Portfolio ETL401 Task C

   My view of the role of the Teacher Librarian (TL) has changed over the course if this subject. I saw the position of a TL as librarian, an information specialist and sometimes a teacher. Now the role of the TL has grown to include the positions of instructional partner and school leader. I agree with what I read on the forum that the role of the TL is vast, with many aspects and it is up to the school and the TL which roles to place emphasis on. If you tried to fulfill every part of the role equally the TL may have spread themselves to thinly (ETL401 Forum, 2011). I agree with what I had posted on my blog and within the forum, I think the role of information specialist and teacher are the most important roles for a TL. In my post I had ranked professional administration as last but now I don’t think you could rank them from most important to lest, a TL may not be a TL without all those roles and responsibilities.

   I had a traditional view or basic view of the TL as a librarian, who helps students find books for their assignments or suggest the latest novel. I now know there is much more to this position and that it is time consuming, as program administrator who provides a stimulating learning environment, develops a collection of resources and supports the curriculum, a task which requires knowledge about the students, staff, curriculum and technology (Church, 2011).

   I think the informational specialists role is a unique role to the TL, a position that defines the TL’s responsibility to their school. My opinion has not change over this role, in my blog I posted that information specialist is an “essential skill and responsibility of a TL” (Buttenshaw, 2011).

   The teacher position of the TL was not so clear to me. I knew that they taught students how to find information but not the extend of that teaching. I now realize that they ensure students are able to access, evaluate and use information, and the skills of inquiry, problem solving and critical thinking (Church, 2011). I like Herring’s (2007) remark that libraries are a “centre of learning first and a centre of resources second”, now that I understand the importance of inquiry-based learning, especially in our highly assessable information society, the TL’s teaching role has become a vital part of a student’s education.

   I can see the importance of collaboration between the TL and the teacher, but from my own experience I do not see it occurring often. From what I have read throughout this course I know collaboration between the classroom teacher and the TL is beneficial for the students academically, but what still lacks is the support from the school administration to actively push collaborative teaching (Lamb & Johnson, 2008).

   I did not see the TL as a leader in the sense of influencing the curriculum and causing change within the school. I did see the TL has having a unique position in the school, having sometimes total control over their domain, rarely having to justify their action to the principal barring the budget. Numerous studies have demonstrated that when the librarian participates fully in the instructional program of the school, taking an active leadership role, student learning is stronger (Church, 2011). I believe the TL is a leader who is constantly learning and sharing ideas, they are not static leaders and look for chances within the school for action and change (Oberg, 2006). Still it does require the TL to exert themselves, joining school committees such as curriculum development and being recognised as a head of school.

   I assumed I had a reasonable idea about the role of a TL but found myself to be mistaken. I was only viewing the surface and perhaps even a prejudice view and was missing the deeper and more complex positions the TL has. I should have known more and not have been so narrow minded. I also found myself assuming once I had read a few articles on TL roles that what else was their to know, but found the roles were seen differently and there were opinions on what where the essential positions of a TL.

   What I believe is today’s school librarian is a master teacher, instructional partner, school leader, information specialists and professional administrator who aim for students to become effective users of ideas and information. As highlighted on the forum the disadvantage is that the TL knows what their role in the school is but the principal, staff, students and the wider community may lack that knowledge and understanding of the TLs importance and that of the school library (ETL401 forum, 2011).

Reference

Buttenshaw, A (2011). Buttens by the shaw. Blogger. Retrieved from  http://buttensbytheshaw.blogspot.com/

Church, A. R. (2011). School librarians as teacher leaders. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 77(3), 10-12. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.

ETL401 Forum (2011). Topic 2 the role of the teacher librarian. ETL401. Wagga Wagga, NSW : Charles Sturt University
Herring, J.E. (2007). Teacher librarians in the school library. In S. Ferguson (Ed.), Libraries in the twenty-first century: charting new directions in information services (pp. 27-42). [Wagga Wagga, NSW] : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.
Lamb, A., & Johnson, L. (2008). School library media specialist 2.0: a dynamic collaborator, teacher, and technologist. Teacher Librarian, 36(2), 74-78. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Oberg, D. (2006). Developing the respect and support of school administrators. Teacher Librarian, 33(3), 13-18. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.