Sunday, October 11, 2015

ETL504 Assignment 2 Part B: Reflective Critical Analysis

ETL504 Teacher Librarian as Leader has provided me valuable insights into my ongoing role as the teacher librarian in a primary school. As the final subject of my Masters of Education (Teacher Librarianship), it has given me a clear path forwards to enhance the profile of the school library and provide valuable support in curriculum implementation and instruction. The following is a critical reflection of the knowledge and understandings that this subject has given me on the leadership role of the teacher librarian.

This subject really enlightened my thinking by reading about all of the different leadership styles (BenBrocker, 2012, March 22; Marzano, Waters, & McNulty, 2005). I had not previously understood that there were that many different approaches to leadership (which is clearly illustrated in my first blog post), but it makes perfect sense when you consider the range of different personalities and values (Sergiovanni, 2005) we encounter on a daily basis. I began to classify people in my home and school environments according to their styles of leadership and evaluated the effectiveness of these different styles through the way people interact with each of these individuals. It certainly made me more aware of the ways that I assert my own leadership. Ideally, I as a leader I am a combination of transformational (inspiring), servant (ninja) and instructional (teacher). Important also to my learning was the deepened understanding of the reciprocal roles of leadership and learners (Mengel, 2015, September 26, 11:27) through Leadership for Learning (Swaffield & MacBeath, 2008).

The teacher librarian plays an important role within a number of teams in the school (Aguilar, n.d.; Belbin, 2012). Being part of a leadership team is important for knowing what is happening within the school, impacting upon curriculum and educational change within the school, and enhancing the profile of the library through a better understanding of the services a teacher librarian can offer. As a way forward, I intend to be more proactive in involving myself with different teams within my school.

I had not considered the importance of problem solving processes and change management theories before. Tapscott (TED, 2012, June 28), Kotter (n.d.) and Cameron and Green (2009) were particularly significant in my shaping my thinking, as evidenced in my blog post on Four Principles for an Open World. Having clear principles and processes aid in achieving the desire outcomes. Previously, I feel I was definitely more hot headed and oppositional when dealing with change (I identify with being a critic & victim in response to change  (DoodleSlide., 2012, March 16) ). As a result of my learning I now resolve to be more of a navigator and aid in the transformational processes of the school setting whilst also being more aware of potential responses that others may have to change and prepare for those. I particularly liked the idea of survival anxiety having to be greater that learning anxiety and that  learning anxiety must be reduced rather than increasing survival anxiety (Cameron & Green, 2009).

Transformational leaders need a vision. This unit has opened my eyes to the importance of having a clear, well thought out vision for the future (Collay, 2011; DoodleSlide, 2012, July 11; Townsend, 2011; Wong, 2012). Over the coming term, I intend to apply a thorough, STEEP environmental scan (Watt, 2011) using my blog analysis as a rough framework to create a mission statement that encompasses our current position in the school and a vision statement for the future. I feel I am now able distinguish (Mengel, 2015, October 03 21:33) the clear differences between a mission and a vision, thanks to JISC infonet (2012) and Johnson (2010). Now that I am aware of the difference and the specific role each of these statements can play, I want to harness their power to increase the profile of our school library and create a strategic plan for the future.

Finally, ETL504 has shaped my understanding of the role of the teacher librarian in 21st century. My understanding of educational theories has shifted after learning about the concept of connectivist theory, that is not only creating understanding, but generating new knowledge (Starkey, 2012). Trilling and Fadel (2009) discussed the interplay of skills and themes which lead me to investigate learning commons models (Accardi, Cordova, & Leeder, 2010; Brooks Kirkland & Koechlin, 2015; Hayes, 2014; Koechlin, Luhtala, & Loertscher, 2011) and Makerspaces (Loertscher, Preddy, & Derry, 2013; Wernick, 2011). Combes’ (2009) writing on important steps to becoming a leader for your library and O’Connell's (2012) work on supporting the needs of community through leadership  was inspiring and I plan to be guided by these over the coming years. In particular, the instructional leadership role will be important to embrace. I began collaborative planning with teachers in own school last term, and aim continue forward with the strategic plan created for assignment.


Accardi, M. T., Cordova, M., & Leeder, K. (2010). Reviewing the library learning commons: History, models, and perspectives. College & Undergraduate Libraries, 17(2/3), 310-329. doi: 10.1080/10691316.2010.481595
Aguilar, E. (n.d.). Effective teams: The key to transforming schools? K-12 Education & learning innovations with proven strategies that work: Edutopia. Retrieved from http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teacher-teams-transform-schools-elena-aguilar.
Belbin, R. M. (2012). The art of building a team. Team Roles at Work. (2 ed., pp. 97-106). Amsterdam: Butterworth-Heinemann. Retrieved from http://CSUAU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=535053.
BenBrocker. (2012, March 22). Leadership theory and critical skills [video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzAzhiEsZtY
Brooks Kirkland, A., & Koechlin, C. (2015). Leading Learning. Teacher Librarian, 42(5), 45-47. Retrieved from: http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/
Cameron, E., & Green, M. (2009). Individual change. Making sense of change management : A complete guide to the models, tools and techniques of organisational change. (2 ed., pp. 12-61). London: Kogan Page. Retrieved from http://CSUAU.eblib.com/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=433139.
Combes, B. (2009). Challenges for teacher librarianship in the 21st century: Part 3 - status and role. SCIS Connections, 69. Retrieved from http://www2.curriculum.edu.au/scis/connections/challenges_for_teacher_librarianship.html
Collay, M. (2011). Chapter 3: Teaching is leading. Everyday teacher leadership: Taking action where you are (pp. 75-108). San Francisco, CA: Wiley.
DoodleSlide. (2012, July 11). What is transformational leadership? [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60O2OH7mHys
DoodleSlide. (2012, March 16). Change management explained in 1 minute [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmoDpj1jtyA
Hayes, T. (2014). Library to learning commons: A recipe for success. Education Canada. Retrieved from: http://www.cea-ace.ca/
JISC infoNet. (2012) Defining and articulating your vision, mission and values. Retrieved from http://www.jiscinfonet.ac.uk/infokits/mission-vision-values/
Johnson, B. (2010, May 12). What's the difference between mission and vision [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2MyaR0gMo0
Koechlin, C., Luhtala, M., & Loertscher, D. V. (2011). Knowledge Building in the Learning Commons. Teacher Librarian, 38(3), 20-26. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=59242981&site=ehost-live
Kotter, J. (n.d.). The 8-step process for leading change. Kotter International - Innovative Strategy Implementation Professionals. Retrieved from: http://www.kotterinternational.com/our-principles/changesteps/changesteps
Loertscher, D. V., Preddy, L., & Derry, B. (2013). Makerspaces in the school library Learning Commons and the uTEC maker model. Teacher Librarian, 41(2), 48-51. Retrieved from: http://www.teacherlibrarian.com/
Marzano, R. J., Waters, T., & McNulty, B. A. (2005). Some theories and theorists on leadership. School leadership that works : From research to results (pp. 13-27). Alexandria, Va.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. Retrieved from http://www.csuau.eblib.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/patron/Read.aspx?p=280397.
Mengel, M. (2015, September 26, 11:27) RE: Task 1: Introduction: Leadership for learning [Online forum comment]. Retrieved from https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/discussionboard/do/message?action=list_messages&course_id=_6073_1&conf_id=_6711_1&forum_id=_32373_1&message_id=_406627_1&nav=discussion_board_entry
O’Connell, J. (2012). Change has arrived at an iSchool library near you. In P. Godwin & J. Parker (Eds.), Information literacy beyond library 2.0 (pp. 215-228). London: Facet.
Sergiovanni, T. J. (2005). The virtues of leadership. Educational Forum, 69(2), 112-123. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ehh&AN=15852244&site=ehost-live
Starkey, L. (2012). Chapter 3: Knowledge and connectivism. Teaching and learning in the digital age: Taylor and Francis.
Swaffield, S., & MacBeath, J. (2008). Leadership for learning. In J. MacBeath & N. Dempster (Eds.), Connecting leadership and learning : Principles for practice. (pp. 32-52). London: Routledge.
TED. (2012, June 28). Don Tapscott: Four principles for the open world [Video file]. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfqwHT3u1-8
Townsend, T. (2011). School leadership in the twenty-first century: different approaches to common problems? School Leadership & Management: Formerly School Organisation, 31(2), 93-103. doi: 10.1080/13632434.2011.572419
Trilling, B., & Fadel, C. (2009). Chapter 3: Learning and innovation skills. 21st Century skills : Learning for life in our times. Wiley.
Watt, D. (2011, August 4). Strategic planning for school libraries [Slide show]. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/halfpintofwisdom/strategic-planning-for-libraries
Wernick, L. (2011). Changing spaces. American School & University, 83(9), 24-28. Retrieved from: http://www.penton.com/
Wong, T. (2012). Strategic long-range planning. Library Media Connection, 31(2), 22-23. Retrieved from: http://ezproxy.csu.edu.au/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=iih&AN=82392196&site=ehost-live



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