The Changing role of the Teacher Librarian

Vancouver Public Schools recently published this video on their VPS SDTV site.  It's a great explanation of the role of teacher-librarians today.

by VanSDTV - Reporter Mark Ray

 

SD#68 Teacher-Librarians Book Share

Teacher-Librarians from across our district meet regularly to discuss, learn and share with each other. One of our favourite things to discuss is books we love.  Here is the latest list of book recommendations from your TL's

 

Book Title	Author
If You’re A Monster and You Know it	Ed and Rebecca Emberley
There Was An Old Monster	Ed and Rebecca Emberley
A Cat in a Kayak A Cat Adrift A Seal in the Family	Maria Coffey & Eugenie Fernandes
The Girl in Red (intermediate students)	Aaron Frisch
Legend of the Animal Healer (series)	Lauren St. John
A Porcupine in a Pine Tree	Helaine Becker & Werner Zimmermann
Dalen and Gole: Scandal in Port Angus	Mike Deas
I like Myself	Karen Beaumont
Out of my Mind Heart of a Samurai A Sick Day for Amos McGee Sparrow Girl	Sharon Draper Margi Preus Philip C Stead   Sara Pennypacker
The Astonishing Secrets of Awesome Man	Michael Chabon

BC Teacher Librarian Conference in Coquitlam

Inquire, Inspire, Innovate

I have just returned from the 2012 BC Teacher-Librarian Conference hosted at Riverside Secondary School in Port Coquitlam.  I would like to thank our hosts Coquitlam School District SD# 43 and the three co-chairs of the conference Joanne Howey, Heather Daly and Leslie Ikeda for putting on a wonderful event with inspiring speakers and a wide variety of workshops to meet all needs.  

Dr. David Loertscher's words on learning commons and how technology increases the efficiency and the learning for students was encouraging. He reiterated that technology is not a playground, its an opportunity to learn using collaborative tools. By learning, exploring and inquiring together, we create a greater result and understanding than any of us working individually.

TL's are able to introduce kids to the look and feel of collaborative learning and to have them really experience collaboration. Our libraries are places where everyone is building, doing and making. (learning commons).  The path to learning is participatory. Thank you Dr. Loertscher for your inspiring and motivating words.

Skyping professional ballerina Jillian Vanstone

West Vancouver CEO/Superintendent Chris Kennedy spoke with us about the big pieces being possible because we have technology.  "Libraries are relevant, connected and unlimited.  Technology is powerful when used to do new things kids couldn't do if they didn't have technology."  Chris' words allowed me to reflect on things we are doing at Randerson that are new because of the technology.  We are skying authors and other prominent figures in our country.  Gr. 4,5,6 students are having opportunities to discuss and ask questions and be asked questions  by people they have chosen to to invite into the conversation. The National Ballet's principal dancer Jillian Vanstone is one of many who took time to be interviewed by our students. 

What else is new? We are seeing our most challenged students become more engaged because they are having success with inquiry, exploring and presenting in a way that wasn't happening before.  

Learning about the stars on a night field trip with Ms Burnham's class

Intermediate students are blogging and collaborating on wikis, which is increasing their writing skills and creating an opportunity for them to publish their work.  As Chris quoted a student from his district "I knew if I wrote better, more people would read it."  That is powerful learning and intrinsic motivation. 

Other things happening at Randerson; Gr. 3 students explored the sky one clear evening, learning first hand about the stars, the solar system and the stories behind the naming of the constellations. Students brought their families to share this experience and learn together.

Thank you to everyone involved in making the BCTLA conference such a success.  Chris' final words were "Be hopeful about the power of possibility."  With the incredible colleagues, fantastic students, supportive and encouraging parents and a strong and supportive administrator I am hopeful about the power of possibility at Randerson and in SD#68. 



 

Incorporating iPods and iPads in the Elementary Classroom and Library

Follow Up From Tammy and Val's Workshop

Coal Tyee teacher-librarian Tammy Reynolds and I had the privilege of hosting a workshop at the BCTLA Conference in Coquitlam.  Our focus was on curriculum based learning through iPads and iPods.  We had 31 wonderful teacher-librarians, classroom teachers and IT teachers join us in the discussion and workshop around uses for the iPads.  As always it was a sharing of learning from all involved. 

Coal Tyee's blog (Tammy's blog)

App Sharing

Here is the list of apps that our colleagues across the province have used successfully. Thanks everyone for sharing.

Apps gone free (advice given - new apps are posted at 9:30 each morning)
Apps for the classroom 
I Can Read (ebooks)
You Tube review of iTalk  * listening to this we may have solved the problem of many not being able to get iTalk on their own devices. It appears it is available 2nd generation iPads/iPods.
iButtons (recommended for movies)
iBrainstorm (electronic post it notes) *one colleague uses this app regularly and asked if there was anyway you could get voice on this app?  Does anyone know?  Please respond.
Comic Life (the iPads at the workshop had strip design which our district uses successfully but another great suggestion for creating comic book style writing was this app)
vBookz Voice Reader (pdf voice reader)
Pic Collage (great for K-1)
Storyboard Composer