Role+of+TL

Identify the TL as a leader and outline the role they can play in integrating information literacy into the school curriculum.
Just borrowing from one of my ETL401 assignments from last semester...I know quotes are to be kept to a bare minimum but it might give us something useful to work with...

“When teachers see that [teacher librarians] make a difference in student learning, they become [their] greatest advocates” (Todd, 2003, p. 2). So not only are TLs lifelong learners, evidence-based practitioners and researchers for their profession; they are also understood by others to be experts in their field. This is critical to student learning outcomes because TLs are able to collaborate with and facilitate the learning of others.

Kate

Thoughts below might also tie in with the 'student achievement' outcome..??

TLs have professional knowledge of learning and teaching. This is important because it demands a focus on the learner: who they are (in terms of background knowledge, learning style and so on), what they can do (through assessment of information needs, skills and interests) and how the TL can assist them to do it (through the TLs understanding of current educational practice). A TL's professional knowledge of teaching and learning is critical to student learning outcomes because it assists in defining what those outcomes need to be: what will the student learn? Why does it matter? How will they demonstrate the learning? And how ‘well’ should they be able to do it? (NSW DET, 2008, p. 13). Foley (2007, p. 4) proposes that this quality teaching “challenges us to transcend superficial approaches to developing information literacy”, to go beyond traditional concepts of ‘library skills’ and ‘information access’ to “deeper, critical understandings” about the information process. It is critical to student learning outcomes because it acknowledges that these outcomes are based on the individual learner and how they solve information search tasks (Heinstrom and Todd, 2006, p. 29). It is critical to student learning outcomes because it provides opportunity for the TL to examine the information needs of the community that the library serves, to become ‘thoroughly familiar’ with the information needs of the backgrounds from which the students come. It is critical to student learning outcomes because it helps the TL to provide a platform of learning significance for every learner.

Kate //Certainty// of enhanced educational outcomes is //ensured// through a combination of Principal support (see //Principal Support// page) and the TL's professional practice: *quality teaching practice - the provision of a quality learning environment, intellectual quality and significance to the lives of students, teacher librarians, teachers and the school community(NSW DET, 2008, p. 11) *evidence based practice – where the teacher librarian stays “informed and guided by best available evidence of what works” (Todd, 2008; Whitehurst, 2001). Kate

We should definitely use the TL standards as a reference I think - it specifically mentions information literacy and the TLs role in at least a couple of places - will discuss it Wednesday night on Skype :)

Jess Adding something i found from Alia (wendy)

The valuable role of the teacher librarian focuses on:
 * 1) learners and learning
 * 2) teachers and teaching
 * 3) resourcing the curriculum
 * 4) facilitating access to information
 * 5) developing the physical environment.

Source: ALIA/ASLA statement on teacher librarians in Australia __http://www.alia.org.au/policies/teacher-librarians.html__

ALIA submission to Inquiry into School Libraries and Teacher Librarians 5

To achieve these five areas, teacher librarians have to:
 * 1) understand learners and their needs
 * 2) collaborate with teachers to plan and implement information literacy and literature programs
 * 3) ensure the school library collection supports the school curriculum and community
 * 4) use technologies as teaching and learning tools
 * 5) create effective learning environments
 * 6) participate in the school and wider learning community.

Source: ALIA/ASLA statement on teacher librarians in Australia __http://www.alia.org.au/policies/teacher-librarians.html__