1.2+Knowledge+of+learning+and+teaching


 * Knowledge of learning and teaching**


 * Excellent teacher librarians...**


 * 1.2.1 have a detailed knowledge of current educational pedagogy.**
 * 1.2.2 are thoroughly familiar with the information literacy and information needs, skills and interests of learners.**
 * 1.2.3 fully understand the need to cater for the social, cultural and developmental backgrounds of learners in program implementation and curriculum resourcing.**

Lyn Hay (2010) identifies a number of issues faced by school libraries and teacher librarians, and indicates the need for generational change in terms of pedagogy. Site 1 is implementing a Bring Your Own Laptop (BYOL) programme in 2014, for students in years 9-12. In addition to this, the college is making the transition towards a blended learning environment in an effort to personalize learning and provide differentiated instruction. During 2013, year 10 humanities, ancient history, legal studies; and year 7 Maths all had one scheduled lesson in the iCentre where the teacher librarians facilitated the blended learning model.

One of the primary objectives of the teacher librarians at site 1, is the integration of information literacy across the National Curriculum. There has always been implicit teaching of information skills at site 1, but it is my intention to work in collaboration with teachers to make information literacy explicit in curriculum planning. The teacher librarian at site 3 has drafted an Information Literacy Policy to provide teachers with an outline of how their information needs may be supported, and this is definitely one incentive I would look at implementing at site 1 in the near future.



Looking to the future, I would like to increase collaboration between the teacher librarian and classroom teacher by frequently attending planning and faculty meetings to foster a sound working relationship. At site 1 there are a number of teachers that consistently provide the teacher librarians with assessment tasks so that we may create a Libguide to assist students with the research process, and we also have 'global access' to all the courses on the Integrated Learning Environment (Desire to Learn). However, it appears to be the same teachers that acknowledge and utilize the skills of the teacher librarians and I feel that greater advocacy for the role would enhance the professional relationships between staff.

There has been a conscious effort by the teacher librarians at site 1, to raise the standards of digital literacy and help students become effective 21st Century learners. Since January 2012, the teacher librarians have been offering digital literacy tutorials and workshops on a Tuesday and Thursday lunchtime. Aptly named 'Lunch and Learn', these sessions aim to increase students' knowledge in areas of ICT, research skills, and digital tools. The topics are decided after consultation with the Curriculum Team and are organised so that they become 'just in time' sessions. At the beginning of 2013 the Headmaster at site 1 decided that the sessions were so valuable that he made it a requirement for year 12 students to complete a minimum of six sessions throughout the year. These sessions were recorded and mentioned on their school reports and also on their reference at the end of the year.

An excellent teacher librarian must cater for students from different backgrounds, whether it be cultural, social, or developmental. The student population at site 1 consists of a reasonably large number of international students, predominantly from Asian and Russian countries. I have made an effort to include a number of foreign language fiction titles in our collection so that these students feel 'at home' in the iCentre. The junior school teacher librarian at site 1 holds lessons with the intensive ESL classes on a fortnightly basis and sources reading material that is appropriate for their age and reading level.