Well this week has begun to test my strengths and weaknesses in the area of collaboration.
I am enjoying it but realise there is much growing to do.
Our subject is the TL as leader and we are to work in a group of 4 to present a power point display on a topic of our choice (within limits) to convince an editorial board to provide funding for our research.
So we have ll begun chatting and expressing our opinions.
The challenge for me is to let go of the assigment as all of ours -not just mine and to be willing to sacrifice some of what I think is important if it doesn't go down with the others.
So far so good but I can sense in myself an element of pride and need to be in control that I'll have to be careful with so we all feel a part of this project.
One thing that keeps sticking in my memory from one of the readings is that a good leader actually is developing leadership qualities in others so much so that at the end of a task, itis actually the others in the group who think they have acheived the work done - that all the good thinking and ideas have been generated by them and not the main leader.
In this assignment we are all equally leaders so this is very important - to make sure everyone feels like thier contirbutions are listened to and validated.
The readings have been very helpful to encourage me to be a better group member and I need to be aware of being positive and letting go of ideas if the others aren't happy with them.
So off I go to work on all this - YAY!
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Teacher Librarian as leader - continued readings
Due to a particular event, I have recently had much time on my hands and have thus completed many of the readings for this whole subject- this is somewhat of a relief but am now hoping that I don't lose all the information that has passed through my mind.
So as for Organisational Theory-the first topic they asked us to read about, I can't seem to understand what this is all about - even after reading all the readings! This is a little worrying as I am sure they were trying to teach us something. If one asked me what organisational theory is I would problably say, the way you organise something to get it done. But I didn't read that anywhere in the readings - at least from memory. Anyway, in regard to TL's it would reflect into the way one, as a TL, wishes to see the direction of the library to go and how one goes about making changes.
Issues that would then come up would be to do with the several headings in our readings - quality management, decision making and problem solving, teamwork and collaboration, leadership and innovation and change.
As I write this it is beginning to make a little more sense...
The TL needs to be aware that all these issues need to be addressed if one wishes to do a conscientious and thorough attempt to initiate and progress with change.
Our main text heading "Leadership in a culture of change" really interests me and after reading the text, better understand why this is important to come to terms with - without good and strong leadership that comprehends the process and character of change as it relates to culture- change itself is more likely to be as a result of neccessity rather than making the most of the opportunities presented at any given time. Change is inevitable - when and how it happens largely depends on the leadership involved.
Good leaders are not autocratic or pacemakers - they are rather a combination of the other types mentioned in the readings - democratic, beaurocratic etc...
Passion and vision with humility and emotional intelligence are key characteristics of a great leader for sure.
With these, a leader can use strategic planning to embrace others in their sphere of influence - TL's having a great sphere of influence - to initiate and uphold and support the process of change.
So as for Organisational Theory-the first topic they asked us to read about, I can't seem to understand what this is all about - even after reading all the readings! This is a little worrying as I am sure they were trying to teach us something. If one asked me what organisational theory is I would problably say, the way you organise something to get it done. But I didn't read that anywhere in the readings - at least from memory. Anyway, in regard to TL's it would reflect into the way one, as a TL, wishes to see the direction of the library to go and how one goes about making changes.
Issues that would then come up would be to do with the several headings in our readings - quality management, decision making and problem solving, teamwork and collaboration, leadership and innovation and change.
As I write this it is beginning to make a little more sense...
The TL needs to be aware that all these issues need to be addressed if one wishes to do a conscientious and thorough attempt to initiate and progress with change.
Our main text heading "Leadership in a culture of change" really interests me and after reading the text, better understand why this is important to come to terms with - without good and strong leadership that comprehends the process and character of change as it relates to culture- change itself is more likely to be as a result of neccessity rather than making the most of the opportunities presented at any given time. Change is inevitable - when and how it happens largely depends on the leadership involved.
Good leaders are not autocratic or pacemakers - they are rather a combination of the other types mentioned in the readings - democratic, beaurocratic etc...
Passion and vision with humility and emotional intelligence are key characteristics of a great leader for sure.
With these, a leader can use strategic planning to embrace others in their sphere of influence - TL's having a great sphere of influence - to initiate and uphold and support the process of change.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
First thoughts on Teacher Librarian as Leader
Well, this is the start of a new subject and we have been instructed to comment on what we already know about TL's and their place in the school organisation.
If I had of been asked this question at the start of the year, before starting this course, I would have said their place is in the library and thier role is to maintain resources!
If you read my previous blog on the Role of the TL, after completing semester 1, I now see that the TL's role involves much much more - instilling vision, resourcing the curriculum, collaborative team work, resource based learning development and an in your face, proactive presence in the school organisation and wider community to enhance an information literate school community.
As specifically to leadership, with which this course is concerned, prior to any suggested readings, the TL for me is to be a visionary, great listener wi a reverberating voice, sending out shockwaves through the school hieracrchy and filtering down the ranks as to best practice.
That the TL is to be considered a leader is a privilege indeed! When I think of leadership I think of servanthood - the best leaders don't see themselves in a position to be served, but rather to serve. They are guides and very good listeners, able to discern what is for the best interest of the organisation/people body they are at the forefront of.
So this will be a very interesting journey, to discover how to become a better leader in today's world.
Oh, and I love the title of our text " Leading in a Culture of Change" - how interesting!
So here I go on my journey of adding to my current understandings and synthesizing it all! As Speedy Gonzales says, "Underlay, Underlay, Yiha! Yiha!"
If I had of been asked this question at the start of the year, before starting this course, I would have said their place is in the library and thier role is to maintain resources!
If you read my previous blog on the Role of the TL, after completing semester 1, I now see that the TL's role involves much much more - instilling vision, resourcing the curriculum, collaborative team work, resource based learning development and an in your face, proactive presence in the school organisation and wider community to enhance an information literate school community.
As specifically to leadership, with which this course is concerned, prior to any suggested readings, the TL for me is to be a visionary, great listener wi a reverberating voice, sending out shockwaves through the school hieracrchy and filtering down the ranks as to best practice.
That the TL is to be considered a leader is a privilege indeed! When I think of leadership I think of servanthood - the best leaders don't see themselves in a position to be served, but rather to serve. They are guides and very good listeners, able to discern what is for the best interest of the organisation/people body they are at the forefront of.
So this will be a very interesting journey, to discover how to become a better leader in today's world.
Oh, and I love the title of our text " Leading in a Culture of Change" - how interesting!
So here I go on my journey of adding to my current understandings and synthesizing it all! As Speedy Gonzales says, "Underlay, Underlay, Yiha! Yiha!"
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Critical Synthesis of the Role of the Teacher Librarian
When I originally coined "In the Winds of Change" as my main blog title, due to the endeavour of a career change, I had no idea that this would become so remarkably relevant to my changing views of the role of the Teacher Librarian. From what I have been learning this semester, the direction this profession has been heading in relation to best practise is vastly different to what has traditionally and still largely exists. And this is not only within the profession itself but in the minds of people who will be influenced by a new generation of proactive and up to date professionals seeking to exert and establish their influence and significance in building a highly functioning Information Literate School Community.
There has been several significant moments that have shaped and provoked my thinking in regard to this.
During my earliest readings regarding the history of Australian Libraries (Lundin,1981; Nimon and Hazell, 1990; Watts,1999)) I remember being struck by how challenging it has been not only to establish libraries but to maintain validity. From my continued readings, I began to realise that the TL's ideal role has never been an easy one to validate and is indicative in other parts of the world such as Canada (Haycock,2003). Readings examining this ideal role as being an information specialist who is allowed time to collaborate with and work alongside teaching staff in resource based learning activities to enhance student learning outcomes across the curriculum shocked me (for example Haycock,1991; Henri,2005; Johnson,2002). I had never considered that before, let alone seen it in action in any school I have worked in over the last 20 years. I just didn't see it in any private, state, primary or K-12 setting I have experienced.
As I then began to connect with many current practitioners to discuss such matters, they all confirmed the inconsistency between what I have been learning with what is actually going on in the real world. It struck me that best practise is not easily catered for and has resulted in years of lost potential for schools in this situation. What struck me was lack of funding and the struggle to obtain and maintain it, as far back as the earliest libraires in Australia, coupled with a lack of vision (as expressed in my Scholarly paper, Assignment1,2009) results in a terribe misuse of the TL's role. It became profoundly obvious that all TL's I contacted, even after completing this course or one of similar nature, are now working in a system that severly restricts putting into action the valuable knowledge, skills and commitment they could employ. I say this with direct reference to the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians (ASLA; ALIA) It amazed me that we can have such a fine document and yet not see it in action, once again highlighting the enormous task ahead of us.
What was begininning to become apparent to me, became more so as I meticulously read forum entries where many participants expressed bewilderment and frustration at complacency and restrictions in their schools regarding the ideal TL role let alone have important documents such as essential Role Statements. It was disheartnening for me see that TL's are a far cry from what was being advocated in our course.
And yet my respect for this role was increasing. Reflecting on the ideal position the TL has at the school I work at, being one of purely Information Specialist, I sensed in myself greater approval that this role existed. No longer did I think that the best use a TL could have was to read books to children, take teacher release or maintain resources. In an early blog, (March 5th, 2009) I wrote that this course has "inspired me to look with more respect on the role the TL can have in the learning setting." Instead a TL's role was becoming for me a very comprehensive and knowledgeable resource of all that pertains to Information Literacy across the curriculum in both Information Specialist and teaching realms.
Coupled with this was my growing sense that TL's currently need to take urgent yet controlled leadership to inject and enforce vision into their school setting as this ideal role, even if set in place, can still be undervalued (as addressed in my Scholarly Paper,Assignment 1,2009). What I sensed and recorded in an early blog (24th Feb,2009)as the need to be proactive, expanded as I read papers dealing with overcoming obstacles (for example Nimon and Hazell,1990;Henri and Asselin,2005). I found myself agreeing with long term TL's such as Alan Trueman stating in his critical reflection blog (3rd June, 2009) "It is very easy to settle for mediocrity in one's performance and to blame extraneous influences for such a state." I now see that TL's are highly educated people with much to offer and they need to educate those around them. They are responsible for making the most of every opportunity to voice and maintain vision so as to implement best practise.
In my blog titled"Who's Information Literate? Not me apparently!"(8th May,2009) I am one fine example of a school teacher who desperately needed to be made aware of the many terms and concepts I have learnt in this course. TL's have a huge task in educating others so they too can at least understand the importance of TL's being used effectively. Helping others to grasp the potential we have in enhancing student outcomes is of paramount importance.
Currently I am growing in understanding that if we are going to be at the forefront of helping to implement Process Models (such as Kuhlthau's, The Big6 or PLUS) then we need to firstly overcome the hurdle of gaining our rightful place in school community's as experts in this field - experts that not only have excellent knowledge but wisdom to implement this as experienced teachers. As I stated in my first assignment(2009), "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I can now clearly see that a major role of the TL is in promotion of vision that school leadership, extended teaching body and wider school community will learn to respect and incorporate as they grasp the potential of this invaluable role that expertly enhances student learning outcomes.
Without a doubt this course has inspired me to help get this profession on its feet- not in theory(as that is certainly in place) but in practise. I would particularly like to pursue how to become a leader implementing vision and best practise even agaisnt all odds.
I have also discovered a particular interest in exploring the TL's role as it relates to Kuhlthau's model, even expanding on her incorporation of the affective domain. Briefly, I believe that for a process model to be trully holistic, it needs to address the whole person - body(physical), soul(mind/will/emotions) and spirit(intuition/beliefs/convictions). For me , Kuhlthau's process model is the only one that directly addresses most of these as she includes the emotions/feelings. But why and where does the arousal of emotions occur? Where does it ring a bell or strike a cord? - in the intuition/beliefs/convictions of the inner self. I have already thought over this deeply and exploring it further as it relates to TL's helping students understanding the learning process is an area I would like to pursue.
There has been several significant moments that have shaped and provoked my thinking in regard to this.
During my earliest readings regarding the history of Australian Libraries (Lundin,1981; Nimon and Hazell, 1990; Watts,1999)) I remember being struck by how challenging it has been not only to establish libraries but to maintain validity. From my continued readings, I began to realise that the TL's ideal role has never been an easy one to validate and is indicative in other parts of the world such as Canada (Haycock,2003). Readings examining this ideal role as being an information specialist who is allowed time to collaborate with and work alongside teaching staff in resource based learning activities to enhance student learning outcomes across the curriculum shocked me (for example Haycock,1991; Henri,2005; Johnson,2002). I had never considered that before, let alone seen it in action in any school I have worked in over the last 20 years. I just didn't see it in any private, state, primary or K-12 setting I have experienced.
As I then began to connect with many current practitioners to discuss such matters, they all confirmed the inconsistency between what I have been learning with what is actually going on in the real world. It struck me that best practise is not easily catered for and has resulted in years of lost potential for schools in this situation. What struck me was lack of funding and the struggle to obtain and maintain it, as far back as the earliest libraires in Australia, coupled with a lack of vision (as expressed in my Scholarly paper, Assignment1,2009) results in a terribe misuse of the TL's role. It became profoundly obvious that all TL's I contacted, even after completing this course or one of similar nature, are now working in a system that severly restricts putting into action the valuable knowledge, skills and commitment they could employ. I say this with direct reference to the Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians (ASLA; ALIA) It amazed me that we can have such a fine document and yet not see it in action, once again highlighting the enormous task ahead of us.
What was begininning to become apparent to me, became more so as I meticulously read forum entries where many participants expressed bewilderment and frustration at complacency and restrictions in their schools regarding the ideal TL role let alone have important documents such as essential Role Statements. It was disheartnening for me see that TL's are a far cry from what was being advocated in our course.
And yet my respect for this role was increasing. Reflecting on the ideal position the TL has at the school I work at, being one of purely Information Specialist, I sensed in myself greater approval that this role existed. No longer did I think that the best use a TL could have was to read books to children, take teacher release or maintain resources. In an early blog, (March 5th, 2009) I wrote that this course has "inspired me to look with more respect on the role the TL can have in the learning setting." Instead a TL's role was becoming for me a very comprehensive and knowledgeable resource of all that pertains to Information Literacy across the curriculum in both Information Specialist and teaching realms.
Coupled with this was my growing sense that TL's currently need to take urgent yet controlled leadership to inject and enforce vision into their school setting as this ideal role, even if set in place, can still be undervalued (as addressed in my Scholarly Paper,Assignment 1,2009). What I sensed and recorded in an early blog (24th Feb,2009)as the need to be proactive, expanded as I read papers dealing with overcoming obstacles (for example Nimon and Hazell,1990;Henri and Asselin,2005). I found myself agreeing with long term TL's such as Alan Trueman stating in his critical reflection blog (3rd June, 2009) "It is very easy to settle for mediocrity in one's performance and to blame extraneous influences for such a state." I now see that TL's are highly educated people with much to offer and they need to educate those around them. They are responsible for making the most of every opportunity to voice and maintain vision so as to implement best practise.
In my blog titled"Who's Information Literate? Not me apparently!"(8th May,2009) I am one fine example of a school teacher who desperately needed to be made aware of the many terms and concepts I have learnt in this course. TL's have a huge task in educating others so they too can at least understand the importance of TL's being used effectively. Helping others to grasp the potential we have in enhancing student outcomes is of paramount importance.
Currently I am growing in understanding that if we are going to be at the forefront of helping to implement Process Models (such as Kuhlthau's, The Big6 or PLUS) then we need to firstly overcome the hurdle of gaining our rightful place in school community's as experts in this field - experts that not only have excellent knowledge but wisdom to implement this as experienced teachers. As I stated in my first assignment(2009), "Where there is no vision, the people perish." I can now clearly see that a major role of the TL is in promotion of vision that school leadership, extended teaching body and wider school community will learn to respect and incorporate as they grasp the potential of this invaluable role that expertly enhances student learning outcomes.
Without a doubt this course has inspired me to help get this profession on its feet- not in theory(as that is certainly in place) but in practise. I would particularly like to pursue how to become a leader implementing vision and best practise even agaisnt all odds.
I have also discovered a particular interest in exploring the TL's role as it relates to Kuhlthau's model, even expanding on her incorporation of the affective domain. Briefly, I believe that for a process model to be trully holistic, it needs to address the whole person - body(physical), soul(mind/will/emotions) and spirit(intuition/beliefs/convictions). For me , Kuhlthau's process model is the only one that directly addresses most of these as she includes the emotions/feelings. But why and where does the arousal of emotions occur? Where does it ring a bell or strike a cord? - in the intuition/beliefs/convictions of the inner self. I have already thought over this deeply and exploring it further as it relates to TL's helping students understanding the learning process is an area I would like to pursue.
What a journey so far! This is trully more exciting and relevant to student outcomes than I ever expected and it is encouraging to be in a field where I sense an explosion of appreciation and respect as school communities become educated as to the most excellent role and use of the Teacher Librarian.
Reference List
* Australian School Library Association and Australian LIbrary and Information Association (2001). Learning for the Future:Developing Information Skills in Schools. Carlton South, Victoria: Curriculum Cooperation.
* Australian School Library Association and Australian Library and Information Association(2004). Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians. Canberra:ASLA
* Alan,T. (3rd June,2009) Critical Reflection. From http://ajtrueman.blogspot.com/2009/06/et1401-assignment-critical-reflection.html Retrieved 14th June 2009
* Sandeman,B (5th March,2009) Windy Day
* Sandeman,B (24th Feb, 2009) Hello Again
*Sandeman,B (8th May,2009) Who's Information Literate? Not me apparently!
*Lundin,R(1981), School Library Development in Australia. School Librarianship. Pergamon Press,Sydney,pp 1-21
*Nimon,M and A, Hazell(1990) Promoting Learning. Challenges in Teacher Librarianship. School Library and Information Services. Adelaide,Auslib Press
*Haycock,K(2003)The Crisis in Canada's School Libraries. The Case for Reform and Re-Investment .TOronto. Canada Association of Canadien Publishers
* Henri,J. and Asselin(2005). Teacher Librarians:Mirror Images of Teachers and Pioneering Voyages. The Information Literate School Community. Wagga Wagga,Centre for Information Services,CSU,pp135-145
*Sandeman,B (2009). Teacher Librarianship. Scholarly Paper 1 for Master of Education in Teacher Librarianship.
*Watts,J(1999) The Teacher Librarian Past. A Literature Review pp29-42
* Haycock (1991) Resource Basee Learning. A Shift in the Roles of Teacher,Learner
*Henri,J(2005)The Information Literate School Community. Issues of School Leadership. Wagga Wagga. Centrre for Information Services.
*Johnson,D(2002) The Seven Most Critical Challenges that Face our Profession. Teacher Librarian-May/June
*Herring,J. James Herrings PLUS Model. From http://farrer.csu.edu.au/PLUS/index.html Retrieved 9th June 2009
*Herring,J,Tarter,A and Naylor,S (2002) An Evaluation of the use of the PLUS model to develop pupil's information skills in a secondary school. School Libraries Australia. Vol 8,No1 pp1024
*Kuhlthau,C(1995) The Process of Learning from Information. School Libraries Worldwide, Volume 1,No1 pp1-12
*Kuhlthau, C (2004) Seeking Meaning. A Process Approach to Library and Information Services. Libraries Unlimited.Westport.Canada.pp13-27
*The Big6 Model .From http://ww.big6.com/ Retrieved 9th June,2009
The Standards of Professional Excellence for Teacher Librarians
WOW! What a document!
I think that this is an excellent resource ofr anyone in the educational field - let alone teacher librarians!
It is so well thought out and covers all the key areas pertaining to an effective library that suitably caters to the needs of an ever changing Information Literate School Community.
The brief and concise nature of this document is well intended and is great how you can then follow it up in more depth if one wishes in the prescribed Learning for the Future text.
I really believe that two of the most important indicators in this document are that TL's get in touch with the school's curriculum needs that one finds oneself in and pursues leadership skills. How can one cater for the needs of any given school if one does not know what the student outcomes are and it is essential that one works toward fine leadership skill s so that the ideal use of the TL is advocated and implemented from the top down.
Well must go but these are just a few more of my reflections.
I think that this is an excellent resource ofr anyone in the educational field - let alone teacher librarians!
It is so well thought out and covers all the key areas pertaining to an effective library that suitably caters to the needs of an ever changing Information Literate School Community.
The brief and concise nature of this document is well intended and is great how you can then follow it up in more depth if one wishes in the prescribed Learning for the Future text.
I really believe that two of the most important indicators in this document are that TL's get in touch with the school's curriculum needs that one finds oneself in and pursues leadership skills. How can one cater for the needs of any given school if one does not know what the student outcomes are and it is essential that one works toward fine leadership skill s so that the ideal use of the TL is advocated and implemented from the top down.
Well must go but these are just a few more of my reflections.
Friday, June 12, 2009
Standars of professional excellence for teacher librarians
Hi all!
Well I am just about to complete an assignment on the Standards of Professional excellence for teacher librarians
Can I just start by saying how blessed we are to have this alrready in place
Apparently the first qualified TL's occured in the 1960's and since then , obviously a group of individuals over time have worked hard to present this document
It is very well thought out and covers issues relating to the two professional fields we have both feet in - teaching and librarianship.
And it has sought to stay closely linked with other educational professions and thier standards of excellence.
Not only does it provide a great resource to judge our own practice by but it also provides a framework by which we can explore what areas we neeed professional development in
Well, on with the assignment.
Well I am just about to complete an assignment on the Standards of Professional excellence for teacher librarians
Can I just start by saying how blessed we are to have this alrready in place
Apparently the first qualified TL's occured in the 1960's and since then , obviously a group of individuals over time have worked hard to present this document
It is very well thought out and covers issues relating to the two professional fields we have both feet in - teaching and librarianship.
And it has sought to stay closely linked with other educational professions and thier standards of excellence.
Not only does it provide a great resource to judge our own practice by but it also provides a framework by which we can explore what areas we neeed professional development in
Well, on with the assignment.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Information ProcessModels
Well I'm well into my last assignment and its largely to do with Process Models for me at the moment.
What a challenge to get one's head around all the readings and then to process the information to make comparisons and contrasts!
I mostly enjoyed the ISP by Kuhlthau as it reflected a more holistic approach but the others are good as well if you wish to get a good grounding in the cognitive processes one goes through in becoming a successful TL in affecting student outcomes.
I have also chosen the BIg6 model and PLUS by Herring. These two seem to have a very stuctured layout with precise definitions of each step that one goes through in processing information.
It constantly amazes me at just how little I know about this whole TL business. Here I was thinking I was doing a course that involved traditional views of what a TL is and whacko! here I am being challenged to think about how I cna actively affect studnet outcome s across the curriculum - what a challenge!
Well back to the drawing board to think some more
What a challenge to get one's head around all the readings and then to process the information to make comparisons and contrasts!
I mostly enjoyed the ISP by Kuhlthau as it reflected a more holistic approach but the others are good as well if you wish to get a good grounding in the cognitive processes one goes through in becoming a successful TL in affecting student outcomes.
I have also chosen the BIg6 model and PLUS by Herring. These two seem to have a very stuctured layout with precise definitions of each step that one goes through in processing information.
It constantly amazes me at just how little I know about this whole TL business. Here I was thinking I was doing a course that involved traditional views of what a TL is and whacko! here I am being challenged to think about how I cna actively affect studnet outcome s across the curriculum - what a challenge!
Well back to the drawing board to think some more
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