By Greg Harris
“I thought the person in the school library was some kind of Guardian of the Books.”
Lakehead University teacher candidate.
The lack of teacher and teacher-librarian collaboration is an ongoing concern I heard from many teacher-librarians for more than 20 years. There are valid and not-so-valid reasons such as lack of administrative support, fear, disrespect, ignorance, old habits, lack of time, resignation to not being able to change colleague mindsets … you get the picture.
If we can’t change the present, we can change the future. It seems to me that we may create collaborators by informing teacher candidates at the beginning of their teaching careers about the roles of teacher-librarians. Further, if teacher-librarians collaborate with teacher candidates on their placements, they will create collaborators.
In April 2019 I was teacher-librarian at K–8 Ardagh Bluffs Public School in Barrie, Ontario. I spoke with teacher candidates who were being hosted by some of Ardagh’s teachers. I asked them what they knew about teacher-librarians …sound of crickets here … they had no idea about the role of teacher-librarians. Teacher-librarians had not been mentioned in their faculty of education courses.
They were amazed when I explained our roles as collaborators and mentors. The teacher candidates thanked me for outlining the various roles — they were thrilled that they had knowledgeable teachers and technicians ready to work with them. (I know not all school boards have teacher-librarians, technicians or even school libraries.)
Background information:
For collaboration to take place, there seems to be the need for: promotion by school administration, the teacher-librarian being seen as a master teacher in critical thinking and information literacy, and the teacher being willing to take on new pedagogical approaches, and time to plan and work together.
Teachers may have put up their own barriers. When I was a student, the teacher-librarian was someone in charge of the books. As a teacher candidate in 1990-91, I don’t recall ever hearing about teacher-librarians. As a classroom teacher, the teacher-librarians at my four schools ranged from controlling and unfriendly to sharing, caring, collegial and friendly. Two were collaborative. Sandra Purchase of Willow Landing Elementary School in Barrie, Ontario was open and admitted she was trying to figure out how to encourage collaboration. We planned, debriefed and took risks. We worked together three times a year as many of our colleagues passed up the chance to work with her. Their loss. More than that, their students lost out on exceptional learning experiences. Ms. Purchase hooked me on collaboration and influenced me to become a teacher-librarian.
Working with teacher candidates creates future collaborators:
We need to reach teacher candidates while they are still at faculties of education. (I address this further on in this article.) We can influence them and demonstrate how teacher-librarians are vital allies.
For example:
- We can model best practices of classroom management and pedagogy,
- We can help them to create cross-curricular inquiry based learning experiences,
- We can help them bring STEAM challenges into their unit plans and lessons,
- We can help them find and use resources that they are unaware of,
- We can help them provide better learning experiences for our students.
Some of these teacher candidates will become principals and superintendents who will understand the importance of teacher-librarians as educational leaders and collaborators. We have the ability to influence the future now.
Action I’ve taken:
In September 2019, I addressed two groups of 1st-year teacher candidates at Lakehead University – Orillia Education Faculty and told them that teacher-librarians and library technicians are their allies.
My presentations were about 10 minutes. This is what I told them:
- I told them my name, my position at Lakehead, and that I was qualified to talk to them about the role of teacher-librarians because I had worked as a teacher-librarian for about 17 years. I introduced inquiry based learning to my school in 2010. We created a culture of critical thinking, inquiry, student choice and feedback (assessment FOR learning, assessment AS learning) when students needed it by collaborating with K-8 students, administration and teaching staff. Previously, I was an itinerant resource teacher for all elementary and secondary teacher-librarians in SCDSB for support in teaching/learning, resources and information regarding library and literacy. I know the importance of ‘things’ library and collaboration.
- Teacher-librarians are your allies. We know new teachers have an absolutely full working memory and truly need someone to be on your side and help you navigate the technology, teaching strategies especially around critical thinking, and the various resources for learning and reading enjoyment.
- Teacher-librarians are all about service. If you and your students need something we are willing to listen and to help … even when we are not experts, we will learn with you and your students.
- A major and perhaps the number one concern amongst North American teacher-librarians is that too few of their teacher colleagues collaborate with them. Wow, who wouldn’t want to work with a teacher who knows the curriculum, the resources and the students? Technicians may not know the curriculum as well, yet they will know the resources and the students and they will work with you too.
- When I was a classroom teacher and I had a teacher-librarian who would work with me and my students, I would take any time they would give us.
- You (teacher candidates) should arrange a meeting with the teacher-librarian/technician in the first week of your pre-placement visitation days. You should ask about appropriate lead times to get resources and possibilities for collaboration.
- Teacher-librarians and technicians are your allies. Seek them out, they will love you for it.
- Thank you for listening.
The teacher candidates applauded. The second group applauded too.
Action for teacher-librarians and technicians:
- Check in with the office staff and find out when teacher candidates will be in placements.
- Set up a meeting time with each teacher candidate and their hosting teacher. You must do this, as working memory is REALLY full now that the teacher candidates are in their placements and they may forget to meet with you. By having the hosting teacher there, you again make the case for collaboration.
- At your meeting, ask the teacher candidate about their teaching goals. Tell them what services you provide.
- Tell the teacher candidates what appropriate lead time means to you for helping to select learning materials.
- Offer to collaborate if you have time. Typically, teacher candidates are aligned with the associate/hosting teacher’s schedule. Teacher candidates will not know about all of your responsibilities and that you may be fully booked for their time in your school. Even if you only have time to put together a library lesson that you can do together it will set the stage for a career of collaboration. An example, do a shared reading with the teacher candidate and work on critical thinking and/or questioning.
COVID-19: Depending on school board policy in your area, teacher candidates may need you more than ever, especially if online learning is the practice. An email outreach/invitation will be appreciated a lot.
Conclusion:
I am comfortable offering the services of teacher-librarians and technicians because the teacher candidates are working as teachers for the students in your schools. I know this requires your time. Your time will pay forward for when these teacher candidates enter the school system. They will be primed for collaboration with library staff. Ultimately, you are improving the learning for students.
Aside: Similar presentations are now on the agenda for future professional development sessions for 1st year teacher candidates at the Lakehead University Faculty of Education – Orillia. I contacted the Lakehead University – Thunder Bay Dean of Education to include this information into the teacher candidate professional program. Second year teacher candidates were provided with an email outlining the role of teacher-librarians and technicians and how collaboration is truly beneficial for their students and themselves.
Next Step: The reality is teacher candidates in most universities do not receive information about school library learning commons or the help school library professionals can give them. I am committed to taking some immediate and long term actions in an attempt to ensure that new teacher candidates do not experience this void in their training experiences. I would like to start in Ontario and seek partners to help me develop a package for pre-service training on the opportunities available to them through the library learning commons, environments and teaching and learning expertise. This package could be replicated in other provinces and territories to address local curriculum and needs. CSL is keen to host the pre-service teachers’ information package and help promote it. This is a big project idea but an important investment in new teacher training. If you would like to help us or have suggestions please contact me gregang[at]rogers.com or contact Canadian School Libraries.
Greg Harris retired from 28 years of teaching; nearly 18 years were as a teacher-librarian, Greg was a resource teacher for all TL in Simcoe County DSB for 2 years. Greg is an instructor at Lakehead University – Education Orillia where he instructs first year teacher candidates in Language and Classroom Management, Planning and Assessment. Recently, Greg presented to all 200+ first year teacher candidates that teacher-librarians are their allies and collaboration superheroes. Both groups applauded … there is hope for collaboration! Second year teacher candidates are next.