In November of 2017, the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) introduced a new set of standards designed to enhance the previous National School Library Standards and create a higher-level learning system in libraries that are constantly changing and incorporating more digital and visual media resources in order to serve 21st century learners.
Previously, the National Library Standards were promoted as guidelines for school librarians, and because of this, many thought of them as only suggestions. However, by emphasizing the word “standards,” AASL hopes school librarians will use the new standards and work to implement them within their own libraries. The standards were created with input from school librarians across the United States to help ensure that they contain information librarians can actually put to use within their schools.
The American Association of School Librarians provides us with the following description of these standards: “The framework is anchored by six Shared Foundations – Inquire, Include, Collaborate, Curate, Explore, and Engage – which highlight the standards’ core educational concepts. Key Commitments describe the essential understandings for each of the six Shared Foundations, which are then elaborated upon by three to five Competencies for each learning category of Domain – Think, Create, Share, and Grow. The Competencies are measurable statements describing the knowledge, skills, and dispositions essential for learners and school librarians. For school libraries the Competencies are expressed as Alignments. Shared Foundations, Key Commitments, and Domains appear across all three standards sets for learners, school librarians, and school libraries. The parallel structure helps articulate how student learning relates to school librarian practice and to the overall school library environment.”
If you are a classroom teacher, you are aware of learning, professional, and program standards. This set is alike in that the AASL Standards are not a curriculum; rather, they provide you with guidance and structure as you develop a curriculum tailored to priorities and needs. The contents of the standards are designed to be used in two ways:
- As Personalized Guides. Learners and school librarians can enter the standards at the point most appropriate to the learning task or professional activity and use the standards to guide decisions about actions to develop specific competencies.
- As Progressions. Learners and school librarians first engage with the Domains at the level of Think, and once mastery of the Competencies related to Think are achieved, progress through Create, Share, and Grow. Teaching and learning are at the center of school librarians’ practice. As learning leaders, school librarians enact, model, and communicate the Competencies in the Domains. This domain-based approach to organizing the standards ensures that school librarians are able to personalize their professional practice and growth, continuously tailoring their school library to needs, their own strengths, and learners’ benefits.
How does this work in actual libraries though? I interviewed Randye Polk, media specialist at Rawlinson Road Middle School, in order to gain an understanding of how school librarians are using the standards in their day to day learning experiences with students. For this interview, I focused on the Shared Foundation titled, “Collaborate.” Let’s take a quick peek at this Shared Foundation:
And now, some questions and answers from the interview:
- What are some examples of the ways in which you are implementing these competencies in your library program?
- Today I implemented a lesson that involved collaboration. Recently I got in a new book order and I wanted to promote the books to the students who were coming into the library that day. I had the students engage in a collaborative book talk. I printed out summaries for each book but edited out characters and settings. Before students came in I placed around 8 books on each table in our group instruction area. Students called out numbers 1-5 and were directed to sit at a particular table that corresponded to the number they called out. Students then had several minutes at each table to learn as much as they could about each book. As students collaborated to discuss what they read from the summaries on the back, and by scanning the books, they worked together to become familiar with each book. When time was up for familiarizing themselves with the books, one student from each group chose a summary and the table worked together to figure out which book the summary went with. When they had matched the summary with the book, they got to choose another summary. The group with the most matches at the end of the lesson were declared the winners. I think having a small group of students who help run the news show each morning is also another way we collaborate. Students research important news topics, another student writes the script from notes taken during research, two anchors share the information with other students, and others act as behind the scenes crew as they record and share the link with the classrooms.
- What are some of the resources in your library program that you are using to implement these competencies?
- The resources that I use in the library to promote collaboration would definitely be the furniture that I chose to add to the collection. You can see that we have an area in the library for group learning and activities. The tables are comfortable and welcoming, which allows students to engage in collaborative work effectively.
- Do any of the competencies that you are implementing include collaboration with classroom teachers? If so, please provide examples.
- Sure. I recently collaborated with 8th grade, specifically the social studies teachers to create a gallery walk where students would have a checklist of features to find in photographs from the Progressive Era. I know students used “thinking” during the collaborative opportunities. Students were able to demonstrate what they had learned as well as deepen their understanding. I think they also developed new understandings as they engaged in their learning groups. I saw students “sharing” as well. They looked at photos in the gallery walk from diverse perspectives and then shared their perspectives with others. Students then provided and responded to feedback during the learning experience. Students also “grew” afterwards when they participated in group discussions related to the activity. If students actively contributed to group discussions, then they would recognize that their learning experience was also a social responsibility.
- What are some of the challenges that you face when trying to implement these competencies?
- I think the challenge I face the most is time constraints. Our school has a flexible schedule, so I don’t see every class in the school on a weekly or even a bi-weekly basis. Sometimes it’s just once a month, and sometimes if classroom teachers are deep within a unit, I won’t see students from that class for quite some time. It is hard to implement competencies effectively when you don’t have students to give these learning opportunities to.
- Are there any other comments that you would like to make regarding the Shared Foundation / Competencies and Domains that we have discussed today?
- I know that I prepare lessons that focus on curriculum standards, but the more I read through the AASL standards, the more I realize how closely they correlate with what I have already used before. And if I haven’t used it before, the standards are written in an easy to follow way so that I am not scrambling to make sense of it. Also, people should know that school librarians aren’t just people who sit behind a desk and check out books. We are teachers just like other members of the school community, so adhering to a set of standards to allow our students to gain a more meaningful learning experience is a pretty cool thing.
Mrs. Polk is correct, school librarians and library media specialists are not simple people who sit behind a desk and check out books. They are teachers too. The new ASSL standards see school librarians are partners in learning and provide competencies that connect to their different roles. Based on the AASL standards, school librarians are seen as:
- Leaders
- Instructional partners
- Information specialists
- Teachers
- Administrators (of the school library)
As I reflect upon my experience during my internship with Mrs. Polk, I know that librarians should be involved in regular grade level meetings and faculty meetings in order to play a role in curriculum planning. A school library is not just a place for students to complete research projects assigned by another teacher in the building. It is now a place for librarians to help teach research skills. Therefore, librarians and teachers should collaborate themselves, in order to develop lessons and assignments for students that will reflect both curriculum standards as well as AASL standards. This process will help students recognize that learning can take place anywhere. The standards give students the tools they need to think, create, share, and grow in order to become lifelong learners and they encourage librarians to become key players in the process.
More information from the American Association of School Librarians can be found on the AASL website, which includes a standards portal. The AASL provides additional resources to help school librarians understand and implement the standards within their own libraries.
Swearingen the Librarian 