My Visit with a Teacher-Librarian
Mrs. Bennett is a teacher-librarian at Joshua Creek Public School in Oakville, Ontario. Photo by Kim Cooper
Recently I visited Joshua Creek Public School in Oakville, ON, and had a chance to hang out in the library with Mrs. Kathryn Bennett. And wow, did I learn a lot!
Mrs. Bennett is a full-time teacher-librarian, and the first thing I noticed about her was how much she cares. She cares about maintaining a high standard in the library, but most importantly, she cares immensely about the students. She also feels strongly about encouraging reluctant readers and is passionate about matching the appropriate books to students’ reading levels. Why send a student home with a book if they won’t read it, or if it’s too difficult for them?
As part-librarian and part-teacher, Mrs. Bennett is sometimes called upon by other teachers to help students with certain projects.
“Mrs. Bennett, when will we work together on a project again?” asked a grade two student, his eyes filled with hope. She later explained to me that she had worked with this student and a few others on a project that involved a Google+ slideshow (how cool is that?)—and that he was waiting anxiously to do another!
Even during my short visit, Mrs. Bennett was in demand! I learned quickly that her job entails so many things—here are just a few of her responsibilities:
-Provides students information in a variety of formats, including audio books, e-books, and print books
-Recommends age-appropriate and curriculum-related books to students and teachers
-Builds an inventory of resources that are educational, informative, and entertaining
-Maintains an extensive database of information and resources… and so much more!
My visit with Mrs. Bennett reminded me that teacher-librarians are so important. They promote literacy and help kids become interested in new topics. In short, I thought Mrs. Bennett was pretty cool!
Now it’s your turn: Do you know a cool librarian or teacher-librarian? Comment below and tell us.
-Kim
