Resource Based Learning

An interesting topic with many questions arising from it. I have published my thoughts on the csu forum about resource based learning but would like to get down here that it is something, as a classroom teacher, I would like to explore. The question is how do I start? With year three, do I start small, with one KLA or do I go for it and start with all? I think to explore RBL I will start with one KLA? or does this make it just a 'research task'? Hmmm, questions and thoughts I will need to carefully consider.

History of School Libraries

The readings for this (in topic one) were certainly and eye opener. I did not realise just how short the history of school libraries in Australia actually is. I didn't know that high schools had libraries before primary schools and that there was little direction and knowledge in indvidual schools. It certainly explains why my school, built in 1960, does not have a 'library' building and our school library is simply two classrooms with the dividing wall removed!

It seems that there have been common concerns throughout the decades of school library development and that these concerns continue today. Concerns such as budget, training of teacher librarians, design of the library, collaboration between teacher librarian and teachers and the stocking of libraries. All concerns that I am sure will be explored in depth throughout this subject.

401 - Management Implications

Sanders, R. (2004) Chapter 13: Conflict resolution. In Australian library supervision and management (2nd ed., pp.127 - 132). Wagga Wagga, NSW: Centre for Information Studies.

The three things I have learnt are:

• Listen carefully. When involved in a conflict it is all too easy to let emotion get in the way and talk without listening. Listening carefully is important in that it allows you to think about the other party's point of view. To negotiate successfully where both people 'win' this is a key aspect.
• Preparation - to resolve conflict it is better to step back and remove yourself from the situation until people are calmer. You then have time to prepare. Think about your points and how to get them across properly as well as think about the other party's point of view. How does it conflict with yours? How is it similar to yours? What possible solutions are there?
• As a mediator of conflict you also need to be prepared. Perhaps the most important thing to realise if you are a mediator is to keep your emotions and own point of view out of the equation. To successfully mediate you need to be impartial, even if you agree with one of the partys more than the other.

Covey, S.R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic, [Pt. 1], pp. 146-164 and [Pt. 2], pp. 165-182.

The three things that I have learnt:

• 'Effective management is putting first things first.' (p148) and carrying it out. Ordering things according to priority, things that are important, will allow you to carry out on a day to day, month to month basis, what needs to be done. You will be doing all of the important things that are not urgent rather than urgent and unimportant things.
• Delegation is key to effective management. To delegate effectively you need to set the correct criteria, obligations and assessment or judgement and you have to trust the person or team delegated the task. To stand over and have input, and needing to be involved in every step of the task is not effective delegating and you might as well have just done the job yourself to begin with.
• Planning - not by day, month or year, but by week. To sit and write a list of the priorities for the week and then delegate particular times and days and hours to these tasks, and having the self discipline to stick to it will see you achieve more of the important things that need to be done. This is the thing that I have learnt most about and will implement into my working life as well as my home life. I have always liked planning and prioritising but still seem to miss some of the important things in my life. I will sit down and write a list of my roles and what is important in them for this week and then delegate what day and time they will be done. I will come back here and report on how this is going every so often to see if there is any improvement.

Gilman, T. (2007). The four habits of highly effective librarians, (Chronicle Careers), The Chronicle of Higher Education, May 23

I found this article fairly straight forward and I have already been thinking about openness and collaboration but found that this article did not really reflect the situation that the library I am studying is in. It is a small library and collaboration occurs more with the teachers in the school than with other libraries. Perhaps this is something to read again as I go more into this course and understand libraries on a larger scale better. I will come back to this article again.

Residential School

A fabulous way to focus my thoughts and get my head into gear to start this course. I have had a close look at the two subject outlines and now have a clear idea of what is expected and where I am going.
I was excited and more importantly, interested, in the subject content and discussions that took place on the weekend.
I have had my 'thinking time' and as a result I have a few thoughts I would like to write down about the weekend.
I am coming into this subject 'cold' without having had any experience in a library. I have 11 years as a primary school teacher and that knowledge background but basically none as a librarian. Defining the role of a librarian was hard, especially since it seems to be evolving even as we are striving to define it. The digital age is making it a much broader role and it is raising more questions for me than has been answered.
Does the TL have to be a technology expert?
What role does the TL play in the comouter aspect of the library and who looks after the technical issues?
How important are print resources and how will this change as digital and electronic resources evolve and grow?
These questions will need ongoing thought throughout the following two years and even then they may not be answered.

I have always seen TL as a fairly independent and perhaps isolated role but after the weekend collaboration seems to be key. An aspect of the TL role for me to explore and adjust my thinking on.

I especially enjoyed the discussion on challenged materials and found that this subject evoked the most emotion during of the weekend. Again, more questions arise.
What right do TL's have to censor material, if any at all?
How can we ignore personal bias?
How much does censorship come into selection?
Does emotion have a place in challenging materials? Should it?
How strong a policy do you need to have and how can we do this to respond to challenges?

What a fantastic weekend. The 'learning curve' requires us to ask questions and seek answers. What a fun and challenging jouney we are all going on over the next two years.

Teacher Librarianship

I am happy that I have managed to create my blog for this course. It has ended up being quite easy and straight forward to use and should come in handy for keeping a record of thoughts and learning tasks.