From Teacher to Teacher-Librarian: Building Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes for School Leadership

This chapter argues that preparation for teacher-librarians should begin with an education degree, followed by classroom teaching experience and further education in librarianship. An education degree provides teacher-librarians with the beginning competencies in instructional planning and assessment. Classroom teaching experience enables the teacher to learn to teach as well as practice skills in planning and assessment. Further library education provides competencies in resource selection and management as well as an ability to promote literacy, reading, information literacy and the ethical use of information. Teacher-librarians who wish to be school leaders should have the same qualifications as other school leaders, usually a graduate degree.