What does it mean to teach and learn in the 21st century, preparing for a world that we can only begin to imagine?
Facilitating learning opportunities for 21st-century life skills is not something that classroom teachers can do alone. Just as it takes a village to raise a child, it also takes an entire school community to educate one. That’s where teacher librarians (TLs) come in.
Transforming school libraries from the hallowed, hushed spaces of check-in-check-out to human-centred hubs of collaboration and creative exploration is perhaps the most exciting prospect in schools today. The research behind Library Learning Commons (LLCs) and their virtual counterparts (VLLCs) has absolutely exploded in the last 5 years, with strong evidence in support of the funding, paradigm shifts, and collaborative efforts needed to truly create inquiry-based, human-centred, technology-rich learning hubs (CSL 2020) (BCTLA 2017) (Pressley 2017) (FRL 2016).
Some considerations along the way:
The Role of the Teacher Librarian:
The 21st century TL is connected: to other professionals, to the district and province, to other schools, and to the world. Relationship-building and professional development are at the core of the role of a TL. A school expert in technology integration, inquiry-methods, design-thinking, and resources to support curriculum, the TL is a key instructional specialist and bridges all stakeholders in their learning community (BCTLA 2017) (FRL 2016).
Task Number 1: Define the role of the TL and make this document visible to classroom teachers and school admin.
Task Number 2: Build relationships within the school community that support the Principal’s vision, classroom teachers’ learning goals, and students’ passions. Get volunteers on board, build the foundations for co-teaching, and create opportunities for collaboration in the LLC.
Task Number 3: Join focused PLNs that connect TLs across the district, province, and world. Centre the ISTE Standards for Educators in your professional development goals (ISTE 2021).
The Environment:
The 21st-century LLC is more than a book exchange, and the space must reflect that. Students and staff need to feel welcome and know that they can come anytime to rest, play, explore, chat, and ask for help.
The space should promote a love of literacy (in all its forms), collaborative learning, tech exploration, accessibility, and creative design. Since it is rare that a school library is the size of a gymnasium, it’s important to use modular thinking so that the physical aspects of the library can be shifted to accommodate the diversity of use-cases for the LLC.
Task Number 1: Build flexibility into the library schedule so that students and staff know they can drop-in at all times, or most times of the day.
Task Number 2: Weed the existing collection so that it is up-to-date, inclusive, reflective of the learning community, and focused on the future.
Task Number 3: Replace heavy tables and chairs with light-weight, movable ones. Ensure the space supports group work, reading for pleasure, using technology, community engagement, and also includes or is connected to a Makerspace.
Task Number 4: Use and reflect back on the Leading Learning standards of practice for designing learning environments to support participatory learning.
A Tech-Integrated Space:
21st Century life-skills include digital literacy and technological savvy. Tech skills, digital citizenship, and information literacy must be built into the LLC and must also be reflected in the VLLC.
Tech for the 21st century is mobile, integrated, and supports the 4C’s: Creativity, Collaboration, Communication and Critical Thinking (2021).
Task Number 1: Use TPACK and SAMR models to select the tech tools that will best support learning.
Task Number 2: Follow ADST Curricular goals to integrate tech into lesson plans and activities.
Task Number 3: Build a VLLC that is accessible, reflects school culture, and follows the selection criteria for the IASL/Concord School Library Web Page Award.
Develop and Support the Design Thinking Process:
Design Thinking may just be the most important skill for 21st century learners. Human-centred, focused on problem-solving, and built to bring out the creative thinking skills that every human innately has.
Unlock imagination, learn through play, think with your hands, and strengthen a growth mindset for life.
Task Number 1: Collaborate with the school community to create a Makerspace within the school that is accessible to students, teachers, and all learning community stakeholders.
Task Number 2: Create learning opportunities that follow the Design Thinking Process and encourage a sense of comfort and normality in the experience of failing.
Task Number 3: Encourage play! Most of all, the LLC is meant to be a space for exploration, creativity, and hands-on learning opportunities.
Question: Where would you start? What is missing from this list?
References:
From School Library to Library Learning Commons: A Pro-Active Model for Educational Change. BCTLA. 2017
The New Basics: Skills for success in our rapidly changing world. People for Education. 2021
Making in the Library Toolkit: Makerspace Resources Task Force. YALSA. 2014
Co-Designing Schools Toolkit. The Teachers Guild x School Retool. 2021
Taking Making into Classrooms: A Toolkit for Fostering Curiosity and Imagination. Innovative Learning Centre. 2013
Future Ready Librarians Playbook. Future Ready Schools. 2016
Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Canadian School Libraries. 2020
Pressley, L. (2017). Charting a Clear Course: A State of the Learning Commons. ACRL 2017. At The Helm: Leading Transformation. Retrieved from: https://www.ala.org/acrl/sites/ala.org.acrl/files/content/conferences/confsandpreconfs/2017/ChartingaClearCourse.pdf
Hayley
Hi Katrina,
It looks like you have developed a thorough list of possibilities for your LLC. I like how you identified actionable steps to make the possibilities reality. For any library program to be effective, I believe you need to start by developing relationships, so that would be my primary focus, then I would move onto the environment. I like how you noted weeding and making the space more flexible. Sometimes doing a big clearout can make the space seem more open and provide more opportunities for engagement from the community.
I can’t think of anything you are missing. I think stepping into the role, and getting started on some of the items, would clarify the next steps and anything that is missing. Once you have started you will be able to prioritize what your LLC needs (what’s important and what can be dealt with at a later time).
Thank you for sharing,
Hayley
Hi Katrina,
You have created a comprehensive list of what a TL position looks like for the 21st century. I think I would start in 2 places. I would develop some pro-d opportunities for my colleagues to implement inquiry learning and SAMR in the school and library. In addition, I would develop a flexible schedule to encourage students to come in and work, exchange books, create new projects, etc. After these two things, I would have to reprioritize and decide the next most important thing to add.
Thanks for sharing.
Laura
Wow, Katrina, this is a fantastic blog entry! I hope you keep this posted after the course because I will actually return to this post as a touch point. It is so grounded in clear thinking and best practice, reflects the power of the TL and LLC role wonderfully, and is so concise and actionable!! Super useful. And inspiring.
In terms of what you might have missed? I don’t see any glaring omissions.
Where should you start? You say it yourself: with relationships. They underlie everything. I am starting my first TL role at a new to me school this autumn, and in that moment I think building relationships — including being interested in and receptive to the community and what is already happening within it — will be key to any future success. I like how you expand this out to community relationships that support school goals/student passions, as well as professional networks for yourself. I think you speaking about relationships first is a good indication of where I’d start as a new TL.
In addition, I love your ideas of posting the TL role (so people understand how you see your place in the learning ‘ecosystem’) and establishing a makerspace and/or facilitating maker activities, alongside an atmosphere of fun and play, would be great first steps as well in creating understanding that you are actively creating a welcoming, creative learning and ‘being’ space.