Teaching Information Literacy to Digital Natives

Il the millinneal_way from Zarah Gagatiga

The Hero and The Trusted Sidekick: Teachers and School Librarians Working Together

As a school librarian working in an IB school, I have attended a good number of workshops and conferences on school librarianship. And always, I taken away loads of learning and insights that improved my personal life and professional practice. One of my favorite take aways is the concept of teacher librarians and classroom teachers working together to improve students aptitude and uplift their attitude towards life.

Though I have known and recognized the relevance of this partnership between teacher librarian and classroom teacher years before working in an IB school, it is only now that I am working in the Beacon Academy that I actualize it.  This experience is something I wish to share with my colleagues.

So, when Evelyn Nabus, President of the Association of Librarians in Laguna Province (ALLP) invited me to do a workshop for the ALLP on Media and Information Literacy, I said yes.

Inspired by Dianne McKenzie's article on the role of the librarian as a Trusty Sidekick,  I thought of ways to merge this with the topic given to me by ALLP.  This is the result:

The Hero and the Trusted Sidekick:

Teachers and School Librarians Working Together for the

Conduct of a Media and Information Literacy Program for K-12 Learners

Several researches show that when teacher and school librarian collaborate and work together, students learn better and learning becomes more authentic and meaningful. Test scores increase and students gain confidence in doing school work and accomplishing tasks that are challenging and complex. The goal of this training workshop is for teachers and school librarians to revisit their unique roles in the teaching and learning process so that they can establish a partnership that inspire collaboration in the planning and implementation of a Media and Information Literacy Program.

Specifically, the objectives of the training workshop are:

1. To identify techniques and strategies that lead to collaborative work between teacher and school librarian;
2. To review current Media and Information Literacy (MIL) standards and programs;
3. To determine areas of collaborative work when planning and implementing a MIL program;
4. To draft a MIL matrix of skills that can be used as guide in developing the library collection and resources; in providing readers and reference services; and in conducting user education programs.

The training workshop is for teachers who are teaching MIL in the senior high school as well as teachers in K-10 who are interested in MIL. Librarians servicing K-12 learners will benefit from the training workshop since activities are designed for the improvement and honing of critical and creative thinking skills as applied to library work and program management.

Note on the title of the training workshop: the training workshop’s jump off point is the role and relationship of the hero and his/her sidekick in popular culture. This metaphor will be used to amplify the value of the sidekick to the hero’s journey.

Teachers have always been referred to as modern day heroes. In myth and in literature, heroes thrive and survive through the aid of a trusted sidekick who gives encouragement, cheers them on, picks them up when they fall, sometimes, carries the ring of power for them or casts a spell to open a locked door. This is the symbolic role of the school librarian to teachers. It is a role we haven’t fully talked about or explored, but, it exists like an elephant in the room. It’s about time we see the elephant for what it is and eat it, piece by piece.

Prepared by: Zarah C. Gagatiga 5.17.2017

PPT: Designing an Information Literacy Skills Porgram for the New K-12 Curriculum

Il k 12-school_libs_aug2015.ppt from Zarah Gagatiga

From RAP Prezi to PBBY Chair

I got this email from Prof. Melissa Orencia, current President of the Reading Association of the Philippines.

Dear Zarah,

Greetings from the Reading Association of the Philippines!  

We would like to ask your assistance to provide us with a list of "must-read" tradebooks for Filipino children from K-12 both local and international. We would like to recommend these to public and privates schools that are setting up libraries. 

I whipped up a list of around twenty titles. I hope to send some more titles to her this month. Below is the recommended titles I put together for her request.

Recommended booksfork 12-1 from Zarah Gagatiga

    

K-12 for School Librarians: How the School Library Supports K-12P

Worksheet k12 p from Zarah Gagatiga

Live Blogging: Seminar on K-12Program @ St. Bridget College

I arrived in St. Bridget College of Batangas safe and dry. Thanks to GoldenRey for sponsoring my transportation. The bad weather did not dampen the spirits of attendees. There are more than seventy teacher librarians and school librarians present in today's seminar forum. Like in past seminars and workshops, I feel good to being with friends in the profession.

Lilian Rabino of DLS Lipa presents the seminar certificate to Dr. Vivian Fababier

 Dr. Vivian Fababier of the DepEd, Batangas City, has done a good job introducing the key features of the K-12 Program. I will use some of her inputs in my session later as I discuss the role of school libraries and librarians in the K-12 Program.

With Josie Tuzon of the Holy Spirit School, Cubao

Right now, Rene Banda Manlangit is presenting PLAI news. I'm happy to know that, among the many projects PLAI is pushing, one is the inclusion of an item for school librarians in the public school system. Good luck, PLAI!

Dr. Ed Fermin on Role of Information Specialist

And so the PASLI Forum ended at past 12:00 noon with Dr. Edison Fermin's lecture on the role of the Information Specialist in the K-12 curriculum. He was such an engaging speaker. He exuded confidence the moment he took the mic. Stand and deliver, he did! He's a seasoned resource speaker as evidenced in his PowerPoint presentation and delivery.

As I listened to him, I thought, "You have to be really smart to get his jokes. You need to be a good sport to access his humor, secure enough at yourself that you can laugh at the truths he uncovered about traditional librarian image." Not many school administrators support their school librarians the way Dr. Fermin does. He should be invited to many seminars and fora for school librarians and administrators.

In his lecture, he simply posed three questions:

a. Who may be considered as information specialist?

b. Why is K-12 program worthy of the attention of information specialist?

c. How can the K-12 to program succeed with the help of info specialist?

He provided all the answers and participants were apt listeners. In a nutshell, Dr. Fermin emphasized the need for librarians to break out of the stereotypical roles and assume proactive roles that are tuned to the times, especially, in servicing digital natives of the 21st century. Information specialists (librarians, in traditional terminology) are very much needed in the K-12 curriculum because information to develop it is in their hands. The teaching of study skills identified from K-12 is no longer the sole responsibility of the teacher, but a shared learning experience that Information specialists and teachers design for students. Information specialists are called upon to be effective library managers, collaborators and communicators of information and knowledge, and instructional technologists.

This is not new stuff for me, but I need to be reminded once in a while since staying in the status quo cab be unhealthy. I liked the localized curriculum because I believe it is one strategy to achieve global mindedness. Overall, the forum was a success because it showed school librarians the scenario of the K-12 curriculum from the top. It will take a brilliant middle management to set strategies for its implementation in the ranks.

Congratulations to PASLI for a successful forum!

Live Blogging: PASLI Forum K-12 Curriculum

The PASLI Forum on K-12 Curriculum at Miriam College is well attended by school librarians from public and private schools. There are also a number of teachers from both sectors who found the forum helpful. Dr. Giron gave a brief but substantial presentation of the K-12 curriculum. Some highlights I took note of while listening to her talk:

Dr. Giron: the vision of K-12 curriculum is to produce holistically developed Filipinos who have 21st century skills and are prepared for higher education, middle-level skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Giron: The role of the school librarian permeates in all aspect of the Filipino graduate: IT and Media Skills, Learning and Innovation Skills, Effective Communication Skills, Life and Career Skills.

Dr. Giron: The K-12 basic ed curriculum is enhanced following the spiral progression approach.

Dr. Giron: Kindergarten under K to 3 is adopting MTB - mother tongue-based multilingual education.

Implications of the K-12 curriculum to school librarians: librarians are expected to be the information specialist in the school; helping students navigate the information landscape.

Dr. Giron: Get ready with your LIBratory! Librarians MUST teach!

In light of the K-12 curriculum, school librarians MUST bridge the digital divide among students, teachers, administrators, and the learning community at large.

Dr. Giron: Consider new ways of promoting reading; seek your professional development that will help you grow even if your school doe snot provide for your expenses.

Dr. Giron: Help our K-12 Curriculum succeed!

Dr. Ed Fermin begins his talk on the Role of the Information Specialist in the K-12 Curriculum.

PASLI Forum: The K-12 Curriculum and the School Library

This is the kind of initiative that elicits results, if not, discussion points that would stir Philippine school librarians into proactive thought and action. Hopefully.

Good job, Jude Gorospe and PASLI for carving a time and venue to talk about school libraries and K-12 Curriculum.

The Philippine Association of School Librarians, Inc. (PASLI) wishes
to invite school administrators, school librarians and teachers in
charge of school libraries to the half-day forum on the theme: "The
Kto12 Curriculum and the School Library" on May 18, 2012 from 7:00am
to 12:00pm at Miriam College High School in Katipunan Road, Loyola
Heights, Quezon City.

Registration fee of Php500.00 covers forum kit, handouts, am snack,
lunch and access to the 2 sessions. Reservation is required to join
the forum. Only the first 100 reservations will be accommodated.

Topics:

Session 1: The Kto12 Curriculum Framework
by: Dr. Paraluman Giron, DepEd consultant for Kto12 Curriculum and
former director of DepEd Region 4A.

Session 2: The Role of the Information Specialist in the Kto12
Curriculum
by: Dr. Edizon A. Fermin, Miriam College High School Principal. He
has worked with national committees in preparation for Kto12
Curriculum.