For a moment I am going to set aside all the critical reflection and feeling the love for teacher librarians, and raise an issue that I have already raised in this forum before. That's right, discrimination against non-teacher librarians raises its ugly head again and I have to admit that I wasn't at all prepared for the assumption that one should already be a teacher librarian in order to learn to become a teacher librarian. Soon after starting this course I discovered that there is a great deal of assumed knowledge and an expectation that all students are actually working in libraries and/or schools prior to commencing studies. This seems like a bit of a case of the cart before the horse to me and as a full-time employee of an organisation not a school or a school library, I have found myself considerably behind the eight-ball and scrambling to catch up (with varying levels of success). Not only am I now struggling with the whole distance education thing but I am also having to overcome a huge bias towards people already working in the profession.
My previous analogy of my studies in law is probably a good illustration of my point. I started my law degree not as a lawyer nor as a person working in a firm- I was at uni to learn these skills. If some of my fellow students were working in the field, then they had a bit of an advantage, but the bar was set to meet the learning needs of the uninitiated. Maybe this is a good take-home message for the drafters of the courses for this degree.
Can I suggest that instead of asking students to talk about the school environment and/or library they are working in that lecturers actually construct scenarios that everyone must use as the basis for their assignments? I would suggest that this would create a more level playing field and would allow those students who are on the outside a fairer chance at actually scoring well on critical analysis etc rather than twisting themselves in knots trying to imagine a school or spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find a teacher librarian who is able to find the time and energy to assist them.
The current system seems manifestly unfair as there was no prior warning when I enrolled in this degree that I should already be doing the job before even thinking about qualifying to do the job- see it seems wrong when you read it doesn't it? Am I the only person who is feeling this way? Am I stupid and just don't get it? This is my fifth degree so I would suggest that perhaps I am not stupid, merely labouring under some unfair conditions.
I'm not sure if my rant will change anything with the current course or if there is really anyone out there listening who gives a care for us non teacher librarians, those striving to become teacher librarians. I guess I can only hope that some future student reads these posts and embarks upon a course of study into teacher librarianship with eyes wide open and no nasty surprises like I received.
Beware all ye who enter here...
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