Reflection #5: Thoughts on Infinite Learning, Libraries as Classrooms, & Librarians as Teachers

I.

in infancy we are

fearless learning machines

playful

fluid

learning minds

ever curious

ever seeking

ever growing

 

with fertile ground

and nurturing

we grow and thrive

 

in hard-packed soil

with hard-boiled souls

we learn to survive

 

in either case

as we age, we slow

‘til we assume we know

all there is to know

begin to stagnate

resting on invisible laurels

 

 

librarians know

if discovery never ends,

playful, new learning

keeps minds fluid and young

 

II.

librarians are learning now

what educators already know

that deep learning

that true learning

is solutions-based

 

when people gather

To Think Big

to collaborate

to identify common problems

to brainstorm and theorize

to collectively observe

to document what they find

to reflect as a group

to experiment with creation

to develop a solution/product

to test

to think and rethink

to repeat the cycle, start again…

 

 

playfulness

invention

content-creation

are all critical to the process

 

most importantly

thinking together about what we have thought

looking together at what we have seen

reviewing together what we have done

identifying together what we still need to do

 

III.

only shared knowledge is power-filled.

 

 

the book-liberated informarian knows

library collections are intended to further human knowledge

through content creation

 

the first librarians

the first archivists

the first curators

held the keys to human knowledge

opened doors for researchers

alchemists

scientists

philosophers

to facilitate their learning

to facilitate their content notation

to facilitate their content creation

to help build the foundations of future knowledge

 

IV.

somewhere

somewhen

we

librarians

became lost in order

mesmerized by organization

confusing conservation with consecration

prioritizing protection

preservation over presentation

knowledge keepers

power mongers

instead of fierce advocates for findability and usability

at last we are opening our doors again

daring each other to step out

daring others to step in

encouraging experimentation

playfully

thoughtfully

creatively

opening opportunities

MakerSpaceHackerSpaceTinkerSpace

MemoryGeniusAudioVideoDigitalLab

EconomicDevelopmentCenterEntrepreneurshipIncubator

we are active, not passive

we move in spirals, not lines

our learning spaces are messy, not neatly contained

 

V.

tribal people,

librarians gather in clans

across borders

knowing what tribal peoples know

powerful learning is omni-generational

powerful learning is community driven

powerful learning is collaborative

powerful learning is heart-centered

 

we define

OurTeamsOurClansOurFamiliesOurTribes

by affinities

through conversations

we do not choose to fit in

pre-selected

pre-segregated

groupings

we defy trends which sort us

byTypebyAgebyClassbyRacebyAbilitybyReligionbyGender

all learning

all teaching

all thinking

differently

together

 

VI.

keep it lively

keep it moving

keep it fascinating

be prepared

teach the people leaning toward you

light the world on fire

with enthusiasm

Tom Sawyer convinced playmates

whitewashing was easy and fun

librarians can do no less

 

 

VII.

remember our infant selves

insatiably curious explorers

playful

inventive

creative

always thinking

always learning and relearning

conquer fears

[our own]

urge others to engage

 

 

set the example

invite others to teach us

nine-year-olds are trusted experts

gently encourage everyone

to begin where they are

 

set the example

reflect upon lessons learned

identify successes

embrace failures

reflect upon new opportunities

create again

 

set the example

learn about learning

lead others toward learning

 

set the example

make connections

to people

to information

to community resources

 

set the example

share what we know

facilitate conversations

collaborate face-to-face

collaborate online

create new knowledge, new art

share creations with the world

 

wherever we are

wherever we go

wherever we want to be

we are fearless learning machines

 

References [Always on My Mind]:

 

Bookey, J.L. (2015, April 29). 8 awesome ways libraries are making learning fun. Accessed 11/10/2017 at:  https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jordan-lloyd-bookey/8-awesome-ways-libraries-_b_7157462.html

 

Cool Tools for School. [website]. Accessed 11/10/2017 at:  https://cooltoolsforschool.net/

 

Digital Promise. (2016, January 28). The library as a gateway to 21^st century skills. Accessed 10 November 2017 at:  http://digitalpromise.org/2016/01/28/chicago-public-library-the-library-as-a-gateway-to-21st-century-skills/

 

Jarche, H.  (2014, February 10). The Seek>Sense>Share Framework. Harold Jarche: work is learning & learning is work [website]. Accessed 11/11/17 at:  http://jarche.com/2014/02/the-seek-sense-share-framework/

 

Keating, L.A., Heslin, P.A., & Ashford, S.A. (2017, August 10). Good leaders are good learners. Harvard Business Review [online]. Accessed 11/11/17 at: https://hbr.org/2017/08/good-leaders-are-good-learners

 

Koechlin, C. & Zwaan, S. [n.d.] The Big Think: Reflecting, reacting, and realizing improved learning. Accessed 11/01/2017 at:  http://tmcanada.pbworks.com/f/TLarticle%20BigThink.pdf

 

Vangelova, L. (2014, June 8). What does the next generation school library look like? Accessed 11/01/17 at:  https://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2014/06/18/what-does-the-next-generation-school-library-look-like/

 

All photos courtesy of F. Lane and the Dorcas Library.