The Collaborator

Collaboration and the Teacher Librarian

A few of my thoughts.

From the beginning of my studies I have been introduced to the necessity of the teacher librarian to “Sell” their skills and knowledge to the school and greater communities. To make students, fellow teachers, middle managers, principals and members of the wider community aware of what teacher librarians have to offer.

The modern teacher librarian has a great deal to offer. A teacher librarian has a range of skills that vary from evaluator to facilitator, from collector to assessor and much in between.  Although the modern teacher librarian does need to overcome built up misconceptions from the past that claim the TL possesses a limited ability.  The modern TL clearly needs to demonstrate to their peers exactly the skills and knowledge they have to offer.

Collaboration is the best way to do this. It is apparent that the introverted teacher librarian who spent their time hidden away, skulking among the aisles is dead (or at least should be) and the new TL needs to be present, cooperative and ever helpful.

In my opinion the first step in collaboration is to sell yourself to your peers, to the students, to the middle and upper school managers and to the parents. Let them know you are there and what you can do. Instil confidence! If the stake holders have not trust in your ability they will not seek you out for assistance nor accept any offers you make.

Next, I would find out what my peers needed. As Hancock states “teachers and teacher librarians see collaboration in their own self-interest”. You must be able to improve their position be it in the classroom for instruction or planning, for evaluation or assessment. In order to effectively collaborate your peers must feel they are gaining something.  Through discussion, involvement and research the TL can discover what a client needs and then set about the task of partnering to achieve the desired goals.

There are other essential steps but for the purpose of this forum I have decided to leave them out (it is becoming a very long post)

The TL is capable of assisting fellow teachers in areas where they may not realise they need it. For example a quick suggestion for a website or program, a constructivist classroom idea or method or even sharing some knowledge on best collaboration practice for the staff room and class room.  As Hancock states students that worked in a collaborative manner were more creative. Students who are creative tend to enjoy their studies more as do their teachers (speaking from first-hand experience).  

Finally (but most importantly) the implication for your collaborative efforts (as a TL) is realised by the improvement of student results “by more than 20% on measures of achievement in some studies” (Lance, Rodney, & Hamilton-Pennell, 2000, as read in Hancock, 2007)and as we all know the end goal is student learning and achievement.