LIBE 477B Inquiry Post: Key Take Aways

‌I’ve had many key takeaways during the last four weeks of our inquiry posts.

Fostering a Love of Reading

I focused my entire Masters inquiry on this idea, so it holds a special place in my heart. The key ideas that really resonate are making sure that students have books that represent who they are and allow windows into other people’s experiences (We Are Teacher, 2018). We would become a much more empathetic society if we read more about cultures different from our own. I think books for young people are becoming more diverse, but they need to better represent their real lives, not just the trauma they experience. I love this page from the graphic novel, New Kid, by Jerry Craft. I think it really comes down to finding books students want to read, allowing them time and space to read them for pleasure, and having authentic conversations about what we read. It seems so simple and yet so many educators and companies seem to be taking the joy out of reading, so no wonder students don’t want to read (Wexler, 2023)!

(Craft, 2019)

Teacher Librarian Professional Development

I think it is so important to continue to learn about ideas in education and within the teacher librarian space. There are so many fantastic resources, websites, and people to be inspired by. This is where it gets tricky. Because there is such a wealth of information now, how does one not become overwhelmed? As a TL, you wear so many hats within the school and it can be difficult to find time for professional development and I know I don’t want to spend all my personal life reading books and listening to podcasts about education. As an educator, balance is instrumental in not burning out. That’s why I use professional development days and summers to inquire and learn. I was also inspired by another blog post about making ICT learning purposeful. It’s important to find out what teachers require and letting that guide your professional development. 

Sharing Professional Development with Others

It is the duty of the information and technology specialist to share ideas with the rest of the staff, but what is the best way to disseminate information so that it is used? I really developing a relationship with and then supporting teachers in technology use in a way that is applicable to what they are currently teaching is going to make the most difference. But again, it comes down to time. What time is there to meet with teachers to support them? A good TL should have open library hours for students to come in before and after school, provide prep relief for classes, complete the administrative tasks of the library, and then still find time to collaborate with all the teachers in the school? It seems impossible! I think a blog could help support disseminating information in a way that is laborious for the TL and hopefully is viewed and accessed by educators on a regular basis. I learned of new ways through other blog posts, such as using Microsoft Teams. I think this is an area that does get put on the back burner in many SLLC’s because there is only so much time in the day. Finding innovative ways to share information becomes key.

Global Libraries

I found this topic to be difficult at first because I didn’t know what direction to go in. There is so much information out there on libraries in developing countries, but I found it hard to find it at first. Goes to show how important your search words are! For some time, I have heard how educating girls will impact a developing country in myriad ways, but it was very interesting to see all the data (UNDP, 2015). So many girls do not have access to education, especially digital literacy which is crucial to work in today’s economy (Meherali et al., 2021). It was wonderful to see what is being done in Ghana with mobile libraries, as well as other inquiries into Nepal, India, Sierra Leone, and more. What I came away with was the importance of libraries and their contribution to educating and ensuring success of citizens. There so many innovative ideas with how to get technology into the hands of children so that they can become digitally literate and have access to up-to-date information that can help create a democratic society. I do think that ICT companies really need to step up and provide the network infrastructure and hardware required, because it will benefit everyone! 

What Resonated Most?

The topic that most resonated with me was fostering a love of reading in schools. We are becoming an alliterate society – one where people are able to read, but they choose not to (Miller, 2009). Reading benefits us in countless ways. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink. I think we can make that watering hole pretty darn attractive though, so it will entice those “horses” to come. My life has benefitted from reading so much, so I hope I can inspire younger generations to see its value.

Source

Where To?

I want to make sure that I continue to read books written for young people because it allows me to provide recommendations and to connect with students and develop relationships (Kittle, 2011). I want to focus my professional development on what will be the most impactful. To find this out, I think it will be important to have conversations with educators to determine their needs. But most importantly, I want to listen to myself and what I need. I have to put on my oxygen mask before putting on the oxygen masks of others. 

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A Note on Blogging

At first, I really didn’t like the idea of blogging, but I came to really love the format. I appreciate that it is more informal, and I can add memes, videos, and personal opinions in a way that becomes more engaging to the reader. I really liked reading my classmates blogs as well and seeing how they structured their ideas and opinions. I did however get really frustrated with the Blogger platform. Some days, YouTube Videos wouldn't link, some days my paragraphs would double space themselves out of nowhere, some days it would take over a day to link to our Feedly page. Technology!

 

References:

Craft, J. (2019). New Kid. Harper, An Imprint of Harper Collins Publishers.

Kittle, P. (2013). Book love: developing depth, stamina, and passion in adolescent readers. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Meherali, S., Rahim, K. A., Campbell, S., & Lassi, Z. S. (2021). Does Digital Literacy Empower Adolescent Girls in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in Public Health, 9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2021.761394

Miller, D. (2009). The Book Whisperer: Awakening the Inner Reader in Every Child. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme. (2015). UNDP. https://www.undp.org/sustainable-development-goals/quality-education?gclid=CjwKCAjwnOipBhBQEiwACyGLuoNNiJsEUZDIcYDuzfe9J_NuDPLNCyY7RehR4t3oknfD-lEkZ8-QbxoCf5gQAvD_BwE

We Are Teachers Staff. (2018, July 12). What Are Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors? We Are Teachers. https://www.weareteachers.com/mirrors-and-windows/

Wexler, N. (2023, July 18). How To Get Kids To Read For Fun. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/nataliewexler/2023/07/15/how-to-get-kids-to-read-for-fun/?sh=71277ca03a1f