LIBE 477 - Reflection - It's all About Connection
The theme that seemed to weave its way through my learning and reflection over the past few weeks is that of connection. The message that I continue to run into is that a teacher librarian’s job is to be a connector. Connecting teachers with resources and students with books, definitely. But also, connecting learning experiences between different grades and also ideas with opportunities. This has led to my continued understanding of the importance of relationships. In order to make the most effective and meaningful connections, knowing the students and teachers makes a difference. This means listening, paying attention to details, and being organized. Fostering relationships has to be a priority in order for any of this to happen.
Where I am wanting to further develop this is finding the best ways to collaborate and co-teach in a time of Covid restrictions. In my school, where there has not been a teacher-librarian, showing what the role can look like not have to be instantaneous. An article that I come back to when I am in need of refocusing Classroom Inquiry’s Secret Weapons: The Teacher Librarian. This article reminds me that I am a partner in teaching. It also reminds me that shifting culture takes time, that progress is slow. This is to be expected, and to be patient with the process is necessary.
(Image source: Canadian School Library Journal)
When I look at my role, and what I want to take forward, one piece that stands out, from the visual above is “Are mindful of their time and divide it up with their growth goals at the heart of their position” Learning to manage my time well and set reasonable boundaries is the area that I would like to improve. Making time for connections with colleagues is an important part of my job.
For my own personal learning connection is invaluable for me. In particular, meeting on Tuesday night to listen, learn, and share with our class has been instrumental to my growth and development this term. It is inspiring for me, and new ideas and projects have been sparked as a direct result of those meetings. Finding a way to continue connecting with other TL’s is crucial for me.
What has resonated with me was learning about libraries in the developing world and the desire to learn more about the libraries in my own community. I feel like there could be much done. What that looks like and how it would be effectively achieved is unclear at this point. As I read my classmates’ posts and learned more about organizations like Libraries Without Borders the sense of connectivity came through again. It really has me pondering: how could my school connect and work with another school? Could we support Libraries without Borders? Is there a local partnership that could be beneficial and meaningful? How can we promote activism and donations without the savior narrative?
What it all comes back to though are connections and relationships. Knowing that this is the most important piece, and where my work needs to be centered helps me focus my learning. With this at the forefront, I am excited and ready to continue my learning journey onward.
Works Cited
Libraries Without Borders. (2020, July 10). https://www.librarieswithoutborders.org/.
MacKenzie, T. (2019, March 18). Classroom Inquiry's Secret Weapon: The Teacher-Librarian. Canadian School Libraries Journal. https://journal.canadianschoollibraries.ca/classroom-inquirys-secret-weapon-the-teacher-librarian/.
Shannon I appreciate your point that progress can be slow to build relationships and shift the culture of a school. I often want to get going on things as soon as possible, so I often need this reminder to be patient and not to push too hard. Unfortunately, being too rushed can sometimes damage the progress made. Your theme of "connection" is a great takeaway, it is really at the core of everything that we do.
ReplyDeleteShannon,
ReplyDeleteAs we begin working on our final projects, I am constantly thinking about building connections, especially for students outside of school hours. I am wondering how best to go about building a space where students are able to connect and collaborate with each other. I would also like to be able to connect our students to others around the world. Last week I left a note about connecting libraries, and I see that you are thinking about that too. I am looking forward to completing my diploma, so that I can prioritize a little more time to supporting others and building those relationships and connections which are so important for success.
Alison.
Hi Shannon, I changed schools this year and I am new to my position so I feel as though I'm constantly proving that I'm knowledgeable and useful to the school. This insecurity gives me a strong need to be visible in the classrooms which leaves me little time for other parts of my job. I agree with Caaity that being patient is important and not to push too hard. Making meaningful connections is a process that can't be rushed.
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Hi Shannon, two things that really struck me in your blog was the need for relationships. We can have all the knowledge and enthusiasm about new innovations, technologies and pedagogies, but if we don't have relationships, then we don't have a way to share that knowledge and learn from others. The other point was boundaries for our time and learning. With so many exciting things to learn and try out, and so much "new" coming at us from all social media platforms and our PLNs, it can be overwhelming and we can become disjointed and lost. Choosing a few specific, actionable goals and sticking with them will help to do a few things well. This is something that I need to work on more, instead of getting pulled in so many different directions.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thoughtful post that paves the way into your Final Vision Project. I agree with you that building meaningful connections is our most important work. I have always maintained that it is about the connections, not the collection!
ReplyDelete