By Carol Koechlin and Judith Sykes
Happy 5th Birthday Leading Learning/L’apprentissage en tête! Over the past five years we have kept Leading Learning growing as a live document representing current practice in school library learning commons right across Canada. Count the ways!
Translation
Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada was translated into French, L’apprentissage en tête: Principes relatifs à la transition de la bibliothèque scolaire vers le carrefour d’apprentissage au Canada, and both are live on the web.
Supporting You: Leading Learning as a Catalyst for Change
The CSL Leading Learning Committee have developed a new section – Supporting You – on the Leading Learning website, designed to assist schools and school library learning commons professionals with the many ways Leading Learning can drive school-wide improvement. Leading Learning is a catalyst for igniting the design of futures-oriented learning. The document positions the school library learning commons as critical to innovative pedagogical approaches for schools today and tomorrow.
Social Media Sharing
Leading Learning is part of the conversation on Twitter, finding and sharing great examples of the library learning commons in action. Here are a couple of examples. Follow Leading Learning @CSL_Learning.
Professional Learning
Inclusion of Leading Learning in teacher-librarian training:
- Exploring Teacher-Librarian Training in Canada
- Overview of the UBC Teacher Librarian Education Program Revised Framework
Enriching national understanding and deepening practice at TMC symposiums:
- TMC4 Theme: Growing Impact of Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada
- TMC5 Theme: Culturally Relevant and Responsive School Library Learning Commons
- TMC6 Theme: Participatory Learning in the Library Learning Commons
Canadian School Library Day
Canadian School Library Day (CSLD) 2019 was on Monday October 28. As Leading Learning celebrates five years since first publication this year we encouraged schools to focus CSLD events and celebrations on profiling how Leading Learning has helped libraries in schools/districts/provinces/territories to grow as vibrant library learning commons. Ideas to help you celebrate!
The Leading Learning Implementation Award
The Leading Learning Implementation Award honours school districts, provinces and territories that focus on the impact that implementing Leading Learning standards has had on student/teacher/community learning, with relevance at local, provincial or national levels. Nominations close November 15, 2019.
New See It in Action Exemplars
Since first publication in 2014 hundreds of new See It in Action exemplars have been added to each standard from schools and organizations across the country, keeping the promise that the national standards site would continue to evolve as living documentation of authentic implementation and outreach exemplifying the transformations and innovations of school library learning commons. Enjoy a sample of growth in school library learning commons right across Canada.
Theme: Vision for Learning
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: LLC builds learning communities and is responsive to evolving school, district and global changes.
New Exemplar: The Coordinator for Libraries and Information Services in Richmond (BC) School District 38 shares many exciting examples of student-centered learning commons development and success in a variety of elementary and secondary schools. The video, created in 2018, includes interviews with the showcased school’s teacher-librarians, lauded as educational leaders with “the potential to be great, innovative change agents in the entire learning community”.
Richmond (BC) School District 38. (2018). Library Learning Commons video.
Theme: School Administration Partnerships
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: School administration works collaboratively with LLC leadership team to lead school improvement through LLC.
New Exemplar: This secondary school library annual report is presented through a documented slideshow highlighting goals founded using Leading Learning as a guiding document. Sharing the annual report through the slide show was an effective way to share goals met and set new goals with the school principal.
Alanna King (2018, July 4). Our library learning commons annual report [Blog post].
Theme: Teacher Collaborative Role
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Teachers co-plan with teacher-librarian for school wide learner led approaches to inquiry.
New Exemplar: An award-winning English teacher from Victoria, BC, writes an inspiring and enthusiastic article detailing the rich learning and support for teachers available through co-planning and teaching with the teacher-librarian. Includes creative illustrations of what the teacher-librarian can do for teachers and the inquiry process.
Trevor MacKenzie (2019, March 18). Classroom Inquiry’s Secret Weapon: The Teacher-Librarian. Canadian School Libraries Journal, 3 (1).
Theme: District Administration and Consultant Collaborative Role
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: District administration and library consultants collaborate with other specialist consultants to ensure that all disciplines utilize the LLC.
New Exemplar: A provincial professional development consortia (Alberta) offers webinars and videos to explore key aspects of the learning commons led by teacher-librarian specialist consultants.
Alberta Regional Consortia. (2017). Learning Commons: Explore Key Aspects YouTube playlist. ARPDC Professional Development Resources.
Theme: Instructional Leadership
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: LLC leadership team empowers personalized professional learning of inquiry approaches.
New Exemplar: This article outlines how Ontario teacher-librarian Beth Lyons designs inquiry-based “provocation stations” and makerspaces based on curriculum content, social justice issues, and literacy events that engage teachers as well as students in new, hands-on methods of inquiry. Includes video, photos, and links to additional twitter photos/resources.
Beth Lyons (2019, March 18). Inquiry-Based Learning Provocations. Canadian School Libraries Journal, 3 (1).
Theme: Instructional Partnerships
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Teacher-librarian is active participant with all faculties in the design of guided inquiry to plan, teach, assess and reflect on effective learning experiences.
New Exemplar: This infographic poster details how teacher-librarians work collaboratively with teachers in the cyclical instructional processes of preparation, action, and reflection – plan, teach, assess, reflect. Examples of activities in these three processes are defined in notes below the poster, with an acknowledgement that collaboration will look different or take on a variety of forms dependent upon the needs of learners.
British Columbia Teacher-Librarian Association (BCTLA) Surrey Chapter and Surrey Teachers’ Association. (2019). What can Collaboration with a Teacher-Librarian Look Like?
Theme: Differentiated Learning
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Learning experiences support differentiated learning approaches and processes.
New Exemplar: In this video clip filmed at the March 2017 QSLiN Library Symposium, Diana Maliszewski shares simple and effective strategies and resources to support ESL learners in language and reading growth.
Quebec School Librarian’s Network (QSLiN). (2017, November 1). Simple Steps for Supporting Students Who Speak Other Languages with Diana Maliszewski
Theme: Engaging Readers
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Students help build a community of readers.
New Exemplar: Middle-school students from this Winnipeg, MB, K-Grade 8 school promote books they love through creating interesting sound bytes.
École Marie-Anne Gaboury Carrefour d’Apprentissage. (2018). MAG Reviews Sold.
Theme: Information Literacy
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Teacher-librarian leads the school community in the design of information literacy learning strategies and processes in order to empower independent learners.
New Exemplar: Comprehension and critical thinking skills have always been important, but this article discusses why authenticating media experienced today is challenging students more than ever before. The author provides educators with a number of strategies to enhance today’s student’s information and media literacy skills and processes.
Regan Williams(2018). Emerging literacy challenges in a fake news world. The Medium, Saskatchewan School Library Association.
Theme: Literacy Partners
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: LLC works with all teachers on programs to engage readers and build lifelong learning dispositions.
New Exemplar: An enthusiastic librarian at the Val des Cerfs School Board in Montérégie, Quebec outlines the proactive and collaborative programs developed centrally to promote the joy of reading in district schools including visits from “Superman, Batman and Wonder Woman” (the author). Family literacy program also discussed.
Ariane Régnier (2019, March 18). Reading Won’t Save the World, But… / Lire, ça sauve pas le monde, mais… Canadian School Libraries Journal, 3 (1).
Theme: Designing for Accessibility in the LLC
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: LLC physical and virtual learning spaces assist and accommodations are experimented with to discover best approaches to making learning accessible to all.
New Exemplar: Powerful student artifacts and links to resources comprise this compelling and timely presentation on supporting gender inclusion in the school library.
Jenn Brown (2018). Creating a Safe Space in Your Library: The Power of Children’s Literature to Support LGBTQ+
Theme: Designing for Creativity and Innovation
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: Learning experiences are developed to invite creativity and innovation.
New Exemplar: This video outlines a collaborative, system-wide digital maker project submitted by Regina Catholic schools. The interdisciplinary participatory learning project was spearheaded and built by district leaders in curriculum, educational technology and teacher-librarians as a framework for essential skills for 21st century learning. The video includes student examples and aspirations – one student aspires to be a librarian who can use tinker tubs with students. The project is a Canadian entry for the “Follet Challenge” – information about the challenge and an archive of previously selected projects can be found on the “Follett Challenge” site.
Follett Challenge. (2018). Regina Catholic Schools Tinker Tub Project
Theme: Designing for a Participatory School Culture
Growth Indicator with Exemplars: LLC facilitates participatory school organizations and clubs.
New Exemplar: Walnut Grove Secondary School Virtual Library Learning Commons hosts a Library Advisory Council.This secondary school has hosted a student library advisory council since 2009 involving students in grades 8-12.
Walnut Grove Secondary School. (2018). Library Advisory Council.
Add Your Voice!
Help keep Leading Learning current and alive with best practice examples. Contact Leading Learning / L’Apprentissage en tête Committee with links to new approaches and activities we can add to the growing website.
Carol Koechlin, Leading Learning Committee Co-Chair. Carol is an experienced educator who has contributed to the field of information literacy and school librarianship writing professional books, articles for professional journals, facilitating on-line courses, and presenting workshops in Canada, United States and Australia. Carol is a founding member of Treasure Mountain Canada (TMC) and has co-chaired TMC Symposiums since 2010. Carol was a contributing writer for Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons and writing coordinator for Leading Learning: Standards Of Practice For School Library Learning Commons In Canada (Canadian Library Association, 2014). She is currently a director of Canadian School Libraries (CSL). Carol’s favourite saying, “Empower students to own the question.”
Judith Sykes, Leading Learning Committee Co-Chair. Judith has been a teacher, teacher-librarian, district school library specialist, and elementary school principal for the Calgary Board of Education in Alberta, Canada. She was the provincial school library manager for the Alberta Ministry of Education, leading the School Library Services Initiative 2008-2012. She was the project coordinator/ contributing writer for Leading Learning: Standards Of Practice For School Library Learning Commons In Canada (Canadian Library Association, 2014). She is currently a director of Canadian School Libraries (CSL). Judith is the author of five books with Libraries Unlimited; the latest is The Whole School Library Learning Commons: An Educator’s Guide (Fall 2016).