Times Have Changed

Remember visiting the school library as a child? Most likely you had one of two types of librarians: the “Library Ogre,” defender of books and organization reprimanding any student who even thought about picking up a book and not replacing it precisely where it belonged on the shelf, or “Ms. Sunshine,” who loved to read aloud to students until the end of the day when she quietly shooed the students out and tidied up her haven of books. Fast forward to today’s elementary school – filled with computer savvy students who talk fast and move even faster. Their environment is filled with technology: cell phones, computers for gaming, PCs, Macs, the internet, instant messaging, face booking, blogging, YouTube, iPod, iPad, and just about instant everything. These students move at what seems like the speed of light. Today’s Teacher Librarians have the skills to educate our high speed students, retain their attention, and teach them how to be safe as they utilize the many different technologies available to them.

Helping All Students Excel

Our students benefit in a variety of ways from having access to Teacher Librarians. First, Teacher Librarians support our students literacy by providing a large selection and variety of texts to interest and encourage students to read and discover the world around them. Next, Teacher Librarians provide interventions for our students who struggle with reading and writing. Students with deficiencies are identified and given extra support and time to read or write with experienced Teacher Librarians. Students who excel in the classroom are given time to enhance their learning and projects by meeting with Teacher Librarians and creating videos, slide shows or using other media to research their subject more comprehensively and present what they have learned. Another benefit Teacher Librarians provide to our students is a cohesive connection between students’ classroom learning and the communication technologies available to them. Teacher Librarians are well informed about the curriculum being taught and can provide opportunities for our children to use many types of media (computer software) to research and demonstrate what they have learned to peers, teachers and parents.

Tammy Langeberg – Epitome of a Modern TL

At Warder Elementary, we have an excellent example of an invaluable Teacher Librarian, Tammy Langeberg. She epitomizes what a modern Teacher Librarian is and does. She conducts Book Fairs that help get books into the homes of all students. She creates extracurricular opportunities for students such as Technology Club, Reflections (a program that encourages students to create works of art in the areas of literature, dance, photography, and visual arts), and the Science Fair. Ms. Langeberg teaches students good presentation skills through performance on the Warder School News (a closed circuit  student news program viewed each morning by the entire school). She hosts homework help after school in the library, and teaches students to use Google Docs and blogging to improve and encourage their writing skills, which also builds community and keeps parents informed about their students’ learning. Ms. Langeberg and other Teacher Librarians keep students engaged and on track for future success in all aspects of their lives.

Don’t Leave Our Kids Ill Prepared

It is imperative to our students’ success that Teacher Librarians continue to be an available resource that bridges the gap between expectations for our students learning and their actual achievement. Without Teacher Librarians’ expertise our children will be ill-prepared for their technologically-rich futures.