Splash!

That was me jumping head first into my new digital pool of reflection. Although I've enjoyed writing a pen and paper diary on and off during my 33 years, this is my first attempt at blogging.  I think I still prefer the romanticism of putting pen to paper but at the same time I can understand the potential blogs can have, personally and professionally in this new digital age.  This blog will be documenting my journey from primary school teacher (of 5 years) to, hopefully, primary TL (Teacher Librarian) over the next couple of years.  Keeping a blog seems a highly time-consuming task at this point in time, when juggling motherhood, casual work, studies and 'having a life'.  However, I'm sure it will assist in my learning journey and be a valuable resource to look back on in months, semesters and years to come..

Before I started this course I had limited experience of TLs.  From my own school days, I remember being a Library Assistant in year 6, helping out a dear old lady whose main task was definitely reading books to us, lending books and making sure they were shelved properly before the cycle began again! Our high school librarian was the stereotypical bespectacled, severe lady who barked orders, shushed a lot and was not inspiring in the least.  Most recently, at my first teaching post at an International school in the Netherlands, the librarian was considered part of the management group, involved in budgeting and developing/supporting the literacy curriculum, busily keeping the library well stocked with books and audio/visual resources.  However, apart from emailing the occasional useful website around, she had little input in the technology area.

Returning to Australia and beginning this course, I was somewhat surprised to realise the great extent to which teacher librarians here are expected to support the curriculum with and teach students about information technology.  It was a daunting discovery for someone who would choose a book over a computer screen any time! But I'm up for the challenge; I created a wiki for ETL501 with surprising ease and now a blog so I may yet be converted.  Now I will return to my readings and continue to get my head around the great complexity of this role of Teacher Librarian that I have chosen to pursue and continue the journey towards my goal!