School Library Association of NSW
Issue11
Issue
iLeader
Journal of the
School Library Association of
New South Wales
Autumn
Autumn
2012 2012
In this issue—
Page
3 Power of Story
Page 12 Creativity—our leading edge
Page 16 Tintin effect
Professional Learning
|
Advocacy
|
Research
School Library Association of NSW
Leading Perspective
Bill Sommerville & Linda Gibson-Langford
We are excited. The Year of the Dragon—the Water Dragon—is here!
An auspicious symbol, the Water Dragon is fearless in the face of challenge! Whether we laugh or turn our
backs on the oft times cited image of teacher librarians as dragons, we can enjoy this year immensely as we
honour such an intensely powerful symbol of Chinese myth and legend, as well as good fortune. The
association‟s new committee is composed of vibrant, creative, imaginative teacher librarians—raring to
participate in developing a great program of professional learning, prepared to establish an excellent advocacy
portfolio, and inspired to offer a vibrant research environment.
Our journal has had a facelift to celebrate our new beginnings. The title of our journal, iLeader, is inspired by
the changes being wrought in the design of school libraries as learning commons. It also reflects the focus on
1:1 learning and teaching and our role in leading students and colleagues through the changing landscape of
information access. iLeader acknowledges both our role and our core work. We are indeed leaders in
multiliteracies, leaders in emerging technologies for educational use, and, as well, leaders in professonal
learning for our colleagues.
As iLeaders, we have a promising year ahead. The State Library Day on March 10 will be a wonderful day of
celebration with its theme of Imagine, Create, Participate. We have tentatively planned an afternoon in May
focussed on creative ways to tell stories (especially digital storytelling) an August research extravaganza—
shared learning to help you trial new ideas and promote your talents as literature experts, and finally in
November, a glimpse into building stories through moviemaking with young people. We are focussed on
different ways to reach our regional members, including Webinars. Further, we are conscious that Twilight
Seminars might also provide good short bursts for sharing ideas. Finally, we hope to hold a dinner with a
special guest to celebrate our Year of the Dragon. At the moment, the new committee is teeming with ideas to
make 2012 an invigorating year. Do let us know your ideas and requests and certainly let us know if you
would like to share a session on something you have developed. Your ideas are very much appreciated.
Contact me, Bill Sommerville, at sommervillew@gmail.com
For now, enjoy our first edition of iLeader. Celebrate our SLA NSW Award Winners for 2012. Be inspired by Dr
Arnold Zable‟s heartfelt The power of story: One writer‟s journey, and take on board the need to understand the
importance of your oft times invisible work through gathering the evidence in short action research initiatives.
Finally, do not fear creativity—it is one of the more important characteristics of our profession.
The Year of the Dragon—are you ready for the challenge?
SLA NSW thanks Arnold Zable, Val Bunn, Susan Buttrey, Di Laycock, Linda Gibson-Langford & Bill Sommerville
for their contributions to iLeader Volume 1 Issue 1.
Cover image of young boys reading from e-book courtesy of Christ Church Grammar School Perth WA.
This publication has been prepared for the members of the School Library Association of NSW Inc. The opinions expressed
herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of SLA NSW Inc. While reasonable checks have been
made to ensure the accuracy of statements and advice, no responsibility for any loss occasioned to any person acting on or
refraining from action as a result of material in this publication is accepted by the authors or SLA NSW Inc. Copyright of articles
is held by SLA NSW and by each author therein.
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School Library Association of NSW
The power of story: One writer‟s journey
My love of story began early.
As a child growing up in post-war Melbourne, I lived in two
worlds. I roamed the neighbourhood streets with my mates. I
had much freedom because my parents were busy making a
new life in a new land. My father had been a poet and teacher
of Yiddish back in Poland. He would have earned one cent a
year doing that here, so he worked in factories and later, at the
Victoria market.
On returning home, I entered another world.
English was my parents‟ sixth language. Yiddish was their
mother tongue. As she worked, my mother would sing Yiddish
songs she‟d performed in Poland before the war, and in his
spare time my father would be bent over his beloved Yiddish
poets. Late night, from my bed, I heard them in the distant
kitchen, talking of Bielsk, Grodek, Orly, Bransk, Bialystok—towns
and villages near the Russian-Polish border, where they had
spent the first thirty years of their lives.
I would look at photos of aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins,
and I‟d ask, “Who are these people? Where are they now?” My
father was not talkative in those days. My mother could never
tell me what happened to them, but she would wake from a
recurring dream crying, “Mama. Mama”.
One night, woken by her cries, I crept along the passage to their
bedroom and overheard her telling my father she‟d had that
dream again, of a village on fire, and of running from the flames
with her brothers and sisters. One by one they fell until she was
the last left running.
My mother would rage: „I‟ve got a story to tell. No one
understands, no one knows who I really am.‟
Like the character Josh in my novel Scraps of Heaven, I
constantly retreated to the streets to escape her rages, but
would return, drawn by her fragmented tales, her songs and her
passion for life, despite it all.
Dr Arnold Zable is the newly
appointed Vice-Chancellor's Fellow at
University of Melbourne. A human
rights activist, Arnold has written
several works for theatre, and his
novel Café Scherazade was rewritten for the stage in 2011. He was
co-writer of the play Kan Yama Kan,
in which asylum seekers tell their
stories.
Zable speaks and writes with passion
about memory and history,
displacement and community. He
has conducted numerous writing
workshops and has been a visiting
lecturer in creative writing at Deakin,
Melbourne, Monash, RMIT, La Trobe
and Victoria Universities.
His many books, which tell the
immigrant refugee story, are perfect
narratives for HSC Belonging.
Years later I undertook a journey to those towns and villages. I
returned with the maps of my parents‟ youth. They opened up a
new conversation with my ageing parents. I would sit with my
mother at the kitchen table, or with my father in Curtain Square,
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School Library Association of NSW
I am drawn to people who are desperate to tell
their stories. … [I receive] letters ...from readers
who tell me they recognise their own stories in
mine. I call this process „the mirror‟.
the neighbourhood park, and they would tell tales
about the streets I had walked.
Many of the stories recounted in Jewels and ashes,
my memoir of that journey, stem from these
conversations. Jewels and ashes was an attempt to
create a narrative out of fragments, a personal act
of restoration. My journey was a quest, and the
book an attempt to restore the missing link in the
ancestral chain.
This impulse has persisted in my writing.
In Café Scheherazade, I was compelled to create a
novel out of the tales recounted by the refugees
who gathered in this iconic Melbourne cafe.
The fig tree is a collection of true stories that pay
homage to my son Alexander‟s four grandparents,
who died before he could know them. In Scraps of
heaven, I was driven to resurrect the dual worlds of
my childhood, and to portray the characters who
lived there in the post-war years, when my
neighbourhood was composed of immigrants from
many lands living beside older generations of
Australians.
Sea of Many Returns is a novel based on the many
stories I had heard on the island of Ithaca, from
where my wife Dora‟s family come. Many of these
tales are contemporary versions of Odysseus, who
in ancient times left Ithaca to fight the Trojan wars,
and did not return for twenty years.
These modern day voyagers undertake journeys
from impoverished Ithaca to distant lands. Their
tales echo the tales of many Australians. After all,
except for indigenous people, give or take a a few
generations, we all come from other places
throughout the globe.
Violin Lessons
My new book, Violin lessons, begins in familiar
territory. A young boy plays a violin in the kitchen
while his mother sits at the table. It begins in the
hearth, before ranging
over countries I have
spent time in over the
years. Each of the ten
tales in Violin Lessons are
sparked by what Primo
Levi called the „eloquent
episode‟, or
Virginia
Woolf,
„moments
of
being.‟
For instance, there is the
Cambodian fisherman in the tale The dust of life
who plays the bamboo flute on the Mekong late at
night. It‟s a moment that transcends the madness
of the war that was raging over the border in
Vietnam.
There is that episode in The partisan‟s song that
depicts the young poet, Hirsh Glick, sitting by a
makeshift table in a candlelit cellar under the Vilna
Ghetto, reciting the poem that would become the
anthem of the resistance.
And there is the epic tale of the Iraqi asylum
seeker, Amal Basry, which begins with her
childhood memory of those Friday afternoons when
her father would walk with her by the Tigris River in
Baghdad and sing to her the songs of the Arabic
diva Umm Khultum.
These episodes are the central thread around
which other threads are woven. In the title story,
for instance, the story moves from my recent
resumption of violin lessons to memories of my
childhood music teacher, and to the elderly Naji
Cohen, who once played the violin in Baghdad.
In A chorus of feet, the percussive tread of
Venetians on their way to work, triggers the
memories of journeys that take me far beyond the
streets of the carless city. Each tale is an
exploration, each episode begets new episodes,
and each thread contributes to the final tapestry.
Carl Jung, a renowned psychologist said that we all
have a story to tell, and to deny it can lead to
despair.
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School Library Association of NSW
This is the storyteller‟s paradox! ... We recount
ou own stories or listen to other people‟s tales...
our obligation is to honour the story...
I
am
drawn
to
people
who
are
desperate to tell their stories. In putting them into
the public domain, I have received letters and emails
from readers who tell me they recognise their own
stories in mine. I call this process „the mirror‟.
story, its unique characters and places. Yet in
remaining true to the craft, the specific tale will
resonate with many readers.
The personal is the universal.
Two examples—
And in the specific tale, we discover our common
humanity.
In 1970 young Australians were being conscripted to
fight in Vietnam. My birthdate did not come up in
the lottery, but I managed to get a journalist‟s visa
from the Vietnamese embassy in Bangkok.
Such is the power of story.
In war-torn Saigon, I met street boys in a refuge set
up by an American journalist. Called the dust of
life, the boys roamed the streets doing jobs for
American and Australian soldiers, while at night they
had a place to which to retreat.
One boy, aged about fifteen, told me that two years
ago his village was bombed. As he was running
from the flames, he realised he‟d never again see
his parents alive. I instantly recalled my mother‟s
recurring nightmare.
There is a Yiddish term, luftmensch, meaning
literally „man of air‟, that I allude to in Café
Scheherazade. It encapsulates the predicament of
those who have been running so long from place to
place that they no longer feel the ground beneath
their feet. I grew up with such people.
Café Scheherazade was published at about the
same time as Aboriginal writer, Kim Scott‟s novel,
Benang. The principle character, Harley, begins to
literally float up. He becomes a flying narrator. His
feet no longer touch the ground. His predicament
mirrors that of the refugee, the luftmensch. Harley,
the indigenous Australian, becomes unearthed
because the ground that had long sustained his
ancestors had been cut from beneath his feet.
This is the storyteller‟s paradox!
We recount our own stories or listen to other
people‟s tales, and as writers, we shape them into
fiction or non-fiction, novel or memoir.
Research into Practice
providing evidence
of our worth toward
a literate Australia
Interested in evidence-based practice?
Want to join a vibrant team of teacher
librarians?
Active advocacy depends on your
involvement in gathering the essential
evidence that YOU make a difference to
learning and teaching by dint of your
pivotal role in literacy.
Contact Alinda Sheerman, SLA NSW
Coordinator of Research to learn how
you can develop your research portfolio
at asheerman@gmail.com
Whatever the form, our obligation is to honour the
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School Library Association of NSW
John Hirst Award
Ms Stacey Taylor
MA(Information), BA., GDip.(Teaching & Learning)
It is with great pleasure that the 2012 John Hirst Award is conferred on Ms Stacey Taylor in
recognition of her outstanding leadership within the Teacher Librarian community, both in
Australia and overseas.
Formerly working in a dual system (NSW Board of Studies & International Baccalaureate
Middle Years) at Monte Sant‟ Angelo Mercy College, Stacey, now at Kambala, believes that
teacher librarians have the ability to be leaders in quality teaching and learning within their
own schools. Stacey is a strong advocate and leader in her efforts to offer the library as an active and
progressive learning commons. Some of her key practices include a high level of support for students
undertaking research projects, and mentoring both students and teachers alike in collaborative environments.
She is unyielding in her desire to create and share her knowledge and skills across the curriculum, employing
active learning strategies.
Stacey endeavours to model excellent practice as evident in her active online presence—her blog Librarians Are
Go, twitter stream @staceyT, and her presence on teacher librarian forums, such as European Consortium of
International Schools, iSkoodle and OZTL_NET, has promoted her leadership in the field of using Web 2.0 tools.
Stacey is a consummate learner, sharing her ideas and providing expert support to our professional community.
Her intense desire to engage in meaningful dialogue with others in the profession facing similar challenges and
demands has earned her this honour.
Congratulations, Stacey.
John H Lee Memorial Award
Mr Ian McLean
GDip.(Applied Science), GDip.(Education Studies)
Ian McLean, Teacher Librarian at Penrith Public School, shines as an innovator through his
collaborative approach in the use of technology. His blog Booked Inn: Heroic adventures in
teacher librarianship was recently added to the National Library of Australia‟s PANDORA
archive as an exemplar of educational websites in Australia. This inclusion ensures public
online access in perpetuity.
At a local level, Ian promotes both Collaborative Program Planning and Teaching [CPPT] and
Guided Inquiry, integrating many learning technology strategies into the school‟s learning
and teaching programs.
His leadership goes beyond his own school environment with his willingness to share his innovative teaching
practices through a wide range of avenues, including blogs, wikis, various listservs, numerous publications and
conference presentations. Extending his enthusisam for collaborative learning to the NSW School Libraries and
Information Literacy Unit, he has lead a number of book RAPs, as well as contributed to the NSW DEC Social
Media Yammer and Maang. In 2011, his Stage Three students‟ blog, Endangered animals: beyond the
rainforest, opened the e-learning environment for his students, teachers, family members and the wider
community, thus broadening the sphere of collaboration.
Congratulations, Ian, a truly deserving recipient of the John H Lee Memorial Award.
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School Library Association of NSW
SLA NSW Teacher Librarian of the Year
Ms Alinda Sheerman
MAppSci., GDipEd., Dip.Teaching (Primary)
Alinda is valued as an active and vital part of the teaching and learning community at
Broughton Anglican College.
She displays a rich depth of curriculum knowledge across key learning areas, working with
students across both the primary and secondary school. Alinda has lead the way for both
students and teachers to be researchers, investigators, evaluators and analysers of
knowledge. Alinda has been a shining example of lifelong learning in her own development
and growth as a Teacher Librarian. The respect given to Alinda by her school community,
coupled with her recent Quality Teaching Award, is testament to this. As Principal Mr D.
O‟Connor says, “Ms Sheerman is an outstanding educator of students and her peers. All members of our
College community hold her in high regard.”
Alinda‟s introduction of a Guided Inquiry approach to teaching and learning has resulted in the development of
collaboration with teaching staff to produce programs across the school that are student-centred, engaging and
challenging learning experiences.
It is in recognition of the excellence shown in supporting the school
community and, in particular, student learning. that Alinda receives the School Library Association of New
South Wales Teacher Librarian of the Year 2012. Alinda now becomes the association‟s nomination for the
ASLA Teacher Librarian of the Year.
Congratulations, Alinda.
Maurice Saxby Award
Paul Macdonald
MEd., BEd.
Paul Macdonald is not your average bookseller.
With a background of nearly 20 years as a primary and secondary English teacher, Paul
uses his business, The Children‟s Bookshop, as a launch pad for his impassioned
advocacy of children‟s and young adult literature within schools and the broader
community. He not only enacts this passion within the walls of The Children‟s Bookshop,
providing professional advice and hosting myriad literature-related events for all, but
carries it into classrooms and school libraries across rural and urban NSW, and beyond.
A well-known and popular face at professional learning events for teachers and teacher librarians, Paul provides
current and comprehensive information on reading for pleasure and for the curriculum. He has kept abreast of
the changing face of literature in the 21st century, and is prepared to enter into considered debate that
surrounds the future of the printed book.
Paul Macdonald is a true „gentleman of the book‟, always willing to go the extra mile to promote children‟s and
young adult literature, and to support those working in schools who share his passion. Winner of the NSW/ACT
Specialist Bookshop of the Year 2011, there is no more worthy recipient than Paul Macdonald for the inaugural
Maurice Saxby Award for services to children‟s and young adult literature.
Congratulations, Paul.
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School Library Association of NSW
Good morning... Dubbo West Public School.
CBCA calling?
You want to do what?
...and there began two days of intense reading and
writing.
In the role of Dubbo West PS Acting
Assistant Principal/Teacher Lbrarian, I was witness to
two days of engaged learning—students across the
year levels bubbling with ideas and eager to write
their story.
Figure 1, 2 & 4 capture the engagment of the
children as Aleesah takes them through the
narrative process.
This excitment for writing was, and will continue, to
be carried into many more classrooms and also,
importantly, into homes.
What happened?
During November 2011, Aleesah Darlison and Ken
Searle flew into Dubbo. They each spent a day at
Buninyong and Dubbo West Public Schools.
Our schools were chosen because of the distance
from Sydney, the large percentage of indigenous
students at our schools and the low literacy levels of
some students.
Aleesah arrived at Dubbo West on Wednesday
morning and began the first of two sessions with a
group of twenty five Year Three students, two Year
Three teachers and two classroom aides.
Figure 1
The children were selected to participate and
included students with varying literacy levels.
Aleesah‟s focus was to take the audience through
the process of writing a narrative.
Step by step they chose characters, plots, settings
and developed complications turning these into a
strong base for their story wiritng.
Students were engaged and attentive, especially the
boys, who initially were reticent to write. The children
were amazingly focussed and behaviour issues
disappeared.
Figure 2
The buzz from the students demonstrated that the
experience of writing could engage these young
minds if writing was connected to their lifeworlds
Aleesah Darlison
In the news!
See website
At the end of the session, the local television station
crew filmed a short segment for the local news,
capturing the excitement and energy of the students.
www.aleesahdarlison.com/picture_books
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School Library Association of NSW
Both our teachers, Kathryn and Lea, were first
year out. Although they had contributed so
much to the learning of our students, they
could not contain their excitement as Aleesah
presented a different way of
teaching
something they had taught during the year.
To enable both teachers to have as wide an
exposure as possible to Aleesah and her
imaginative ideas, we employed a casual to
allow both teachers to attend all sessions with
the selected students, thus providing
opportunities for the new ideas to be carried
on in their classroom with all students.
Figure 3 The new Dubbo West PS library becomes the perfect
venue for Aleesah‟s presentation.
Pipp Puggles is a tiny echidna with a big
problem... Pipp‟s spines simply will not
come.
In the afternoon, all students from Years
Three to Six sat in our new library to hear
Aleesah talk about her journey towards
becoming a writer.
She used her lovely illustrated book entitled
Puggles‟ Problem to engage the children and
to give them a context for the need to develop
perseverance and patience.
The students were thoroughly entertained as
Aleesah shared the struggle that comes with
trying to move from imagination to reality—a
product.
This was a perfect ending to a hard working,
focused and productive day for this group of
young people.
Book trailer of
Puggle‟s Problem at
http://bit.ly/awcjKR
Figure 4
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School Library Association of NSW
But that‟s not all!
Ken Searle gave a presentation to staff after school.
Teachers and Teacher Librarians from surrounding
schools heard about Ken‟s time at Papunya in the
Northern Territory.
He displayed his colourful and detailed art work of the
area and talked about how he worked with the local
people to record their history (see his multi-award
winning Papunya School Book of Country and History
written by Nadia Wheatley ).
Story Mapping
Ken returned to Dubbo West on Thursday to work with
students from Years Four, Five and Six to develop their
own story map. The students and staff worked through
each step of the writing process. They spent time
drawing who they were, who was important to them
and where they lived.
Each student left with a poster, developed in great
detail, showing their life, friends, neighbourhood and
families—their life story map.
But it wasn‟t only the children who were inspired,
excited and enthusiastic. Parents talked about the
renewed enthusiasm their children had for writing and
for reading. One parent, for example, shared that her
son had gone home and talked enthusiastically about
what they had done and was eager to share his
learning; something he didn‟t usually do.
The two days with Aleesah and Ken reminded us that
all students learn different things in different ways.
We must keep trying new things to find what works
best for our class. For students who do not always
have access to books at home, this was a way of
increasing the significance of reading through writing
their own history in a way that had a positive impact on
their learning.
To learn more about Ken Searle go to his website at
www.allenandunwin.com/default.aspx?
page=311&author=376
Thank you to the Children‟s Book Council of
Australia (NSW Branch) Inc., the School Library
Association of NSW (SLA NSW) and Arts NSW.
Without their financial support, this learning
experience would not have been possible.
Susan Buttrey
SLA NSW
Grants Programme
Grants are offered by
the
association to members for support
in various intiatives.
Chat to Anne Plowman at
anne.plowman@gmail.com after
visiting www.slansw.asn.au/
advocacy.
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School Library Association of NSW
State
Library
Day
March 10
National Year of Reading
with special guests
Maurice Saxby
Imagine
create
participate
Deborah Abela
Susanne Gervay
Details and registration at
www.slansw.asn.au
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School Library Association of NSW
Creativity—our leading edge.
Looking at the Association's 2012 award recipients, it‟s clear they have one thing in common—pedagogy underpinned by the notion of creativity.
Here‟s a group of individuals prepared to reflect on their practice, to seek innovative strategies for teaching and
learning, and perhaps more importantly, to consider failure as a positive and normal phenomenon. Further,
they are individuals prepared to step aside as „the expert‟ to allow their young charges to lead, to experiment,
and also, to fail. These are the attributes of a creative leader.
Creativity—the leader‟s edge
What is creativity? Is it learned? Is it innovationdriven? A consequence of higher intelligence? Or
is it something we inherit?
We‟re probably familiar with the more traditional
notion of creativity as a quality possessed by
eminent individuals in the arts or sciences—think
Mozart, van Gogh, Einstein and Newton; think
Stephen Hawking and Steve Jobs.
Recent understandings of the term, however, take
a more democratic stance and view creativity as an
inherent quality possessed by all individuals and
capable of being expressed in all areas of human
endeavour.
According to
the British National Advisory
Committee on Creative and Cultural Education
(NACCCE), chaired by Sir Ken Robinson, creativity
can be defined as “imaginative activity fashioned
so as to produce outcomes that are both original
and of value” (1999, p. 30). Implicit in this
definition are the fundamental characteristics of
the creative process. It is





of this more democratic definition also suggest,
creativity is no longer the exclusive domain of
individuals, but can be expressed at the level of
peer groups and the wider society. When viewed
from this perspective, creativity becomes an
essential element or process for effective
participation in 21st century society.
As Levasseur states in his must-read online article
„The power of play in learning‟, “We don‟t have
maps for the territory of tomorrow. As a result, all
citizens must become explorers of this emerging
world.” By implication, the facilitation of creativity
in our students, and teachers, becomes a
necessary inclusion, and not merely an option, on
any educational agenda.
Somewhere along the way, however, there has
been some slippage between the rhetoric on
playful,
exploratory,
purposeful,
fluid, and
risky.
If we accept the NACCCE definition of creativity,
then you and I, in fact all of us, have the potential
to be creative. Further, as advocates
Image courtesy Krissy Venosdale at http://bit.lywXAoWk
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School Library Association of NSW
creativity and our efforts to foster its development in
teachers and students.
Robinson‟s phrase,
“schools kill creativity”, reflects on the failing of
institutions to attend to the context in which we
hope to nurture creative individuals. How, for
example, can teachers and students be supported
in creative processes that involve risk-taking,
mistake-making, autonomy and collaboration whilst
operating within the current contextual constraints
of high-stakes assessment and explicitly prescribed
and outcome-driven curricula?
Similarly, how can schools promote creativity
through the provision of spatially and chronologically
flexible environments within the existing rigidity of
timetables and routines rooted in the traditions of
19th Century industrialisation?
Whilst the barriers to fostering creativity may be
considerable, they are not, as our award recipients
have demonstrated, insurmountable.
Stacey Taylor and Ian McLean, for example, have
clearly demonstrated how the use of digital
technologies can promote and enhance creativity in
students by enabling them to think and act in ways
that have been previously inaccessible or nonexistent. They have introduced technologies that
provide new tools.
They have developed
environments which enable individuals and groups
to engage in creative ways of building, exchanging
and sharing knowledge, virtually or physically, that
support exploration, play, risk-taking, collaboration
and reflection.
Alinda Sheerman's journey with Guided Inquiry
highlights how student-driven inquiry can promote
creative thinking. Further, her evaluation of this
inquiry approach, using action research,
demonstrates how teachers might engage in
creative pedagogy; the action research cycle of
„think, plan, act and reflect‟ providing the perfect
vehicle for teachers to explore ideas, create
innovative strategies, pursue purpose and judge the
value of what they do.
Creative partnerships
Another dimension of creativity evidenced in the
achievements of the award recipients is their
demonstration that at the heart of creative teaching
and learning are not only creative individuals, but
also creative relationships. Stacey, Ian and Alinda
are not working alone, and neither should we.
Given the potential to work in all subject areas with
all teachers and students, teacher librarians are
perfectly positioned to engage in creative
partnerships.
This is where our future lies.
[Part 2 of this article will follow in Volume Issue 2 of
iLeader].
References
Levasseur, A. (2012). The power of play in learning
in Mindshift at http://mindshift.kqed.org/2012/01/
the-power-of-play-in-learning/
NACCCE (1999). All our futures: Creatvitiy, culture
and education.
Sudbury, National Advisory
Committee for Creative and Cultural Education
(DfEE & DCMS].
Di Laycock, a teacher librarian at Barker
College, is coordinator of the Action Research
Program for the International Boys' Schools
Coalition (IBSC). In 2012-2013, the program's
research topic is focused around the use of
technology to foster creativity in boys.
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School Library Association of NSW
Publish that blog!
Matthew Ingram, award winning journalist and senior
writer for GigaOM, reflects that,
It used to be so easy to define what a book was:
a collection of printed pages bound inside a
cover (hard or soft) that you could place on a
shelf in your library, or in a store.
„Singles‟—is this the 45rpm before the LP?
Ingram notes that both TED Conference and Seth
Godin (Tribes) are into micro-publishing. He also
notes that ,
some authors are making millions by selfpublishing multiple inexpensive e-books:
Amanda Hocking became famous in the
industry over the past six months for making
over $2 million by self-publishing a dozen
fiction books for younger readers.
And so, it is not a surprise that micro-publishing
is the new black. We have watched newspapers
re-think their format, the movie and music
industry struggle and adapt and now book
publishing.
As a journalist, he is seeing published work such as
blogs turn into books (consider Scott Berkun‟s
Mindfire) as well as “long pieces of journalism that are
somewhere between magazine articles and short
books.” He is seeing new companies like Byliner and
Atavist—micro-publishers—take advantage of the long
magazine article/short book.
For example, as in Berkun‟s case, he offered his
blogged book free for download for a short period of
time.
I know. I was one of the lucky ones. I downloaded
Mindfire before Berkun slapped a price on it.
Byliner‟s code of practice runs like this. It fashions
itself like a micro-imprint in a large publishing house
BUT it publishes small runs of e-books. It will operate
as an online publisher only: not quite a magazine
business and certainly not a publishing house, as we
know them.
Revenue from the long articles/short books is shared
with the author at 50/50.
Even Amazon.com has swung into this mode of
publishing „books‟, which they generically term
There is a long short book in all of us it seems. If
you can blog, you can micro-publish. You might
even make millions.
Says Ingram, “If you‟re an author, it‟s a time of
incredible chaos, but also incredible
opportunity.”
For instance, book to blog
software, such as Blog2Book and BookSmart,
are available as is FastPencil, Blogbooker.com
and Lulu.
Something to think about in this the National
Year of Reading. If we encourage our young
writers to blog in a serious organised fashion,
perhaps we can help steer them onto a
publishing path. To publish is to write, to write is
to read. The circle closes.
Read Ingram‟s What Is a Book? The Definition
Continues to Blur at http://bit.ly/gVgd9u
We thank Krissy Venosdale at
http://bit.ly/AkG7Cz for permission to use
her image.
Linda Gibson-Langford
14
School Library Association of NSW
“Twitter—the BEST
professional learning environment”,
says
Özge
Karaoğlu.
way ... not always felt in the world.
 dream party guests—interesting strangers
whose wit keeps me coming back (Mat
Johnson Pym).
So, who is Özge Karaoğlu?
As well as a primary school teacher, she is a
freelance teacher trainer with a focus on the young
and very young (her favourite are the kindies).
Recipient of a swathe of honours [ESU‟s (in
conjunction with Cambrdge University Press)
inaugural New Writing Award, Creativity and
Innovation Award, Microsoft Award for Outstanding
Teacher, MEDEA‟s Highly Commended for Animate,
Play and Learn English with Bubble and Pebble],
Özge was also listed on the 101 Woman Blogger to
Watch in 2011, and I would say, to be honoured
again in 2012.
She writes about, and reviews, Web 2.0 teaching
and learning tools with a particular focus on using
these tools with young learners. And she practices
what she preaches. Tweeting has given her access
to a stream of great ideas, links, opinions,
feedback and resources from global professionals.
Her dynamic involvement in education and
technology no doubt stems from her active
involvement with Twitter.
 It‟s a meritocracy; if you‟re interesting, you
get followed.
John Green (Paper Towns) agrees that the social
aspect of Twitter can be a powerful engine, so much
so that he has put in the effort to build up a following
on Twitter and YouTube, posting clips of himself
reading from his books.
Orlean, author of Orchard Thief,uses Twitter and
even Margaret Atwood is giving it a go. Her article
in the Guardian How I learned to love Twitter is an
amusing read (http://bit.ly/bd5ILE).
Literary
Tweets: 100+of the best authors on Twitter is
offered at http://mashable.com/2009/05/08/
twitter-authors/
Karaoğlu may be on to something—if we were all
passionate that the best professional learning is
something that is meeting our needs just now, then
the Twittersphere may provide the best opportunity
for getting that stream of good ideas, feedback,
resources.
But perhaps Margaret Atwood should have the last
word:
But there are more who have seen Twitter as an
excellent form of professional development and this
includes writers! The New York Times article Why
authors tweet (http://nyti.ms/xvTy4N) questioned
the ubiquitous use of Twitter by so many prominent
people. They decided to gather the thoughts from
eminent writers on using Twitter.
Some of the
reasons included:

it allows one to be playful, to get a sense of
what is on a lot of people‟s minds at any given
moment (Rushdie).

lets authors hijack the promotion plane,
connecting directly with potential readers.

gives a sense that people—those you know
and those you don‟t—read your work in a
So what's it all about, this Twitter? Is it
signalling, like telegraphs? Is it Zen poetry?
Is it jokes scribbled on the washroom wall?
Is it John Hearts Mary carved on a tree?
Let's just say it's communication, and
communication is something human beings
like to do.
Linda Gibson-Langford
15
School Library Association of NSW
Tintin prepares school for GN invasion
Val Bunn and Linda Gibson-Langford
At Loughborough Grammar School, in the East Midlands district of England, a decision was being made—which
book to promote for the Whole School Read Project. This innovative program ensures that every boy receives a
copy of the same book to read during the summer, which is then used as a theme for teaching and school
assemblies in the new school year. Boys are asked to consider which book for summer reading they would like
and are encouraged to present their choice of book to a selection panel. Red Rackham‟s treasure by Hergé
was chosen—a graphic novel of high adventure, featuring Tintin and friends. The school librarian was, and
continues to be, highly involved in the promotion of the chosen book, and assisted with ideas to engage the
students on return from their summer holidays.
What the school librarian Val Bunn noticed, after this particular summer reading of Hergé, was that graphic
novels were growing in popularity. Could this be a flow on from the summer reading project? Val was
intrigued enough to trial a strategically-oriented promotion of graphic novels.
Val initially reviewed the literature on graphic novels in education, as well as on boys and literacy. From
Krashen to McCloud, from Booth to Pullman, Val was reaffirmed in her desire to promote graphic novels as
legitimate reading material at the secondary school level. To add further to Val‟s decision to invest in graphic
novels was the importance of encouraging more boys to continue to read fiction. She found support in DeSpirt
who observed that, “boys need to be encouraged to read by grabbing their attention, not by forcing them to
read.
Forcing boys to read will not make them lifelong readers, rather it will create resistance
readers” (2007, para.1).
Val began the neccessary changes to her library space. Val says,
I undertook a major review of the graphic novel provision in the library. I extended the graphic novel
shelving, purchased new stock, put up new posters which were designed to advertise the graphic
novels in the collection and strategically placed new seating cubes nearby. As well as this, I recategorised the graphic novels along genre and publisher lines; for example DC, Marvel and European
graphic novels were grouped separately. I also devoted three shelves to displays of new and eyecatching stock. Library sessions were booked over a five-week period, including a visit from Dave
Shelton, author of the graphic novel, Good Dog, Bad Dog, arranged for week three.
Employing an action research methodology, Val‟s sample included 22 Year 8 boys—a mixed ability group with
English as their first language—who had read 185 books amongst them in the past year, of which 41 were
graphic novels. Asked how she gathered her data, Val shared that,
A questionnaire was given to each boy during the first and final library session of the research
project; the same questions were asked so that reliable comparisons could be made. There was room
for brief comments as well, thereby allowing the boys' voices to be used as authentic data.
The library visits were filmed and photographs were taken so that any changes [about reading] in
behavioural patterns could be noted. Dave Shelton's talk, which included a question and answer
session, was similarly observed. ... I kept field notes. Quantitative data were also collected ... derived
mainly from each participant's borrowing record. In addition, the 'Top 100 Loans' for the same period
helped to affirm the data thus far collected, which was trending toward a positive impact of the
graphic novel promotion on boys' reading... .”
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School Library Association of NSW
author visit and and browsing the collection were the
main factors influencing her students changed reading
behaviour.
time in the library” indicated how the boys liked to
browse the graphic novel section.
Further observations by Val showed that,
Author visit
Val noted that “the author visit emerged as a
significant factor regarding the boys' engagement
with graphic novels”, with one participant noting that,
“I will definitely be going to read more graphic novels
like Watchmen, Dave Shelton's next book and others”.
Reviewing the filming of the author session
“reinforced this positive enthusiasm” and the
“enjoyment and exuberance of the group was clearly
evident in the boys' applause, eager questions and
comments”. As one boy commented, “Dave Shelton
has opened my mind to the world of comics”.
Val was vindicated in her decision to promote graphic
novels. The number in the cohort who read daily
increased from one to four; those who read graphic
novels weekly increased from five to nine; and,
rewardingly, those who had never read graphic novels
decreased from nine to four. In this latter group, one
of the students declared that, “It was a good
experience talking to Dave Shelton as it boosted my
confidence to read graphic novels” whilst another
student contributed,
I enjoyed the way he interacted with us and
talked to us about books, after that I am
more interested in graphic novels,” and “he
has inspired me to read graphic novels more.
the boys were very happy to read in the
library rather than borrowing books to read
later....
Photographs
and
observation
indicated that the boys were enthusiastic
readers of graphic novels in the library and I
noticed that these same boys came back
during break, lunchtimes, after school to
finish books.
It also explains why the graphic novel section
was the most disturbed every day.
Val‟s hunch paid dividends. Comments from
students revealed a new-found interest in reading for
leisure as evidenced by this participant‟s comment,
I think graphic novels are really interesting,
and once you start reading one you can't put
it down. I was never into graphic novels until
recently.”
Another student wrote,
I think we should have more graphic novels
because when you read them you are more
involved in the story because you see and
read what is happening.
Browsing, not borrowing
Analysis of the photographs, video and personal
observations all showed that the boys were relaxed
browsers of graphic novels.
After each library visit, Val observed that the „graphic
novel area of the library showed by far the greatest
amount of use.
Comments such as, “with a graphic novel you can
read a bit and come back to it” and, “I sometimes
pick up a graphic novel when I have a bit of spare
17
School Library Association of NSW
Conclusion
The appeal of graphic novels as a format is said to
enhance reading skills and enthuse reluctant
readers (Lovereading 2010, para 4).
Val‟s initial intervention to promote graphic novels
convinced her that the graphic novel format is a
valuable medium through which to reach
students, particularly boys, at a key age.
Committed or reluctant reader, graphic novels are a
wonderful segue into other stories, but also raise
enjoyment and enthusiasm for leisure reading
amongst an age group that statistically begins to
fall away from the habit of reading for leisure.
Indeed, Pullman (in Riches 2009) praised the comic
medium for being a wonderful way of telling
stories, combining the immediacy of the cinema
with all the advantages of a book—hooking reluctant
readers.
One year on
Boys still gravitate to the ever-growing graphic novel
section, particularly the 11-14 year olds. This
popular 'comic corner' is busy every day with the
highest stock disturbance by far, thus confirming the
browsing, rather than borrowing, aspect of the
research.
Graphic novel displays continue to
encourage boys to come in and stay; the „comic
book‟ readers have their noses in books and it is
great to see!
Selected further reading
McCloud, S. (1994). Understanding comics. New
York, HarperCollins.
McNiff, J. & Whitehead, J. (2010). You and your
action research project. Abingdon, Routledge.
Ujiie, J. & Krashen, S. (1996). Comic book reading,
reading enjoyment and pleasure reading among
middle class and chapter 1 middle school
students. Reading Improvement, 33, 51-54.
Retrieved from http://www.sdkrashen.com/
articles/comicbook/01.html
Val Bunn is Head of Library at Loughborough
Grammar School in England. Val presented
her action research on how to enthuse and
help boys succeed in reading for leisure at an
Internatonal Conference in London in 2011.
Her full report can be found at
www.theibsc.org/page.cfm?p=285. Val can
be contacted on v.bunn@lesgrammar.org.
Using Tintin in the classroom
Tintin, the creation of Belgian artist Hergé , is a
young reporter who goes on a series of adventures
around the world.
Check out externalexploration—blog for ideas on
using Tintin in the classroom (http://bit.ly/tDy4ej).
References
DeSpirt, D. (2007). Boys and reading: School
Reading Program. Suite 101. Retrieved from
www.suite101.com/content/boys-and-readinga15907#ixzzOyxbheQn2
In The Conversation, Sarah Joseph, Director of
Castan Centre for Human Rights Law at Monash
University writes about Tintin, human rights and
politics at http://bit.ly/ulc1cc
You might even
want to strike up a
discussion
on
copyright using Bill
Leak‟s portrayal of
Kevin Rudd as Tintin
in The Australian
(June 2007). Read
Clarke‟s
Fair
dealing for satire,
but Tintin's not
laughing at http://
bit.ly/ylo451
Hergé. (2007). The Aventures of Tintin: Vol.5.
London, Egmont.
Lovereading. (2011, March). Graphic novels.
Retrieved from wwwlovereading4kids.co.uk/
genre/com/Graphic-novels.html
Riches, A. (2009). When the comics went to war:
Comic book war heroes. Edinburgh, Mainstream
Publishing.
Shelton, D. (2010). Good dog, bad dog. Oxford,
David Fickling.
Image by Bill Leak from http://
bit.ly/zY708r
18
School Library Association of NSW
Literacy competence is central to achievement in all areas of learning as students progress through the early,
middle and later years of schooling and into the workforce and personal life [BOS NSW].
Some thoughts to consider
The National Year of Reading is an opportunity to
reflect on our roles as teacher librarians who have a
very deep stake in enabling and empowering young
people as readers.
We have a mandate to ensure that a reading culture
is strongly developed in our schools, and that our
students develop the skills of literacy, no matter the
evolving definition, because at its root, the key to all
literacy is reading development, which involves a
progression of skills culminating in the deep
understanding of text—all sorts of text.
Recently, Georgia Phillips and Leonie Paatsch wrote
a paper on literacy and the invisible work of the
teacher librarian for the ALEA journal, Practically
Primary October 2011 [16(3) 31-33]. They targeted
a readership of primary trained teachers and literacy
educators. They advocated for the role of teacher
librarians as partners in the develoment of schoolbased reading cultures. They emphasised the need
to ensure that school libraries remain robust places
where young people can have access to reading
material selected and guided by trained teachers in
school libraries.
It‟s an important article to read and, more
importantly, to share with your Heads of
Departments. It argues well the connection to the
work we do in encouraging a reading culture and its
impact on student literacy.
Their paper also points to
research that
demonstrates the significance of dually qualified
teacher librarians to learning, especially in our role
as literacy experts.
Sure, as Phillips and Paatsch point out,
[the] materials and ideas of the teacher
librarian are absorbed into the lessons of the
teacher and the projects of the students. Their
contributions become invisible (p. 31),
Their overview of the literature gives each of us
direction in terms of writing briefs to school executive
that cite the rise in literacy scores in schools that
make extensive use of their school library, have
strong school library programs, and have increased
and trained library staff.
However, and despite the research, they comment
that,
few literacy articles, policies, or curricula
mention school libraries. Teacher librarians
have become virtually invisible in the literature
and guidelines on literacy. Their work, absorbed
into successful resource-based teaching and
project-based learning, is invisible (p. 31).
They make a strong point here—we need to be a
writing profession and demonstrate the innovative
and leading work we do in the area of literacy.
Certainly, our award winners this year have all
published their work and have spoken at conferences
or seminars but it is essential, as Phillips and Paatsch
identify, that we seriously take some steps to reverse
this trend of invisibility and the declining level of
literacy in our country by writing, not for our
professional publications (online and print), but
beyond.
We are doing amazing things in our school libraries by
dint of our passion as teachers. Why not write about
some of your programs that have children wanting to
come to „library‟, wanting time to read, enjoying their
iPad Club or their Movie Making Club, the LitFlick Club
or the Lunchtime Reading Challenge? Why not let the
History/Geography/Science teachers know of a
successful partnership you have had with your
colleagues through collaboratively developing a
creative approach to student research?
We do make a difference in raising literacy levels—publish your story.
but this invisibility is not detrimental to our
profession if, indeed, we are valued in our role.
Phillips and Paatsch have done their homework!
Linda Gibson-Langford
19
School Library Association
National Year of Reading & National Year of Farmers
What‟s on When
February
14
National Launch Year of Reading Canberra
March
2
Inaugural KidsLitQuiz Orange Contact Nicole at nicoleubah@gmail.com
3
ALEA The future of the book ...the furture of reading Paul Macdonald
10
SLA NSW State Library Day Sydney (see inside this issue)
12
1:1 Tech Experience Chris Smith (http://bit.ly/ySTzVJ)
April
13
Titanic Centenary Storytelling Blacktown (www.tomware.com.au)
17
Charles Dickens Children‟s Bookshop Sydney with Susanna Fullerton
May
19
SLA NSW Digital Storytelling Seminar
June
Sydney International Storytelling Conference Weaving stories
together ( http://www.storytellersnsw.org.au/)
1-3
July
3-5
SLAQ Northern escape: Connect, create, challenge, Cairns
August
12
SLA NSW Unleashing Research into Reading
November
11-15
IASL Shifting sands of school librarianship Doha Qatar
24
SLA NSW Moving into story through movies
2013
February
TBA
State Library Day
School Library Association of New South Wales
Have some ideas for Professional Learning ?
Tell us how the association can best support your needs.
Email Bill Sommerville sommerville@gmail.com
20