The Teaching Role of Librarians Dr. Rolando A. Taha Education Supervisor DepEd, Puerto Princesa City

INTRODUCTION The demands of higher academic standards are also pushing librarians to teach more lessons than ever, aligning their programs to teachers’ requirements as they teach basic literacy and research skills or commonly known as information literacy. The Teaching Role of Librarians

With the growing demands of information technology and the emphasis on life-long learning, the teacher-librarian can be the classroom teacher’s most valuable asset for instructional planning. No longer viewed as “keepers and organizers” of library material, teacher-librarians are full instructional partners with classroom teachers. The Teaching Role of Librarians

 Wilson (1987) said that one of the major components of the library is the librarian whose abilities, skills and professional knowledge are basic in teaching and promoting to the clients on the use of its resources and services.  Kasowitz - Scheer, Abby – Pasqualine and Michael (2002) stressed out that information literacy instruction (ILI) requires a shift in focus from teaching specific information resources to a set of critical thinking skills involving the use of information. The Teaching Role of Librarians

Mc Guiness (2010) suggested the following means of learning the theory and practice of teaching through:  Socialization to the profession – opportunities for “teaching apprenticeship”, mentoring  Establishing “Communities for Practice” – physical and virtual  Using Standards and Guidelines as a checklist for skills development – setting goals  Cultivating “Reflective Practice”, e.g. through the use of teaching portfolio among libraries The Teaching Role of Librarians

Booth (2010) developed a practical four-part instructional literacy framework to help library educators engage with the teaching aspects of their identities  Reflective Practice – it is the process of understanding and shaping one’s skills and abilities through out the entire process, not just assessing performance at the end of an interaction.  Education Theory – is evidence based insight into teaching and learning, which consists of learning theory and instructional theory.  Teaching Technologies – the tools and media that facilitates learning.  Instructional Design – a systematic and learner-focused method of integrating reflection, theory, and technology into the teaching and training processes. The Teaching Role of Librarians

What is a Teacher-Librarian? A Teacher-Librarian is the school’s information and resource specialist, with professional qualifications in  education, and  Information science / librarianship. The Teacher-Librarian is responsible for  initiating and participating in the teaching of information literacy in the context of the total curriculum, and  managing the school’s information resources and services to facilitate learning / teaching. The Teaching Role of Librarians

If the librarian has to teach, he needs to build his instructional literacy and teach like an expert. Librarians can shape themselves into educators by devising their teacher identities. The Teaching Role of Librarians

“Librarians has to face this new challenging role – teaching is hard. It’s hard from any angle, using any technology to any learner. Even for those enviable (and few) “natural teachers”, being an educator is as at least as challenging as it is rewarding. Not only does teaching take skills, preparation, and diligence; it demands bravery, humor, and self-awareness.” The Teaching Role of Librarians Booth, 2010

 Librarians are educators by default… -From the quickest reference interaction to the most in-depth information literacy initiative or staff-training program, librarians and library staff teach, train, present, and design learning materials in every aspect of the jobs, all the time. -Through instruction, assistance and mentorship, libraries help individuals in every corner of society develop personal learning environments, find and evaluate the information they need to thrive, and empower themselves to be lifelong learners. Booth, 2012 The Teaching Role of Librarians

Peacock (2010) “Librarians must be positioned as key educators in the teaching and learning. They require new and refined skills and conceptual understanding that will enable them to perform with an educational competence and professional confidence equal to that of their academic peers.” The Teaching Role of Librarians

In the teaching role, the librarian...  develops and implements curricula relating to information literacy and inquiry  assists students to seek, critically evaluate, synthesize and present information  helps students use a range of resources and technologies  provides opportunities for students to work in groups, individually or while class  collaboratively plan and teach units of work with subject and classroom teachers to develop information literacy  be inclusive of the diverse needs of learners. The Teaching Role of Librarians

As Information Specialist, the librarian…  develops a resource base for the school by using curriculum and students interests to identify and obtain library materials, organize and maintain the library collection in order to promote independent reading and lifelong learning The Teaching Role of Librarians

In the area of Program and Instruction, the librarian is responsible for…  implementing resource-based learning in a program for all students  analyzing student and curricular needs  effectively instructing/evaluating student learning  developing an appreciation for aesthetic qualities of literature  assisting in the development of an integrated plan for information literacy  knowing/using current technology in information processing  effectively supervising students The Teaching Role of Librarians

In the area of Curriculum Involvement, the librarian should …  be informed and proactive about current curriculum documents and developments  participate as a partner in planning, implementing and evaluating school policies relating to curriculum  actively promote student information literacy across the curriculum  develop with teachers a school-wide information skills continuum  work with school leaders to integrate information and communication technology into the curriculum The Teaching Role of Librarians

When it comes to Literature Promotion, the librarian is responsible for…  Exposing students to a range of genres in both print and digital formats  Developing strategies to foster a love of reading and literature for leisure  Promoting best quality literature and authors reflecting a variety of cultures and themes  Guiding students in theirs reading choices  Using selected tools/reviewing journals to keep informed about current literature for children and young adults  Collaborating with teachers to develop literature-based reading program The Teaching Role of Librarians

“The library is a school, and the librarian is in the highest sense, a teacher” Melvin Dewey (1876) The Teaching Role of Librarians

Maraming Salamat po! The Teaching Role of Librarians