Early in my Masters journey I attempted to highlight key aspects of the teacher librarian’s (TL) role, demonstrating that I had begun to consider the TL as a leader (Parker, 2020, May 16). Using descriptors such as innovator and expert coupled with my assertion that the TL must hone such leadership qualities as vision, influence, advocacy, risk taking and communication skills, I appear to have already formed a strong picture of the TL positioned as a change agent to support and encourage best practice across the school. Being open to collaborative relationships, establishing trusting connections and drawing on my previous incarnation as a classroom teacher has afforded me the ability to empathise with my teaching colleagues and present as a servant leader in my own practice (Parker, 2021, September 29). However, as I have explored the relationship between the different leadership roles of the school through research and forum discussions, I have been able to expand my understanding of leadership. I realise that I am not bound by servant leadership traits and I am beginning to see myself capable of utilising instructional, transformational and distributed leadership qualities. In fact, the very nature of my collaborative work indicates strong connections to distributed leadership (Johnson, 2015, p. 45). Further, with the prediction that future impact will continue to be felt from increases in online resources and the need to teach digital literacy skills (Softlink, 2020, 9.2) TLs have greater opportunities to perform technology leadership roles (Johnston, 2015, p. 46) . I believe embracing the concept of strategic leadership, encompassing the successful execution of all leadership styles (Williams & Johnson, 2013, p. 350) whilst keeping pace with the times is a position that more correctly describes the leadership of a TL. This positions the TL as more relevant, innovative and ready for change.
Gaining more insight into the idea of TLs as middle leaders initially helped me to appreciate the influence and position a TL can play as an informal leader. Equally how their role exists as part of an ‘interactive web’ of informal leaders and followers within the school (Johnston, 2015, p. 43). Haycock (2010) points to the power of social influence and this is at the core of leading from the middle (p. 6). I have learnt however that that the ‘source’ of a TLs power as leader is not just from ‘things’ but the quality of the teaching and learning (Loertscher, 2010, p. 34) and this affords the TL to sit in the driving seat (Fitzgerald, 2015, p. 6) in many ways to lead change that is necessary in all schools to provide new models of teaching, cultivating student centred learning that recognises collaboration, global participatory actions (American Association of School Librarians, 2013, p. 59) and inquiry based learning (Parker, 2020, May 16). In fact, there is evidence that TL leadership as a collective movement (transformational in nature) currently exists beyond the school walls with valuable information skills process programs being devised by TL groups to support teachers across NSW (Wall, 2021).
The term ‘middle leader’ is rather misleading. Middle leadership as an informal concept to describe proactive teachers (McIntosh, 2021; Haycock, 2010) contradicts the term ‘middle leaders’ adopted in reference to assistant principals and head teachers who “play a crucial role in leading excellence in teaching practice and student outcomes” (NSW Government, 2021). Although It would make perfect sense that assistant principals and head teachers would sit in the middle of the NSW Department of Education employment hierarchy, perhaps it is time to relabel the informal middle teacher leaders. Perhaps, acknowledging the pivotal lead role TLs can play in fostering 21st century skills in schools through technology integration and information literacy expertise, it is time to refer to TLs as Teacher Librarian Leaders?
My future practice as a change agent in pedagogy, curriculum knowledge and technology and information expertise will be shaped by the growing leadership toolkit that I have been inspired to collate.
References
American Association of School; Librarians. (2013). Empowering learners : Guidelines for school library programs. American Library Association.
Fitzgerald, L. (2015). Opportunity knocks: The Australian curriculum and guided inquiry. ACCESS, 29(2), 4-17.
Haycock, K. Leadership from the Middle: Building influence for change. In S. Coatney (Ed.), The many faces of school library leadership (pp. 1-12). Libraries Unlimited.
Johnston, M.P. (2015). Distributed leadership theory for investigating teacher librarian leadership. School Libraries Worldwide, 21(2), 39-57. http://dx.doi.org/10.14265.21.2.003
Loertscher, D.V. (2010). Shifting our vision for our futures: Leadership as a foundational element for teacher-librarians. In S. Coatney (Ed.), The many faces of school library leadership (pp. 133-136). Libraries Unlimited.
Softlink. (2021). Australian school library survey report 2020. [Report]. https://www.softlinkint.com/blog/softlink-apac-school-library-survey-report-2020/
McIntoch, E. (2021, June 9). The middle leader manifesto. NoTosh. https://learn.notosh.com/The_Middle_Leader_Manifesto
NSW Government. (2021). Middle leadership development program. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/school-leadership-institute/leadership-development-programs/middle-leadership-development-program#Middle0
Wall, J. (2021). Information fluency – a NSW journey. Scan, 40(9), 4-9. https://education.nsw.gov.au/teaching-and-learning/professional-learning/scan/latest-issue
Williams, H. S., & Johnson, T. L. (2013). Strategic leadership in schools. Education 133(3), 350-355.