Tag Archives: Professional Relationships

Relationship Dynamics and LucidChart

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If you have ever planned a seating arrangement for a wedding you understand that relationship dynamics has a significant effect on everybody’s enjoyment.  Similarly, the dynamics of employees can either make or break a  work environment, especially when they are placed in confined working space that is the backroom of most school libraries.

To assist me in my case-study work for my current subject ETL504 (Teacher librarian as leader) I have mapped out the employees of our (hopefully!) fictional library staff at North-Western College, a k-12 public school, using LucidChart.

This fantastic digital tool has helped me map the minefield that is often found in staff rooms. By visually presenting the information contained within the case study notes in this format, I found that I gained holistic clarity of the situation.  I loved this tool so much I have subscribed.

Forum 4.2-3 Collaborative Practice

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A network of circles with a symbol for a person in each one with a human fingure pressing the central figure.
A network of circles with a symbol for a person in each one with a human fingure pressing the central figure.

geralt / Pixabay

When teachers see working with other teachers as a challenge the teacher librarian needs to act as the conduit of change.  Finding departments that are willing to work with the teacher librarian or individual teachers who are willing and focus on them, would be the perfect place to start.  Use the successes of this collaboration as an add on to other teachers if they are interested.  The teacher librarian needs to show that what they are doing supplements and assists the teachers rather than taking away from them and their precious time with students.

Collaboration as a whole school approach allows for the students to develop the fundamental skills that will enable them to thrive in the fast paced innovative world we live in.  It forces the system to have a shared vision of student learning and for all compartments within that system to be on the same page.  This is where implementing an Information Literacy Model, such as Guided Inquiry Design, across the whole school would help.  Collaboration is built into the stages of inquiry, both teachers and students learn the valuable skills of collaboration.  Teacher and teacher librarian collaborate on a professional level in planning, implementing and evaluating.

Forum 3.3 – Support for TL’s

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Orande human puzzle pieces fitting together
Orande human puzzle pieces fitting together

geralt / Pixabay

A teacher librarian’s building dynamic relationships, and the relationship with the Principal is key, to being effective within the school community.

I have been lucky enough to work in schools where this relationship is beneficial to both the teacher librarian and the principal, and have seen in other schools what happens when this relationship is ignored.

Harry S Truman once said “It is amazing what you can accomplish when you don’t care who gets the credit”, and this quote works beautifully when taken in context of the library.  Does the program you want have to be a ‘Library Program’ or can it be a ‘school initiative’?  When the TL communicates effectively, works to advance the school, includes other teachers or departments in the program they will in turn have a principal who supports their commitment, allows them the time to work with other teachers, and will enable the resources needed for their programs.

If on the other hand, there is little to no relationship, the teacher librarian could be isolated from resources, relegated to the sidelines of curriculum decisions and seen as obsolete.  Sometimes you need to find out what is important to the person holding the purse strings, and work towards that before you can add your own items to the agenda.