Final Vision Project- Rationale

Why inquiry based learning?

 “We have to stop delivering the curriculum to kids. We have to start discovering it with them.” (Richardson)

This statement has stuck with me since reading Will Richardson’s book Why Schools? Students need to be prepared for the world after school and simply memorizing facts and listening to teachers deliver curriculum is not going to motivate and engage students in their learning.  They need “to engage in questioning that provoke authentic exploration with the characters of academic rigor typical of real work with real ideas.” (galileo.org) I feel like this is so important in today’s education system.  I see so many students going through the motions and never experiencing the excitement or sense of pride in discovering something new.  Inquiry based learning is an approach that can help teachers and students accomplish this goal and create rich and engaging work.

With the creation of my inquiry based learning website I hope to provide a place that will have explanations, links, resources and videos that are easy to use and access.  I want the teachers to easily find what they are looking for and to be inspired to continue their own research.     

“Schools ought to be communities where students come to do rich, engaging work–work that inspires, develops insight and stirs the imagination.” (galileo.org)

With this website I intend to provide links, information and sample lessons in the following areas:

• What is Inquiry? Why is it important?
• BCTLA Points of Inquiry
• Inquiry Literacy Skills (Non-fiction reading and writing)
• Inquiry Resources and Links
• Tools for Inquiry
• Assessment rubrics
• New BC Curriculum- to assist teachers in making the transition while looking through the lens of inquiry based learning 

Target Audience

Since this website will be the starting point for introducing inquiry based learning in my school, it is important that this website is made for teachers.  Once they have an understanding of inquiry based learning then they will be able to transfer the knowledge to the students.  The main goal of this website is to make the learning process as easy as possible with practical resources.

In May, the teacher librarians of my school board have a professional day together and will be meeting to discuss inquiry based learning. I plan on sharing this website with them so that they have a bank of resources and information to assist their staff members in exploring this approach.

Now it’s time for me to get to work and start creating!

Works Cited:

Richardson, Will (2012-09-10). Why School?: How Education Must Change When Learning and Information Are Everywhere (Kindle Single) (Kindle Locations 414-415). TED Conferences. Kindle Edition.

"Why Inquiry?" Galileo Educational Network. Web. <http://galileo.org/>.

Final Vision Project- Post 1

Since the beginning of the course when I read through the syllabus and saw what the final project would be, I have known that I wanted to focus on inquiry based learning.  It is something that I am exploring myself as a TL and I would like to help the classroom teachers learn how to use it in their classroom. 

I have wanted to explore inquiry based learning with the staff at my school for a number of years.  It is something that most teachers have not explored yet and I would like to create a website that will guide them through the process of discovery and help them unpack the layers.  Since the teachers are busy and not all find it necessary to explore websites for hours finding new ways of teaching research, I want to create a space where they can get most of their questions answered along with sample lesson plans, how-to videos, curriculum links, etc.  Most importantly I need to find resources in French since we are a French Immersion school and it is always a challenge finding French resources.  When I want to present a mini workshop or have a discussion I can simply refer to the website and this also allows the teachers to explore the links on their own.   

My goal is to personalize this website by meeting the needs of each teacher and hopefully include information that specifically relates to their curriculum.  The new curriculum has a new focus on inquiry and since we will be required to make changes to the curriculum I think this would be a great opportunity to integrate both the new curriculum and inquiry based learning as the change is being made. It can be harder to change something that you've been doing for a long time but when you are forced to make changes hopefully it will be easier to explore different ways of teaching this new curriculum.

I plan on using the BCTLA Points of Inquiry as a guide and throughout the last few months I have found a number of very good sites that I look forward to exploring further. As I do my research my main focus will be to make sure that all links are easy to use and easy to understand.  

Sometimes I feel like my staff can be a bit spoilt and they want everything clearly laid out for them to simply follow, so that’s what I hope to give them!  I hope to create an inquiry based learning website nicely gift wrapped and ready to be opened and explored!

Reflections and Impressions

The inquiry phase of this course was very useful and got me thinking about some of the big topics that are important in being a TL.  I always enjoy researching and finding all kinds of new and interesting approaches to teaching and managing a library.  Reading other classmates blogs was also very helpful in getting ideas and seeing things from a different perspective.    

During the inquiry of fostering a reading culture in our school I took a lot of time to really reflect upon my strengths and weaknesses and I realized how little I do to include families.  Family literacy plays a vital role in developing life-long readers yet it’s something that wasn't on my radar.  What made me really stop and think about what I could be doing was in reading blogs from classmates and reading how they stay in touch with parents and include them in the school literacy program.  Since that inquiry, I have continued to look into ways to reach out to parents and give them suggestions on how to encourage reading at home.  I have already found a few activities that I would like to do after Spring Break such as books for breakfast, give a short presentation on literacy and the library at the new Kindergarten orientation meeting held in May and I plan on adding a page to my library website to provide links, book lists and activities to help parents encourage summer reading. 

Another takeaway for me is not to be afraid to be a leader in my school.  I often feel like I need to be an expert before I can start giving presentations or suggesting resources but throughout the inquiry process I discovered that it is not possible for me to be this expert in all things.  One of the key things I learned in this article was when an environment that encourages respect, sharing and teaching among staff members is created then the pressure of being seen as an expert diminishes. A good starting point is to plant seeds and to gently guide my colleagues in the right direction and take the lead when necessary.   

This photo really spoke to me and reminds me that deep down I am a leader and I need to let that shine!  Teachers are similar to students and respond differently to my teaching.  Each teacher will need some guidance in something different and I need to look at what they need instead of only focusing on what I think they need.

Learning about the use of mobile devices and eBooks in developing countries was something that I had not heard about or even thought about.  It was nice to do some research that had a more global perspective and was designed to bring awareness to other ways of promoting literacy.   This has even helped me reflect on what our school could do to help the students that are in this city that have no books at home and who never have the opportunity to go to the library or buy a new book. 

The one big topic that really resonated with me was creating a PLN.  Taking this diploma program has lit a spark in me and I have a constant desire to explore and learn new things.  In a month I will be done this journey and I now feel confident in how I can maintain this interest in learning.  One of the big eye openers for me has been Twitter!  It had never occurred to me that it can be used as a way of sharing professional information.   Now I check in from time to time and I always find something new and interesting to read.  Staying organized with all the new information is another potential challenge. I opened a Delicious account a few years back but I have not been using it.  Instead I have links all over the place and I can never find what I need when I need it. It is time to use the technology that is available to me and to get organized. By choosing a few ways of staying connected with blogs, twitter and TL networks I feel that I will be able to stay connected and get the support that I need as I continue learning how to be an effective TL.

Overall this inquiry phase was very helpful in exploring aspects of being a TL that I had not yet thought about in great depth.  I was able to discover things that will help me right now and much later in my career. I look forward to putting all this research into action and to continue to explore new avenues.

Mobile Reading Revolution

Promoting literacy globally is something that many foundations and organizations worldwide have been working towards for quite some time. These organizations offer services, grants and donations to libraries and schools in developing countries.  Organizations such as Librarians without Borders, Room to Read, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and the International Reading Association, to name a few, have managed to make great contributions to students who would not have had access to books otherwise.

  "Literacy is one of the key elements needed to promote sustainable development, as it empowers people so that they can make the right decisions in the areas of economic growth, social development and environmental integration. As contentious as issues around education around the world can be at times, there is little debate about the fundamental importance of literacy to most human endeavors." (Trucano)

As we all know, technology is rapidly changing how we are teaching and how students are learning.  This technology is not limited to only developed countries but much to my surprise it has had a major impact in developing countries as well.  Mobile technology is rapidly changing communications in Africa.  According to the United Nations, more than half the continent’s population has a mobile device (Watson). Worldwide, the UN data shows that of the seven billion people on earth, more than six billion now have access to a working mobile phone.  Even people living in remote areas are beginning to have access to the internet with their mobile devices.  

With this large number of mobile devices a “mobile reading revolution” has been happening. Unesco conducted a year- long study and discovered that children and adults are increasingly reading multiple books on their phones. (Flood) The study found that “people read more when they read on mobiles devices, that they enjoy reading more, and that people commonly read books and stories to children from mobile devices”.  (Flood)

I was surprised to read that so many people in Africa and probably other developing countries on other continents are reading so much on their mobile devices.  Since many are not able to afford to purchase a computer or get proper internet connection, mobile devices are the next best thing.  EBooks cost substantially less than a printed book and each device can hold many eBooks. These devices can easily become digital libraries, in the palm of their hands.  

There are also organizations helping developing countries access eBooks and reading material that are relevant to the readers.  African Storybook is an example of this.  They provide eBooks that are culturally relevant in English and in several African languages. Worldreader is another foundation that provides mobile devices and eBooks in developing countries.  A new initiative of theirs is to provide access to solar panels so that mobile devices can be easily charged.  One Laptop Per Child is also trying to connect under privileged children with laptops.  They are successfully running in many countries worldwide including developed countries.

Doing this inquiry has made me think about my library and the lack of mobile devices.  I have toyed with the idea of having eReaders available to students but I worry about how to manage the devices and the purchasing of eBooks.  I see a few students bring their eReaders to school but I wonder how many actually have a mobile device that could be used to read eBooks. 

I think the first step would be for me to get acquainted with eReaders.  EBooks don’t appeal to me since I love the feel of a book in my hand however kids seem to enjoy them and the technology might even motivate some of the reluctant readers.  Would love to hear of your experience with eReaders in the library and how they are managed.

It is an exciting and hopeful time for students in developing countries!  I look forward to sharing this inquiry with my colleagues and our school social justice club.  Awareness is an important starting point...

"It is not a hyperbole to suggest that if every person on the planet understood that his or her mobile phone could be transformed – easily and cheaply – into a library brimming with books, access to text would cease to be such a daunting hurdle to literacy." (Flood)

Works Cited

Flood, Alison. ""Mobile Reading Revolution" Takes off in Developing World." The Guardian. 23 Apr. 2014. Web. <http://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/apr/23/mobile-reading-revolution-unesco-study-phones-africa-subcontinent>.

Trucano, Michael. "What We Are Learning about Reading on Mobile Phones and Devices in Developing Countries." Edutech. The World Bank, 12 Sept. 2014. Web. <http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/psd/reading-mobile-phones>.

Watson, Tom. "Going Mobile In Sub-Saharan Africa To Save Lives - And Change The Future." Forbes Magazine, 11 Feb. 2015. Web. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomwatson/2015/02/11/going-mobile-in-sub-saharan-africa-to-save-lives-and-change-the-future/>.

Meeting the ICT Needs of My School

Leadership

Before starting my position as teacher librarian, I did not realize the importance of teacher librarians having a leadership role in the school.  When I was a classroom teacher, the teacher librarians were always very open and willing to collaborate but they did not take on a leadership role and present new resources to the staff.  I think to be an effective TL you need to be open and willing to collaborate but also you need to share the information that you have acquired and guide teachers into exploring new things.  That being said it has taken me about 4 years as a teacher librarian to feel confident enough to lead a mini pro- d session at my school.  I have done many other things that were more discreet such as setting up reading programs and organizing fun literacy activities but trying to get teachers to buy into the new resource I was presenting was another thing.  I hardly consider myself an expert and so why would teachers listen to me?  After reading this article I can see the value and benefits of having teachers teach others in the school.  This creates a community of learners and sharing from all staff members and becomes normal and expected.   The article also provides many interesting ways of conducting professional development within the school staff. 

“When a community comes together in such a way that teachers respect and trust each other enough to see themselves as teachers of teachers and as learners at the hands of other teachers, they are able to create an atmosphere where anything is possible.”

 - See more at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin459.shtml#sthash.6WcGA32E.dpuf

Lighting a Spark

I have always enjoyed doing professional book clubs and I would like to try and set one up this spring.  Instead of simply presenting the new book to the staff, I had the opportunity to organize a professional development day with 5 schools for Non-Fiction Writing Power presented by Adrienne Gear.  Adrienne Gear is a fabulous presenter and my staff really enjoyed the workshop. This was the spark and motivation that I needed to get them on board.  I feel that they will be more open to participating in a book club now that they have gained some insight into the book.  I realize that it is not always possible to invite the author of a book to speak to the staff however finding a way to make the book relevant to each teacher is vital in getting people motivated to read and implement new strategies.

This article suggests doing class observations as part of the book club.  This allows other teachers to see in the classroom what teachers are doing and then discuss afterwards how the lesson went and how each teacher could adapt the lesson to suit their needs. This is another way of building a community of teachers learning together.

    

I think it would be interesting to adapt the book club format by creating an “app of the month” club.  Where an app is introduced and at the end of the month each teacher shares how they used the app in their classroom.  Seeing examples of how others used the same app could be helpful.    

Meet Them Where They Are At

An important thing that I learned is to meet all teachers where they are at in terms of technology.  Every teacher has a different level of comfort and experience with technology and you need to gently guide them towards new things.  Teachers already have a lot on their plate and the last thing they need is to feel overwhelmed.  I found doing a demo lesson or a small project using a new app or website was the best way of getting teachers on board.  I managed to get the grade 4 teacher to do use Pixton and create fun comic strips and the gr. 1 teacher used Animoto to display work.  Now these teachers use these apps every year.

Easy access

I created a library website with many links to websites that can be used for teachers and students.  The teachers appreciate having a list of websites easily accessible.  It is a constant work in progress but my goal is to customize it as much as possible for each teacher.  I plan on creating specific links to curriculum topics for each grade.  My hope is that the teachers would be able to use these links to support their teaching or have these links available to students for their projects. I also like the idea of sharing my Delicious site with others once it's up to date. 

Keeping them informed

I would like to create a monthly newsletter for the teachers.  Here I would highlight new books, interesting websites I have come across, pictures of projects or activities done at the library, etc.  In the past I have used Smore to create attractive flyers and I think this could be a fun way of showcasing new resources.  At staff meetings I could then go through what was on the monthly flyer so that I could explain further, do a demo or answer any questions.  I’m also enjoying the weekly video updates in this class and this could be an entertaining way of keeping teachers informed.  Simply sending them a link to a new app is not going to amount to very much.  

Collaboration

Finding the time to collaborate with teachers has been a struggle.  When I did manage to find time, I felt like they didn't quite understand how collaboration works.  Most just told me what they wanted me to cover and how I should go about it.  I was quite frustrated and I found myself taking a step back and not initiating collaboration as much.  In the future I would like to try using collaboration more as professional development for the teacher.  We would choose a topic or technology that they would like to explore and I would teach lessons and demos with their class to help them understand how this resource could be used.  Sometimes I get the impression that the teachers don’t want me to me to interfere with their curriculum and they prefer that I teach skills that can be used in different aspects of the curriculum.  This would become a more 1:1 pro d that I could custom tailor to their needs and then support the implementation of the resource.

 

Once all staff members understand that teacher librarians are not simply the keepers of books then great strides can be made in sharing new resources.  This article is a great case study of how teacher librarians can revolutionize how students learn and how they can become true agents of change, digital leaders and remain relevant.

Personal Learning Networks 101

Since this is my last course in finishing my TL diploma program, this inquiry could not come at a better time.  On one hand I am so happy to be almost done the program but at the same time I will miss the constant flow of new information and sharing among colleagues.  Throughout my years of teaching I have not done much outside of my school community to connect with others.  I have relied on professional development at the school level and occasionally at the district level and often times it was not directly related to my work as a teacher librarian. 

It is now time for me to take charge of my professional development and to make a plan of how I can stay connected.  As the teacher librarian I am often asked to keep the staff in the know when it comes to literacy and Web 2.0 technologies.  Creating my own personal learning network (PLN) has now become essential to my job. 

During my online search I came across websites that provide tips and strategies on how to develop a successful PLN. Below are links to a selection of such websites:

Personal Learning Networks for Educators: 10 Tips

Learning to Network and Networking to Learn

Create a Personal Learning Network

20 Tips for Creating a Professional Learning Network

After gaining an understanding of how to begin my network I have come across many great ways of staying connected.  Below I have listed some of my favourite and sustainable ways of developing this network.

1.       Blogs- There are countless blogs that teachers contribute to on a regular basis.  The number of blogs that are out there can be a little daunting however now that I know how RSS readers work it would make reading and managing them much easier.  The links below list some of the top teacher librarian and teacher blogs.  I also managed to find a local blog in SD 41.  One frustration in looking for local blogs is that many of them had great information but have not been updated in a number of years. 

99 Best Blogs for School Librarians

Top 50 School Library Blogs

Burnaby Teacher Librarians

I have had to create and contribute to my own blogs for courses and I enjoy having my thoughts, discoveries and interesting links in one location but I don’t feel that I will likely have the time to continue contributing to my own blog right now.  I do hope that at a later time I will be able to find the time to create either a personal learning blog or one for the school library.   

2.       Twitter- Before this course I had no experience with Twitter.  Since I knew so little about Twitter I had never even considered this as being a way to stay connected with teachers. I have heard great things about Twitter from classmates and a number of websites suggested that starting with Twitter would be an effective way of making connections.

I found these sites that explained how Twitter works and thorough lists of education hashtags

Top Twitter Hashtags for Librarians

Educational Hashtags

The Complete Guide To Twitter Hashtags For Education

3.    There seems to be a wealth of online education networks to help teachers stay connected.  On these networks you can find information on any given topic and easily access communication with other teachers.  This would be the easiest way to begin my PLN and to quickly establish some connections.

Classroom 2.0

Teacher Librarian Ning

edWeb

Educator's PLN

4.       Another area for me to explore would be to create a professional learning network with other TLs in my school board.  Apparently in the past the TLs were meeting regularly.  It seems that there is still an interest in meeting but no one has stepped up to organize the meetings.  We currently meet only twice a year.  Ideally I would like to meet every 4-6 weeks to share new resources and ideas.

This video helped me remember the importance of sharing with others.  When creating my PLN it is important that I use the network to learn but also to contribute.  This sharing of my learning will ultimately guarantee the success of my PLN.

After exploring all the different avenues of staying connected, I’m excited to explore these sites and to build my own PLN.  Creating and growing my own network is something that is going to take a bit of time and work to establish.  By taking small steps and exploring new technologies to feed my network I feel that I will be well on my way to remaining relevant and becoming a professional resource for my school.

Fostering a Reading Culture in My School

         Creating a reading culture has been a big focus since I started my role as teacher-librarian.   Since there was so much to learn about being a TL and I knew so little this was something that I could start making improvements upon immediately since I had done a lot of literacy activities as a classroom teacher.  I’m always on the lookout for new activities and once again I got swept away for hours searching online for different types of activities to promote reading. Getting students excited about reading truly is the best part of being a TL!

         

        When thinking about what I have done or plan on doing to create a culture of reading there were so many aspects to think about in terms of the library and throughout the school.  After finding a great website by the New Zealand NationalLibrary, I decided to organize my thoughts similarly using these categories: reading friendly environment in the library, school-wide reading culture, student reading interests, reader friendly policies in the library, school staff as readers and boys and reading.   I have tried to highlight my successes and goals in each category.

               

Reading Friendly Environment

It is so important for students to feel comfortable coming to the library.  It’s much easier to create a warm and inviting library if the space is properly organized and appealing.  When I first started at my current school the library environment was lacking in personality and warmth.  I have managed to make a few changes but I still have much more to do.

Success:

• Added colourful carpets, posters and cushions
• Created a reading nook
• Added low shelving for younger students
• Open most days after school and during the lunch hour

Challenges and Goals:

• There are plans to expand the library in the near future and I hope to continue creating a reading friendly environment with more nooks and comfortable seating. 
• Rearranging the shelves will also help open up the space and improve sight lines.
• I also need to work on better signage so that students can find their way around the sections
• Create interesting displays to showcase books and themes

School-wide Reading Culture

Creating a reading culture should not be exclusive to the library.  All classroom teachers and administration should be encouraged and take part in activities to promote reading.

Success:

• Reading for pleasure- All classroom teachers have structured reading activities and evaluations however they also strongly encourage reading for pleasure on a daily basis.
• Host successful book fairs
• Special literacy activities such as decorate the classroom doors based on a book, new word day, poem in your pocket day, literary dress-up day
• Author visits- We invited Eric Wilson to come and I cannot believe the buzz that it created.  For about 3-4 months students were fighting to take out his books.  His books were especially appealing for the reluctant boy readers.
• Author studies
• Readers are Leaders- Similar to Battle of the Books. It is a trivia type competition open to grades 5-7.  TLs in the Catholic School system select 6 books from the Red Cedar nominations and students try to read as many books as they can over a 3 month period and then they participate in the competition.  
• DEAR
• Poetry Month in April
• Primary classes use the same leveled reading program in class
• A nice selection of guided reading books for all grades
• Using Daily 5 as a way organize literacy periods
• Supportive admin- open for any kind of suggestions and activities

Challenges and Goals:

• To have a mix of activities that are ongoing and not only a single day
• Read alouds by different staff members- I started reading the Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease  and I have been inspired to encourage more read alouds.
• Family literacy activities
• Incorporate more technology in school activities

Student Reading Interests

Making sure that students have a varied selection of books that they are interested in is a major factor in having a library that is frequently visited by all students.

Success:

• Have a student wish list that I am constantly ordering from and I make sure to reserve the book for the student that recommended the book
• Trying to be aware of what kind of books students are reading and what is new and popular.  Students are often happy to find a new book that has a long wait list at their local public library.

Challenges and Goals:

• Finding a way for students to stay interested in reading French books in older grades
• Buy books that are appealing to all students and to have more cultures represented in my book purchases

Reader Friendly Policies

This is something that I struggle with on a regular basis since being a TL.  I’m constantly having internal battles between the literacy teacher inside of me who wants students to take out “just right books” and the TL inside of me who wants to encourage students to choose any book they want so that they enjoy what they read even if I know it is definitely not at their level.  This is an even bigger problem in French Immersion since it is very difficult finding books that are not too difficult for students to read but are still interesting. I’m currently encouraging students to take out one book that is roughly at their reading level and the other book can be any book.  I would also like to start encouraging parents to come and take out books before or after school.  This would hopefully be a way for parents to become more involved in what their children are reading and encourage more reading at home.

School Staff as Readers

It is so important for teachers to model that they are also readers.  If they are not readers than it is important for them to rediscover books and not just textbooks!  I like the idea of having signs for each teacher to indicate what they are currently reading.  I would also like to encourage teachers to read books during silent reading instead of marking or prepping for their lessons.

Boys and Reading

Before I became a TL I was a primary teacher for 8 years.  All my students loved going to the library and they always left excited about a book they had chosen.  One of the biggest shocks for me was to see the boys in the intermediate grades have very little interest in reading.  Every year I put aside a decent amount of my budget to purchase books specifically targeting boys.  I have noticed many of the boys that were always getting Garfield or Tintin comic books are starting to explore other books and becoming excited about choosing books or looking for the next book in the series.

Success:

• Last few years it has been a focus of mine to purchase books that will interest boys.
• I also try to read or become familiar with books that I think boys will enjoy because they ask more often than girls for suggestions

Challenges and Goals:

• Highlight the books for boys on shelves to make it even easier.
• When purchasing books for boys buy more non-fiction books since they tend to enjoy these books more than girls

This post is longer than I had intended but I found it very useful to take the time and to really think about what I’m doing and what still needs to be done in the library and throughout the school.  There really is nothing more important than making sure that students develop a love for reading.  My main goal and hope as a TL is to have every student discover that amazing book that will change how they see books.

Resources and Inspiration:

"Creating a Reading Culture - Hands on Literacy Conference Nov 2012." Slideshare. Web. http://www.slideshare.net/SusanLaMarca/creating-a-reading-culture-hands-on-literacy-conference-nov-2012.

"Creating Readers." National Library of New Zealand- Services to Schools. Web. http://schools.natlib.govt.nz/creating-readers.

"Getting Boys Hooked on Reading: How Can Digital Media Help?" Reading Rockets. Web. http://www.readingrockets.org/blog/55245  

Philpot, Chelsey. "How to Create a Culture of Reading." School Library Journal. 25 Nov. 2013. Web. http://www.slj.com/2013/11/events/ala-conferences/how-to-create-a-culture-of-reading-aasl-2013/#.