seemed to be a better way.

To my surprise the subject has revealed that this dilemma has been realised and its now up to us to change the system.  I think the key to doing that is affirming the importance of the school library and librarian and collaboration with other teaching staff. 

My other interest is research.  I was invited to complete a Research Honours degree and my focus was always on improving learning outcomes for all students regardless of ability or background.  I was having trouble narrowing my focus but this subject has given me new perspectives to view the issue from and I may look at it from the role of the librarian.

I just love possibilities!!!

So whether or not anyone reads this blog, it will be helpful being able to record my thoughts and reflections.

Cheers  :-)