Collaboration

Haycock (2007) identifies collaboration as a key priority for teacher librarians. He discusses non-monetary expectations that principals set that impact on school culture, citing Tallman and Van Deusen (1994) who found that collaborative planning among teachers and teacher librarians was more likely to occur when the principal expected team planning. Haycock further argues that those teachers who collaborate with the teacher librarian develop a keener appreciation for the role and are more likely to do so again, contributing to the tradition of collaboration within the school. Haycock points to communication, mutual trust and respect, shared vision for leadership and favourable structures such as flexible scheduling as vital features of successful collaboration between teachers and the teacher librarian.

Haycock (2007) suggests that a shared vision for the school between the teacher librarian and the principal will enhance the success of the library program. Kachel (2017) agrees, arguing that a favourable opinion of the library program held by the principal is important to ensure the longevity of the program. Kachel further argues that this favourable opinion might be encouraged by the teacher librarian by demonstrating to the principal that the library program in contributing to the principal’s goals and vision for the school as a whole.

The school principal can influence the library program by offering sufficient funding for resources, staff and materials, by setting expectations of collaborative practice and by allowing and facilitating administrative structures such as flexible scheduling. The teacher librarian can support the vision of the school principal by contributing to the educational program positively and collaboratively, working with teachers and students to deliver quality information literacy, critical thinking and wide reading programs and ensuring the school has high quality, relevant resources available to teachers and that teachers are aware of the resources and how they might be used with students.

References

Haycock, K. (2007). Collaboration: Critical success factors for student learning. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 25.

Kachel, D. (2017). The principal and the librarian: Positioning the school library program. Teacher Librarian, 45(1), 50-63.

Tallman, J., & van Deusen, J. D. (1994). Collaborative unit planning-Schedule, time, and participants: The 1993-94 AASL/Highsmith Research Award Study Part Three. School Library Media Quarterly, 23, 33-37. Cited in Haycock, K. (2007). Collaboration: Critical success factors for student learning. School Libraries Worldwide, 13(1), 25.