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This module basically covers my EQ for this course, "How can I build relationships with students, staff, parents, and other TLs?"

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Free Image on Pixabay - Question Mark, Why, Problem

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Download free pictures about Question Mark, Why, Problem from Pixabay's library of over 1,200,000 public domain photos, illustrations and vectors - 2123967

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Develop mutual respect and understanding

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10 things classroom teachers need to know about modern school librarians

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10 things classroom teachers need to know about modern school librarians

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Blog post from Trust Me, I'm a Librarian
TLs are not about shushing and more about collaboration and tech.
"You'll never know unless you ask" encourages classroom teachers to mention teaching plans to TLs to possibly learn about new resources, but I think it works both ways. TLs can ask CTs what they're teaching and what help they need.

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Make the classroom teacher's life easier by sharing resources, suggesting a way to use a book you're lending them, sending links to articles that are relevant to their lessons. If they see you as a helpful colleague, they're more likely to want to collaborate with you on co-teaching.

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Mark Ray - Changing the Conversation About Librarians

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Mark Ray - Changing the Conversation About Librarians

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In order for librarians to survive, we need to adapt and find out how we are needed. Future Ready Librarians train other teachers on tech, info literacy, digital citizenship, makerspaces.

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Changing the Conversation About Librarians | Mark Ray | TEDxElCajonSalon

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1) Adapt to changes in curriculum
2) Connect with students, staff, parents, wider community
3) Advocate for the library
4) Teach information and communication skills
5) Keep staff informed about available resources (both print and electronic)
6) Be a tech innovator, teach new skills to staff and students (Prezi, Glogster, Padlet, Powtoon, etc)
7) Be a relationship builder
8) Manage school library programs
9) Collaborate with staff then record and document your work together (this may encourage more collaboration once others see what you're up to)

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"Lonsdale also found evidence
that the school librarian’s availability to collaborate with  general educators was a key factor in increased student achievement." Canter, L., Voytecki, K., Zambone, A., & Jones, J. (2011). School librarians: The forgotten partners. Teaching Exceptional Children, 43(3), 14-20.

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The library belongs to the school community, it is not the sole domain of the teacher librarian. Students must feel ownership and teachers must feel welcome.

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A flexible schedule will allow for more co-teaching and collaboration with staff. You may need a good relationship with admin in order to shift from a fixed to a flexible schedule.
You also need to be flexible in terms of topics covered and age range taught in order to meet the needs of the learners in your school.

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Circling back to my Powtoon from earlier in this course because it fits with this module's content so well.

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BuildingRELATIONSHIPSGrowing my PLN (Personal Learning Network)Essential Question:How can I build relationships with...TeachersStudentsAdministratorsParentsOther Teacher LibrariansI believe connecting with others is an essential part of being a teacher-librarianI'm working on building my PLN both in person and onlineWays to ConnectIn Person - Be Available at SchoolAt Special Events - at school and

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Ensure there are times for teachers to chat with you throughout the day. Build space into your schedule so you have time to answer questions and connect with others.

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BCTLA Points of Inquiry - Collaborative Planning Sheet

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BCTLA Points of Inquiry - Collaborative Planning Sheet

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Teacher Librarians and Classroom Teachers: Collaborative Partners

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Teacher Librarians and Classroom Teachers: Collaborative Partners

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Powtoon by the California School Library Association that reinforces many of the ideas from this module. Collaboration leads to greater student achievement and teacher librarians can be an excellent resource for integrating technology.

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Teacher Librarians and Classroom Teachers: Collaborative Partners

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Co-Create and Collaborate in the Library Learning Commons

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Co-Create and Collaborate in the Library Learning Commons

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This blog post by TeachOntario Talks features a teacher librarian who encourages collaboration in her LLC in many ways. Collaboration happens between students, between the TL and other teachers, and with community groups. Tips include being ready to leave the LLC and go into classrooms and always having candy on your desk.

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In this installment of the TeachOntario Talks, we are profiling and celebrating the work of teacher-librarian Kate Johnson-McGregor from Brantford Collegiate Institute & Vocational School in the Grand Erie District School Board. Johnson-McGregor has implemented a successful and vibrant Library Learning Commons in her school.

Today's schools are in a state of transformation. It is important for students to acquire global competencies, including: critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, entrepreneurship, self-directed learning, collaboration and communication. The perfect place to do that is the school library.

The library has always been at the centre of learning in most schools. In an age of collaboration and authentic learning, teacher-librarians have embraced and driven change to make libraries the 21 st Century learning hubs of their schools.

One of those teacher-librarians is Kate Johnson-McGregor. After teaching English and Drama for 12 years, Johnson-McGregor wanted to do something that would impact not only her students, but the whole school. She was teaching at Brantford Collegiate Institute & Vocational School in the Grand Erie DSB. In 2011, Johnson-McGregor left the classroom and became the new teacher-librarian at the school. She never looked back.

In 2010, the Ontario School Library Association (OSLA) created a document that outlined a vision for the future of school libraries, called Together for Learning: School Libraries and the Emergence of the Learning Commons, and later the Canadian Library Association released, Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. Johnson-McGregor thought a Library Learning Commons was the perfect way to bring excitement for learning into the library.

What is a Library Learning Commons?

The OSLA defines a Learning Commons as "a vibrant, whole-school approach, presenting exciting opportunities for collaboration among teachers, teacher-librarians and students. Within a Learning Commons, new relationships are formed between learners, new technologies are realized and utilized, and both students and educators prepare for the future as they learn new ways to learn."

The Library Learning Commons at Brantford Collegiate has very little in common with the school libraries of the past. It is not a place where the only noises heard are the gentle rustling of turning pages, furtive whispering and the occasional cough. Books are still very important there, but what is essential to the space is the learning, in whichever form it takes.

It starts with a commitment to flexibility. All the furniture is movable and can be rearranged to suit different learning designs. It can accommodate multiple groups and classes. It is high-tech with 30 computers, and areas for students to work on their own devices. There is a spot for quiet reading, complete with leather couches, a coffee table and a fireplace, however, jokes Johnson-McGregor: "we discourage napping, canoodling and tussling."

For a bit of fun, there is a Lego wall, and students and staff are welcome to build any creation they wish. Needless to say, it is a very popular spot, particularly for the Grade 12 boys.

There is no need to whisper because conversation, collaboration and curiosity are celebrated. "It's about building more of a collaborative culture in the school," says Johnson-McGregor. "We're all on a learning journey and there's always a new way to think about something; there's always the possibility for solutions and creative ideas."

That collaboration can occur in person and online. The Library Learning Commons has an active presence on Twitter, Tumblr and many other social media platforms. It tries to serve all of its stakeholders-students, staff and parents-equally.

What does the Library Learning Commons Offer Students?

Brantford Collegiate has 1,350 students and over 90 teachers. Students come to the library with any number of projects to work on, and although the online world provides a wealth of information, researching online is a skill that must be learned. Johnson-McGregor spends a great deal of time helping students with their research skills and ensures all online databases are used effectively.

Grade 12 student Chayce Perkins visits the library at least four days a week to work. "Having a librarian like Ms. Johnson-McGregor, who puts emphasis on relevant databases is something that I am extremely grateful for," says Perkins. "Being in my last year of high school, I feel confident in my online research skills. I am thankful to have a librarian who is able to keep up with these trends and is always trying to remain on par with the best ways that current students can learn."

In addition to helping with projects, the library always has something going on that encourages reading. The library has initiatives like "Speed Dating Books," where 15 books are lined up on 6 tables and students rotate through getting 4 minutes per table to look at the books. At the end, they have a list of books to take out of the library. It's a great way to expose students to different types of literature.

The Library Learning Commons is also meant to be an equalizer, and that means ensuring that all resources are accessible to all. "A tech revolution isn't a revolution if it's only for some kids, so we want to make sure that everyone can come in and use whatever we've got-and they do," asserts Johnson-McGregor. "We have online books and resources, but also the physical resources that they can take out."

Johnson-McGregor is always looking for partnerships with outside organizations to use the library in ways that are beneficial to everyone and to provide authentic learning opportunities for students. For instance, when the Brant County Six Nations councillor asked to use the library's little seminar room for some local Haudensaunee women to make Two Row wampum belts, Johnson-McGregor insisted the group do the beading out in the open using the tables in the middle of the library.

The group came with giant looms to make big belts and smaller looms that students could use to make individual belts. Students would come up, ask questions and start making their own belts. "Just by chance, I had a history class booked in to be on the computers and they ended up not doing their research," describes Johnson-McGregor. "They came and sat on the floor and listened to the story of the belts and the history of the Haudenosaunee people. It was such authentic, awesome learning and it was exactly what the whole premise of the Learning Commons is."

She also brings in experts, like the Historical Society, and the Public Library, as well as artists and a variety of guest speakers. "I am an extra pair of hands, eyes, ears and I'm always willing to try new things and revisit and rework existing ideas to make them better," says Johnson-McGregor.

Another goal for Johnson-McGregor is to transform part of the library into a makerspace. A makerspace is a student-centred area where students can create, invent and learn using electronics, software, crafts and hardware supplies.

Along that vein, the Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) has a technology lending library that is open to Ontario Library Association members. Johnson-McGregor uses that resource to try out new technologies in her library. For instance, she borrowed Squishy Circuit kits to incorporate into the Grade 9 electricity unit in Science. Soon students will be using Makey Makey kits to make anything from a keyboard out of bananas to a video game joystick out of their artwork.

The Library Learning Commons is an incredible place that supports academics and encourages inquiry. It also offers a variety of other activities. "With such a vast diversity within our school population, students are always in search of a place they can feel comfortable and the Library Learning Commons offers that location," says Geography teacher Toni MacNeil. "Students are able to express their creativity and relieve stress through makerspace activities as well as the Lego wall."

For Johnson-McGregor, there are endless possibilities for what can be offered for students at the library, but the most important aspect of the Library Learning Commons is the collaboration with the staff.

How to Build a Collaborative Culture

In order to build a successful Library Learning Commons and promote collaborative teaching and learning, Johnson-McGregor recommends something she calls "stealth librarianship."

It is all about building trusting relationships with the teachers. Some tactics Johnson-McGregor uses to build those relationships include: connecting with all new teachers and helping them navigate the building, running professional learning sessions, connecting with departments that wouldn't regularly visit the library, and when all else fails, offering free food. "Always have candy on your desk," she says.

In this high school with so many students and over 90 teachers, it can be difficult to make yourself known. Teachers tend to stay in their own departments and are often unaware of how the library can help. So in order to spread the word, Johnson-McGregor will go to them "because I'm portable," she jokes.

In addition to co-constructing and collaborating on the creation of inquiry projects, assignments and assessment, she gathers relevant resources for teachers and students, whether they are virtual or physical, to support teaching and learning.

"The BCI Library Learning Commons is a fantastic place of support, providing all staff with a place to pitch new ideas and questions about developing engaging projects for students at all levels," says Toni MacNeil. "Our Teacher-Librarian is always excited for the opportunity to collaborate and team teach lessons, giving new and experienced teachers the chance to try new things and allowing students to benefit from their combined expertise."

Johnson-McGregor credits her library technician, Sara Haddow, who manages the library collection and the space, and without whom, Johnson-McGregor would not have the time to do all that she does.

Recently, Johnson-McGregor became the incoming president of the Ontario School Library Association, and in that role she will continue to showcase how the Library Learning Commons can play an active and important role in the success of Ontario's students.

Questions? Ideas? Comments? Ontario educators can register on TeachOntario and join in more in-depth conversation about this teacher in Share under:

TeachOntario Talks Discussions: Co-Create and Collaborate at a School Library Learning Commons

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TeachOntario Talks: Co-Create and Collaborate a... | TeachOntario

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In this installment of the TeachOntario Talks, we are profiling and celebrating the work of teacher-librarian Kate Johnson-McGregor from Brantford Collegiate Institute & Vocational School in the Grand Erie District School Board. Johnson-McGregor has implemented a successful and vibrant Library Learning Commons in her school. Today's schools are in a state of transformation.

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Put a Teacher Librarian on Your Team by Karen Lindsay

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Put a Teacher Librarian on Your Team by Karen Lindsay

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2005 BCTF Newsmagazine article extolling the benefits of working collaboratively with teacher librarians. "In schools where teachers and teacher-librarians work together to plan, implement, and evaluate lessons and units of study, student results improve by between 5 and 20%."

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BCTF >Put a teacher-librarian on your team