Due to an increased work commitment, I was unable to commit as much time as I previously had to this case study. With that said, I focussed on reading each post in the discussion thread and responding in my own post (Group 8, 2020, May 15). Unfortunately, as I was last to post, there was no feedback given on my response, as in previous conversations and I found it made me nervous.
As a group, we chose to write about the current COVID pandemic and any opportunities we have engaged with or missed. I liked this concept because COVID has been such a rapidly evolving event that it has left little time to stop and reflect. I was able to acknowledge the positive and challenging aspects of the pandemic and its impact on my teaching and learning- one of which was a lack of engagement with my university course, unfortunately.
Upon reflection, I realise that I have let my relationship with a difficult staff member stagnate and, as a result, and many other factors, she has closed herself off to working in a truly collaborative sense. Instead, she requires from me a servant role- note not a servant leadership role, as I am not involved with her programming or planning and cannot support her fully without that knoweldge.Jennie (Bales, 2020) pointed out the difference between Servant Leadership and being a servant to teachers, a different which TLs are at risk of failing to identify. Undertsanding the difference now, I intend to keep this in mind when offering support to teachers.
Holly volunteered to post a summary of the discussion thread for the group. At the time, I assumed it would be a simple copy and paste, however, upon reading it, I realised she had synthesised the ideas from the posts, added references and creative an academic summary. It is well written and seems to cover the main points, both positive and negative, from the discussion posts of all group members. Perhaps, if there had been more time, it would have benefited to share the summarised post between members for editing, however, with such a tight time limit, I understand why it was posted straight to the discussion board.
Unfortunately, due to my tardiness in engaging with this task, I did not get to offer my editing and collaborative abilities and, instead, submitted my own work to the group, while providing feedback on their submissions.
Our second group work activity. I found the group fell into a similar pattern of brainstorming then distribiuting tasks as in the first task, though this time, it was with more confidence. Some people were comfortable vocalising their preferences and strengths, while others were more comfortable agreeing and inserting themselves after the initial discussion, either due to confidence or timing issues.
During this activity, one member of our group was waylaid by life and struggled to commit to the task, and so, contacted Jennie, who sat in on our discussions ready to support if necessary. She seemed pleased by our communication and the distribution of responsibilities.
All members contributed with thoughtful discussion points and then seperated to work on their topics and wiki pages seperately, as chosen by individuals based on strengths and interests. Some members took the time to review each post priot to publishing for editting, referencing and fact checking.
Linda established a review thread after the task to help coordinate reflections amongst the group. I, myself, did not contribute aside from agreeing to details of Case Study 5, as I was overwhelmed by the ongoing COVID changes and what it meant for my work. With that said, I can see that there was thoughtful reflection and suggestions made with future collaboration in mind. The members questioned whether we have been working as self-distributing leaders of collaborative instructional leads, with arguments for both. Personally, I would consider our main leadership style to be self-distributive, as we are taking on tasks based on experience, rather than allocation (Harris, 2010). Additionally, there has been a trust developed amongst members that the quality of work produced will be high and submitted in a timely fashion.
I am anxious about Case Study 5 as it is due very soon after Case STudy 4 and, shortly after, Assessment 2 is due. Adding this to the impact of COVID and a recently increased workload, I will attempt to engage with the group regularly and prioritise the case study in order to complete it. However, I would like to take on more of a servant leadership role in supporting the others in providing resources, timely feedback and editting, rather than offering a whole contribution (Burkus, 2010).
Does your school have a strategic plan? See if you can find it. Does your library have a strategic plan?
I located the school strategic plan on their public website and was able to download and examine as per the DET guidelines.
The library does not currently have a strategic plan, though it would be useful to align such a document with the overall school document and goals. It would provide some scaffolding on what is important to focus on.
Activity
One way of learning to think strategically is to develop a personal strategic plan. A personal strategic plan helps you to think about and articulate career, family and personal goals. Try writing your own using the template below. Most of us just muddle along and don’t plan our careers nor do we set family goals.
I quite enjoyed this activity and was able to fill out the different specific requirements for achieving this goal, however, I doubt I will revisit it often or use the affirmations. Such processes are successful in repitition and I don’t think I would be able to comit to such an idea. I am happy to muddle along for the most part, though I do have goals in mind.
Activity
Examine the following and decide which is the better mission statement.
1. We are creating for the school community, a thriving dynamic library so that it becomes one of the state’s best in collecting, creating, conserving and communicating information.
2. Our mission is to provide and promote access to a range of resources and services that equitably meet the intellectual, curricular, social and recreational information needs of our school community.
A mission statement is simple, direct and operative, where a Vision Statement is about what you want to be or become (Johnson, 2010). With that in mind, I would choose the second statement as it says, exactly, what the library will do- ‘provide and promote access…’ whereas the first focusses on the future ‘one of the state’s best’.
Reflect
Consider the following school library Mission and Vision Statements.
Do they achieve the goals of each type of statement?
Think about the purpose of a mission statement as opposed to the purpose of a vision statement, and why the examples that follow meet these goals, or fail, and in what ways they do so.
Bonnyrigg High School Library
The opening sentence of this mission statement confuses me- ‘Our goal is to confirm that learners graduate as competent, critical, ethical users and creators of ideas and information.’ Is their entire mission to say ‘yes, these kids can…’? I would have thought they would use something like ‘create/support/develop graduates that are proven competent, critical, ethical users…’ I do like that they have clearly addressed 21st century learning in their mission.
Their vision statement kind of goes into school ethos and vision for the future and is written informally. I like that their vision included the creation of a ‘learning commons’ but this paragraph could almost have gone into the mission section as it is very direct and actionable.
Sacred Heart College Yarrawonga
Short and sweet. Their mission statement is simple and clear- to create a certain larning environment, support the curriculum and promoting a love of learning. It doesn’t say how it is going to do those things but it is clear that there are strong motivating factors behind this mission. Their vision statement is also short and direct, but talks more about what will be coming, rather than what is.
S.R. O’Brien Resource Centre, Mount Carmel College
It think this is the best example of the three in terms of mission statement, particularly the first sentence- the second could have gone into the vision statement. The vision statement has elements of mission statement to it- actionable, direct. The last paragraph, particularly describing the library as it is now, could possibly have been included in the mission statement.
Action: I have emailed my boss to discuss the school Vision & Mission statements but also to arrange a time to discuss the library strategic plan and link it to the school plan. Hopefully, this will allow some scaffolding around the expectations of the job and provide me with a clearer understanding of what everyone expects from me in my role.
References
Bruce D. Johnson (2010, May 12). What’s the difference between mission and vision? [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2MyaR0gMo0&feature=youtu.be
It was fascintaitng to read the different takes on ’21st century learning’ in Rich’s (2010) article. Each idea was different and all contributors were highly valued and highly educated practitioners contributing toe 21st century learning in some form or another. There were varying definitions and feelings towards 21t century learning, with different likes and concerns arising. The majority of contirbutions acknowledged that learning cannot take place in a vaccuum, that society and the development of technology has completely upended that concept and that learning has the potential to take place at any time, anywhere. Additionally, there was an emphasis on 21st century skills like abstract problem solving, technology use and the development of systems-thinking, but at the same time, it was noted that the development of ‘traditional’ reading and writing skills need to be maintained, as do socialisation skills, even if transferred to an online platform.
I would be curious to see the responses this article would present from a similar cohort if it were run today. A lot has changed since 2010, particularly in recent months and I believe that the concept of 21st century learning has only broadened and become more nuanced as a result.
The Thoughtful Learning (2017) article goes on to specifically discuss identifying 21st century skills. As ever, education is delivered in an effort to develop a competent, resourceful workforce that can support the community and the economy (PwC, 2017). The workforce of today and the future is changing and so education must adapt as change continues to increase (Bolles, 2017).
What are 21st Century Learning Skills?
I think the greatest skills will be adaptability and a familiarity with problem solving (Bolles, 2017). Workers must be socially and technologically literate (Thoughtful Learning, 2017) and companies must be flexible, socially aware and invested in their employees enough to provide ongoing, relevant professional skill development (Horrigan, c2010).
21st century learning environments
Reflection
What might a 21st century library look like and is the building or the space more important than what is happening in that space?
As you work through this last section, think about your library, its physical and virtual spaces and what is happening there. How could you effect change and what strategies would you use?
I believe the physical building of a library is as equally important as what is going on within it.
Primarily, a 21st century library should be a community hub. While it may not be strictly necessary to house tomes of information in physical libraries any longer, I maintain that physical books are still valuable and should be accessible, for free, to all and any. We must remain aware that not every patron is coming from technology rich environment and so will have different experiences and skills. One action of the library would be to house these books and act as a center for interaction around these books. It should provide access to technology and online platforms, spaces for groups to gather and interact and, ideally, act as a safe space for those who have little other recourse where possible. The 21st century library should act as a traditional watering hole or marketplace would, in connecting communities, providing services and enduring as a point of human connection.
Additionally, the 21st century library should occupy a space online. It should have an active and relvant online presence to engage patrons not within the immediate vacinity and support their use of online programs, access of eBooks, provide additional training and development of technology skills and, overall, be an adaptable space that mirrors the physical element of a library (Whisken, 2012).
My library could use adapted maker-spaces and more technology to bring it into the 21st century (Luhtala, 2015), all of which relies on funding, which is stereotypically short in our school. We are currently involved with robotics and I have taken on planning and delivering different STEM units in an effort to move forward with 21st century education.
Developing an online presence to communicate with patrons outside of school hours and confines is also current goal of mine. Developing this presence will allow for more regular communication from the library, sharing of information, programs and new resources (.
References
Bolles, G. (2017, February 16) Hiring and developing your future workforce. [Video]. LinkedIn. https://www.linkedin.com/learning/hiring-and-developing-your-future-workforce/welcome?u=2096756
Horrigan, B. (c2010). Corporate social responsibility in the 21st century: debates, models and practices across government, law and business. Cheltenham, UK.
PwC. (2017, March). Education will be the engine room to Australia’s future prosperity. https://www.pwc.com.au/education/education-reform-mar17.pdf
Rich, E. (2010, October 11). How do you define 21st century learning? Education Week. http://www.edweek.org/tsb/articles/2010/10/12/01panel.h04.html
Whisken, A. (2012). iCentre’s virtual dimension- One school library’s use of digital spaces. Synergy, 10(1). https://search-informit-com-au.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/fullText;dn=194192;res=AEIPT
Our first group work assignment. I was very nervous because, aside from all the madness happening with COVID-19, I was unsure how group work online was going to work, would I have enough time to respond and would everyone be open to communication?
Luckily, I seem to have a cooperative group with varying levels of input due to life outside uni and internet connections. Most seem very enthusiastic and willing to compromise, praise and work with others.
It was a slow start with everyone posting up their initial thoughts in various forms (long, short, referenced, sporadic) but it was useful, later, to pick out the similar themes.
Ellene organised summarising the topics, Melanie organised the groups following my suggestion and Holly organised the Wiki page. Linda orgnaised paired sections on the Wiki to make it easier to work with and editted the final response. All volunteered for these roles and seemed to step into the role naturally or just took on the task and let others know after the fact. Luckily, everyone seems quite ok with this approach. Holly asked if anyone else wanted to post the completed group response before saying she would be happy to do it. Melissa has probably been the least vocal contributor in the group and, like me, the only one not to have taken on a leadership role automatically.
In our pairs, I was placed with Melanie and, after some waiting, I posted the draft with referencing that I had in response and invited her feedback and contribution. I was comfortable taking on this leadership role as I am confident in my abilities to write acadmically and because I had the time. Melanie seemed grateful not to have to do all the work in this regard and added a few of her own thoughts as well. In our next task, should we work together, I would be happy to take my lead from my partner if they are more comfortable in a lead role. I would vaguely label this kind of leadership as instructional, as I took on the bulk of the writing and asked for input.
Next time: I would like to put my hand up to be more of an organiser, however, I enjoyed being able to contribute to the small group and that my referencing and writing was recognised as adequate. I would also like to see some group roles assigned so everyone has a chance to contribute something.
Overall, the leadership was hesitant, with no one person coming out as a dictator, but with various members of the group beginning to show markers of a natural distributed leadership style, with work being shared out relatively evenly to those with an interest or strength in the area (Harris, 2014). Perhaps because everyone is operating at a Masters level, there is a certain recognition of prior learning and shared respect that comes with that. From what I can tell, all group members are working to show respect for eachother and the different life experiences and professional experiences being brought to the table. Bravery is demonstrated in those can admit to their own weaknesses, as well as strengths and, in doing so, members of the group have opened a line of genuine communication that will contirbute to a positive work flow in the next task.
It has been suggested we organise mini timetable meet-ups for the next case study because, although we checked in randomly and often, some people felt they were missing out on things while they weren’t online. I think this would be useful and I am curious to see who and how dates/times are suggested and selected.
References
Harris, A. (2014, September 29). Distributed leadership. Teacher Magazine, ACER.
https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/article/distributed-leadership
This video was included as a mention in the 4.1 notes and explained leadership exceptionally well and made me smile.
The two key players to any change in schools or in leadership are the first and second participants; the leader and the first follower. The leader must embrace the first follower, remain open to their input and encourage in order for others to determine how their own contribution will be recieved. The first follower must follow the leader closely, as all consequential followers aren’t just following the leader, but also the first follower to determine the effort needed, the behaviour accepted and the aims or goals.
Also, I love this video.
4.2 TLs as Leaders
Read
American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2013). Chapter 4 Empowering learning through leadership. Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library programs.
I found this reading to be very interesting. Although based on the US school system, it laid out some very explicit and reasonable expectations of TLs as operational leaders within schools.
The type of leader that this reading is aiming to develop is a Transformational leader with a focus on professionalism. Part of the suggested responsibilities of TLs is to participate in local, regional and state education and librarian orgnaisations, as well as publish articles an information in school and community newsletters and media. These are not things I would have considered doing as a TL but I can understand why they are included as it is sharing knowledge and ensuring the TL is a visible leader in the community.
While Bishop (2011) unpacks ‘collaboration’, I find the most interesting and valid point to be that Principals, executive staff and CTs may not have a lcear idea of what collaboration looks like and it is, therefore, the role of the TL to develop that understanding amongst them, presenting all options and determining, collaboratively, what that means for their school context. Interestingly, it never occured ot me that all staff may not have the same idea of collaboration but, now that it has been pointed out, it makes sense. Everyone will have had different experiences with collaboration and some may have come away with a negative perception, or even a skewed understanding of what collaboration requires. Prior to developing a collaborative TL position, it may be necessary for the TL to take on the role of leader to educate other staff on what collaboration can look like and how it can benefit everyone.
Bell’s(2013) acronym for collaboration is something could be quite useful in developing our group work responses for this course, as well as in school settings.
“Bell (2013) offers a useful acronym for the process of successful collaboration: R = Respect your counterparts. E = Educate yourself regarding the role of the individual with whom you want to build a bridge. A = Assume responsibility as the one to reach out. Do not wait or tell yourself it will never work. C = Communicate and collaborate! H = Help one another to provide the very best instruction and experiences for students. “
Read (choose two):
Mackenzie, T. (2019, April 21). How your teacher-librarian can be an ally when
teaching with inquiry. KQED News: MindShift.
https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/53417/how-your-teacher-librarian-can-be-anally-when-teaching-with-inquiry
I chose this one as I have recently been assigned the task of introducing inquiry-based learning to Stage 3 while learning at home. It would be great if this could be continued when students return to school full-time.
While I am excited to delve into enquiry-based learning, I think it is going to be important that the CTs and I are on the same page in terms of what method we are going to teach the students and how often it is going to be employed. It is all well and good to focus on it during library time, learning the acronyms and what they mean, how to find information, etc, but if students are not utilising these skills regularly, including during class time with the support of the teacher AND independently, there is a risk that this process will not translate to different environments.
Softlink. (2017). School libraries share: Ideas for school-wide
collaboration. https://www.softlinkint.com/assets/img/banners/Whitepaper_-
_School_libraries_share_ideas_for_collaboration.pdf
I chose this second resource to check out how else I might collaborate with CTs and other staff at my tiny school.
I quite liked this resource as it is very visual and has collated information, opinions and experiences from around the world, including Australia, which is sometimes difficult to find, particularly in regards to TLs. It also provides TLs with further reading and resources to help support their collaborative development.
Browse and choose one to read in-depth
Goodnough, K. (2005). Fostering teacher learning through collaborative
inquiry. Clearing House, 79(2), 88-92. https//.doi.org/10.3200/TCHS.79.2.88-93
I chose this article becuase I wanted to see how a collaborative picture looks in its whole and what barriers this school faced when implementing collaborative inquiry.
The success of this project relied upon the overall commitment of the team to the project and its contributors (each other), the equal sharing of power and responsibility, the diversity of skills and abilities individuals brought to the project and support from outside of the testing group e.g. executives/principals etc.
In this paper, collaborators developed a unit addressing areas of the curriculum which had been percieved as lacking. This not only served to support students and develop their understanding in this area, it also served to develop staff undertsanding of this topic and gave support in how to teach it to students. Reflection was a large part of this project, both inidivudally and as a group as, I believe, should be the case for all planning, teaching and learning directed by teachers or librarians.
As you read Cole’s (2012) article, reflect on:
– the value and purpose of the different delivery models
– your current position in the delivery/receiver model
– pathways to contribute to the school’s learning culture
– opportunities for future leadership in supporting teachers’ professional learning.
Take note of the impediments and strategies to address these issues and consider in light of your readings on change management.
Different delivery methods
Large presentations- useful for sharing new, broad-based information, rather than speicifically targetted at indiivduals or groups. Useful for making staff aware that change is needed, but not for implementing changes.
Specialist workshops- usually expensive but useful in addressing specific areas to develop, demonstrate new skills and communicate new knowledge. These should be followed up by reflection, a chance to implement, further reflection and observation, with peer feedback.
Individual PL online- good for addressing specific areas of development with individuals, but must be tooled to contribute to whole school vision and goals. This also gives individuals the chance to taregt their PL in an area that interests them. I believe, however, that they must remain accountable to ensure that their PL is relevant, completed and reflected upon after implementation.
Deliver/Receive PL
Currently, I do not deliver PL to my fellow staff. I undertake independent PL on a range of subjects that interest me and that, I believe will help develop my classroom and library practice. It is difficult, however, doing this alone as I often feel disconnected from my peers, who, as full time CTs get more collaborative PL than I- admittedly, it is usually in small groups or at seminars, so lacking that individual targetting. I can also become disenchanted with the courses I have chosen and most the NESA seem to be tooled towards CT, meaning I have little chance of implementing what I have been learning about, as a TL.
Pathway to contribute to school learning culture/Opportunities for leadership in the future
I am about to undertake a PL course on Aboriginal Education and Language that I would very much like to share with fellow staff members. I currently have the support of my Principal to take this course on and, I hope she will encourage sharing of this knowledge in staff meetings once completed. I feel that the sharing of this knowledge would benefit from a workshop then peer coaching or mentoring throughout a set period, followed by reflection and feedback (Goodnough, 2015)
Additionally, it is my intention to start displaying teacher resources within the library and sharing them in staff meetings to support staff with their planning any way I can. I am currently cleaning out 15 years worth of library resource room stock and am already finding some amazing resources!
I would like to work more collaboratively with other staff in programming, however, their concept of collaboration seems to differ from mine (AASL, 2013). Additionally, many of my current peers seem to be running off their feet, operating in survival mode without stopping to confer with anyone else. This is a cultural phenomenon within our small community that the recently-arrived Principal is working on changing.
References
American Association of School Librarians (AASL). (2013). Chapter 4 Empowering learning through leadership. Empowering learners: Guidelines for school library programs.
Bell, M. A., Van Roekel, J. L., & Weimar, H. (2013). School librarians and the technology department: A practical guide to successful collaboration. Linworth.
Bishop, K. (2011). Connecting libraries with classrooms. Linworth.
Cole, P. (2012). Linking effective professional learning with effective teaching practice.
https://ptrconsulting.com.au/wpcontent/uploads/2018/03/linking_effective_professional_learning_with_effective_t
eaching_practice_-_cole.pdf
Complete the Conflict resolution questionnaire and reflect on your responses in your blog.
What is your approach to managing conflict?
Does this match to how you think of yourself?
What areas do you think you need to develop?
My highest approaches, separated by one point were Problem Solving and Avoidance. I had to laugh. They seem to be on opposite ends of the spectrum so, perhaps it depends on the topic, the people involved and my mood as to whether I try to solve the problem or not.
When I was younger, I would 100% avoid any and all conflict. I didn’t respond well. If I was angry, I would cry and if someone is aggressive or critical of me, I would have nothing to say until hours after. Plus, I was a terrible people pleaser. These are all things I have been working on and I am glad to see my time spent problem solving and developing those skills has started to pay off.
Still, I would prefer to avoid conflict if I can, however, I understand conflict is sometimes necessary in development. I need to work on my preference for Yielding, which remains uncomfortably high aka giving in entirely and operating with no expectation of reciprocation. These could be a tool of avoidance, to be fair, but definitely something I need to work on.
Consider which leadership styles would be advantageous if implementing TQM in a school.
I would recommend utilising a transformational leadership style to introduce the changes involved in establishing TQM. This style of leadership supports the TQM strategy through;
– the development and support of employee empowerment by encouraging collaboration
– developing active leaders via upskilling and education opportunities
– encouraging collaboration and professional growth for all employees,
therefore, reducing the vertical differentiation amongst staff and providing staff with a sense of ownership over changes (Ingram, 2017; Reynolds, 2013).
Reflect
Consider the readings in Module 2 to identify leadership approaches that would help mitigate stress in the workplace. Transfer this to the library context to identify strategies that the teacher librarian could implement that would be supportive and educationally relevant to classroom teachers. Reinsel Soulen presents a process to support first year teachers, however; the underpinning steps could be applied in multiple situations.
Some of the main causes of stress in educators include excessive workload, school climate and self-esteem or perceived status, which is often directly linked to the presence and severity of other stressors (Larrivee, 2012; Cross, 2015). These stressors are often equally felt by librarians and library staff, particularly when operating in seeming isolation to the rest of the school (Carmody, 2019).
I believe that transformational and instructional leadership styles would assist in mitigating stress in the workplace and possess tools that can be utilised by the TL to assist classroom staff. The transformational leader would be open to promoting positive school culture, team-building and motivation (Ingram, 2017). For example, offering TL time to team teach or assist in planning and programming, providing reliable, relevant resources and staff development opportunities to learn how to utilise resources from the library including specialised technology and programs.
Working in tandem, an instructional style provides leaders the opportunity to scaffold specific learning and training opportunities for staff to upskill and educate themselves, while remaining flexible and adaptable to the needs of individuals and the school (Spencekao, 2013). For example, offering staff the opportunity to develop research skills via professional development that can then be passed on to students, would be one way of utilising the library and TL in this context.
References
Carmody, R. (2019, September 15). School libraries hit by the loss of a dying breed as teacher librarians enter ‘survival mode’. ABC News. https://www.abc.net.au/
At this point in the subject think about strategies to take you from TL, the keeper and stamper of the books and the quiet space (library) (how many of our colleagues perceive TLs), to become something different. Make a set of notes using your new understandings to support your arguments and conclusions.
The Digital Promise staff article (2016) suggests that TLs in Vancouver were feeling very much like some TLs in Australia- isolated and undervalued as staff members. While that is not the case everywhere, it took a collective effort from librarian staff to change the general perception of TLs, beginning by changing their own understandings of their roles, and the outlook of district leaders. Redefining their roles, changing their responsibilities and renewing their sense of purpose resulted in crafting new roles and opportunities for these TLs and carving out a new path for the school libraries in Vancouver. Additionally, they were able to integrate technology into learning and move towards project-based learning, which is where Australian libraries are currently headed (Boyle, Collins, Kinsey, Noonan & Pocock, 2016).
I think that, allowing TLs to redefine their own roles, in collaboration with executive staff, and considering the needs of each school in context will result in greater job satisfaction and relevance of TLs within the school hierarchy (Digital Promise, 2016). From there, executive staff must promote and support the development of these new roles by allowing TLs to contribute to the school community, giving time during meetings for TL input, specifically, and encouraging other staff members to acknowledge and support TLs in their new roles- lead by example!
Under these redefined roles, TLs can develop a vision or goal/s for their space, planning and initiatives. Sharing these with staff and involving them in achieving these goals, while also supporting their teaching will build positive relationships and encourage collaborative teaching and planning (Hutchinson, 2017) to support student development. Sharing and highlighting articles to support their vision will develop a clearer understanding amongst staff and get them closer to being on the same page, making the achievement of these goals more realistic.
I think, when it comes down to it, organisation and planning are going to be key in redefining and re-establishing relevance (Digital Promise, 2016) of TLs in school as well as support from executive, with an outlook to integrate technology and collaborative teaching and planning.
In the end, I believe that TLs have no choice but to be a leader; no one is going to press initiatives, develop integrated planning, programs and design new spaces for us. If we don’t lead this change, then things will stay the same as they have always been.
I found the comparison of Managers and Leaders to be interesting, particularly when one is allocated the role while, the other ’emerges’. Of the four leadership theories MindTools (2016) presents, the following stood out to me.
Trait Theory
The concept of Trait Theory were interesting and I can see how many well known leaders possess similar traits, however, having a combination traits alone is not enough to be a successful leader (Mind Tools, 2016). For example, possessing assertiveness and good-decision making skills can be a positive, but, when lacking likeability and empathy, less people are likely to follow this person.
Behavioural Theories
I have known autocratic, democratic and laissez-faire leaders throughout my career and have struggled, most notably, with those who rarely check in on their staff due to laziness or preoccupation. Sadly, in my experiences, many staff either kick back and do the bare minimum under this kind of leadership or, on the other hand, take an aggressively outspoken route, trying to push their opinions and beliefs on others. This leads to discord amongst staff, miscommunications and frustration.
Notably, however, if a leader is micro-managing capable, highly skills, organised and motivated staff, it can be quite stifling and cause friction as well. I believe this type of leadership should only be employed after serious consideration of staff abilities and commitment to the project or role.
Additionally, I found Harris’s (2014) article on distributed leadership interesting. I believe I have experienced something striving toward this concept in my UK experience. All staff were required to be a part of a KLA committee that met once a fortnight. These meetings were run by a different staff member each time, using a minutes scaffold collated by the previous weeks’ chair. All staff were included in these committees (classroom teachers, librarians, support staff, specialist staff) and were invited to join the committee that interested them the most. These were then dubbed leadership teams for each KLA and they were asked to review, assess and reflect on their KLA as it was represented in schools. There was also opportunities for planning, training and team-teaching across KLA committees. This was a very enjoyable experience and though there were some complainers, as all staff were expected to be involved and to contribute, most approached the thirty minute meetings as an opportunity to engage with a select area of choice in a positive way.
References
Harris, A. (2014, September 29). Distributed leadership. Teacher Magazine, ACER. https://www.teachermagazine.com.au/article/distributed-leadership