The Seven Most Critical Challenges

"Classroom instruction is and will remain the primary focus of education, and unless we have an impact on it, we will be seen as superfluous." (The seven most critical challenges facing our profession by Doug Johnson)

This article once again highlighted to me how vital and beneficial collaboration is for TLs. As a classroom teacher, I have enjoyed (and at times been frustrated by) years of collaboration, particularly with my grade partners. In recent years I have also been fortunate enough to collaborate with the TL. At all times, my collaborative efforts have proved fruitful - both for me as a professional seeking to stay informed and exposed to new ideas, resources and ways of doing things but also for my students who were able to participate in and learn from more integrated programs, frequently delivered in dynamic team-teaching style. Employed in the future as a TL I look forward to enjoying similar gains from new collaborations but I have come to see such collaboration as a vital (rather than simply a preferred) workplace practice necessary to ensure my survival as a TL.

As Johnson's article highlights tying our library program goals to the larger goals of our educational system, demonstrating and publicising our effectiveness through accountability and also remaining experts in helping others make meaning out of technology are imperatives for TLs in the 21st century. It seems good advice when he says: stay valuable by doing jobs no one else is willing or able to do!!!

To be honest, Johnson's advice is both daunting and exciting to me as an apprentice TL . I am particularly eager to experience the new opportunities for collaboration and being a change agent this role will hopefully provide. I look foward to serving on department teams, acting as a PD provider, reporting back to the school commmunity on student IL skills and forging powerful and direct links between library and classroom programs.

At the same time I appreciate the importance of keeping my core values - something Johnson sees is another of the challenges facing us as TLs. From my experience, it is certainly a challenge I face everyday as a classroom teacher battling pressures of time and sometimes unrealistic expectations. With an already overloaded curriculum, it is a constant challenge to give my students the opportunity to see, hear and do as much as they can. New technologies often add to this challenge - by providing an endless treasure trove of possibilities. However, we can only do so much and as such I strive to take pleasure in all that I am able to achieve. Each day I leave happy knowing that the children in my class have learnt something new and enjoyed the experience.

In reviewing the last section of Johnson's article I am again inspired by his final words:

"A person recently commented to me that one must be mad to go into school librarianship. He's right, of course, on a number of levels. You have to be mad (passionate) for stories, computers, and especially work with kids. You have to be mad (angry) about how poorly our schools under-serve too many vulnerable children. And finally, you have to be mad (crazy) enough to believe that you as one little individual have the power to change your institution, your political systems and especially the lives of your students and teachers. Hopefully, everyone who reads this will get just a little bit madder."

I am MAD about teaching and I look forward to being a MAD TL!