Expectations

I begin a new year in a new school in a beautifully renovated Library. After taking a course over the summer that made me think hard about my pedagogical choices, I am choosing to redefine my teaching philosophy.  By continually evolving my practice, I work to be relevant to our students. I  have discovered that they want meaningful experiences within their education, and that is what I can provide to them.  The most meaningul education that I have received is through the embodiment of Dramatic activities that promote discusssion and inquiry.  At any time that I have offered this form of communication to students, it is has been received openly, even by those who are typiclly shy or introverted.  That is why I have chosen a Drama Based Pedagogy to be my flagship as we move forward this year.

I agree with Harvey that TLs are open to change as we are evaluators by nature.  Some change, however, can feel overwhelming and I don't believe that we should feel that we have to learn everything, especially with regards to all the technologies that are being designed and produced daily.  In order for it to be intentional and meaningful for students, I think that learning a few things each year to add to our repertoire is sufficient.  Students are going to be able to naturally pick up on many of these things and in turn teach them to us.  That is the reciprocal nature of education thankfully!  I am certainly hoping my students will be teaching me all that they have learned in the last year about coding and robotics.  

I agree entirely about the relationship dynamics that Toor/Weisburg present between TL and Students, Teachers and Admin.  At my last school, I had to make the staff understand how valuable I could be.  They had experienced high turnover with tls coming and going in the years previous and I knew they deserved to have committed support.  It takes time to develop those relationships, but it happened very naturally and I was able to stay for two years.  When I had to leave it was very dissapointing for everyone because they had come to learn about the kind of support that they can have.  

Something I find refreshing at my new school is that prior to the Library renovations taking place, students and staff were consulted about what they wanted it to look and feel like and how they wanted it to operate. Students had a hand in managing a library website that allowed them to sign up for monitor shifts when they were available.  It clearly offered some autonomy for their choices, and sets up an expectation of how they want to interact with this space.  I will be learning more about how to continue this process with them.

As for the extra duties assigned to a TL, I agree that really its all about creating relationships and showing students and teachers that you care about what happens to them.  The more they know that the easier time you will have interacting with them and working and learning together.  I always look forward to seeing the students in other settings other than the Library to see what it is they are doing or are into.  It all supports the ease of relationship.  Teachers coach so I do extra clubs.