By Kate Lechtenberg, Standards Implementation Task Force member

Can you believe it’s only been two months since the National School Library Standards for Learners, School Librarians, and School Libraries were introduced at AASL 2017 in Phoenix? I’m amazed at all the energetic dialogue we’ve seen so far, including three free webinars (archived in AASL eCOLLAB and linked under Professional Development at standards.aasl.org), to blog posts about thoughtful implementation and the standards at the middle school level, as well as growing conversations about the standards on the AASL standards discussion boards and other social media platforms using #AASLstandards. And that doesn’t include all the great conversations happening in regional, state, district, and local school library communities, both online and in person!

So now that we’re back into our routines after the winter break, are you ready for more? We’ll be hosting two Twitter chats in the next two weeks, and we look forward to hearing your ideas, questions, and first efforts at reflection and implementation related to the National School Library Standards. Put these dates on your calendars:

#AASLstandards Twitter Chat for All School Librarians
Chat with colleagues about your first efforts to share the AASL Standards and incorporate them into your practice.

Thursday, January 25 @ 6 p.m. CST

Moderated by Judy Deichman and Ellen McNair, AASL Standards Implementation Task Force, and Jane Lofton, AASL Social Media Editorial Board

#AASLstandards Twitter Chat for School Library Supervisors
(ALL School Librarians Are Welcome!)

Chat with district library leaders: how do the AASL Standards advance district initiatives, and how are you leading implementation efforts?

Wednesday, February 7 @ 6 p.m. CST

Moderated by Mary Keeling and Ellen McNair, AASL Standards Implementation Task Force, and Paula Wichmann, AASL Social Media Editorial Board

In both Twitter chats, we look forward to sharing ideas and first steps toward implementation, and we hope you’ll join us for one or both as we build our collective knowledge and enthusiasm for the fresh lens on school library practice that the National School Library Standards bring to our work.

To get your wheels turning, here’s a sneak peek of the questions for both upcoming Twitter chats:

Twitter Chat for All School Librarians
Thursday, January 25 | 6 p.m. CST

• Who have you shared the #AASLstandards with and what was their response? OR if you have not shared the #AASLstandards yet, who are you most looking forward to sharing them with and how?
• Share an example of how you have implemented one competency from the Learner Standards in your library.
• Share an example of a learner competency that will involve new learning for your students.
• What within the #AASLstandards is still puzzling you or is circling around in your head?
• What is one idea you’ve seen tonight that you plan to implement in your library?
• What “hidden gem” resources from standards.aasl.org or sections of the #AASLstandards book have you already put into practice or shared with your stakeholders?
• What other Twitter chat topics would you like to see in the future?

Twitter Chat for School Library Supervisors (ALL School Librarians Are Welcome!)
Wednesday, February 7 | 6 p.m. CST

• Which Shared Foundation aligns best with initiatives in your district?
• Share your thoughts: Will the new #AASLstandards require a big shift in practice?
• How will you know that professional development around the Shared Foundations is successful?
• What strategies are you considering for encouraging implementation of the Shared Foundations?
• How might school librarians share their great work in your district?
• What questions are you asking now? How are you networking with others, and how might you share ideas and with each other?
• What evidence, or practices, are you excited about in your district that signals implementation of the new #AASLstandards?

As you’re preparing for the chats, take a look at these helpful resources for getting to know the National School Library Standards:

• To view the Learner Standards, click on “Standards Framework” on the standards.aasl.org top menu.
• You can also view the complete standards framework; click “Shop” to buy the AASL Standards app or book.
• Confused about standards language? Check out the “How to Read the Standards” document so that you can refer to specific competencies in your tweets.

And to sharpen your Twitter chat skills, check out these recent KQ blog posts:

• For a link to our first #AASLstandards Twitter chat and a description of how Twitter chats work: Our New Standards Are Coming. Wanna Chat? by Joyce Valenza and Sara Kelly Johns
• For an overview of using hashtags on social media: What’s a Hashtag? by Ashley Cooksley
• Intro to using participate.com to follow Twitter chats: Participate with Twitter Chats by Becca Munson

We look forward to seeing you there! Just follow #AASLstandards at the time of each Twitter chat to join the conversation!

Author: AASL Standards and Guidelines Implementation Task Force

Categories: Community

Tags: #AASLstandards