ETL504 Teacher Librarian as Leader

1. ETL504Teacher Librarian as Leader Overview Dr Arthur Winzenried

2. General • Subject Coordinator: Arthur Winzenried • Assisting Lecturer: Roy Crotty • Marking Team will be involved • Posted Materials (“the Brick”) • Prescribed text, readings, extras • Library e-reserve for 504 • OZTL_NET http://listserv.csu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/oztl_net

3. Communicating • Phone 02 6933 2832 • Fax 02 6933 2733 • Email – awinzenried@csu.edu.au • Forums • Announcements • Study/support groups • Chat??

4. The TL • A teacher among teachers • A skilled librarian • Advisor on study habits • Advisor on lesson planning • Expert in curriculum • Financial manager • Technical wizard • Book dealer • Digital dynamo • …. etc. etc. etc. (and not paid nearly enough for it all)

5. A privileged position • Leader in teaching • Leader in resourcing • Leader in studying • Leader in departmental management • Leader in communication • Leader in strategic planning • A leader in the School organisation

6. 504 and all that…. 3 key topics.. • Organisational theory • How organisations work • Communication • Connections skills for your organisation • Strategic Planning • Planning to make your organisation work; now and in the future

7. Your Learning Objectives The learning objectives consider the topics in a broad sense. At the completion of this subject students should: • be able to identify key developments and issues in organisational theory and relate these to the delivery of a school’s information services and the work of the teacher librarian; • be able to relate issues in leadership theory and decision-making processes to the teacher librarian’s role in the school;

8. be able to demonstrate an awareness of the principles and methods of strategic planning for change, and identify the role of the teacher librarian within these processes; • be able to develop a mission statement and identify objectives/outcomes for the delivery of a school’s information services; • be able to demonstrate an understanding of the importance of communication for the teacher librarian as leader and identify strategies to develop and enhance teamwork and collaboration.

9. The topics under Organisational Theory, Communication, Strategic Planning all link back to the objectives in some way. • Organisational theory • Quality management • Decision making and problem solving • Teamwork and collaboration • Leadership • Innovation and change

10. Communication • Processes • Conflict resolution • Negotiation • Strategic planning • Planning to plan • Vision and mission statements • Analysing the environment • Evaluation and review

11. You can’t see the links until you understand something about the individual topics • You need to see the topics both as distinct and connected

12. What is your organisation? At various times you will want to consider these organisations: • Library • School • School district

13. Libraries – organisations within organisations • Awareness of how the parent organisation works gives you a basis for making your organisation work better within that framework • Teacher librarians are leaders and are led • Welch (Reading 17) is a good starting point

14. TLs as leaders – Why? • Teacher librarians are leaders (often unexpectedly so) • Lead from the middle (authority through influence rather than designated power) • You have contact with every student • You oversee a very expensive facility • Your management and leadership skills and opportunities should be recognised and valued—it’s your job to make it happen

15. What is leadership? “The leaders who work most effectively, it seems to me, never say "I." And that's not because they have trained themselves not to say "I." They don't think "I." They think "we"; they think "team." They understand their job to be to make the team function. They accept responsibility and don't sidestep it, but "we" gets the credit…. This is what creates trust, what enables you to get the task done.” Peter Drucker

16. Leadership characteristics Traits of leaders you have known: • Those which made them successful • Those which made them less successful

17. Successful Leaders • Integrity and honesty • Loyalty • Optimism and courage • Selflessness • Knowledge and competency in the industry • Ability to make the most of available talent • Dependability • Management: Traits of Successful Business Leaders by Moses (2005) http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_20132.html

18. Leadership in Learning • Information & ICT literacy programs • Provision of ICT PD for staff – mentoring & modelling • Curriculum leadership • Whole school policy development & implementation • Strong learning technologies focus • Strong client focus • Growing trend of TLs moving into more formalised ICT leadership role

19. Hay, on leadership “Knowledge - of range of software and web resources relevant to students and teachers, constant need to keep abreast of new e-learning opportunities. Transferred and further developed abilities in policy writing, budgeting, human resource and resource management, evaluations and future planning. Understanding of adult learning needs and how to tailor learning programs to meet individual levels and expectations.” (Hay, 2004)

20. Leadership skills • Problem solving, ability to acquire skills ‘on the job’, troubleshooting, testing, trialling (40%) • Technology skills (25%) • Ability to think ‘big picture’ (25%) • People skills (25%) • Ability to effectively work in teams (20%) • Leadership in mentoring & modelling practice • Organisational skills (Hay, 2004)

21. Leadership Qualities • Initiative, drive, being a self-starter (55%) • Risk-taker (25%) • Patience (25%) • Persistence, perseverance (20%) • Determination (15%) • Self-confidence (15%) • Passion (10%) • Diplomacy (5%) (Hay, 2004)

22. The Future – be prepared • 7 Scenarios (see text) • Future changing and changeable • Flexibility needed • Client service critical • Communication (in all forms) vital • Show value to organisation (Winzenried 2010)

23. The choice is yours

24. Your 504 toolkit Be familiar with… • Overview of subject materials • Forums & subforums – purpose of each • ‘New Resources’ link in online subject • Assessment guidelines & criteria • Due dates for tasks, assignments (see Study Schedule) • Instructions on forum & subforums • Presentation of assignments link • Student Services Learning Skills websitehttp://www.csu.edu.au/division/studserv/learning/index.htm

25. Your learning journal Why? • As a record of your learning in ETL504 • A record to use in assignment 2 Portfolio • “So I know what I’m thinking.” Orwell What? • Personal Observations • Questions (So what? Why? What if?) • Connections • With readings, both required and other • With real life • Contradictions • Synthesis • Constructing new knowledge

26. References Drucker, P. n.d. Wisdom quotes, http://www.wisdomquotes.com/002483.html Hay, L. 2004, ‘Information leadership VSP: Vision, Strategy, Position’. [Keynote Address] Transforming Practice: The Leadership Role of the Teacher-Librarian, School Library Association of Victoria (SLAV) Conference: International Speaker Series, Melbourne, 4 June Moses 2005, Management: Traits of Successful Business Leaders, Available http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_20132.html