Inquiry Project # 5 - Summarizing Topics and Interests

Summarizing Topics and Interests

 

What are your key takeaways, learning and direction after all this exploration?
I have learned many things over the past few weeks. Some key things that I have learned is how to blog, which I hope to continue by creating a library blog accessible and applicable to everyone in my school community. Also, I've learned how valuable Twitter is for finding, learning about, and sharing information and I've learned what a PLN is and how important it is to my professional development as a Teacher-Librarian.

Some other key takeaways, just to name a few...

• Never stop learning
• Network, network, network
• Promote a reading culture
• Share ideas
• Explore
• Research
• Collaborate

What are the new avenues for development in your personal and professional practice?

 I would like to continue developing my ICT skills, pedagogy and professional learning. Overall, I have learned that educators and professionals are connecting and sharing their learning through Twitter. By simply, following such educators and professionals, I will be able to maintain my connections and networks, to further develop my knowledge, experience and skills.

 

What are you going to take with you, moving forward from your own explorations and also from the explorations of others in this class?
I am going to take my Personal Learning Network including my blog, my gmail, Twitter, my Symbaloo, and feedly.

 

Other things that I would like to take along and remember include from Heather Brooks, the idea that the first person who reads a new book, and tells about the book, gets a sticker placed in the book showing their name, grade and date when they read the book. Example: This Book Was First Read By.

From Alexis Tsougrianis, I really liked his thoughts about equal access for mobile devices in which he states that "it's important for schools to provide access to all students, not just those with their own devices."
From Jen Lane the article she mentioned about Teacher Librarians as Thought Leaders, Teacher Librarians as Thought leaders (and light bulbs) by Joyce Valenza.
From Julie Brown, the image of what teachers want for professional development and the youtube video about Teacher-Librarians and Classroom Teachers as collaborative partners:
 

 

 

 

If you could pick just one topic that resonated with you, which is it and why?

 It's hard to pick just one topic as I found that I have learned a lot and I connected with most of the topics. However, if I had to pick just one topic, it would be fostering reading cultures in schools because everyone needs to learn to read so that they can read to learn and I love getting students excited about reading. Most importantly, this topic resonated with me because I'd like to continue making the library a fun and exciting place to learn and through this topic and sharing with our PLN, I have found new ways to do this, which I am looking forward to trying at my school.

References:

Aguilar, Elena. Ten Ways to Cultivate a Love of Reading in Students. Edutopia. November 4, 2015: Edutopia article Listing 10 ways to Cultivate a Love of Reading.

Brooks, Heather. (October 7, 2015). THE LOVE OF READING: Fostering it in School Libraries. LibraryLook Blog. Retrieved from: https://libraryvirtualblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/07/the-love-of-reading-fostering-it-in-school-libraries/

Brown, Julie. (October 24, 2015). Teacher Librarians supporting Teacher ICT ProD. Julie Brown Blog. Retrieved from: http://juliebro.blogspot.ca/2015/10/teacher-librarians-supporting-teacher.html

Lane, Jen. (October 15, 2015). Inquiry Blog #2: Building Relationships, Connections and Networks. School Library Adventures Blog. Retrieved from: http://blogs.ubc.ca/schoollibraryadventures/2015/10/15/inquiry-blog-2-building-relationships-connections-and-networks/

Tsougrianis, Alexis. (October 29, 2015). Inquiry Topic #4 - Mobile Devices, Mobile Libraries. Mr. T's Library Journey Blog. Retrieved from: http://mrtlibrary.blogspot.ca/2015/10/inquiry-topic-4-mobile-devices-mobile.html.