In reality I think many of us do this but a lot of our time is also spent teaching things like: How to solve a tech problem.

How to correctly use a new tool platform, program, or school based system.

Who to to fix or find (almost) anything physically located at the school.

How to emotionally get through a rough moment. (ie: We are therapists to both upset students and staff!)

So realistically there is a lot of "hidden curriculum" that falls on the laps of SLMCs and we often figure out "what" we are teaching as the various needs unexpectedly walk through the door.

SLMCs know what to teach by responding to students' information needs and the demands of an evolving information landscape. Rather than focusing on a single content area, they teach transferable skills that allow students to navigate, evaluate, and create information in both academic and real-world situations.

The media specialist serves as both an instructional leader and a collaborative partner in the school, requiring ongoing professional development, flexibility, and continual collaboration with classroom teachers to ensure instruction remains relevant and responsive to students' needs.

While I agree with all that these authors included, I think that there is more to being a TL as well. We are also helping students develop a love of reading. At younger ages, we are modeling fluent and expressive reading, building students' vocabulary, and expanding curriculum outside of student readers and required texts. We are exposing children to literature in many forms and empowering them to choose things that interest them or broaden their interests. We are providing windows, mirrors, and doors to students as they learn to empathize with others and understand the world around them. We don't do it all perfectly; there are many things we can't get to in a day, but every little step counts!

When thinking about how we know what to teach, in the beginning, it has been super helpful to have groups of veteran librarians to follow, our county has a fantastic support system of scope and sequences as well as lesson plans, there are AASL standards and inquiry frameworks available. Our schools have School Improvement Plans with goals that we can support. Our teachers have curricular needs that we can expand on. There's never a lack of things that can be done in the library.

This infographic provided a good overview of the inquiry and digital skills that SLMCs teach to students. However, there are many other things that an SLMC does on an average day. I think this infographic was more targeted to the secondary level. At the elementary level, a lot of the work is about helping students develop literacy skills and grow a love for reading and learning in general. Before we get to information literacy, we foster curiosity and an interest in learning new things. We are supporting students’ development as we introduce books and other materials that help them feel represented or challenges them to see a new perspective. There are so many things an SLMC does each day, that this graphic would have to be many pages to begin to cover it all!

SLMCs teach a wide range of topics and skills that kids can apply in all aspects of life. The infographic discusses four broad topics of inquiry/research, evaluating resources, creating & sharing, and digital citizenship. Within these topics, SLMCs are teaching how to effectively do many things, such as find and use information to help solve problems and make decisions. This is not only important in the library setting, but throughout life, especially throughout the rest of schooling. Another is how to check the credibility of information. This is especially relevant today with technology such as AI and fake news being shared online. Teaching that not everything online is real and being able to tell what is credible and what isn't is a very valuable skill with the rise of technology, especially. Also, teaching how to be a good digital citizen, what is appropriate to share online, and how to communicate effectively is very important. With the rise in technology, everyone has a digital footprint. This footprint stays with you throughout your life. Doing something wrong young can prevent things such as job offers and college acceptances from coming your way.

SLMCs know what to teach based on their student population. Every SLMC is going to be teaching these core topics, but at different levels and different styles. Knowing your student population is very important to know how to best and effectively get your information to your population. One teaching style is not going to work for another, and teaching high school students is different from elemetary students. However, I do think these core topics stay the same throughout different populations. Teaching, creating & sharing, digital citizenship, inquiry/research, and evaluating resources are going to stay the same, just in different ways.