Had an interesting experience last term with a student who has a compulsive disorder complex - year 2. She objected to a book front cover - Lasagne Brain by John Larkin. The picture upset her, which I can understand, but her reaction was to cock her head away from the general location and even on another occasion to walk backwards into the library. Spoke to her mother and found the 'offending' item and removed it onto my desk in the library office, for about a month. Her mother agreed that it was probably something that her daughter would forget about after a while as I said that I could not remove the book permanently particularly as it was the cover of the book not the content that was offensive.
Very different to the complaint from several years ago with respect to Where did I come from by Peter Mayle.
Censorship was discussed at the National Archives in particular with respect to content being unavailable by law for a certain number of years - interesting that there is a difference between the length of time for state archives and for national archives. Then the possiblity that material in a file can be withheld for various reasons. Found the presenter at National Archives very entertaining. Good visit.
Thursday, 8 July 2010
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
Study Tour in Brisbane
Has been a very interesting visit to State Library, Parliamentary Library and National Archives. Sitting down a lot and listening but perspecitves are different for each library and am glad I chose the variation.
Meeting fellow students with similar interests has been of value. Particularly interesting as to how many are of a similar age!!!
Looking forward to rest of visit.
Meeting fellow students with similar interests has been of value. Particularly interesting as to how many are of a similar age!!!
Looking forward to rest of visit.
Thursday, 17 June 2010
End of 503
Finding it incredibly difficult to find the time to write on the blog. Just so much going on. Sports day today and once again I had to babysit a class as teacher not present.
Have passed (just) second assignment therefore have passed the subject. A number of people upset at their results and vented spleen on forum. Have to agree that I had great difficulty reading my markers comments - disappointed but read again the next day and found most that I could read, made sense. However, I don't like single words followed by question marks. How am I supposed to respond to this? I did not find that sort of commentary useful to me. It would be better to pose a question and then supply suggested answers.
Do feel that although pass was just that, I am still learning much and hopefully the knowledge will stay with me. Heaven alone knows if positions will be made available in these parts. A number of schools have teachers as librarians and they are doing a good job but they are not qualified as TLs - even had one who, when I asked advice, said that she had started the Masters course but did not finish it. I wonder why I am bothering.
Am heading off to Batchelor Inst of Indigenous Ed for the next two weeks and then to Brisbane for the Study tour. Will be flat chat and little time to relax as well as prepare my next terms program. Oh well, I chose to do this.
Have passed (just) second assignment therefore have passed the subject. A number of people upset at their results and vented spleen on forum. Have to agree that I had great difficulty reading my markers comments - disappointed but read again the next day and found most that I could read, made sense. However, I don't like single words followed by question marks. How am I supposed to respond to this? I did not find that sort of commentary useful to me. It would be better to pose a question and then supply suggested answers.
Do feel that although pass was just that, I am still learning much and hopefully the knowledge will stay with me. Heaven alone knows if positions will be made available in these parts. A number of schools have teachers as librarians and they are doing a good job but they are not qualified as TLs - even had one who, when I asked advice, said that she had started the Masters course but did not finish it. I wonder why I am bothering.
Am heading off to Batchelor Inst of Indigenous Ed for the next two weeks and then to Brisbane for the Study tour. Will be flat chat and little time to relax as well as prepare my next terms program. Oh well, I chose to do this.
Sunday, 18 April 2010
503 Modules 4 and 5
Reading the material for these two modules puts a situation at my school into perspective.
Part one Budget/Funding:
There isn't any Funding other than the odd donation and the annul book week book fare which in recent years (with a lot of hard work prior to) has raised increasing amounts of monetary value to purchase further resources.
Budget:
In the 6 years I have been at Driver Primary, there has never been consultation or collaboration to determine what materials of any sort are needed for the Library therefore what should the budget be to meet that or those needs. The budget has been established by the Principal and business manager and as it were, handed down.
There is no TL or anyone qualified operating the Library (Teaching and Learning Centre). There is an AO2 who is part time in the Library and in the front office and me - 0.5 ESL and 0.5 release lessons held in the Library.
The interesting part for me is that this year I have been briefly consulted with respect to the BER renovations of the Library - which comprises rooms being added onto which will not necessarily be used by the Library - new carpet and new shelving (that is what I was consulted about!!!). Further I have been moved from my previously occupied small (shared) office to the office in the Library. Being in the Library does make it easier for me to focus on it and its life.
For the first time in six years the Budget is handsome - a considerable amount more for the curriculum areas including Literacy and Numeracy and the Library.
But:
On what should this money be spent? There are committees covering the KLAs which are responsible for the selection of resources and ordering. That's fine but with a high turn over of staff and the very busyness of a teacher's day, there is little consistency of thought year by year on how we should resource the curriculum. The committees barely meet once a term and there has been a tendency for a long time for teachers to use the Library teacher and student resources to a degree but also to seek their own - online or otherwise. This raises the very real problem of not having a TL to guide the whole process of allocation of money for budgets, choice of resources and acquisition.
Amount of money:
Given the above problem there is the very real risk of spending the money for fear we won't get that amount again. Of having a principal who won't allow some selections to be approved because the teachers/students can find that online (in once a week lessons in the lab and 2 computers per class). Of the impression of all staff that the budget money is for print materials.
There is both joy at the amount of the budget but great concern at how the process of using it is going.
Acquisition process:
Did suggest to the Literacy/Library committee (I am the co-ordinator)that we focus on ordering both for Lit and Lib, on the curriculum. Good idea. Went through advertising brochures and spent several hours filling in green forms (8 lines per form to manually write out order) and wrote whether it be from Lit or Lib budget and handed in on 1st April it having been checked by AO2 to make sure we did not already have any orders. Goes to business manager then to principal for approval.
Staff meeting:
On Tuesday last (13th) staff were told that the Dept. wants ordering process to reflect what area of school will benefit from purchases, that is ordering has to be broken down into that for preschool, that for early learning and that for mid upper combined. I was approached by one asst principal and asked to go through order forms and photocopy and then mark what area each resource would be used for/by. Did that.
Also told that now all orders have to reflect whether the resource is for the above plus for student use, teacher use, Library, KLAs and classroom. (there are now 5 different coloured order forms)
I was also told that the order for Library would need to be broken down again into which KLA the resource would be for and therefore that cost would come out of relevant budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am frustrated that what should be a relatively straight forward process has become so unnecessarily complex.
Frustration really is compounded by the fact that I thought we were acquiring to resource the curriculum but heaven alone knows when the order will be placed and the resources ordered for the current area of the curriculum may come too late.
Part two Weeding
The readings for this module are very interesting with respect to pruning the resources. I have noticed this term that the shelves of student fiction and non-fiction books are stuffed full unlike that last few years. While I have endeavoured to be involved in acquiring appropriate resources for the Library it seems teachers are not encouraging students to borrow and are not using the Library to support their teaching. Granted there is disruption because of the building and the teacher resources have been moved to another area of the school but all material is still accessible.
What is obvious is that there desperately needs to be some pruning as there are books still on shelves which were purchased 20 to 25 years ago (the school celebrates 25 years later this year) and there needs to be a greater awareness of what is available for all school personnel to use. Curioulsy the picture book shelves are very comfortable as the preschool and early learning are borrowing!
The pruning needs to comprise removal of the old and shabby, out of date by way of information no longer valid or superceded, no longer part of curriuclum, not appropriate to environment of Top End (which could be considered censorship as students should have a holistic approach to knowledge but....), not used.
Dillon (2001) What is weeding? mentions that readers should not be in the Library - interesting - we have a massive number (which should also be pruned) for take home readers and guided reading as well as class novels for the more accomplished and older students. I wonder why Dillon actually says these should not be part of the Library collection?
A long post this - in conclusion - have reflected so much on this area of the course - I am treading carefully as it has been made clear to me (although principal knows I am doing course) that I am not a TL at the school so I am trying to diplomatically put suggestions across. I am though, using the information I am learning for my own benefit. I have finally got into using online resources to find information remembering 501, 401 skills and 503. The more I can practise the skills the more it stays in the memory and once I am one day employed as a TL, hopefully will be all the more skilled!
Part one Budget/Funding:
There isn't any Funding other than the odd donation and the annul book week book fare which in recent years (with a lot of hard work prior to) has raised increasing amounts of monetary value to purchase further resources.
Budget:
In the 6 years I have been at Driver Primary, there has never been consultation or collaboration to determine what materials of any sort are needed for the Library therefore what should the budget be to meet that or those needs. The budget has been established by the Principal and business manager and as it were, handed down.
There is no TL or anyone qualified operating the Library (Teaching and Learning Centre). There is an AO2 who is part time in the Library and in the front office and me - 0.5 ESL and 0.5 release lessons held in the Library.
The interesting part for me is that this year I have been briefly consulted with respect to the BER renovations of the Library - which comprises rooms being added onto which will not necessarily be used by the Library - new carpet and new shelving (that is what I was consulted about!!!). Further I have been moved from my previously occupied small (shared) office to the office in the Library. Being in the Library does make it easier for me to focus on it and its life.
For the first time in six years the Budget is handsome - a considerable amount more for the curriculum areas including Literacy and Numeracy and the Library.
But:
On what should this money be spent? There are committees covering the KLAs which are responsible for the selection of resources and ordering. That's fine but with a high turn over of staff and the very busyness of a teacher's day, there is little consistency of thought year by year on how we should resource the curriculum. The committees barely meet once a term and there has been a tendency for a long time for teachers to use the Library teacher and student resources to a degree but also to seek their own - online or otherwise. This raises the very real problem of not having a TL to guide the whole process of allocation of money for budgets, choice of resources and acquisition.
Amount of money:
Given the above problem there is the very real risk of spending the money for fear we won't get that amount again. Of having a principal who won't allow some selections to be approved because the teachers/students can find that online (in once a week lessons in the lab and 2 computers per class). Of the impression of all staff that the budget money is for print materials.
There is both joy at the amount of the budget but great concern at how the process of using it is going.
Acquisition process:
Did suggest to the Literacy/Library committee (I am the co-ordinator)that we focus on ordering both for Lit and Lib, on the curriculum. Good idea. Went through advertising brochures and spent several hours filling in green forms (8 lines per form to manually write out order) and wrote whether it be from Lit or Lib budget and handed in on 1st April it having been checked by AO2 to make sure we did not already have any orders. Goes to business manager then to principal for approval.
Staff meeting:
On Tuesday last (13th) staff were told that the Dept. wants ordering process to reflect what area of school will benefit from purchases, that is ordering has to be broken down into that for preschool, that for early learning and that for mid upper combined. I was approached by one asst principal and asked to go through order forms and photocopy and then mark what area each resource would be used for/by. Did that.
Also told that now all orders have to reflect whether the resource is for the above plus for student use, teacher use, Library, KLAs and classroom. (there are now 5 different coloured order forms)
I was also told that the order for Library would need to be broken down again into which KLA the resource would be for and therefore that cost would come out of relevant budget!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am frustrated that what should be a relatively straight forward process has become so unnecessarily complex.
Frustration really is compounded by the fact that I thought we were acquiring to resource the curriculum but heaven alone knows when the order will be placed and the resources ordered for the current area of the curriculum may come too late.
Part two Weeding
The readings for this module are very interesting with respect to pruning the resources. I have noticed this term that the shelves of student fiction and non-fiction books are stuffed full unlike that last few years. While I have endeavoured to be involved in acquiring appropriate resources for the Library it seems teachers are not encouraging students to borrow and are not using the Library to support their teaching. Granted there is disruption because of the building and the teacher resources have been moved to another area of the school but all material is still accessible.
What is obvious is that there desperately needs to be some pruning as there are books still on shelves which were purchased 20 to 25 years ago (the school celebrates 25 years later this year) and there needs to be a greater awareness of what is available for all school personnel to use. Curioulsy the picture book shelves are very comfortable as the preschool and early learning are borrowing!
The pruning needs to comprise removal of the old and shabby, out of date by way of information no longer valid or superceded, no longer part of curriuclum, not appropriate to environment of Top End (which could be considered censorship as students should have a holistic approach to knowledge but....), not used.
Dillon (2001) What is weeding? mentions that readers should not be in the Library - interesting - we have a massive number (which should also be pruned) for take home readers and guided reading as well as class novels for the more accomplished and older students. I wonder why Dillon actually says these should not be part of the Library collection?
A long post this - in conclusion - have reflected so much on this area of the course - I am treading carefully as it has been made clear to me (although principal knows I am doing course) that I am not a TL at the school so I am trying to diplomatically put suggestions across. I am though, using the information I am learning for my own benefit. I have finally got into using online resources to find information remembering 501, 401 skills and 503. The more I can practise the skills the more it stays in the memory and once I am one day employed as a TL, hopefully will be all the more skilled!
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
503 Module 2 Censorship
This is an interesting issue. Have found the articles in this module varied and pertinent. Also absorbing the ALIA, ASLA/ALIA, IASL, IFLA/UNESCO statements, rights, policies etc. is particularly important as the issue is critical all the more in this century given that the public can post electronically their opinion on anything, for all to see. Who can tell what is of value, factual, reasoned, apt?
An interesting situation arose three years ago in my primary school, when a teacher demanded that a book be removed from the Library - handed it to the Occupational Health and Safety committee and told them to look at it and make up their minds. The book was about how a child comes into this world - sex, pregnancy, birth, infancy, childhood, teens etc., illustrated in cartoon style, big print, written for primary age children and been reprinted 20 times or so.
The problem - a child had borrowed the book, taken it back to the classroom and the teacher had witnessed a heated disagreement between said child and another about the content - they were looking at the nude pictures of the parents. Grade level 2.
Committee deliberated and decided that the book should not be removed, it was of value and that perhaps the teacher should have discussed the matter with the students instead of blaming the book.
Most recent situation arose last week when a delivery of newspapers was not distributed to the classrooms (two per class and two to the Library)because the teacher in charge of the distribution, decided that the headline on the cover was not appropriate - Northern Territory News - "Stabbed in back while having sex...and that's why I'm such a bad driver". Tuesday papers are delivered when Classmate is published - Classmate is of value and provides good information on various topics. But the headline of the paper on that day, caused concern.
I am unsure of the course of action taken. The article could have been of use with reference to how news is reported in the only daily news paper in the NT. The head line was clearly sensational and the article was about a man being charged for driving offences.
Should the book and the newspaper have been censored? At this point I guess it depends on how the decision is made - on the spur of the moment or after considered and careful reflection.
An interesting situation arose three years ago in my primary school, when a teacher demanded that a book be removed from the Library - handed it to the Occupational Health and Safety committee and told them to look at it and make up their minds. The book was about how a child comes into this world - sex, pregnancy, birth, infancy, childhood, teens etc., illustrated in cartoon style, big print, written for primary age children and been reprinted 20 times or so.
The problem - a child had borrowed the book, taken it back to the classroom and the teacher had witnessed a heated disagreement between said child and another about the content - they were looking at the nude pictures of the parents. Grade level 2.
Committee deliberated and decided that the book should not be removed, it was of value and that perhaps the teacher should have discussed the matter with the students instead of blaming the book.
Most recent situation arose last week when a delivery of newspapers was not distributed to the classrooms (two per class and two to the Library)because the teacher in charge of the distribution, decided that the headline on the cover was not appropriate - Northern Territory News - "Stabbed in back while having sex...and that's why I'm such a bad driver". Tuesday papers are delivered when Classmate is published - Classmate is of value and provides good information on various topics. But the headline of the paper on that day, caused concern.
I am unsure of the course of action taken. The article could have been of use with reference to how news is reported in the only daily news paper in the NT. The head line was clearly sensational and the article was about a man being charged for driving offences.
Should the book and the newspaper have been censored? At this point I guess it depends on how the decision is made - on the spur of the moment or after considered and careful reflection.
Monday, 8 March 2010
Blog 503 Module 1 collection management policy
There does not appear to be one at my work place and no-one seems to know what I am talking about.
Have felt that for the last 3 or 4 years, since I have been part of the Literacy committee, there has been difficult in choosing relevant resources to support the curriculum. All resources have been print (book form). Although there are many IWBs, there has been a lack of purchase of material to use theron. The answer from principal is Oh you will find resources on the internet - which may be true but it takes to time to find suitable, useful and relevant ones - sometimes the published ones are much better. Also general, belief that teachers will create their own - again time and possibly quality and can they be shared? No-one to lead the process - no librarian of any description or qualification for 10 years.
Purchases for library and teacher resources is done on the basis of budget. Contstraints here - if you have $1,000 - well let's spend it regardless of what we are actually buying.
Needs to be much more input of staff - collaboration to decide what curriculum areas need to be supported and how this can best be done - that is what sort of resources would best suit the purpose - indeed what is the purpose?
Have spoken to a couple of teachers and said we need input from all levels of school - primary - and from those keenly interested in different areas of curriuclum so that the most experienced and knowledgeable can help.
Have felt that for the last 3 or 4 years, since I have been part of the Literacy committee, there has been difficult in choosing relevant resources to support the curriculum. All resources have been print (book form). Although there are many IWBs, there has been a lack of purchase of material to use theron. The answer from principal is Oh you will find resources on the internet - which may be true but it takes to time to find suitable, useful and relevant ones - sometimes the published ones are much better. Also general, belief that teachers will create their own - again time and possibly quality and can they be shared? No-one to lead the process - no librarian of any description or qualification for 10 years.
Purchases for library and teacher resources is done on the basis of budget. Contstraints here - if you have $1,000 - well let's spend it regardless of what we are actually buying.
Needs to be much more input of staff - collaboration to decide what curriculum areas need to be supported and how this can best be done - that is what sort of resources would best suit the purpose - indeed what is the purpose?
Have spoken to a couple of teachers and said we need input from all levels of school - primary - and from those keenly interested in different areas of curriuclum so that the most experienced and knowledgeable can help.
Monday, 18 January 2010
First for 2010 - 503
So long since I posted. Simply did not realise. Have been reflecting over this holiday break about a number of things.
Am I too old for all of this?
I am 53, married, three children (one marrying this year, two still at home)and I am therefore still running the household.
I am teaching full time and although there are those who say but you get 12 weeks holiday per year, I view that time as being preparation that cannot (for whatever reason) be done during the working period as well as organising/doing all those other things that I don't have time to do in the school term. I am responsible for arranging/organising all repairs etc in the home - be they emergency matters necessitating a tradesmen or those things I've/we've thought about and can only be done when I can supervise.
I am studying to do a Masters in TL. It is very intensive and I admire those doing it two units in a semester instead of one like me. I wonder at being able to do myself justice in this task while trying to keep everything else going.
My social life has suffered!
Yet I don't feel miserable. Perhaps I just need to reorganise my time so that I can devote myself more effectively to the tasks at hand.
I note a few other women I know who are around the same age and are in the same boat, how we are working (for pay) harder than before and working (without pay) just as hard as well. I know a few who have suffered depression.
I am more than anything else thinking of interesting things to say in this blog but then never get round to doing so.
So I guess that is my new year's resolution!!!
To actually utilise this means of storing my thoughts.
Am I too old for all of this?
I am 53, married, three children (one marrying this year, two still at home)and I am therefore still running the household.
I am teaching full time and although there are those who say but you get 12 weeks holiday per year, I view that time as being preparation that cannot (for whatever reason) be done during the working period as well as organising/doing all those other things that I don't have time to do in the school term. I am responsible for arranging/organising all repairs etc in the home - be they emergency matters necessitating a tradesmen or those things I've/we've thought about and can only be done when I can supervise.
I am studying to do a Masters in TL. It is very intensive and I admire those doing it two units in a semester instead of one like me. I wonder at being able to do myself justice in this task while trying to keep everything else going.
My social life has suffered!
Yet I don't feel miserable. Perhaps I just need to reorganise my time so that I can devote myself more effectively to the tasks at hand.
I note a few other women I know who are around the same age and are in the same boat, how we are working (for pay) harder than before and working (without pay) just as hard as well. I know a few who have suffered depression.
I am more than anything else thinking of interesting things to say in this blog but then never get round to doing so.
So I guess that is my new year's resolution!!!
To actually utilise this means of storing my thoughts.
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