I hope you will allow me to change the thread subject so it is more descriptive
and thus not so
likely to be glossed over or deleted.
I agree with David's suggestion to consider joining IASL. Apart from the
interesting and
fascinating conversations and opportunities to participate with teacher librarians
in situations
very different from your own, your subscription is structured so that a proportion
of it goes to
supporting the development of libraries in not-so-affluent countries, as well as
sponsoring them to
attend the annual IASL Conference. I know the president was interested in setting
up some sort of
mentoring situation between teacher librarians in different countries earlier this
year.
In times past, the annual conference has been held in those places where school
libraries have
needed a boost to their profile and this has had a remarkable impact. The IASL
also host
International School Library Month each October (previously ISLD) and for five
years I co-ordinated
this with the particular focus of connecting school libraries across the globe.
Cherie Sherley ran
an "Email Around the World" project as part of this, and one of the best years was
our Growing the
Future campaign after 9/11 in which schools on all continents planted indigenous
trees to nurture in
a way that we need to grow and nurture knowledge, understanding, tolerance, and
harmony. It was my
dream that the seeds from these trees would one day be used to start a children's
memorial garden at
Ground Zero but a lone teacher librarian voice in Australia makes no sound at all
in the US.
This year's theme is Literacy and Learning at your School Library. You can read
more about this at
http://www.iasl-online.org/events/islm/
Earlier this year I helped the president James Henri develop some basic
professional learning
materials for young village girls in remote northern China who were being trained
to run their local
school libraries (nothing like the facilities we know)
In the meantime, one of the most successful projects I had on a continual basis in
my school (of
many ethnic, cultural, religious and linguistic origins) was Highdays and Holidays.
We identified
all the significant days of the year and had the children who celebrated these
prepare posters
about them. It was a great way to acknowledge their ancestry and heritage and
there was always
enthusiastic participation. The first "non-poster-maker" to identify the country
on a map had the
honour of placing a small flag on it, and for those celebrations not confined to a
country there
were other little treasures for those who could tell us something they had learned
from reading the
poster.
Just some thoughts ...
Barbara
Barbara Braxton
Teacher Librarian
COOMA NSW 2630
AUSTRALIA
E. barbara.288@bigpond.com
Together we learn from each other
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