fyi : back issues

Autumn 2005 - Blueprint for libraries - management and promotion

TLP for primary school teacher-librarians

Diane Lester Davey, S., Boyko, D. & Macdonald, J. 2005, Teacher Librarian Program P-6, School Library Association of Victoria, Carlton, Vic.

Way back in the ‘olden days’ (1996 to be exact), I purchased the first edition of the Teacher Librarian Program: A Complete Program for the Teacher Librarian. In 1998 I updated to the second edition and was able effortlessly to show classroom teachers how the library supported their programs using CSF 11 outcomes. This further enhanced the credibility of the library and its impact on student learning AND it saved time!

Now, nearly ten years after the first version hit our library bookshelves, the CD-ROM version is here. It is a marvellous package that will be a fantastic companion for busy primary school teacher-librarians who want quality resources that save time and enhance co-operative partnerships with classroom teachers.

The Teacher Librarian Program P-6 delivers a comprehensive, sequential library skills package that includes information literacy and literature skills. It compliments various state based Curriculum Frameworks and the new Victorian Essential Learning Standards. Other components of the program include planning, reporting and assessment.

The Literature Skills component of the CD-ROM consists of learning outcomes and skills, genre lists and author/illustrator lists. It is great to see some new features, including sections on Film as Text and Boys and Reading. The Information Literacy section includes outcomes, skills and evaluation strategies. There is a section on plagiarism and templates to use to support teaching practice. The Planning section includes templates for a work program, term/topic overview and library program overview. Use them as they are or save to a Word document and modify to suit your own needs. The Assessment component is extensive and includes assessment strategies, reporting formats and ideas for reporting to the wider school community.

The program is a read only document that you work your way through in full screen or Adobe view, selecting relevant information, templates and worksheets, and using options to print, cut and paste or save to Word files. Heed the advice and look at the Read Me First section, Program Overview and User Guide to ensure you understand the process for navigating the relevant buttons, and in particular so you can learn strategies for saving and printing. Otherwise you could end up like me and print the whole program instead of the one page I actually wanted. (Believe me when I say, it’s huge and takes loads of paper!)

The Site Map button is particularly useful. It shows all the sections and is like using an index with links to specific pages. It’s a great way to get to the exact document/section you want without getting too sidetracked.

Congratulations Sandy, Denise, Joanne and SLAV. The Teacher Librarian Program P-6 is great!

Diane Lester is Head of Library and Information Service at Caulfield Grammar School, Malvern campus.