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Elizabeth Hutchinson: Planning for the new school year


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Guest blog: Elizabeth Hutchinson is a Chartered librarian and Fellow of CILIP. With nearly 20 years of experience in school libraries she is now a trainer and adviser and an advocate for FOSIL- Inquiry based Learning. She was awarded the BEM for services to libraries in 2020, is an international speaker, podcaster, blogger and author of a number of published articles.

Planning for the new school year has started again with gusto but what does planning mean to you? Is it something that you have in your head or is it something more formal? However you do it, I hope I can give you some ideas to help ease the stress of coming up with a great plan. If you are sitting here reading this thinking 'plan, who has time for a plan?' you certainly won't be the only one. However, if you are feeling ready for more then please read on.

Planning for the new school year

If you have been following my blogs, you won't be surprised to hear me suggest that downloading and reading the IFLA School Library Guidelines is a good place to start planning. A publication that gives school librarians a complete picture of what a school library could offer. In my opinion, it is a truly inspirational and aspirational look at school librarianship. I was rightly questioned by a school librarian about the age of the IFLA guidelines when I blogged about it earlier this year so I want to take this opportunity to point you towards an episode of my FOSIL, Education and School Libraries podcast where Darryl Toerien and I explain more about the guidelines and why the age of them is not a concern Celebrating our first year with your questions. 

The guidelines can be a little overwhelming so I thought a list may help you plan along with the page links to the guidelines so you can read them for yourself. You are not going to achieve all of this in one year but it is a good place to start thinking about your long-term strategic plan.

  1. Definition of your school library (p.16)

Can you explain your school library's purpose and vision? Being able to do this confidently is a good starting point. It is not always easy so start by writing it down and then practice saying it out loud. 

2. Roles of a professional school librarian (p.27)

Many of us make assumptions about what this is. Mainly from our own experiences of the school libraries we have seen and worked in. However, there is a lot more to being a school librarian than meets the eye. This chapter opens the door to moving your school library and your role forward in a way you may not have considered before.

3. School Library Evaluation Checklist (p65)

It is good to go through this list as it highlights areas to focus on. You may want to remove some of the questions and add others of your own but it is a great starting tool.

4. Programmes and Activities of a School Library (p38-45)

This whole chapter is worth checking out as it highlights all the exciting areas a school librarian can focus on. Try stepping out of your comfort zone and decide which of your regular tasks could be done less often to allow time for some of these.

5. Inquiry-based Learning Models (p41)

If you have not already found a framework for Inquiry Learning then I would recommend you explore FOSIL (Framework Of Skills for Inquiry Learning). It is a FREE Reception to Year 13 framework that builds on the skills needed to help and support your students to become independent learners. For more information check out The FOSIL Group website here and make sure you look at the resources page for ideas to get you started. 

 

Want more help to get started?

Over the last few years, I have been creating online training for school librarians. If you would like more help after reading this blog, please check out my support and membership packages. Prices start from only £8.75 a month!

Good luck with the new school year. You are not on your own so please get in touch if you need any help or support.


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