Taking the Lead
Completing a Concept Map about School Leadership as part of Teacher Librarian as Leader studies, drew my focus to the many facets of the school environment competing for attention. Back in 2013, when I completed the Concept Map, I was working in a different School Library. I had already had experience in leading and mentoring these teachers following the introduction of Interactive Whiteboards a few years earlier, and led many technology projects with teachers and students. Despite this, some teachers were still reluctant to collaborate on programs in an attempt to integrate Library programming across all curriculum areas. That may have been due to my inexperience in the Library or it may have been due to the changes in the Library programming that I was implementing. However, by beginning with those teachers who were open to collaboration and promoting student achievements as a result (for example, Digital Stories by Year 4), the expansion of the program was much easier. This then led to my first Permanent Teacher Librarian position.
Taking the lead in my new school was a daunting task. As with any new role, the compulsion to want to make all the changes you want immediately is strong. But the realisation that it is humanly impossible and must be dealt with in chunks hits hard. After reading Hargreaves (2007) “Sustainable Leadership and Development in Education: creating the future, conserving the past’, I have developed a more measured approach to Library Programming and Administration. Reading and reflecting throughout the Master Program has helped. My aim has been to create a sustainable knowledge society by providing students and teachers with the tools and resources to become savvy information seekers and users.
James Herring’s (2007) perspectives of the school library and the teacher librarian as more than a support service but a “vital part of the school” (p. 27) are probably not new to anyone undertaking an Information Science degree. However, with the New South Wales’ Government’s Local Schools, Local Decisions Policy that allows Principals to decide on the number and types of teachers and programs to use their funding on (NSW Government, Education, n. d.), Teacher Librarians may find themselves in a predicament. Whilst the Australian School Library Association’s recent report on the impact of school libraries on student achievement indicates a positive effect on student achievement across a range of indicators (Lonsdale, 2003), Teacher Librarians must be prepared to promote these connections and innovate to continue to lead student literacy development. These concepts are my drivers for change in the school library.
Now into my second year as a permanent Teacher Librarian, recognising the importance of positioning the library as a vital part of the school, I have begun extending the reach of library programs into the classroom through:
For a variety of reasons, Library programming prior to my appointment at Bexley Public School was somewhat disconnected from the classroom. The greater collaboration with classroom teachers and integration of class curriculum content and literacy programs has been recognised as a significant shift in Library programming and practice. In a recent survey of the Library and its services, one teacher remarked,
“Library programming is more collaborative, research based and relevant to what is taught in the classroom. This approach makes learning outcomes for the students more achievable.” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 6, Response 3).
Whilst collaboration as a Release from Face to Face (RFF) Teacher Librarian is not easy, it is certainly achievable, as evidenced by this teacher’s comment. The concept-mapping readings and activity undertaken in “Teacher Librarian as Leader” helped me develop a better understanding of how this could be achieved in a variety of ways. I have focused on developing my professional networks both online and face to face. I use online curation tools such as Pinterest, diigo and Scoop.it to continue my professional reading and research so that I can provide best practice School Library services. In addition, attending Sydney Region Teacher Librarian Network Meetings allows me to network with other Teacher Librarians, share and gain advice on common implementation issues and continue to develop our professional skills to then take back to our schools for teacher professional development and improved information management and administration.
Teacher professional development and mentoring has become a clear focus of the Library. As one of the key elements of creating a Community of Learning (see Suggestion 3), professional development and mentoring is vitally important for teachers and students. Considering the new Australian Curriculum’s requirement for the skills of investigation to be integrated throughout all curriculum areas using the general capabilities (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2014), Teacher Librarians are well placed to develop the information literacy and information and other technology skills of teachers and students alike. Responding to this need, I have conducted the following professional development activities at schools since beginning the Masters program:
Taking the lead in my new school was a daunting task. As with any new role, the compulsion to want to make all the changes you want immediately is strong. But the realisation that it is humanly impossible and must be dealt with in chunks hits hard. After reading Hargreaves (2007) “Sustainable Leadership and Development in Education: creating the future, conserving the past’, I have developed a more measured approach to Library Programming and Administration. Reading and reflecting throughout the Master Program has helped. My aim has been to create a sustainable knowledge society by providing students and teachers with the tools and resources to become savvy information seekers and users.
James Herring’s (2007) perspectives of the school library and the teacher librarian as more than a support service but a “vital part of the school” (p. 27) are probably not new to anyone undertaking an Information Science degree. However, with the New South Wales’ Government’s Local Schools, Local Decisions Policy that allows Principals to decide on the number and types of teachers and programs to use their funding on (NSW Government, Education, n. d.), Teacher Librarians may find themselves in a predicament. Whilst the Australian School Library Association’s recent report on the impact of school libraries on student achievement indicates a positive effect on student achievement across a range of indicators (Lonsdale, 2003), Teacher Librarians must be prepared to promote these connections and innovate to continue to lead student literacy development. These concepts are my drivers for change in the school library.
Now into my second year as a permanent Teacher Librarian, recognising the importance of positioning the library as a vital part of the school, I have begun extending the reach of library programs into the classroom through:
- collaborating with classroom teachers,
- providing group professional development to teachers, as well as one on one mentoring, to embed technology and develop student collaboration skills; and
- promoting the library, it's services and events to the whole school community through newsletters, a library blog and Teacher programs and events.
For a variety of reasons, Library programming prior to my appointment at Bexley Public School was somewhat disconnected from the classroom. The greater collaboration with classroom teachers and integration of class curriculum content and literacy programs has been recognised as a significant shift in Library programming and practice. In a recent survey of the Library and its services, one teacher remarked,
“Library programming is more collaborative, research based and relevant to what is taught in the classroom. This approach makes learning outcomes for the students more achievable.” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 6, Response 3).
Whilst collaboration as a Release from Face to Face (RFF) Teacher Librarian is not easy, it is certainly achievable, as evidenced by this teacher’s comment. The concept-mapping readings and activity undertaken in “Teacher Librarian as Leader” helped me develop a better understanding of how this could be achieved in a variety of ways. I have focused on developing my professional networks both online and face to face. I use online curation tools such as Pinterest, diigo and Scoop.it to continue my professional reading and research so that I can provide best practice School Library services. In addition, attending Sydney Region Teacher Librarian Network Meetings allows me to network with other Teacher Librarians, share and gain advice on common implementation issues and continue to develop our professional skills to then take back to our schools for teacher professional development and improved information management and administration.
Teacher professional development and mentoring has become a clear focus of the Library. As one of the key elements of creating a Community of Learning (see Suggestion 3), professional development and mentoring is vitally important for teachers and students. Considering the new Australian Curriculum’s requirement for the skills of investigation to be integrated throughout all curriculum areas using the general capabilities (Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority [ACARA], 2014), Teacher Librarians are well placed to develop the information literacy and information and other technology skills of teachers and students alike. Responding to this need, I have conducted the following professional development activities at schools since beginning the Masters program:
I have also conducted one-on-one and ‘just in time’ professional development on the integration of iPads and applications in the classroom. The integration of iPads into classroom teaching has been an important aspect of the ongoing development provided by the Library as these tools were being under-utilised. Whilst uptake has been slow, it is growing, and rightly so. The collaborative skills that students require to work with a partner or group on projects and investigations reflects research that indicates that today’s 15 year olds will be required to collaborate across “Many jobs, with many employers, often at the same time” (FYA, 2015: p. 7).
Conducting investigations and group projects during Library sessions further promotes the value of the Library amongst teachers and students. This is again extended by engaging the wider school community in Library events and programs. Promotion is not a pat on the back for the Library and its staff. It is powerful cultural change. This is important for all schools as literacy pervades all aspects of the curriculum and improving literacy skills is therefore vital.
The process of developing a research question and design as part of ‘EER 500 Educational Research’ required research into parental engagement and its effects on student performance. As a result, my Performance and Development Plan always includes opportunities for engagement with parents and caregivers. Some of these are formal: Premier’s Reading Challenge; National Simultaneous Storytime; Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week Activities and Performances; Book Week Performances, Contests, Parade and Activities; Author Visits; Morning Storytime; and special author or book events throughout the year. Others are less formal – chatting to parents in the playground about the books their children borrow, local Library services and holiday activities, or inviting them to visit the Library in the morning with their children to return or borrow books.
These activities are having an impact on attitudes towards reading and learning in general. On the survey already mentioned here, one teacher recalled,
“The teacher librarian has heavily contributed to the aims of increased community engagement in the learning of our students. She has developed and coordinated a number of activities to promote the importance of reading and the library as a resource. The result has been recognised by school and community” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 7, Response 8
and another states,
“…She has organised a variety of whole school events including Book Week, Book Safari, Author visits and NAIDOC activities. These have all involved a meaningful planned sequence of activities resulting in awareness and an increase in knowledge and skills. The wider school community have also been involved in the whole school activities. This has led to an increase in parental participation in school events.” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 7, Response 7).
These activities: collaboration with other teachers, provision of professional development and mentoring and Library promotions, are positioning the Library as a vital part of the school, with clear connections to the classroom, and the schools broader strategic directions.
References
Conducting investigations and group projects during Library sessions further promotes the value of the Library amongst teachers and students. This is again extended by engaging the wider school community in Library events and programs. Promotion is not a pat on the back for the Library and its staff. It is powerful cultural change. This is important for all schools as literacy pervades all aspects of the curriculum and improving literacy skills is therefore vital.
The process of developing a research question and design as part of ‘EER 500 Educational Research’ required research into parental engagement and its effects on student performance. As a result, my Performance and Development Plan always includes opportunities for engagement with parents and caregivers. Some of these are formal: Premier’s Reading Challenge; National Simultaneous Storytime; Reconciliation Week and NAIDOC Week Activities and Performances; Book Week Performances, Contests, Parade and Activities; Author Visits; Morning Storytime; and special author or book events throughout the year. Others are less formal – chatting to parents in the playground about the books their children borrow, local Library services and holiday activities, or inviting them to visit the Library in the morning with their children to return or borrow books.
These activities are having an impact on attitudes towards reading and learning in general. On the survey already mentioned here, one teacher recalled,
“The teacher librarian has heavily contributed to the aims of increased community engagement in the learning of our students. She has developed and coordinated a number of activities to promote the importance of reading and the library as a resource. The result has been recognised by school and community” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 7, Response 8
and another states,
“…She has organised a variety of whole school events including Book Week, Book Safari, Author visits and NAIDOC activities. These have all involved a meaningful planned sequence of activities resulting in awareness and an increase in knowledge and skills. The wider school community have also been involved in the whole school activities. This has led to an increase in parental participation in school events.” (SurveyMonkey, 2015, Question Summary, Question 7, Response 7).
These activities: collaboration with other teachers, provision of professional development and mentoring and Library promotions, are positioning the Library as a vital part of the school, with clear connections to the classroom, and the schools broader strategic directions.
References
- Australian Curriculum and Assessment Reporting Authority. (2014). Foundation to Year 10 Curriculum: General Capabilities, General Capabilities in the Australian Curriculum. Retrieved from http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/generalcapabilities/overview/general-capabilities-in-the-australian-curriculum
- Foundation for Young Australians. (2015). The new work order:Ensuring young Australians have skills and experience for the jobs of the future, not the past. [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.fya.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/fya-future-of-work-report-final-lr.pdf
- Hargreaves, A. (2007) Sustainable Leadership and Development in Education: creating the future, conserving the past’. European Journal of Education, 42(2), pp.223-233.
- Herring, J. (2007). Teacher librarians and the school library. In S. Fergusom (Ed.). Libraries in the twenty-first century: charting new directions in information (pp.27-42). Wagga Wagga, NSW : Centre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University.
- Lonsdale, M. (2003). Impact of school libraries on student achievement: A review of the research. Retrieved from http://www.asla.org.au/site/DefaultSite/filesystem/documents/research.pdf
- NSW Government, Education. (n.d.). Local Schools, Local Decisions. Retrieved from http://www.dec.nsw.gov.au/about-the-department/our-reforms/local-schools-local-decisions
- SurveyMonkey. (2015). Teacher Librarian Evaluation 2015 - Cosentino, Bexley Public School. Retrieved from https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-X9RB2ZJ2/