Julia Gillard has requested an Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools.

 I have posted this really important update from Georgia with Barbara's encouragement.

From Georgia Phillips on behalf of The Hub, Campaign for Quality School Libraries in Australia http://hubinfo.wordpress.com/

"I am pleased to announce that your efforts have been successful!!

Julia Gillard has requested an Inquiry into school libraries and teacher librarians in Australian schools.  See http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/edt/schoollibraries/index.htm

In this election year, the timeframe is all too short. One month!!  SUBMISSIONS MUST BE IN BY APRIL 16.  Nevertheless this is our opportunity for the federal government to look at possible recommendations on school library funding and staffing, the first review since the 1970s.

Terms of Reference

To inquire into and report on the role, adequacy and resourcing of school libraries and teacher librarians in Australia’s public and private schools.

Specifically, the committee should focus on:

·         the impact of recent policies and investments on school libraries and their activities;

·         the future potential of school libraries and librarians to contribute to improved educational and community outcomes, especially literacy;

·         the factors influencing recruitment and development of school librarians;

·         the role of different levels of government and local communities and other institutions in partnering with and supporting school librarians; and

·         the impact and potential of digital technologies to enhance and support the roles of school libraries and librarians.

As a result of submissions, the committee can recommend those things stated in the petition that so many of you signed

These are ... that the government:

·         collect national data on school library staffing, funding, and scheduling;

·         tie funding so that states can and must adequately staff and fund school library programs and services;

·         require that literacy programs and other national curricula should explicitly recognize the central role school libraries have in student achievement, literacy attainment, and preparation for post-secondary success;

·         develop national school library standards;

·         increase teacher librarian training positions in university programs.

The brief is quite broad and can accommodate these issues and more, such as special grants for

·         Improving Literacy through School Libraries,

·         collection of information on TL training programs and numbers enrolled,

·          make recommendations on inclusions in pre-service teacher training on IL and TL collaboration

·         development of a national IL curriculum

·         nominating a National School Library Day, and much more.

We hope that you will assist the associations you belong to to make considered submissions within this short timeframe. Guidelines for submissions can be found at http://www.aph.gov.au/House/committee/documnts/howsub.htm#inquiry

Individual submissions will also help the House Education and Training Committee members understand our dreams and the reality.

This is an valuable first step in improving school library funding and staffing in Australia for the 21st century.

Thank you for your time and support and congratulations on all your efforts so far"

Georgia Phillips  posted by Barbara Braxton, Teacher Librarian (with permission)

FREE WEB 2.0 PROJECTS is now available

Terry Freedman, ICT in Education,  invites you to download your own free copy of this great Web 2.0 resource.

At last!  The Amazing Web 2.0 Projects Book!

A new, revamped, much expanded version of the Web 2.0 projects book is now
ready!

Here is some information about the book:
 *   87 projects.
 *   10 further resources.
 *   52 aplications.
 *   94 contributors.
 *   The benefits of using Web 2.0 applications.
 *   The challenges of using Web 2.0 applications.
 *   How the folk who ran these projects handled the issues...
 *   ... And what they recommend you do if you run them.
 *   What were the learning outcomes?
 *   And did I mention that this is free?!

Try these free books from Harper Collins Children's Books

A Series of Unfortunate Events #1: The Bad Beginning

By Lemony Snicket
Illustrated by Brett Helquist
and Michael Kupperman

By Megan Whalen Turner

Free online for a limited time @  Harper Collins Children's Books

Howard Gardner on Multiple Intelligences

An Interview with Howard Gardner on his work in Multiple Intelligences

Authors visit Coffs Library

Coffs Harbour City Library in conjunction with

The Book Warehouse
Presents:

Sharyn Killens & Lindsay Lewis

Authors of

“The Inconvenient Child”

Tuesday  9 March 2010     @ 5.30pm

@ Coffs Harbour City Library       Cnr Coff & Duke Streets           COFFS HARBOUR

This is the extraordinary true life story of Sharyn Killens - a no-holds barred biography that will strike a chord with many who are familiar with life in Sydney, particularly Kings Cross since World War II. From foster care, to a convent orphanage, eventually to “The Cross” Sharyn’s life journey continues. Her solace is her love of music.


Determined to find her father, Sharyn sets out to find her roots, a quest that takes her across the world, and eventually to America’s Deep South.



Bookings required~ RSVP 8 March 2010



Refreshments will be available       Gold coin donation



For more information contact Judy on 6648 4905 or judy.atkinson@chcc.nsw.gov.au
www.coffsharbour.nsw.gov.au/citylibrary

WeCreate Challenges for 2010 from CLI

This has been posted on behalf of Ruth Mason from Centre for Learning Innovation (CLI)

Hi everyone,

Are your students up for a challenge?

Broadcast news is the first of the WeCreate Challenges for 2010 and students have two weeks to complete it and upload their news story!

Students are asked to tell the world what's happening in their local community by creating a 60 second news story that would be suitable for broadcast on a nightly news program. Each news story will be showcased in the ‘Newsroom’ on the Broadcast website.

The Broadcast News Challenge opens on 22 February 2010 and closes on 8 March 2010.

For full details go to http://www.cli.nsw.edu.au/services/wecreate/online_activities.htm

This challenge is part of WeCreate which includes the Connected Learning Awards and the WeCreate challenges and offers students even greater opportunities to use ICT in meaningful, engaging and creative ways.

WeCreate will be conducted throughout 2010 and both the Award and Challenges can be mapped across a range of curriculum areas. 

See the attachment for a list of the WeCreate closing dates. For full details of WeCreate go to http://www.cli.nsw.edu.au/services/wecreate/wecreate.htm 

Regards

Ruth

Ruth Mason
Senior Learning Design Officer

Learning Design and Services

Centre for Learning Innovation

Re: Teacher Librarian positions under threat!!

 VERY IMPORTANT!!!

Please read the following Notice from NSW Teachers Federation dated 19 February, 2010

Flaming text

Image by FlamingText.com

Helping our kids become better readers

Our Prime Minister has a special blog running:

Image via Wikiped

Helping our kids become great readers -
open from 12pm 2 February---> 5pm 12 February 2010

Guest Blogger: Morris Gleitzman
Morris raises his concern about  the pressures being placed on Teacher Librarians.
"As an author, I'd like to raise a particular aspect of this important goal that urgently needs a champion.
There are precious creatures among us who are facing extinction, or at least amputation. They're called school librarians.
I visit a lot of schools, and for years now I've been bumping into weary over-worked individuals who introduce themselves as 'point six of a librarian' or 'half a librarian' or, in particularly tragic cases, 'point two of a librarian'.
This isn't the result of over-zealous self-assessment, nor am I having conversations with disembodied heads on library trolleys. It's the result of a system that burdens school librarians with teaching duties. That asks them to wear two hats at once to the detriment of both roles. A system that doesn't believe school libraries are important enough to have full-time librarians.
I think this is tragic and silly. I hope you agree, Kevin, because it would be wonderful if you could do something about it. "................ ...................................


 Register and have your say.

Internet Safety Day

Constable Zak talks about some important rules and advice on how to be safe when using the Internet.

Use Web2.0 tools at every stage of the Information Skills.

Keep play in your libraries and in your schools-POWERFUL

Stuart Brown on the power of play. Some persuasive material here on the benefits of different kinds of play - body play, object play, social play, spectator or ritual play, imaginative play (including solo and shared narratives). I love the concept of a ’state of play’ as in some sense a separate domain in which to explore the possible. I was also struck by his argument that a story is “the fundamental unit of intelligibility.” As with so many TED talks, a very rich set of ideas presented clearly and concisely. from Ed Webb

Wizard of Apps

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

Wizard of Apps

View more presentations from joycevalenza.

Fiction with a twist is a book rap starting in Week 5.

I'm sharing a message from Lizzie Chase of the School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit:

Fiction with a twist is a book rap starting in Week 5. Aimed at enthusiastic readers/writers in Stages 3 and 4, it provides fiction extracts for students. It boosts inferential reading and the writing of short descriptive paragraphs.

Student writing samples
See student writing to the blog already at http://rapblog8.edublogs.org - it is inspiring!

Teaching resources + unit of work
The resources for the rap are NOW available at http://www.schools.nsw.edu.au/raps/twist/teachingideas.htm
Nowadays, students can blog in directly without needing to register with edublogs!

Optional training - everyone welcome
If you would like training in use of the rap resources [this is NOT mandatory of course] - there is a workshop at Bonnyrigg HS on Thursday February 11th, the same one is repeated at Ryde State Office on February 15th. You can be trained, even if you do not plan to do the rap. These resources are very extensive and explicit...
 
 Register

Cheers

Lizzie Chase

School Libraries and Information Literacy Unit

Take care of your library books.

Google logos can be easily explained

 Barbara Braxton posted this information today and I felt it was worth sharing:

For those of you wondering about the significance of today's Google logo, 

as I was, it is in honour of Norman Rockwell's birthday.  

Rockwell "was a 20th-century American painter and illustrator. His works 

enjoy a broad popular appeal in the United States, where Rockwell is most

famous for the cover illustrations of everyday life scenarios he created for 

The Saturday Evening Post magazine over more than four decades."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norman_Rockwell

Since the controversy over the Google logo for Australia Day 

I have discovered that if you click on the logo 

it takes you to an explanation of its background.

Secrets of Eromanga by Sheryl Gwyther is now available.

Sheryl Gwyther
Australian writer of children's books

Read Sheryl Gwyther's blog

TEACHERS' NOTES :  Secrets of Eromanga Teachers’ Notes
written by Anna Dalziel, Lothian/Hachette Books 

Secrets of Eromanga reviewed by Claire Saxby
  Reviewed by:  Education Dept – Western Australia

Secrets of Eromanga reviews

Australia Series Professional Learning

Bright ideas 

Image via Wikipedia

The Bright Ideas blog  by the School Library Association of Victoria 

introduces  Australia Series professional learning.

Australian-friendly times and offer topics that are relevant to 

Australian teachers.

This professional learning resource is highly recommended and is

freely available to all Australian educators. 

Twitter hashtag:  #australiaseries 

Image via CrunchBase

 

Quicklink to this group:  http://www.theaustraliaseries.com 

My School Website

My School Website went live today. 28/01/10

For an overview of what My School Website is and what My School Website shows

Sing along to the song_ At Your Library with Bill Harley

At Your Library Song-Full version

Grammy-winning singer and storyteller Bill Harley composed a song especially for the Kids! @ your library® Campaign. Sing along in your community!

The following permissions language must be used whenever you use the Campaign song:
At Your Library by Bill Harley © 2005 Round River Records, used with permission www.billharley.com

Top Ten Ways to Use Bill Harley’s
“At Your Library” Song
in Your Library and Community

"@ your library®" lyrics (PDF)

"@ your library®" sheet music  (PDF)

Different versions are available @

 

 

ALSC gratefully acknowledges HarperCollins Publishers
for underwriting Bill Harley's participation in the Kids! Campaign.

Back to Kids!  @ your library® Campaign Main Page

Visit Bill Harley's Web Page

Visit HarperCollins Publishers Web site

Although American, this message would be a good one to use on your blog just before the holidays.

Help kids search more effectively online.

January 23, 2010

Boolean Searching for Kids grades 5+

Australia Post Australian Legends Award

This year the Australia Post Australian Legends Award recognises six significant living novelists, each of whom has made an outstanding contribution to the social and cultural life of this country. 

The Australia Post Australian Legends Award is presented each year as part of Australia Day celebrations to honour individuals who have made a lifetime contribution to the development of our national identity and character.

The Recipients

Australia Post salutes Peter Carey, Bryce Courtenay, Thomas Keneally, David Malouf, Colleen McCullough and Tim Winton. Together they have earned critical acclaim and literary prizes, loyal readerships and immense sales.

Bryce Courtney                                                             David Malouf

Image via Wikipedia

Tim Winton said he was pleased that Australian writers were selected to be this year's Australian Legends."It's great to think that Australians would honour writers in the same way that it has honoured sports stars".

American Teacher Librarians to be known as "school librarians"

AASL has redefined the term that describes the certified person who runs a school library (or library media center  as a “school librarian”. This new decision  made by the American Association of School Librarians means the term  "Library Media Specialist' is no more.

Here is the motion put to the AASL from the AASL Official blog .
Whereas, the overarching strategic goal of the American Association of School Librarians is to achieve universal recognition of school librarians as indispensable educational leaders; and
Whereas, the AASL Affiliate Assembly requested that the AASL Board of Directors choose a title for its professionals that is clear to other educators, administrators, and the public; and
Whereas, a recent AASL survey indicated confusion, misperceptions, and inconsistencies about various job titles in our profession; and
Whereas, AASL needed to agree on a common nomenclature for all publications and advocacy efforts; and
Whereas, the AASL’s leadership reviewed the data, identified the advantages and disadvantages of the various titles, and held a focused and extensive discussion.
Therefore be it resolved, AASL officially adopts “school librarian” as the title which reflects the roles of the 21st century school library professional as leader, instructional partner, information specialist, teacher, and program administrator; be it further resolved that AASL will advance and promote the title “school librarian” to ensure universal recognition of school librarians as indispensible educational leaders.
The following guiding principles govern these actions: Open dialog concerning knowledge of our stakeholders’ needs, wants, and preferences; the current realities and evolving dynamics of our environment; the capacity and strategic position of our organization; and the ethical implications relevant to this decision.

ASLA received a disappointing response from Julia

“A strong library program that is adequately staffed, resourced and funded can lead to higher student achievement regardless of the socioeconomic or educational levels of the adults in the community” (Lonsdale, ACER, 2003).

"How is it that the Federal government can commit billions of dollars to the building of new primary school libraries across all states, yet seems unconcerned who (if anyone) will be managing those brand new libraries – let alone if anyone is also qualified to teach within them?"  The Hub

Request for a national school library review was made by Australian School Library Association.

Letter to the Rudd Government (24 November 2009) | Response from the Chief of Staff, Office of the Hon Julia Gillard MP (17 December 2009)

If you would like to do something to change this situation please go to Sign Our Petition

Twitter is a great tool to develop your Personal Learning Network. Have you tried twitter yet?

 When you begin twittering The Twitter Guide Book will prove a great support.



Twitter & Education - #140conf LA from RealPlayer SP on Vimeo.
Participants: Aparna Vashisht (@Parentella) - Founder, Parentella; Eric Sheninger (@NMHS_Principal) - New Milford High School, NJ; Shelly S Terrell (@ShellTerrell) - Educator and Blogger, Teacher ReBoot Camp; Steven W. Anderson (@web20classroom) - Educator and Blogger, Web 2.0 Connected Classroom; Tom Whitby (@tomwhitby) - Professor of English, Secondary English
from the 140 Character Conference - Los Angeles - October 28, 2009
**sponsored by RealPlayer SP http://real.com/realplayer**

Thanks to Beth Still for sharing the video.
For further information go to Why teachers use twitter. on Free Technology for Teachers

 If you are a NSWDET teacher, Stu Hasic has provided a pdf document to explain the steps to take when Adding Yourself to the NSWDET Twitter Directory.


If you decide to join the twitter ranks use :
#austl  to discover tweets relevant to Australian Teacher Librarians
#asla for Australian School Library Association related tweets
#nswdet for NSW Department of Education and Training related tweet
#dernsw for Digital Education Revolution related tweets

Warren Mac Cullough has created visual representation of these groups

 NSW DET teachers: Twitter HashTags to follow recommended by benpaddlejones

• 
  
  
  #DERNSW
  #EdChat
  #EdTech
  #Education
  #eLearning
  #Learning
  #NewEdBlogs
  #NSWDET
  #PLE
  #PLN
  #Teach
  #Teachers
  #CCP
  #NSWK-6
  What are HashTags
  
  

If you are not a NSWDET teacher you can access the document to follow the steps but change the details to match your area.

The evolution of the Book

This infographic, which was tweeted by @edunut, displays the evolution of the book from 3500 b.c. to 2008! For further detailed information provided on the infographic click here. 

Our first Wishwall

Sandy Beach Public School's first Wishwall is up and running.


Wishwall is a new way to communicate. It is an online Notice Board Maker.


View a demo wall @ Wallwisher demo

We would love you to post a comment on our wishwall!! 

New Smart Devices for Learning

Check out this SlideShare Presentation:

New Smart Devices for Learning

View more presentations from Steve Wheeler.

The Creation Of A Professional Learning Network.(PLN)

This is a great PD Video contributed by Ann Carnevale.

Future of the Library

Seth Godin in his blog post on the future of the library states that: "What we need to spend the money on are leaders, sherpas and teachers who will push everyone from kids to seniors to get very aggressive in finding and using information and in connecting with and leading others."

This sounds to me very much like the teach them "at the point of need" method. Success rates rise significantly when people have a need  and are ready to learn. In our schools Teacher Librarians often have the opportunity to fill this role for students and staff alike, but need to be given "time" to undertake this vital task.


What do you think?

?Future of books? Librarians have a role to play...

John Green wrote an article for School Library Journal 01/01/10:

The Future of Reading: Don't worry. It might be better than you think.

John writes: "I believe that school and children’s librarians will have a great deal of say in the shape of that change—more say, in fact, than anyone else: your choices will guide us as publishers stumble, as bookstores struggle, as the reading public becomes too bewildered to know what they want, and as authors—like always—do whatever you tell us to do."

Here he answers questions about that article.

http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250

http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250

Free posters, bookmarks and stickers for your library.

    Ford Street Publishing  

will send you free A3 posters, plus bookmarks and stickers.

Have a look at the book trailers on videos on  the NEW Ford St Publishing's channel  on YouTube.

Eduweb awards-Best Librarian Blog- Have your vote!!

Check out 2009 Nominated Librarian Blogs

1. A Fuse #8 Productions
2. Bloggit
3. Bright Ideas
4. Blue Skunk
5. Cathy Nelson’s Professional Thoughts
6. Hey Jude
7. LCS ES Media Blog
8. Librarian by Day Blog
9. Library Tech Musings
10. Lucacept
11. My Mind Gap
12. Never Ending Search
13. Not So Distant Future
14. The Unquiet Librarian
15. The Unquiet Library
16. The Waki Librarian
17. The Web Footed Book Lady
18. Wired Librarian
19. World’s Strongest Librarian

VOTE here

We need your help....please

 Please go to the link below and sign the petition:

Our children deserve no less than a qualified TL in every school library.

Change is coming but help is needed!!

 I have a message to share form a fellow TL who is very excited about the change being offered to her.

Please spare a minute to offer your 

much sought after advice.

I have just been given the chance to organise the library borrowing/usage as I want, with consultation of course. 

I will have no RFF and was  thinking of having set a borrowing time (1/2 hour) for K to 2 with  flexible timetabling for 3 to 6 and a drop in and borrow slot for 3 to 6. 

The executive have asked me to gather information from other TLs who are  using this formula or something similar.  

Does anyone use this in their  library?  Is it successful and were there problems implementing it  especially as the library has been used for at least 9 hours of RFF and  the rest of the school a 1/2 hour borrowing. 

I am excited about having  team teaching in the library.

 Regards Lorelle Byers

lbbyers@optusnet.com.au

A must read for all Aussie Teacher Librarians!!!

 If you have not yet had a chance to read this post by Maralyn Parker you really should.

"WE can only hope someone knows what to do with that “state of the art’’ library, courtesy of the Rudd Building the Education Revolution, coming to your primary school soon. And more importantly that they have the time to do it."  Maralyn Parker

 Writing on the wall for library revolution.

"The government is on the right track, I believe, in aiming for a

21st century library 

 in every Australian primary school. 

But the buildings, technology and furniture 

are only part of it." 

"...not one state or territory in Australia can promise their fabulous new primary school libraries will be run by people qualified to do the job."  

High school literacy game and science scams !!!

Smokescreen is a thirteen-part web-literacy game requiring players to uncover a mystery on a fictional social network site. As they unfold the plot they learn about the real dangers inadvertent but indiscrete information sharing can expose people to. 

For the Science of Scams Channel 4 Learning have recruited Derren Brown to host a new web show which seeks to expose some of the tricks used by so-called paranormal practitioners while his co-host Kat Akingbade explores the science at work behind such seeming mysteries as telekinesis, ghosts and psychic ability.

Check http://inspired.futurelab.org.uk/ - for other great resources.

Thanks to

Sue Spence

Curriculum Manager, Senior Secondary Reform

Curriculum Services

for this advice.