Teacher-Librarian Mentor Pilot Project with Wendy and Linda
How many mentors, and how much time? I am wondering if we could have four mentors with five days each to hit the road or prep an after-school session. That is, I would seek and/or set aside 20 release days for mentoring. I have two others I would love to see share what they know as well. One is a French specialist.
Purpose of pilot project:
-to support the approximately 10 new tl’s in their first year in their positions
Advantages of pilot project:
- opportunities for individual consultation on ongoing basis
- assistance in moving through self assessment rubric from novice tl to expert tl
- 3 year plan
- mentors for elementary and secondary
- mentors for technology
- online mentoring available to be able to “ask a librarian” questions and receive answers in an anonymous setting
- request for mentoring comes from tl
- request for mentoring comes from Principal
Times to meet – as a group
- Zing sessions - 1 a month zeroing in on different topics
September = Getting Started (eg: Linda at Maple Grove)
(broken down into 3 sessions; secondary, first year elementary, second year elementary)
September Update - for all tl’s
October = Managing Your Time, ULS Open House
November = Multivendor Display / Selection and Acquisition
December = MLST Tea at VSB
January = Ask a TL - focus on Collaboration (eg: Wendy at Wolfe; Linda, Katharine at Churchill)
February = Winter Tonic at Tupper
March = VTLA Tea at Fleming
April = Weeding and Managing the Collection
May = Last Chapter / Year-end Update
June = Evaluation and Goal Setting
Times to Meet - on individual needs basis
- ongoing consultation as needed
Possible through:
- Administration support for closing the Library
- Pro D funds for release time/mentor visit
- Self-directed Pro D
- Accessing District funds
Zones:
-mentors will be in close proximity to mentees
Year One Focus:
- Management Rubric
- Reading Rubric
Year Two Focus:
- Resource Based Learning Rubric
- Information Literacy Rubric
Year Three Focus:
- Collaboration Rubric
- Technology Rubric
Mentoring, from Linda
In our Inquiry meetings we have discussed the importance of media, the role it could play in assisting novice TL's and the plan to produce snippets of "how to's". We also now have rubrics that we can follow, of what an expert teacher-librarian looks like, that teacher-librarians may use to self-assess and know what they are striving for in their role as a teacher-librarian.
As I was heading out the door I heard Moira say something that was thought provoking. It was about new teacher-librarians who have mentors they are in touch with on a regular basis. Personally speaking, I have managed to say afloat of this job (for the most part) because of my numerous discussion, talks, chats, with Wendy. For the past 20 years we have met regularly over dinner to share problems, questions, ideas, resources and units. I think the work that has been done in the past to establish relationships through mentoring has been very important. I also think it is important that a "mentor" program" have structure rather than many of our novice teacher-librarians using others who might be recently in these Library positions.
I know updates and workshops are offered throughout the year and while these are a good way for many to listen and learn there are always those teacher-librarians who are either too shy or hesitant to ask what they think are silly questions or simply don't want to appear ignorant. Both Wendy and I feel what has worked for us could work for others albeit in a different format.
The Literacy Project, in their new model, has mentors who go to the schools to talk, share, guide, advise and demonstrate to teachers. Teacher-librarians could us a similar concept to showcase the qualities and practices of teacher-librarianship. We could offer mentors to come out to the individual's schools to support them through any concerns or problems that they are encountering. Since problems often will be different in schools, ongoing personal interaction will be needed to work through these difficulties and to follow up with the teacher-librarian. It could be combined with an Observations Program, which would allow the Mentee to observe the Mentor in their Library.
Wendy and I would like to devise a plan for this and we would be willing to offer our services and work together as a team to go and mentor the elementary teacher-librarians in their libraries. We have both done professional development for novice teacher-librarians and have noticed the number of phone calls and emails from those participating looking for answers to questions relating to management issues. There could also be a team for the seconday teacher-librarians but I think they meet on a regular basis.A mentoring team could also help with the technology aspect of the job doing just what Gwen was doing at our recent meeting, but not only demonstrating her units utilizing wikis but actually helping teacher-librarians set up their own units. ( I have found this has worked well for me in the past when I have someone working with me, in my space, meeting my needs. Workshops are good but they try to meet all needs).
Unlike the Literacy Mentor program, this does not have to be a static one or two days a week but on an ad hoc basis when needed. This could help to release some of the pressure from the Teacher-Librarian Consultant role and as more of our experienced teacher-librarians retire, it is critical to network within our community. Our role is unique and a strength has been the close relationship and shared vision we have had as a group. At this critical crossroads in our profession as teacher-librarians, mentoring has never been more important in our opinion.
We feel this face to face contact, small and interactive, in the missing component to our Inquiry.
Linda Tornroos Wendy Cameron
Teacher-Librarian Teacher-Librarian
Maple Grove Elementary Wolfe Elementary
604 713 5360 604 713 4915
How will we know it is working? What evidence will we gather?
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