Critical literacy is not just another skill we need to teach, but rather a mindset that permeates how we teach. If we want students to sift through “the different representations” to thoughtfully “find their way to what is [really] going on,” they need to consider the “larger narrative in which text is situated” (Luke, 2015).
These are complicated skills needed in a complicated world. 🌎
Fortunately, our learners have us.
In the 21st century, critical literacy is an important component of shaping capable young thinkers. Information is ubiquitous; we must teach young people to be discerning consumers of this information, who can navigate the rise of digital media (and algorithms that create echo chambers) and be able to distinguish credible information from questionable, biased, or outright “fake” information. We need citizens who have the tools to challenge the narratives they hear, see, and read. It is essential to help students learn to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with messages in a variety of forms.
The teacher librarian can be the driving force behind meaningful learning in the school. Not only are they the go-to person for research help, but they are “an educator who works collaboratively with other teachers to create and sustain powerful and relevant learning experiences for students” (BCTLA, 2011).
A teacher librarian and the services they offer are an essential component of developing the critical literacy skills necessary to be the “educated citizen” that the Ministry of Education aims for us to graduate. I envision a good TL as the the quarterback in this endeavour. In collaboration with classroom teachers, I would design meaningful, AUTHENTIC learning experiences. In focusing on curriculum design, I have the power to not only provide resources, but facilitate their use. An effective TL will help design inquiry projects to expose learners to “different versions of the world” and help them develop a “curious, skeptical mind that wants to investigate, solve problems, and understand the world” (Luke, 2015). An effective TL doesn’t just live in the library; they go into the classroom. Not only do the students benefit from this, but it also helps build capacity in other teachers as they learn along with their students. As learners engage in these authentic questions, they investigate a variety of texts that challenge them to consider:
- Who created it?
- What is the purpose?
- What is the context of the text?
Working in partnership with a TL is awesome because they have more time to do the leg work in seeking out a variety of texts for students to investigate. Furthermore, an important aspect of the TL role is to have a broad knowledge of resources students can use (Riedling, 2019, p. 90).
The world is vast and the internet is almost as vast. Fortunately, the TL can bring order to chaos and help students develop their “critical, inquiring minds” (Luke, 2015).
What a beautiful thing.