Figure 1.--Mew Zealand schools have been very successful in developing excellent libraries that offer comfortable and exciting spaces for the students. Librarians are now discussing how they can play a more involved role in the overall school program.. |
New Zealand educators are now discussing the role of the library in the overall school program. The focus has been on providing valuable resources and comfortable inviting spaces. Librarians are now assessing the ability of the library to play an even more valuable role in the school program. Besides the obvious roles libraries play at New Zealand schools, the libraries are also involved in reading programs aimed at improving the children's reading skills.
Speakers at our [SLANZA] first seminar for 2002 on Visual Literacy (Saturday 18 May at Bethlehem College Library) include Andrew Crowe (Which Native Bird is
that?), and Bryan Pollard, Sheryl Jordan’s illustrator, who has also worked for
publishers like Wendy Pye and Shortland Publications. Jennifer Glenn, who tutors 'Image and Narrative' for the Christchurch College of Education's Children's Literature Course, shows how to use picture books to achieve visual literacy, and we also have a display by Jabberwocky Children's Bookshop. We hope to have a second seminar later in
the year with NCEA as its focus.
Linda McCullough, SLANZA Newsletter, May 6, 2002
We need to get out there and carry out soundly based research tasks to produce
some hard data to show ERO that wellmanaged school libraries are making a
positive difference to student achievement. That, folks, is the bottom line. We have
moved on from judging the success of a school library by showing increasing
bookings and student use of the library. We have moved on from justifying spending on
a great collection geared to the curriculum. We have moved on from the idea of a
successful school library being one with a great environment with great displays,
helpful informed staff and clever technology. We now need to be able to
demonstrate to ERO, BOTs, Principals and teachers that professionally managed school
libraries improve student learning. Only then will the school library be regarded as a
serious player in education and learning.
Jill Sotter, SLANZA Newsletter, May 6, 2002.
