Teaching Skills for School Library Staff SLARI Spring Conference April 2015 Chris Powis

The T word Do we believe that we are teachers? Are we trained as teachers? Are we recognised as teachers?

But why worry? We teach! We facilitate learning We design learning opportunities We design and manage learning environments We support others in their teaching We mop up But how professional are we about this?

What is learning? Learning involves change That change is permanent It may be a change in consciousness or behaviour but usually both Squires, G. (1994) A new model of teaching and learning. Hull: Hull University Press

What is learning? ‘It comes about through some interaction with our environment – information, people, events, experiences including, but not confined to, teaching/training’ Squires (1994)

The learning situation? The person who learns The process by which they learn The information they learn The environment in which they learn Squires (1994)

Optimum Conditions of Learning A person who has a POSITIVE SELF CONCEPT OPEN MIND and the necessary ABILITY who PRIORITISES the Process that is ACTIVE REFLECTIVE PROCESSING of INFORMATION Information which is PATTERNED MEANINGFUL EMBEDDED and EMBODIED In an environment which offers STIMULUS SUPPORT FEEDBACK and REWARD From Squires, G (1994) A new model of teaching

You should be aware of Motivations Empathy Behaviours Authority Power

Planning ‘In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.’ General Dwight D Eisenhower

Steps in Planning (1) Specify aims and learning outcomes Plan how to check that your learning outcomes have been achieved Plan the learning activities, inputs and resources Sequence and timing Environment Feedback?

Qualities of assessment Validity – testing achievement of specified learning outcomes Reliability – would different assessors reach the same decision? Efficient – best use of time (learner and teacher) Fair – most learners should pass Value –learners take a pride in it.

Is your teaching Innovative Inclusive Varied Active Challenging Relevant Interesting Well managed Assessed A performance

Remember “ Librarians love to search, everyone else likes to find” Eric Lease Morgan, Notre Dame Univ.

Feedback checklist Who do you want it from? What will you do with it? Why are you collecting it? When will you collect it? How are you going to collect it?

Working together Team teach Use documentation Use analytics Use feedback Peer observe Play politics

Professional identity? Integrate scholarship Develop yourself Engage in the debate Reflect and act Show them