2020 ALA Emerging Leaders Team A

Project Title: Developing Reflective Explorers and Innovators

Project Description:
As learners prepare for college, career, and life, it is essential that they develop skills as explorers-curious, creative, collaborative, and critical thinkers. Learners who develop a growth mindset as explorers understand that with persistence they can solve problems through cycles of design, implementation, and reflection, building new knowledge and skills. School libraries are places of knowledge creation, as well as sources for information. The school library provides a venue for learners to explore personal and academic interests expressing voice and choice in their pursuits. As learners discover and innovate, experimenting with hands-on activities in the school library allows learners to practice and apply new knowledge, and to authenticate and deepen learning. Under the direction of a certified school librarian, school libraries are instrumental in fostering literacy and teaching inquiry skills to support lifelong learners and explorers. The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) tasked the 2020 ALA Emerging Leaders Team A with a project to develop materials that support professional development and instruction around the issues inherent in the National School Library Standards Shared Foundation of Explore-developing personal curiosity, tinkering and making, collaboratively solving problems, and iteratively responding to challenges in a growth mindset.

Team Members:
Jamie Becker
Nathalie DeFelice
Jermaine Dennis
Monika Glowacka-Musial
Anna Keating
Jessica Regitano
Nick Weingardt
Member Guide: Devona Pendergrass, Librarian, Mountain Home High School Career Academies
Staff Liaison: Stephanie Book, Manager, Communications, AASL

Hosting Unit: American Association of School Librarians (AASL)