School library teachers work with students and teachers to provide access to information resources locally and globally, instruction in the use of technology for research and project-based learning, and ignite students' interest in reading. The school library teacher instructs students on how to access, evaluate, and use information. They teach 21st Century skills which encompass inquiry-based learning in which students develop skills, dispositions, responsibilities for learning, and self-assessments. This approach empowers students to take responsibility for their own learning. The school library teacher collaboratively plans units and lessons with classroom teachers to integrate the skills taught in the library with the work in the classroom. They are keenly aware of the Curriculum Frameworks and the Common Core and seek to provide relevant resources for teachers and students to support teaching and learning. In addition, school library teachers assist with professional development in the school especially with instruction in the use of technology. School library teachers are school leaders who participate in curriculum development, technology integration, and literacy initiatives. With these things in mind, Simmons's School Library Teacher Program provides exceptional academic and professional training. In addition to supervised fieldwork in area public schools and a practicum experience at both the elementary and secondary school levels, course requirements include Management of School Library Programs, Curriculum and the School Library Teacher, Instructional Strategies for the School Library Teacher, Technology and the School Library Teacher, Children's Literature and Media Collections, and Young Adult Literature.
For individuals who seek licensure as school library teachers, the GSLIS School Library Teacher program provides exceptional academic and professional training. The National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) endorses our program and external accrediting agencies commend us on the program's outstanding quality.
In addition, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education cooperates with every state and the District of Columbia through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) Interstate Agreement which facilitates the movement of educators among the states. This Agreement makes reciprocal licensure/certification possible among states. Specific reciprocal requirements vary from state to state. (Individual state departments of education must be contacted to learn specific state requirements.) As a Master's Degree program endorsed by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, graduates of the School Library Teacher Program can participate in the benefits of this Agreement. If you are from outside Massachusetts, however, please check with your state's department of education.
There are also three post-master's degree licensure programs: one for students who have already completed a master's degree in library science in another library-related concentration but who would now like to pursue a license as a school library teacher; a second post master's degree program for teachers who hold a master's degree in education, or in a related field, and also hold a Massachusetts teacher's license, who at the time of their application for the school library teacher license will have three years of experience as a teacher in a Massachusetts public school, and who would now like to obtain a license as a school library teacher; and a third, a post master's degree instructional technology licensure program for students who already hold a master's degree and a Massachusetts teaching certificate, and who at the time of their application for the license will have completed three years of teaching experience in a Massachusetts public school — and are now prepared to work toward obtaining the information technology license.
Leading the Way for Library Teachers
Under Massachusetts state regulations made effective October 1, 2001, Massachusetts school library teacher candidates who complete a state-approved program need only to qualify for the library teacher license; no prior teacher license is required. This is a unique feature of the Massachusetts licensure/certification program. You do not need to have teaching credentials, prior teaching experience, or a degree in education. A master of science in Library and Information Science with a concentration in the School Library Teacher Program is the only degree required for SLTP licensure.
Course Requirements
Requirements for students entering the program Fall 2005 and thereafter are as follows (students who were enrolled in GSLIS prior to Fall 2005 should see the SLTP Student Community):
• LIS 403: Evaluation of Information Services
• LIS 406: Management of School Library Programs*
• LIS 407: Reference/Information Services*
• LIS 415: Information Organization
• LIS 426: Curriculum and the School Library Teacher
• LIS 431: Instructional Strategies for the School Library Teacher
• LIS 460: Technology and the School Library Teacher
• LIS 481: Children's Literature and Media Collections*
• LIS 483: Young Adult Literature*
• LIS 498: Practicum (preK - 8)**+
• LIS 499: Practicum (7 - 12)**+
• LIS 4XX: 3-credit Elective to be decided by the student
*Students must complete their field-based pre-practicum experiences before they can begin their practicum experience.
**A candidate may substitute LIS 495: Practicum Equivalent Experience (preK - 12) for one of the practica if the candidate has been hired as the professional school library teacher of record. Arrangements for LIS 495 are made with the program director.
+Before entering a practicum, the candidate must take and achieve a passing score in the MTEL (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure).
Field-based Course Work
There is a fieldwork requirement for three of the SLTP courses. This is different from the practicum. SLTP students are required to complete 75 clock hours of fieldwork. It is recommended that these be distributed in 25-hour blocks in each of the following three courses:
• LIS 406: Management of School Library Programs
• LIS 407: Reference/Information Services
• LIS 481: Children's Literature and Media Collections and
• LIS 483: Young Adult Literature (12.5 hours of field-based work are required in each course for a total of the required 25 hours)
There are specific assignments for each field-based experience. These projects are outlined in the School Library Teacher Handbook, which the student will receive at the beginning of his/her program. If you have questions about an assignment, please consult with your course instructor for answers and further direction. Fieldwork projects must be completed in a public school library in Massachusetts. At the discretion of the program director, other courses or experiences can be substituted for part of this requirement.
Obtaining Licensure in a State Other Than Massachusetts
If you are planning on getting a job as a school library teacher in another state it is highly recommended that you take the PRAXIS exam. Because Massachusetts uses the MTEL it is not required in this state, but many other states use the PRAXIS exam in place of the MTEL exam. You can obtain additional information on the PRAXIS exam at http://www.ets.org/praxis. Also, it is wise to check with the department of education in the state you plan on moving to and working in, to see if they have any other special requirements. This will enable you to be prepared and cut down on the amount of time it will take to obtain your license in that state. Some states have some special additional requirements like the PRAXIS exam. Some states have their own requirements. Therefore, it is important to contact the Department of Education in the state that you want to work in to be sure that you will have all of the requirements for licensure completed before you begin the interview process in that state. Additional information can be obtained from the Massachusetts DESE at http://www.doe.mass.edu/edprep/nasdtec.html.
Why Simmons?
The Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science (GSLIS) offers one of the oldest nationally accredited School Library Teacher programs in the United States. Its excellence is widely recognized, and it is accredited by both the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) and the American Library Association.
The master's program at GSLIS offers:
• Intellectually rigorous courses emphasizing skills in curriculum development, management, and leadership
• Exceptional faculty
• Instruction in instructional technologies used in today's schools
• Extensive hands-on experience in public school settings
• Mentoring by licensed school library professionals and Simmons faculty
• The opportunity to become a lifelong member of the Simmons community and to benefit from the College's extensive professional network.
INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAM
Instructional technology specialists work with teachers and students in the integration of technology into units, lessons, and student projects. The Simmons College Graduate School of Library and Information Science has a post master's degree instructional technology licensure program for students who already hold a master's degree, a Massachusetts teaching certificate, and who at the time of their application for the license will have completed three years of teaching experience in a Massachusetts public school — and who wish to work toward the information technology license.
In This Section
• Library & Information Science
• Archives Concentration
• Preservation Management
• School Library Teacher Program
See Also
• Academic Calendar
• Continuing Education
• Forms & Policies
• Initiatives
• Tuition & Financial Aid
Contact us
Dr. Fran Zilonis
Director
School Library Teacher Program
Room P-212J
617-521-2778
More Information
SLTP Brochure (PDF)
In This Section
- Library & Information Science
- Archives Concentration
- Preservation Management
- School Library Teacher Program
See Also
Contact us
Dr. Fran Zilonis
Faculty Advisor
Room P-212K
617-521-2778