the Virtual Bookmark

Fall Activities Report now online

The BCTLA Executive has produced a summary report of activities. 

 Download file and read about the exciting projects completed or underway. 

  http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/reports/2009%20BCTLA%20Fall%20Activities.pdf

BCTLA DEAR asking for your activities, results...(Survey)

The BCTLA would love to know what your school, district did for Drop Everything and Read challenge on MOnday October 26, National School Library Day.  A 2 minute survey to collate data.  Thanks

http://bctf.ca/bctla/info/events.html

Chapters Online’- a pursuit of a communication model

BCTLA FALL COUNCIL 2009 :                   Friday, October 23, 2009

Chapters Online'- a pursuit of a communication model….Al Smith

1. 1. Concept:
      
      -That the BCTLA investigate and invest in an online platform that integrates functions and members' needs into a single common environment, including core BCTLA communication like alerts, special events, documents, etc. but also including supplementary services like Forums, Blogs, Messaging, Calendars, that could benefit all Chapters. - a social network if you will. This centralized platform would nurture common experiences, share skill sets, and nurture a common online culture from essentially one URL.
   2. Rationale:
      
      -some regions have state of the art online tools while others have none or ad hoc.
      -Multiple online tools increasingly require more training time and are labour intensive while producing marginal benefits.
      -the current web site model is not collaborative enough for our current needs
   3. Assumptions:
2. -despite cuts and politic fatigue, BC teacher-librarians now more than ever, need to seek efficiencies for members
   -BCTLA can demonstrate an envious professional standard of excellence
   -BC teacher-librarians and Chapter members can share their substantial education, skill and insight while addressing solutions internally
   -BCTLA can provide leadership and demonstrate progressive solutions
   -members desire improved communication not more communication
   -there is a potential for URL fatigue
   -some members still are uninformed and under-represented across the province
   - the web is a changing environment far beyond email and WWW
   -standard web sites are one dimensional
   - email is an inefficient method for serving large groups such as BCTLA
   -the BCTLA Executive is effectively using web 2.0 interfaces such as Forum and Exec Groups
   -BCTLA has many member generated services yet it is primarily still top-down
   -managing a traditional web site is labour intensive and skill challenging
   -web 2.0 tools can be managed by a member with intermediate skill sets
   -user-generated content is less passive and more participatory
   -a portal or social network platform might provide tools easily linked with the core BCTLA
   
   eg. Google query> BCTLA Conference>
   http://www.google.ca/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&q=bctla+conference&meta=lr%3D&aq=f&oq=
3. eg. Google query> B.C. and Teacher-Librarians
   http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&safe=off&rlz=1R2GPEA_en&num=50&q=B.C.+and+Teacher-Librarians&btnG=Search&meta=&aq=f&oq=

1. Issues and Options:
   1. -most platforms are still driven by a few authors or posters? Monies and human cost of new proprietary systems? Effective transition of BCTLA Executive personnel and duties? BCTLA Goals: midterm and long term may have other priorities?
   2. Options
      1. Ning or other network like open source
         1. Demo:Ning> http://bc-teacher-librarians.ning.com/
         2. Demo: Drupal> http://drupal.org/features
      2. Proprietary service like Firstclass or other
         1. Demo: SD23 Firstclass network
      3. Subscription service like Wordpress.org
         1. Demo: Wordpress.org> http://blogs.ubc.ca/

Q&A/feedback

Italy: IASL 2009 Conference

IASL 2009 CONFERENCE

in Abano Terme, Italy, drew BC Teacher-librarians

Moira Ekdahl, Teacher-librarian Consultant, Vancouver School Board

Imagine in your wildest dreams the opportunity to travel with a group of like-minded teacher-librarians for six days of professional development and other fun at the 2009 IASL Conference in Abano Terme and Padua in Northern Italy. Such was my luck! We travelled the long way round, via Rome, Florence and Tuscany, and then Venice, with our group growing at each destination. We tried to keep a blog but were busy with adventures and shopping and ultimately confounded by the high costs for internet access. You can follow our journey to the conference on the blog at: http://tlsinitalia.blogspot.com.

Guided Inquiry: Pre-conference with Drs. Carol Kuhlthau and Ross Todd of Rutgers University

How do we use what we know about effective inquiry to accommodate the needs of 21^st Century learners in the "dynamic, cluttered, chaotic information environment" we now find ourselves in? In her morning workshop, Dr Carol Kuhlthau described a new model which stresses deep understanding as the outcome. Students, given the same assignment, will have very different outcomes -- the novice researcher looks for right answers while the expert searches for and undertakes a more sophisticated analysis.

Kuhlthau's most important contribution to what we know and understand about how students learn through inquiry is the affective piece. Students need to be guided through inquiry to draw on what they know, to read and learn from a wide range of sources, and to gain a sense of accomplishment. They need to be supported as they move through stages of uncertainty, confusion, and frustration that characterize the information search process. They are actively engaged in seeking information, acquiring information literacy skills, developing metacognition and skills in the other literacies, and becoming more proficient at social learning. Educators need to be alert for the "zone of intervention" or the critical point at which they need to provide instruction.

In Kuhlthau's Guided Inquiry model , teachers work with the teacher-librarian in teams; a three-member instructional or core team matches goals for content learning with particular skills, and an extended team that includes "real world" experts further enables students to explore curriculum. These teams are flexible, created for the purpose, and change with the needs of students and curriculum objectives. The teacher-librarian is the resource specialist, the information literacy instructor, and the collaboration facilitator. Getting started begins with identifying the objectives for curriculum and information literacy, forming the core and extended teams, planning and implementing the inquiry, including resources, strategies, outcomes, and assessments.

In the afternoon, Dr Ross Todd put Guided Inquiry into a Web 2.0 context. But first, he encouraged teacher-librarians to consider the question of program focus: are school libraries about collections or about access? He explored the notion of the school library as a learning commons, a place for inquiry, thinking, imagination, discovery, and creativity as students undertake their information-to-knowledge as well as personal, social, and cultural journeys.

Students are engaged in learning on many levels. They need to learn to think creatively, critically, and metacognitively to make sense of what they learn and shape it into new knowledge. They need to be intellectually curious. As well, they are making meaning using the language, symbols, and text of many different formats and in their own written, electronic, and personal communications. They are working with others, listening, sharing ideas, and navigating meaning as a member of a group. They need to master technological tools and manage their time and motivation, as well as the ethical considerations of working with information and images.

The ever-animated and engaging Dr Ross Todd

When incorporating Web 2.0 tools, educators need to consider whether these promote the development of learning and inquiry. Are these tools helpful? Can we assess progress? Does the tool inform instruction? Todd gave suggestions for how to incorporate and assess student work as wikis or blogs, and recommended these sites for tools and ideas:

• The Centre for Learning and Performance Technologies' website that offers over 3000 tools in 25 categories, most of them free: http://c4lpt.co.uk/Directory.
• Web 2.0 for the Classroom Teacher: An Internet Hotlist on Web 2.0: http://www.kn.pacbell.com/wired/fil/pages/listweb20s.html
• Andrew Church's Digital version of Bloom's Taxonomy is a source for ideas about the higher order thinking skills that students undertake in activities that use digital tools: http://edorigami.wikispaces.com/Bloom%27s+Digital+Taxonomy#toc9

Of great interest were Todd's insights into tools we grapple with regularly, perhaps that we haven't really settled on ways for use in schools and inquiry. On the subject of Wikipedia, Todd asserted that we need to engage students more rigorously with it as we will not stop its use. Highlight its strengths and its gaps; invite them to edit it; corroborate its accounts; assign a piece for submission or updating. He pointed to Joyce Valenza's website (http://www.sdst.org/shs/library/) where Turnitin is posted for students to check their own writing for improper paraphrasing or use of quotations. Tools he demonstrated as having unique possibilities for teaching and learning included:

• Wordle (wordle.net -- use to assess text readability, focus, relevance; identify key concepts; create a summary; highlight assessment criteria, etc. )
• Worksift (worksift.com links images to text and creates a thesaurus representation to build search terms and vocabulary)
• Wallwisher (wallwisher.com, for brainstorming, collecting facts, crafting assessment criteria, generating resource lists, reflecting on topics)
• Google's Wonder Wheel (categorizes results, creates a picture of the intellectual terrain),
• Google Squared (google.com/squared for selecting a topic, building background knowledge, making visual and textual links, etc.)
• Bubbl.us (brainstorming software for note-taking)
• Twitter (succinctly collate student views in a class twitter, collect data, create summaries, write poems, communicate with experts)
• Digital storytelling sites included Capzles, Glogster, Tikatok, and Fotopedia.

There were loads more to consider. His best advice -- when in doubt, you can have students play with the new tools and then seek their advice and assessment.

All in all, a very good day and an inspiring start to what would be a wonderful conference. Be sure to read Chris Evans' epicurean summary of the TL Tour of Italy. Mary Locke, Jan Alexander, Frances Renzullo-Cuzzetto, Chris and I, along with our travelling companions Lindsay from The Hague and Joanne from Vancouver, had one of those memorable "grand tours" made all the more significant by the fact that we travelled in the blind faith that our common interest in books and children's learning would overcome any differences. I have to say that being a part of this community of ours is a very special bond in that we are lucky to have "the best jobs in the system" and to have so many wonderful and talented people whose work inspires and informs and engages us.

See what I mean? Here's Frances and Jan looking very pleased with a book found at an outdoor book sale in Ferrara.

I will have more on the conference presentations in the next issue of The Bookmark.....Winter 2010

CC get last print edition of Bookmark next week

Bookmark put to bed!

Our Chapter Councillors will receive an early release of the new Bookmark Vol 50 Issue , the Golden Anniversary Edition.  Angie and Al have finally put this issue to bed. It is a large project that has a large price tag but our BCTLA members are worth it. Enjoy soon. Copies are mailed out to active members end of October.  Watch for announcements or tweets.

RSS: http://twitter.com/statuses/user_timeline/31621757.rss

Twitter updates: http://twitter.com/virtualbookmark

Fall 2009- BCTLA Star: Garth Harkess

Our star in this issue is Garth Harkess, long standing teacher-librarian, Chapter Councilor and member of the BCTLA. Garth started his career as a Social Studies teacher in Quesnel in the ‘70s and has been a teacher-librarian in Cranbrook for 30 years. He did his undergraduate degree in history at the University of Winnipeg, went to Brandon for his teaching certificate and earned his Masters at Gonzaga.

Garth says, "I was fortunate to do my teacher-librarian training at UBC back in the days of Gordon Stubbs, Mel Rainey and Nancy McLean. There were no computers then – we learned how to file catalogue cards ‘above the rod’ – anyone ever use that skill now?"

When asked to tell us about himself for theBookmark, Garth wrote the following:

Professional development has always been important to me and I have been a ProD rep at the school level as well as a chapter councilor for the BCTLA on and off for too many years to mention. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to evaluate Language Arts resources for several summers in Victoria for the Ministry of Education and also in Regina for the Western Canadian Protocol. I really enjoyed being a BCTF representative for the School Library Purchase Plan from 1996 to 1998 when that very worthwhile project was being properly funded by the government of the day. Being on the BCTLA executive for a few years as Working and Learning Conditions chair was a huge growth experience for me. I am always in awe of the tremendous work these dedicated teacher-librarians do on our behalf.

Living in the mountains is great. I still snowboard and cross-country ski, canoe, kayak and play squash. My wife and I are adjusting to the ‘empty nest’ life as both our girls are off in cities now.

Things have really changed since I started in as a teacher-librarian. Sometimes I miss the old Readers’ Guide Abstracts – things are just too easy to find on Google. But I don’t miss writing out the overdue lists by hand. And I really don’t miss filing those catalogue cards!

Designing and Printing Professional Looking Bookmarks-36

Designing and Printing Professional Looking Bookmarks

by Gareth Poon, Surrey

Instructions using Microsoft PowerPoint 2003 (for Windows) and 2004 (for Mac):

1. Launch PowerPoint. 2. Under the "File" menu, choose "Page Setup." 3. For "Width," enter 4 inches.

For "Height," enter 6 inches.

Click "OK." (If you are using PowerPoint 2003 for Windows, enter 40

inches for the width and 60 inches for the height) 4. Under the "View" menu, choose "Toolbars," and then "Drawing." 5. Click on the Line drawing tool.

Draw a line down the middle of the slide. 6. Add text and images to the left side of your bookmark. 7. Under the "Edit" menu, choose "Select All." 8. Under the "Edit" menu, choose "Duplicate." 9. Drag all of the duplicated items to the right side of the bookmark.

You can also use the arrow keys to move the items around. 10. Click on the dividing line that you drew in step 5.

Press the "Delete" key to remove it. 11. Under the "File" menu, choose "Save As." 12. In the "Format" drop-down menu, choose "JPEG."

(Steps 13-15 only apply to people who are using PowerPoint 2004 for Mac)

13. Click on the "Options" button. 14. Under "Advanced Resolution Settings," choose "300" from the

"Dots per inch (dpi)" drop-down menu. 15. Click "OK."

16. Name your bookmark, choose a location, and click "Save."

This will produce a JPEG file (i.e. image file) in the location that

you specified. 17. Upload this JPEG file to a photofinishing website

(such as https://www.londondrugs.com/ldps) or bring it to a

photofinishing store on a USB flash drive. 18. Order 4" x 6" borderless prints with a matte finish. 19. When you pick up your order, kindly ask the technician if they can cut

the stack of prints in half. If they can’t, take the prints to an office /

copy store (e.g. Office Depot) and ask them to cut the prints in half.

Postscript by Patricia Baisi, Surrey Teacher-Librarian

Gareth Poon designed bookmarks for Surrey Schools’ Book of the Year using this method and they were fabulous! The students loved them!

The on-line ordering for London Drugs was straight forward and easy to use. My prints were ready for pick-up at my local store about 2 days later. I ordered 200 prints (which equals 400 bookmarks) for a cost of about $30.00 plus tax.

Librarian Down Under

Evaluation of School Library Education

Shock and Awe in Australia

By Bonnie McComb

Bonnie McComb is on teacher-librarian exchange in South Australia. It is an unusual exchange because it is between a Canadian public school and an Australian private school. She will be returning to Sidney, BC, this December and to the BCTLA as Conference Chair. We look forward to having her back!

 

(Homeroom/Tutor class)

 

Here are some of Bonnie’s first impressions after arriving at her new post.

T

he first shock was going from a semester system with 4 hour twenty minute classes a day, one break, and one lunch hour to a day where I see 7 classes a day with 6 supposedly one hour classes (there is no passing time so it’s more like 50 minutes), one 35 minute tutor group, a recess, and a lunch. Just to confuse me even more, I see the tutor group for 15 minutes at the beginning of each day. Then on Monday and Tuesday, I supervise them in study, on Wednesday we have an all school assembly in their 1,000 seat auditorium (At the assembly, when the principal walks in dressed in his academic gown, the students all rise to their feet.), on Thursday we have a house meeting (the school has 10 houses that all wear different colours ....think Harry Potter), and on Friday we go to chapel (this is a Uniting Church school). Then, all staff members are required to do co-curricular activities. They used to have to do 3 on top of teaching but now they do one and they get paid for doing others. The co-curricular is all weighted as part of the teaching assignment. If some teachers want to do more, they get paid for it.. My co-curricular is, fortunately, to keep the library open and supervised until 5:00 pm. The 25 minute blocks confuse me the most, and I keep on forgetting to go places!

The second shock was the accent! I thought it would be easy because Australians speak English. I spent the first three weeks feeling as though I have a learning disability. No matter how hard I tried, I could not understand what people were saying. I would miss every 5th word and could not even understand the students when I asked them to spell their names because I hear "i’ when they are saying ‘’a’’ or visa versa. They also do not pronounce the "r" at the end of words so the name Peter sounds like "Peda" and water is "wata". Sometimes I stare at people and have no idea what they are saying. Then, there is a whole new vocabulary. The students write about their cubby holes (tree forts) or the VP asks about biros (pens) or the students talk about going to Robe (a town) and I ask them where they went rowing? It has been a challenge!

The third shock was teaching an English class for the first time in TWENTY years. Okay, I thought, teaching English is like riding a bike. I figured…no problem, I can do this. I have been given a Year 11 English Communications class. English is not about reading books or poetry; it is about media, film, alternative texts. There are specific mandatory assignments students must do including a 90 minute supervised 1000 word piece of writing, text production, function and power of language, connected text, etc. etc. In year 12, these assignments are then sent in to an outside moderator who makes sure that the students’ work reflects the curriculum and the marking is consistent. Grade 12 English in SA is optional.

The class sizes are lovely ranging from 16 to 25. In my class of 22, about 7 students are designated ‘’stretch’’ which is the term for both gifted students and students with learning difficulties. There are no such things as teachers’ aides here. Teachers are responsible for looking up and reading all the files on their students. In Canada we refer to students in a class as having behaviour problems. Here, students are called ‘’naughty’’ or ‘’cheeky’’. This doesn’t sound so bad, does it? How bad can a ‘’naughty’’ boy be? It’s a good thing I’ve read so many professional books about boy energy. One of them sits at the back of the class and pretends his desk is a machine gun (with accompanying noises) or a powerful car (with accompanying noises). It’s actually quite amusing and would be very funny on YouTube but one sets off another and I have to be very strict. I have used every classroom management strategy I have ever learned; the one that works the best is piling on the work which in turn piles on the marking. This is only one month into the term. I see these students almost every day for the next year.

The fourth shock was working in a library that has no computers for students to use to do research. There are two search computers and two computers for students to do work and that’s it. I feel as though I’ve stepped back in time 10 years! There is a lab attached to the library that is even called the LRC lab, but it is booked with IT and permanent classes with teachers. The school has online resources and databases but no way for students to use them. There is a lovely seminar room where (if I can even get in to the room because this is also booked) I can ‘’show’’ students the resources on a screen but they get no hands on. It is my biggest frustration. This whole problem will be resolved by the next school year; however, as the school is under renovation and is adding several computer labs in a new IT wing and a lab in the library for library use.

Things are getting easier, however, and I am making it to chapel and house meetings on time these days. I am having fun. It is a beautiful country with spectacular geography, wonderful fresh produce, and lovely wines that we never get to taste in Canada. I did go to an amazing Pro-D put on by SLASA (their BCTLA) in the first month. It was essentially a 2 hour book talk by two women. All the books were for adult or teens. They were wonderful book choices that even included our very own Steven Galloway’s new book The Cellist of Sarajevo. They served coffee, sweets, and cheeses. It cost $40.00 and was attended by about 75 people. They host it once a year from 7-9:00 pm. It might be a good idea as a conference starter … 1

by Bonnie McComb

Creating a culture of reading-staff book clubs

Is a diploma in teacher-librarianship enough?

CREATING A CULTURE OF READING IN HIGH SCHOOLS: Engaging Staff Professional Book Clubs

by Bonnie McComb,

Presented at the ASLA XXI Biennial Conference , Perth, Australia

September 30, 2009.  by Bonnie McComb

Teacher-Librarian, Parkland Secondary, Saanich School District #63, BC. Executive member, BCTLA

Why Try Staff Professional Book Clubs?

* Book clubs are a catalyst for rich ongoing conversations about teaching and school culture

* Book clubs create a common language and background knowledge

* Book clubs contribute to creating and supporting a strong collegial culture, good instructional strategies, and positive, motivated teachers and students

* Book clubs can support alignment of professional development and instruction strategies with school goals and school vision

* Most important, book clubs are fun and social.

What happened?

In my secondary school over the past 7 years, we have voluntarily read 28 books together. In my role as the teacher librarian who believes in the magic of book clubs and reading, I took on the role of organizing and maintaining professional book clubs in the school. We have involved the teachers, administrators, and support staff. The result? A school with a strong collegial learning culture. A school where we demonstrate teaching strategies to each other. A school where you might here someone say, "Yes, but do you remember that book we read that talked about……"

How did it happen?

We were very fortunate that our district initiated and supported the idea of professional book as an adjunct to Educator as Researcher and Action Research projects. We were one of the keen schools that leaped at the opportunity.

Organizational Strategies that Work for Us

1. It takes someone to take ownership to keep up the momentum and this is the perfect opportunity for teacher librarians to provide professional leadership.

2. It’s the background organization that makes it work: book talks, promotion, applying for funding, purchasing and distributing books, organizing meeting dates and food, and ensuring notes are done (for future funding).

3. Apply for funding from any place you can. Apply for Educator as Researcher grants. Apply for literacy money for any books on literacy. Apply for school goals money if the books align with school goals. Be creative.

4. Give people CHOICE. Provide a variety of interesting books. I usually present a sociological book such as The Tipping Point, a book on literacy, a book on motivating students, and a book on instructional strategies or learning.

5. Nurture participation. I let staff members sign up for as many books as they want to do. Some people do one; some do all; and some do none. Talk to people face to face about attending. Promote books to people who might be interested in them but may not. Personally invite administrators so they are involved. If change is going to occur as a result of the book, it is vital that the administration team is part of the discussion.

6. Provide food and time/place for meeting. Our most successful meeting time is at the end of the summer holidays on the evening before the professional development day. We have a catered dinner at someone’s home, sit outside in the sunshine, and enjoy reconnecting with our colleagues.. This is a powerful time because teachers are enthusiastic, full of energy, and ready to implement some of the ideas.

7. Provide a bit of scaffolding but make it easy for people to attend. Ask people to jot down notes to bring: something affirmed, something learned, questions or concerns, impact on teaching or school. (See sample handout)

A Few Reflections:

*

The most popular books where 25+ teachers sign up to do it are often ones that relate to teacher’s own lives as parents such as BoySmart or ones that relate to learning or relationships such a A Whole New Mind or Now Discover your Strengths.

*

Literacy books are the least popular but we had good results with the Cris Tovani books.

*

Meeting several times for an ongoing study using a technology book seems like a great idea but it always seems to fall apart because of how busy teachers are. We have better success with a single meeting date.

*

Book clubs started to align with our school vision and goals in the third year. We started to have Literacy Lovers Lunches, demonstrate ‘’think alouds’’ across the curriculum on pro-d days, use student book clubs in English and Social Studies classes, etc. 1

Professional
Book Club Notes

-Something affirmed

-Something learned

-Impact on teaching
practices

-Something I ......
______________________
______________________(interesting, frustrating, questions you still have)

Handout created by Saanch School District #63

Library Program Self-Assessment regime-72

SD #72 Campbell River

Submitted by Ruth Kline

CRTL’s: Library Assessment

In 2007, the teacher-librarians were involved in questioning whether the school libraries meet the standards recommended by the Canadian Association for School Libraries.  We as teacher-librarians applied for a Collaboration for Growth Grant through the Core Pro-d Committee of the School District.  During this professional development, it became evident that change was needed  and that we needed to make it effective within our libraries.  Our goal has been to have a collective voice to add our input into a new Library Policy for Campbell River School District.  We met as a group six times to read articles and discuss “Achieving Information Literacy: Standards for School Library Programs in Canada” and we developed our own evaluation rubric based on our discussions and the readings from the book. 

 

Download Rubrics (PDF: http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/libraryprogram/SD72TLAssessment.pdf

School District 72

Library Program Assessment

School:    

Teacher-Librarian:   

Date:    

Vision

Campbell River School District libraries promote the development of independent, lifelong learners and readers.  They emphasize the collaboration of all participants in education (students, teachers, administrators, parents) and focus on resource-based learning, using a wide variety of information sources and strategies.

Core Values

Libraries of Campbell River School District shall allow all patrons:

• access to the collection, resources and services of a teacher-librarian
• a friendly, stimulating, open and supportive learning environment
• opportunities to learn with a variety of resources and strategies within a flexible environment

Goals

Goal 1:  Provide appropriate staffing to implement an effective district-wide library program.

Goal 2: That each school develop a site-based library committee consisting of classroom teachers, school administration and school teacher-librarian.

Goal 3:  Provide for more effective student learning through collaborative processes in planning, teaching, and assessment between the teacher-librarians and the teachers.

Goal 4:  Provide up-to-date library resources in a variety of formats and technologies to meet the diverse needs of all learners.

Goal 5:  Provide appropriate school library facilities and equipment and access to ICT to meet the learning and teaching needs of an effective school library program.

 
  

Download Rubrics (PDF: http://bctf.ca/bctla/pub/documents/libraryprogram/SD72TLAssessment.pdf