Wednesday, February 22, 2023

Responses to OZTL_NET Messages on Recess and Lunch Supervisions

I would like to express my thanks to those who responded to a request for information relating to recess and lunch supervisions in the school library.

I would like to keep the comments as anonymous but also present a summary of points that may need to be considered based on how schools manage it or individual perspectives.
  • Check your award to see what breaks you are entitled to - It is likely you have the same expectations as a regular teacher relating to break times and duty expectations unless explicitly stated otherwise. 
  • There are federal laws that mandate the length of breaks for an employee that they are entitled to. 
  • If you have problems with securing breaks for lunch etc, consult your union if you are a member and speak to your school leadership.
  • I know this from experience myself, but was reminded that in some schools, regular teachers provide the recess and lunch supervision either to give the teacher librarian an opportunity to have a break OR to supplement existing supervision to comply with supervision requirements. This can be seen as a workaround for a teacher librarian who is placed on a full teaching load, but there is a risk, would regular teachers be willing to undertake the supervisions if asked to do so and if complies with the conditions of the award in relation to playground supervision. 
  • Every school will have its expectations. Some schools will be happy if the library has to close during recess or lunchtime to allow for breaks e.g short, staffing


Wednesday, February 8, 2023

2023 Starts - What am I up to?

The last time I placed an entry in this blog was in August 2022, sharing an article about how COVID-19 and remote learning in fact led to more children reading, which was encouraging news.

I start the year much more settled and more in control than last year. Twelve months into a permanent role has thrown its challenges and did take up a lot of energy. That is why I stepped back from posting entries and even forewarned it. 

The past few months also gave me ideas on what I could post or share. I think some of the decisions I made are starting to yield some results as well. I still think it will take time.

One area of interest for me professionally has been library procedures and policies. It may feel like it takes time from our teaching role or even attending to what happens on the library floor itself, but without procedures or policies, how can one manage the space properly. I have created a basic collection development policy. It will need refining, but I need a foundation to start on. I can update or add to it over time. 

As a Arts major in Economics, the use of money and resources is of big interest. It affects the decisions we make and what we do in our libraries. If one does not have processes and systems in place, how can one advocate for resources and for funding, and then when the funds arrive, spend it wisely. I have set myself the challenge of creating a budget policy and processes to help me and whoever succeeds me in the future.

Finally, I requested some information last year relating to work breaks and library supervision during break times on the OZTL-Net forum. My next entry will be on this topic to thank those who provided their responses.