Canadian School Libraries is proud to announce a special birthday celebration for the publication of Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada. This important work was first published by the Canadian Library Association and launched at TMC3 in Victoria, British Columbia, May 29-31, 2014.
The development of Leading Learning brought together input from every province and territory in the country, and successfully developed standards for growth that are meaningful within this very disparate context. The process of writing the standards was very unique and modeled the benefits of working collaboratively in a networked world.
With the dissolution of CLA in 2016, responsibility for the standards was transferred to Canadian School Libraries. Leading Learning is a foundational document for the work of CSL and is a catalyst for transformations in school libraries in Canada from coast to coast to coast. CSL invites schools to join us in celebrating the impact these standards have made in the growth of the learning commons approach in schools and the potential for leading learning for the future.
Celebrating 5 years of Leading Learning Growth:
- Leading Learning: Standards of Practice for School Library Learning Commons in Canada was translated into French, L’apprentissage en tête: Principes relatifs à la transition de la bibliothèque scolaire vers le carrefour d’apprentissage au Canada, and both are live on the web.
- Since first publication in 2014 hundreds of new See it in Action exemplars have been added to each standard from schools and organizations across the country, keeping the promise that the national standards site would continue to evolve as living documentation of authentic implementation and outreach exemplifying the transformations and innovations of school library learning commons
- Supporting You: Leading Learning as a Catalyst for Change is a new addition to Leading Learning providing schools with ideas and tools to help them get the most from the standards document and lead learning for the future. A brief overview of this new section.Make the Case for the Library Learning Commons introduces new professional resources from CSL that are designed to compliment standards and themes from Leading Learning.Building a Culturally Relevant and Responsive School Library Learning Commons is a CSL project to support schools in work to build culturally relevant and responsive school library learning commons.The CSL Research Toolkit supports school library practitioners as they explore their own practice through research.
Celebrating Implementation Highlights:
- Ministries of Education apply the principles of Leading Learning in designing policies and province wide learning commons approaches:
- Leading Learning is foundational in transformations and long range planning for schools and districts:
- A 3-Year Plan for Creating a 21st Century Learning Commons by Beth Lyons
- From School Library to Learning Commons: The Calgary Catholic School District Transition by Kathy Conroy
- Drive to Shift in the Durham District School Board
- A Teacher Initiated Library Learning Commons and the Transformative Outcomes It Can Produce by Goldie Weiser, Heather Wilson & Anita Brooks Kirkland
- Leading Learning is an inspiration for teacher research:
- BCTLA conduct a three year teacher inquiry and publish an important guide for library transformations in British Columbia schools. From School Library to Library Learning Commons: A Pro-Active Model for Educational Change
- Facilitating Reconciliation through the Library Learning Commons “To become instructional leaders focusing on reconciliation, it stands to reason that a teacher-librarian’s journey has to begin with their own learning about Canadian history and Indigenous culture from an Indigenous perspective.” By Jo-Anne Gibson
- Culture and School Library Learning Commons “How students’ cultures mesh in the Library Learning Commons and the whole school to create our own unique school culture. Environments, partnerships and your lifelong learning counts!” By Vivianne Fogarty
- Leading Learning is integrated into teacher-librarian training in Canada Exploring Teacher-Librarian Training in Canada
Announcing a Celebration Award
The Leading Learning Implementation Award has been established to recognize, honour and applaud school districts, provinces and territories who have successfully developed and/or enhanced their school library learning commons on a systemic basis, founded on the tenets, principles and continuous growth and renewal focus of the five standards of Leading Learning / L’apprentissage en tête.
The first presentation of the Leading Learning Implementation Award will take place at CSL Treasure Mountain Research Symposium dinner in 2020. For more information, please contact Judith Sykes, Chairperson at judith.sykes[at]shaw.ca.