So how do we move towards a district learning commons? This is the part that I find overwhelming.
As educators we are stretched thin. Many teachers in the library are working part time, sometimes in two schools, sometimes teaching on call and in my case running a complete music program K- grade 7
When I write this down, I think wow! Am I crazy for co-running a library and running a music program. But I am no different from other Elementary School Librarians. Our time in the library has been reduced slowly over the past 10 years from a full time library open the entire day every day to 2 years ago, open only 2 days a week and now open every day in the afternoons because I am available everyday to run the library.
I believe you have to have many good quality ingredients come together to make something good.
• Make a case at the district level to support the philosophy
• Network with district Teacher Librarians to create and support the philosophy
• Collect input from teachers , parents and administration
• Create a plan: timeline, building a virtual space.
• Who is to curate and maintain
• Time – initiate, collaborate, and curate.
• Funding for curation and collaboration
Janet LIBE 477B Summer 2013
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Hi Janet,
Kudos to you for running a music program as well as managing the library! That’s amazing; you seem very dedicated to your role in your school.
I enjoyed reading your posts on the importance of having a District Wide Learning Commons. I like the idea of having a District Wide Learning Commons as a front page of a virtual library for educators, parents, students, support staff and administrators. Having this virtual library for TL’s to share resources with other TLs and teachers would make this concept an amazing resource. Everyone in the school would benefit from having a virtual library full of research sites approved and collected for grade level use.
I agree with the ingredients you believe will create a quality program. I am interested to know how one would you make a case at the district level to support the district learning commons philosophy? There are many points to consider when creating a plan, what would you have as the main focus of your plan?
Whenever we contemplate implementing a change in practice we have to ensure the changes are not so dynamic that the existing connectivity through structural coupling are not ruptured. We can start small, work smart, and pace ourselves. One of the interesting things about changing practice is becoming alert to new ideas or resources pertinent to our new interest or effort. It sounds to me like there is a pressing need to awake the public and government interest in supporting elementary school libraries as an integral part of 21st century education. We have been talking about how access to information is a human right. Well, developing the skills and knowledge to access information in the 21st century is also a human right. At the elementary level children are learning learning habits that will last them a lifetime. If they don’t have access to a library geared to their developmental needs, they are not going to have the opportunity. The school librarian is the one professional dedicated to ensuring this right of learning is available to all students.