Approach to conflict resolution

categories: Conflict resolution, ETL504, Leadership, Reflection

Even before doing the questionnaire, I knew that my approach to conflict is to be the peacekeeper. This was always how my family describes me when conflict occurs. To be completely honest, conflict gives me the stomach flips and I try to avoid it as much as possible. I don’t enjoy it and find it anxiety-inducing and stressful. My way to deal with conflict is to try to come to a solution as quickly as possible, even if this means I compromise my own wants for the situation. This came out quite strongly in my score, scoring 14 in the areas of ‘Accommodating’ and ‘Compromising’. My next strongest area of conflict resolution in ‘Collaboration’ in which I scored 13 and ‘Avoiding’ gaining 11. These all seem quite high and on reflection it appears that if I can’t accommodate, compromise or collaborate, then I do everything I can to avoid the conflict. This is in line with the way I perceive myself in conflict situations and reiterates on how others perceive me in conflict situations.

The area of ‘Competing’ only scored 5 points. This is not surprising to me, but I have never thought of this as a deficit in how I manage conflict. My perception of competing (standing up strongly for my ideas) would antagonise a conflict situation. I would rather back down or try to compromise rather than stand firmly with my side of an argument. I feel this is an area that I need to improve on because in order to compromise and collaborate well, all ideas need to be heard and considered rather than being drowned out by the loudest idea.

20
May
2021

Collaboration is the key

categories: Collaboration, ETL401, Information literacy, Inquiry learning, Inquiry models, Reflection, role of the Teacher Librarian

So much has changed in my thinking in the areas of the role of the teacher librarian (TL), Information Literacy and Inquiry Learning Models over the course of this unit it’s hard to know where to start. Even prior to beginning this area of study I had moved my thinking from the TL being a staff member whose roles “included reading a story to each class every week, helping students with borrowing, putting books back on the shelves, and organising and handing out BookClub orders” (Gemell, 2021, March 7, para. 1), even though these are some tasks that I fulfil in my current TL role. On reflection, having read back over my very first post, The Role of the Teacher Librarian (Gemell, 2021, March 7), not once did I mention inquiry learning. I hinted at information literacy but didn’t quite hit the mark by stating that the TL fulfils “a vital role by working collaboratively … to plan and teach units of work in order to assist the students to develop information literacy” (para.2). This collaboration only meant working with a classroom teacher, not the principal and I had no understanding of why this collaboration was important, it was just something TLs did.

Prior to study I thought that Information Literacy just referred to students being able to search for and use information for their assignments. I also never realised that information literacy has no set definition and its use depends on the context and purpose (Charles Sturt University, 2021). With all the different theories and approaches to information literacy no wonder it becomes a daunting area! However, I have come to realise it is so much more than doing basic searches and students writing information in their own words, and the TL plays an important role in this particular avenue of literacy. This does not happen in isolation and is a collaboration between the TL, classroom teachers and the school principal. Without all these elements in sync, the initiative of information literacy will fail before it flourishes (Kelly, 2021, April 30 ).

In my previous experience, inquiry learning was done in-class with the classroom teacher and the students. It never occurred to me that the TL would be an integral part of the process. I also never realised that there were so many different inquiry models to choose from, each offering something different, depending on the context in which they are used. I had only ever worked with Kath Murdoch’s model of designing a journey of inquiry (Murdoch, 2019) (and this was only brought to my attention five years ago) so it was interesting to delve deeper into the world of inquiry learning models and the benefits of using inquiry learning. I have come to the conclusion that a whole-school approach is the most effective way to achieve quality outcomes from inquiry and “the vision of all three (TL, classroom teacher and principal) need to match so that the skills being taught and used by the students are systematic and consistent” (Gemell, 2021, April 9, para. 4). The skills the TL brings to any inquiry learning model are paramount to the success of the program.

I think that my biggest shift in thinking throughout this unit has been the concept of collaboration between TL, principal and classroom teacher. Without a shared vision and collaboration between all three, the failure of information literacy and inquiry learning is inevitable. The roles of the TL, principal and classroom teachers work hand in hand (in hand) and the TL is the butter that holds that sandwich together. “The TL needs to be proactive in voicing the needs of the teachers and students so that the principal can facilitate these needs. The principal can only act on what they know. It is up to the TL to demonstrate the value of the library resources and programs and in turn this enables the principal to be able to fulfil the needs” (Gemell, 2021, March 18, para. 3).

It’s interesting that the idea of collaboration between TL, classroom teacher and principal is not a new one and was shown as a key component to student success in 1999 (Muronaga & Harada) and possibly even earlier. It was a big lightbulb moment when I realised this was such an important component of the TL role and the success of information literacy and inquiry learning models. My biggest question now is how far can you take this collaboration and what would happen? Just imagine the possibilities!

References

Charles Sturt University. (2021). Information Literacy [course material]. ETL401, Interact2. https://interact2.csu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/content/listContentEditable.jsp?content_id=_4194250_1&course_id=_55148_1

Gemell, L. (2021, March 7). Role of the Teacher Librarian. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/03/07/role-of-the-teacher-librarian/

Gemell, L. (2021, April 9). Information Literacy in the school context. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/04/09/information-literacy-in-the-school-context/

Gemell, L (2021, April 3). Inquiry learning vs. standardised testing. Mrs G’s Masters Musings. https://thinkspace.csu.edu.au/mastersmusings/2021/04/03/inquiry-learning-vs-standardised-testing/

Kelly, S. (2021, April 30). DISCUSSION: 5.4a: Information Literacy. [Unpublished manuscript]. School of Information Studies, Charles Sturt University

Murdoch, Kath (2019). A Model for Designing a Journey of Inquiry. Kath Murdoch. https://static1.squarespace.com/static/55c7efeae4b0f5d2463be2d1/t/5dcb82551bdcf03f365b0a6f/1573618265386/A+MODEL+FOR+DESIGNING+A+JOURNEY+OF+INQUIRY.pdf

Muronaga, K. & Harada, V. (1999). The Art of Collaboration. Teacher Librarian, 27 (1). 9

07
Mar
2021

Role of the teacher librarian

categories: ETL401, Reflection

Prior to working as a teacher librarian (TL), I had never really put much thought into my understanding of the role and what TLs do. I have been in my current TL role for several years now so to reflect on my previous experiences I need to cast my mind back. Before I became interested in becoming a TL I taught in both primary and high school settings all over Australia. The idea of becoming a TL crept into my mind several years ago when I was approached to cover the school TL while she was on long-service leave. I was working at the school as the Japanese teacher and had never contemplated stepping into the TL role before. My idea of the role at the time included reading a story to each class every week, helping students with borrowing, putting books back on the shelves, and organising and handing out BookClub orders. It seems that I was on the right track to understanding a fraction of the role as this aligns with the School Library Association of South Australia (2015) which describes one of the roles of a TL is Literature Promotion, specifically guiding ‘students in their reading choices’.

Several years ago, while teaching in a school in Sydney, the TL would take my Year 3 class for a 1-hour session each week. At the beginning of the term we would discuss what I would like her to cover during these lessons. Unbeknownst to me at the time, this TL was fulfilling a vital role by working collaboratively with me to plan and teach units of work in order to assist the students to develop information literacy” (School Library Association of SA, 2015) and was ‘involved in curriculum planning’(What is a Teacher Librarian?, 2021). My view of her role was to cover a unit of work that I wasn’t covering in class, such as a geography unit. The TL was also very good at locating resources that I needed for my class, so I didn’t have to dig through and find them.

I also viewed part of her role as being the caretaker of the operation of the library which required tasks such as returning of books to shelves, managing the borrowing system, looking after book ordering, ensuring books are in a satisfactory condition to remain within circulation, and entering of new books into the catalogue. How hard could it be?

The other role that I have always felt the TL fulfilled is that of ‘silence-enforcer’ within the library space, but at the same time, promoting it as a space to have literary conversations. It has always seemed a bit of a contradiction, but a role that the TL needs to fulfil none-the-less. The TL must be able to find the appropriate balance between these requirements of different library users.

On reflection I can see that the role of the teacher librarian is multi-faceted and complex and involves being able to make appropriate judgements in managing the library space and services. Since working as a TL I know there is more to the role and I still have a lot of learn.

References

School Library Association of SA. Slasa.asn.au. (2015). Retrieved 3 March 2021, from http://slasa.asn.au/Advocacy/rolestatement.html.

What is a Teacher Librarian?. Asla.org.au. (2021). Retrieved 6 March 2021, from https://asla.org.au/what-is-a-teacher-librarian.