ETL 504 Reflective Journal Blog task - Teacher-Librarian as Leader

This post is part of ETL504 Assessment 1 and is designed as a way to reflect on emerging thoughts on the leadership role and practices of the Teacher-Librarian (TL) in the context of recent modules on organisational theory and school leadership.

In order to do this, I’ve chosen to link the TL role to some ideas raised in my concept map depicting school leadership.

Vision and Purpose – this closely links to the practice of developing a vision statement and library goals as articulated in the library policy. This can shape and inform practical things such as resource management and the types of services and engagement that the library can offer the school. Having a vision and purpose can also provide the TL with ammunition to argue funding and direction and increase motivation, commitment and enthusiasm (Sergiovanni, 1984). If developed well it will also link into broader school vision and allow the TL s voice in direction setting. 

The TL like any leader needs to develop communication skills and build relationships.

Communication binds leadership (Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005) this is particularly important as chances to informally interact with colleagues can be hampered by staffing the library during break times. Developing ways of communicating about what and how the library can help with resources and skills will raise the library profile and provide more engagement opportunities for TLs. 

Likewise TL relationships can focus on member-leader exchange (Avolio, Walumbwa & Weber, 2009) and the outcomes of these interactions (Townsend, 2011) can provide opportunities for co-teaching, engagement and sharing expertise.    

These are linked with notions of openness and trust which communication and relationships will facilitate and the TL can utilise to argue and lead for greater participation – of students and colleagues in their library use and of the TL in broader school issues. Likewise TLs need to share expertise with colleagues and welcome the expertise of others into the library to build a learning community (Orridge, 2009) and positively impact change management (Cameron and Green, 2004). 

TLs also need to engage in enabling/empowering colleagues through professional development and learning opportunities which will support change (Orridge 2009) garner support in realising goals (Belbin, 2010).

Information gathering and monitoring is import to TLs – in practice this can mean using data about library use or evaluating and reporting on programs and their impacts as a way of increase effectiveness (Knapp, Copland  & Swinnerton, 200,7  Marzano et al, 2005) and arguing for resources and increased participation. 

Data, problem solving and decision making in can be linked to resource management, developing relationships, enabling and participation (Adair 2010). Resource management is a large part of the TL role where the library, its resources and access to these are fundamental responsibilities.

In undertaking all these leadership aspects a range of leaderships styles including transformational leadership as way of inspiring and activating higher order values (Avolio et al,2009,p.428) transactional leadership and authenticity and empathy (Cameron and Green 2004) along with problem solving techniques and change management (Schifter, 2008)must be employed with an aim to effect leadership for learning (Townsend, 2011) and build a knowledge organisation (Hargreaves, 2007) – which will, in turn require great communication and relationships and a fair amount of perseverance and dedication.

References 

Adair, J. E. (2010). Decision making and problem solvingstrategies (pp. 45-53). London: Kogan Page. Retrieved March 30, 2013 Charles Sturt University website

 Avolio, B., Walumbwa, F., & Weber, T. J. (2009, September 14). Leadership: CurrentTheories, Research, and Future Directions. DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Retrieved March 21, 2013

.

Belbin, R. M. (2010). Chapter 9. The art of building a team. Teamroles at work (2nd ed., pp. 97-106). Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. Retrieved March 28, 2013 from Charles Sturt University website. 

Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2004). Individual change. Making sense of change management a complete guide to the models, tools & techniques of organizational change (pp. 12-61). London: Kogan Page. Retrieved March 27 from Charles Sturt University website. 

Hargreaves, A. (2007). Sustainable Leadership and Development in Education: creating thefuture, conserving the past.. European Journal of Education, 42(2), 223-233. Retrieved January 24, 2013.

Knapp, M. S., Copland, M. A., & Swinnerton, J. A. (2007). Chapter 4 Understanding thePromise and Dynamics of Data-Informed Leadership.. Yearbook of the National Society for the Study of Education, 106(1), 74-104. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from Charles Sturt University website. 

KotterMarzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). Sometheories and theorists on leadership. School leadership that works: from research to results (pp. 13-27). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved 27 March, 2013 from Charles Sturt University website.

Orridge, M. (2009). 75 ways to help sustainorganisational transformation. Change leadership developing a change-adept organization (pp. 35-52). Farnham, England: Gower . Retrieved March 28 from Charles Sturt University website. 

Schifter, C. (2008). Effecting Change in the Classroom Through Professional Development. In C. Schifter (Ed.), Infusing Technology into the Classroom: Continuous Practice Improvement (pp. 259-274). Hershey, PA: . doi:10.4018/978-1-59904-765-2.ch014

Sergiovanni, T. (1984). Leadership and Excellence in Schooling. Educational Leadership, February, 4-13. Retrieved March 14, 2013.

Townsend, T. (2011). School leadership in the twenty-first century:different approaches to common problems? School Leadership and Management, 31(2), 93-103. Retrieved March 22, 2013, from Charles Sturt University website