Accreditation is Building a Learning Community

Dear Ms. Z: Literature and Lifelong Learning (1 of 2)

Teacher Twinkle Caro, a friend from PBBY and the teaching community sent me this questions a few months back. She was then preparing for a radio interview and I was in Singapore attending a workshop. Much of our conversation happened in Messenger so technology bridged the geographical distance.

How has being literate and being exposed to different forms of literature (books, newspapers, magazines, etc.) helped you in terms of your work and continuous lifelong learning?

This was my reply:

Reading helps me to be kind. When reading fact or fiction, I discover truths not only of my own beliefs but of others too. I realize I am not alone. There is the endless possibility to learn from others in reading.

Going back to our conversation now, I feel, and think, that I have not fully answered her question. There is an aspect of library work or librarianship I wish I had told her. Thanks to blogging, again - another format of technology, I can revisit and continue the process of thinking through such a question that matters to me and to my colleagues.

I will be posting part 2 of my reply to Teacher Twinkle. Continuing on this exercise has relevance in the way we use information and the formats of literature.

Understanding Information Literacy the Millinneal Way

The Lighthouse Diary Entry 2: Desires, Passions and the World's Greatest Need

No PPT slides. It was trad. But it worked!

Unlce Iroh, one of my favorite characters in the hit cartoon show, The Avatar, the Last Airbender, quotes in one episode, "Follow your passion and life will reward you!" It sounds so simple yet so true. For when we know what we are truly passionate about and when we pursue it, life gives back a hundred fold. I suppose this is a natural law of the universe for it calls to each and everyone to do good. However, knowing one's passion is another quest in the journey of living a meaningful life. And yes, how one pursues this passion is another story.

Two weeks ago, on a Friday, the weekend before the Academy opened its doors to its Griffins, new and returning, the faculty was fortunate to have Mr. Robert "Bobbit" Suntay for an inspirational talk. Mr. Suntay is one of the members of the Board of Trustees and it is not often that we see him on campus. He would visit, once in a while for BOT purposes and that's it. So, his brief but engaging talk was a welcome surprise to many. Like Uncle Iroh, he talked about one's search for happiness, the heart's truest desire, the journey of finding it and what happens when this inner desire is affirmed and actualized. Happiness is achieved because, this deepest desire meets the world's greatest need.

Aren't we all a part of a bigger something? Don't we all need to belong in some greater scheme? Even the traditional introvert searches for an endeavor that would make him whole.

That Friday, my materials for Library Orientation were all prepared. Our bulletin boards have been set up, usernames and passwords of our online subscriptions have been updated, and brochures and library bookmarks were all sorted out. My assistant, Flynn, and I were ready for the opening of of Academic Year 2017-2018. However, Mr. Suntay's talk left a dent in my heart and in my mind that over the weekend, I reviewed my plans and changed it entirely.

I thought of going for what I am truly passionate about. Books. Reading. Media and Information Literacy. Working with Students. Helping teachers. Bridging gaps. Going the extra mile even when it hurts. These are the things that matter to me. And these were the things I shared with our Griffins last Monday, July 31st, the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola. The birth date of Harry Potter, the boy who lived.

Four classes on MIL last week! YAY!

It was the first time I got a round of applause from the seniors (probably because there is no Book Quota this year?). The juniors tried their best to behave and to listen given the number of new students in the batch. The year 10s jumped in the task given to them right away. No qualms. They were ready to engage despite themselves. And the year 9s, what a frisky bunch!

During the in-service, HOS (head of school) reminded us of our thrust for this academic year. Back to teaching. I think, with Mr. Suntay's sharing of his life journey, I need to go back to my passions that has kept me all these years working in a school alongside teachers and school leaders and helping students find their own path. Operations and administrative work will always be important. Then again, the head and the hand will not function well if the heart isn't in it.

It was an amazing first week. There will be peaks and valleys but I hold on to my passions because, I am positive, as I have seen it happen before, these will all turn into my life's mission.

So, Life, let's do this!

Reading as a Tool for Lifelong Learning

  

Reading Guidance: Study Skills and Work Habits

At the start of the Academic Year, we encourage everyone to read books and borrow from the BA Library. Our Griffins follow a book quota to complete throughout the school year. The book quota is a reading challenge activity wherein students meet a number of books to read and borrow in a school year. The numbers to meet for each grade level are as follows:meet a number of books to read and borrow in a school year. The numbers to meet for each grade level are as follows:

Grade 9 - 20 books

Grade 10 - 30 books

Grade 11 - 40 books

Grade 12 - 50 books

This year, to guide our Griffins through the reading challenge, they were given an infographic that identifies topics and genre of books to read. 

To start them off with book recommendations, the BA Library put together a list of books on study skills. This was routed and shared to the advisers so that they may be able to inspire their advisees to read and direct themselves to better study skills and work habits.

AKLATAN 2016: A Regional Conference On the Art of Librarianship

PLAI CeLRLC is staging AKLATAN 2016 on August 17-19, 2016 in Malolos, Bulacan. Here are the topics the organizers have for its participants.

1. L-ibrarianship 2020: Library Trends and Forecasts
2. I-nternationalization and Globalization
3. B-enchmarking and Best Practices
4. R-eading: A Tool for Lifelong Learning
5. A-rchival Practice and Records Management
6. R-esearch Literacy: From Conceptualization to Publication
7. I-ndigenous Librarianship and Multiculturalism
8. A-ccreditation Standards: Measures for Improvement and Development
9. N-etworking, Partnership and Collaboration Building

I will be taking part in the regional conference as a resource speaker. My topic is Reading: A Tool for Lifelong Learning. My presentation will be delivered through video conferencing and recorded AVPs. I have selected short videos to show and online activities for participants to follow through. 

I have done this format of presentation before and making it had been fun. The question and answer part of the forum was done through Google chat. I will be blogging about these events. If you think this is something you can learn from, catch my presentations in the blog as well as the videos that go along with it.