By Marianne Whittaker
Last June I was entrusted by my peers with chairing our school board’s Secondary Teacher-Librarian Council. My goal for the role was to link together our efforts, for all to benefit and grow from our collective strengths.
I’m proud to say that examples of sharing, collaboration, meaningful interaction, and growth did happen among teacher-librarians in connection with subject council. Extending the benefits further, I am more than ever, conscious that what I share in my school represents far more than me alone!
Collaboration and Equity Leadership
New teacher-librarians Andrea Ursic and Vanessa Wosik set the standard for collaborating when at our September meeting they delivered a presentation on diversity in literature. They introduced Rebecca McCorkindale’s Libraries are for Everyone (#LAFE) posters and included exciting examples of contemporary work of black authors. Posters would have opened up discussion, and book borrowing could have soared, were we in school and lending. Still, I was able to share this presentation with our English department, and any teacher can access it to encourage diverse voices.
Sharing as Professional Practice
Our teacher-librarians have shared their efforts on our “What did you do this week?” Padlet for three years. Posts highlight things like:
- reading initiatives
- building up community
- support for mental health
- co-teaching and partnering
- engaging learners with important sources
Appreciation for sharing and collaboration is evident in phrases like:
- “inspired by fellow TLs…”
- “thanks to …”
- “… between our schools …”
- “together”
- “student-led”
Meaningful Interaction
A simple way for teacher-librarians to support each other came about as Friday ‘lunch chats’. Different teachers have opened the room for these informal gatherings, topics for which depend on interest and need. This intentional approach is helping us to learn and thrive.
Ekwy Odozor’s idea for a teacher-librarian book club was launched in the Friday space, with 15 participants discussing Gutter Child by Brampton’s Jael Richardson. The following month brought discussion of Layla Saad’s Me and White Supremacy.
On Friday before the break, the last folks in the room proudly shared photos of their physical space renovations. In each case the goal was to improve how students’ diverse interests and ways of being are met. New teacher librarian Esther Salazar-Fogg worked with custodians and the construction teacher to reshape their space.
Virtual Renovations
Teacher-librarians are making virtual renovations as well. Tamara Ray’s website became a template for my colleague Jennifer Brezina and I to begin to replace our old site with a new Library Commons site that will include department-selected launches to inquiry and showcase collaborations while also streamlining access to recommended information and skill-building.
Secondary TLs Collaboration Site
Teachers hold differing ideas about the value of curating our own efforts, largely because content and form can be unique to the teacher. But content and form are evolving, and no one person needs to create or even find the best materials on their own. And students need equitable access to competency-building opportunities. Providing teachers with access to an explicit framework of skills with terms of reference, would strengthen conversations about skill-building practices. Teacher-librarians are able to lead and support these practices within their schools.
Our subject council’s SharePoint has “Tools for Teachers” to hold content and ideas for content. The section is organized with these five terms as its subsections: navigating, self-directing, investigating, critical thinking, connecting. To date, lesson content from half a dozen teacher-librarians, along with some “mustn’t miss” professional content, is posted on the site.
Collaborative Professionalism
A teacher-librarian is typically hired to their role from within the school because their potential for collaboration has been recognized. In Leading from the Middle (2019) a report to directors of education in Ontario, Andy Hargreaves uses the term ‘collaborative professionalism’. It describes purpose-based designing and co-planning to responsively meet goals. Teacher-librarians do that continuously, at every chance. These interactions ripple through student learning and classroom teacher practice.
A culture of collaborative professionalism, with its elements of sharing, meaningful interaction, and professional accompaniment, looks and feels dynamic. It’s as if anything is possible, and a teacher-librarian can help make it happen. Collaboration, like investigating and critical thinking, needs to be practiced and developed.
How are you prioritizing and building collaborative professionalism? The first step is sharing. It’s first on Robert Fulghum’s time-honoured list of things we ‘really’ need to know. And it’s an important start for building a collaborative community.
References
Fulghum, Robert (2003). All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten: Uncommon Thoughts on Common Things. Ballantine Books.
Hargreaves, Andy (2018). Leading from the Middle: Spreading Learning, Well-Being, and Identity Across Ontario. Executive Summary. Toronto: CODE Consortium. Accessed at: http://ccsli.ca/downloads/2018-Leading_From_the_Middle_Summary_Final-EN.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education (2016). Policy/Program Memorandum No. 159: Collaborative Professionalism. Accessed at: http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/extra/eng/ppm/ppm159.pdf
Ontario Ministry of Education (2017). Framework of Global Competencies. Accessed at: http://www.edugains.ca/resources21CL/21stCenturyLearning/FrameworkofGlobalCompetencies_AODA.pdf
Marianne Whittaker is a 30-year teacher with sixteen in the library commons at St Augustine Secondary School in Brampton, Ontario. She credits her best professional development this year to Jennifer Brezina (library technician) and Tamara Ray (teacher-librarian). This year Marianne actively connected teachers with partner programs like Docs for Schools, DPCDSB Black Futures Speakers Series, #IReadCanadian, Forest of Reading, Eco Schools, and any chance for experiential learning. Making critical connections, building skills, and empowering students are her passions.