It is the middle of report writing and you overhear two teacher colleagues complaining about the light teaching and reporting load of the teacher librarian.
As I am not a confrontational person, I would steer towards demonstrating visible change or a supportive stance when reacting to these particular complaints. Green claims that we should “avoid lamenting about time and how hard you work”, so no-one really want to listen. The two colleagues would not want to hear how much I am doing etc, therefore I should show them and make my work visible. I found the following tips, from Green, address this situation and creates positive change:
- Arrive to work early and leave late – through doing this, I will be showing dedication to my workload and professionalism, thus creating a positive impression on other staff.
- Always carry box or work/files with you – this demonstrates that I am “always working”, and makes me look busy. I would also stress that i’d do this genuinely, and not as a front. Perhaps, bringing marking or programming to the lunch room me, will also address this.
- Networking and influence are your main weapons – Engaging in both school and community networks grows the library and provides opportunities for special events. If I aim to host events and extracurricular activities, there will be a shift in colleague appreciation for my role and work load.
- Belong to educational committees and groups – By filling in my “free” time by committing to committees and groups, I will be creating visibility within the school and as a result I will build the schools appreciation for the TL’s role and workload.
- Recruit acolytes to promote your cause. They can give you more publicity and positive spin than anything else – These acolytes can include volunteers, your library team, library monitors and students.
I would also like to add that working with the classroom teachers, supporting them and validating their teaching will lead to positive appreciation.
Green, G. (2004). The big sell: Creating influence and credibility. Paper presented at LIS@ECU Seminar, Information literacy.