Hello from Tamara

Hello Colleagues and Happy New Year! I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and let you know that I am here for you. I believe that a large part of a TL’s job in a

school is to help teachers! Helping teachers helps students. I strive to be a visual, active and helpful member of the teaching staff. In addition to making sure your students get reading material each week, I hope to be able to help in a variety of ways.

How Can the Teacher Librarian Help Me?

Locating resources. Teaching a unit on frogs? Planets? Community? Simply machines? Ancient Rome? Need a read aloud suggestion? Need a chapter book recommendation for literature circles? Have a struggling reader who just can’t find a book they love? Let me know!! I would be happy to find books and other resources in our library or request an inter-librarian loan from another school. Whether it’s one resource, or many, please don’t hesitate to ask!

Co-teaching/collaborative planning/assessment, etc. I would be thrilled to use my instructional time in the library with your class to help support classroom learning. For example, last year I collaborated with a kindergarten teacher for her “fairy tale/nursery rhyme” unit. I read the class the fairy tales during library time, and she did the nursery rhymes during classroom time. For an intermediate example, I collaborated with a grade six teacher teaching “explorers”, she taught the content, and I came into the classroom during library time each week and taught research skills – “how to be a good internet detective” - based on the student’s given explorer.

Book talks. I LOVE talking to students about books! Whether it’s the importance of non-fiction, appreciating the classics, picture books or the latest and greatest graphic novels, etc., I am happy to help each and every student find something to read that matches their ability and interest level. I can do this formally in the library or in your classroom, or one or one as needed.

But is there really enough time for this? Yes! I know there are never enough hours in the day, and that the nature of elementary school means lots of activities and changes to our weekly schedule, but I find that where there is a will, there is a way! If you are interested in collaborating with me please don’t hesitate to ask, I am flexible and will try my best to make it work!

These are just a few ways I am able to help. Any questions (from any staff member!), please don’t hesitate to ask. The teacher librarians in SD ** are a very cohesive group – if I don’t have an answer for you, I will try my best to find it. I believe that the library belongs to each and every member of this school and community, and that it should be an important part of education. Don’t hesitate to send me an email (***) or write me a note if I am not at school. Thanks!