Teacher librarians (TLs) as leaders are of paramount value. This unit has given me the skills, knowledge, understanding to embrace change leadership, strategic planning and 21st century learning. In particular, through exploring change leadership, I have learnt how I can advocate and lead change particularly for 21st century skills. Adopting transformational leadership approaches, I am inspired to motivate staff with a compelling library vision and through this, bring forward some future innovations. In this context, change management isn’t about enforcing change; it’s about facilitating and guiding the process, in line with the school’s strategic vision.
Change Initiatives and Transformational Leadership
Change initiatives often spark a range of reactions from staff. Module 3.1 allowed me to reflect on past changes and I’ve come to appreciate the significance of understanding staff impact through the lens of change fatigue. Nevertheless, adopting transformational leadership, with an emphasis on a shared vision can unite the school in pursuit of a common goal. Furthermore, this leadership encourages collaboration and consultation, leading to change acceptance.
School Vision
The school’s vision is fundamental in shaping the future growth for a school. Typically, the vision must acknowledge global and national trends, guiding the strategic direction (Howard, 2019). The TL is uniquely positioned at the centre of the school and can lead teachers in technology, future ready learning and information access. Promoting a strong library vision that focuses on developing 21st century skills, is a starting point for empowering staff to embrace change.
Change Fatigue
The TL can play a significant role in preventing teacher burnout through influentially offering support, problem-solving, and maintaining flexibility. Change fatigue emerges when individuals are overwhelmed, unconsulted, or face rapid changes (Clement, 2014). Leadership strategies such as transparent communication, trust, collaboration, and staff recognition are paramount in preventing this fatigue. (Billingsley, 2023, July 22). To illustrate this point, just consider conflict during a change process and how effective leadership could manage such an issue. Conflicts often stem from differences in perspectives, leading to both interpersonal and intrapersonal tensions (Aguilar, 2016). Effective leaders perceive conflicts as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable obstacles (Campbell & Clarke, 2015).
The Role of the Teacher Librarian
In advocating the TL’s leadership role for implementing change initiatives, it’s crucial to emphasis the library potential to provide a rich digital learning environment under the TL’s guidance. Evidence-based advocacy may include testimonials from teachers, student achievement data, digital literacy programs, and student projects. (Billingsley, 2023, Sept 18). Soulen (2020), outlines ‘the continuum of care’ – a model of collaboration between new teachers and TLs. This model highlights how I can offer this continuum through library inductions, special events, staff training, curriculum resources, teacher partnerships, lesson visits and demonstrations. However, building partnerships can be time-consuming. (Billingsley, 2023, Sept 4). Time management can be a significant challenge, with low staffing leading to daily responsibilities such as student study supervision, limiting interactions with teachers in other spaces across the school. (Murphy, 2023, Sept 10). Ultimately, the TL’s role is multifaceted, promoting the library’s contributions toward the school’s vision and being proactive in building partnerships, despite some of the daily hurdles.
In conclusion, the TL can emerge as a transformational leader, adopting effective change management. Through advocacy, I can position myself as an influential leader for 21st century education. The TL’s role extends beyond library management toward shaping the future of education. I am inspired to embrace my leadership role, pioneering innovative changes to enrich our library and enhance the educational experience of our students.
References
Aguilar, E. (2016, March 22). Managing conflict in school leadership teams. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/managing-conflict-school-leadership-teams-elena-aguilar
Campbell, C.M & Clarke, S. [TEDx Talks ]. (2015). Conflict: Use it, don’t defuse it [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/o97fVGTjE4w
(2014). Managing mandated educational change, School Leadership & Management, 34(1), 39-51, DOI: 10.1080/13632434.2013.813460
Howard, P., O’Brien, C., Kay, B., & O’Rourke, K. (2019). Leading educational change in the 21st century: Creating living schools through shared vision and transformative governance. Sustainability (Basel, Switzerland), 11(15), 4109–. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11154109
Soulen, R.R. (2020). The continuum of care: a model for collaboration with new teachers. Knowledge Quest, 48(4), 36-42.