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

Based on the model for Coquitlam School District their focus is to expect their TL’s to commit to the concept of a District Wide Learning Commons where teachers make a commitment to work together to “re-align” their school based libraries to a more centralized, virtual place which is curated by TL’s, provides service to teachers and students, and has a single point of access
School Libraries will strive to “connect as many people as possible with high quality Information for learning and decision making” , promote collaboration within schools and move outwards to others while focusing on reading, research, literacy, and resources.
A District Wide Learning Commons
*would be the product of our school based learning commons.
*front page of a virtual library – for educators, parents, students, support staff, and administrators
*share resources for teachers
*research sites approved and collected and recommended for grade level use
* be accessible from any device
*managed by ???
* promote literacy for grade level by teachers and TL’s
* create a space for teacher learning, and a dialogue for sharing
* affirm and promotes positive learning/teaching practice
* be an interactive learning and meeting space, a common classroom, a common office and a think tank”

District Wide Learning Commons –   Why ?

“Canada’s institutions are rooted in values of equity, fairness and accessibility. Whether we’re talking health care, education, or political participation, we pride ourselves on the vision that all Canadians have a right to receive the full benefits of citizenship, regardless of class, creed, or cultural background.

It seems both reasonable and important, therefore, that any honest discussion about Canada’s schools needs to begin with that vision of equity and how close we are to making it a reality:”

Do all Canadian students have equitable access to quality education?”1

We all know the answer is no.  There are many factors that influence equity, fairness and accessibility. Geography, where we live is a huge factor for Canadians.  Access to facilities, resources, technology, professional development, all play a role in how viable teaching institutions are. I believe that by centralising our learning commons we are embracing the best of what we have, the question is how do we begin?  From this question arises another do we begin with ourselves and move together or beginning together and move outwards.  I am not sure but I am beginning to believe that it happens at the same time. In my next blog how?, I will explore that concepts of collective learning  In Michael Fullan’s book “Stratosphere  Integrating Technology, Pedagogy, and Change Knowledge”  which is excellent and Canadian!

I was reading this book on the bus home yesterday and a man stopped and said to me, “ How do you like the book?  I answered “It’s really interesting and enlightening.” He responded I know Michael Fullan, he is an amazing writer and teacher”.  I would have liked to continue the dialogue, but he hopped off the bus.  Today as I was researching, I was lead to a website CEA (Canadian Educators Association ) and began reading very currant blogs about change in Canadian Schools and  sure enough Michael Fullan’s work was brought to attention immediately. More to come!:)

1 Hurley,Stephen,Equity in Our Schools; Transforming Education; CEA;< http://www.cea-ace.ca/blog/shurley/2010/09/3/equity-our-schools>

Institutional Isomorphism – thoughts

School has had a strong fine arts program:Music, Dance, Drama, Strings Band, Visual Art

Principal that believed in the Arts:  Supported a music teacher with proper qualifications,

Leadership in teaching art / not crafting.- Visual Literacy

Teachers who extended learning through drama. Dickens Day – Engaging student learning through hands on, collaborative and creative learning.

Through leadership and mentoring teachers began to explore learning through the arts/ collaborating with artists in the community to enhance learning in a multitude of  subjects.

Brought student teachers into our school from UBC’s fame program.  Students who had strengths in fine arts and media.  They brought in fresh ideas and technology and showed us what we could do with technology to continue our hands on, collaborative, and creative learning.

Once the students left however, we were left with a need to learn how to use tech tools in order to utilize what they have to offer

New Principal and new staff who wanted to see us move together as staff learning how to utilize our tech tools to move towards a 21^st century model.  New desktop computers in every class including library, music room, ELL  and Learning Assistance.

We began with lunch and learn workshops every 2^nd Wednesday.  We would have teachers on staff, people from the community, teachers from the district help us to move towards a digital literacy so that we could begin to teach.

*Websites- communication

* software- typing programs, writing programs , imovie, iphoto, digital photography, …

* email

*online reporting

Declining Enrollment – gave us the push to move our school forward into the model of 21^st Century learning

Birth of Global Learner Program – A year of collaboration –A living ever morphing way of teaching that takes risks, collaborates, pushes teachers to find new ways to engage student learning that encourages student leadership. Broadens their thinking and learning to connect to the world and their community. Sometimes uses technology but as a means of achieving outcomes.

It was a good day today. I really enjoyed having the face to face time to collaborate and begin to build a framework for our inquiry. Initially I had trouble choosing what I want to as I am forming a picture in my head of where I want to go with my learning. Initially I joined a great group of ladies who have huge range of knowledge and teaching practice in the topic of Inquiry. I was first introduced to Inquiry at the BCTLA conference in October and was intrigued by the mode Points of Inquiry. I realized after our group discussion that I wanted to go out a little further into the big picture of Coquiltlam School District which is implementing the Learning Commons Model  for the District. I will be exploring this concept and how my school might fit into this model. After 23 years in education I truly believe that we need to collaborate on a larger scale so that we can more easily implement a framework that allows us as Teacher Librarians to collaborate with our district. As each member of our group has formed at least 2 points of inquiry for the Learning Commons, I would like to explore the broad topic of Collaboration and roles of Teacher Librarian. As I am researching that collaboration theme in the Learning Commons Model. I am looking forward to todays collaboration.
** Just a note that I will be making most of my blog posts on the morning before class. My brain works better before class that after 