Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the teacher librarian emerges as a beacon of knowledge, guiding and inspiring the school community with wisdom and vision. I know this reads like an opening sentence in a novel gracing the school library’s shelves. Still, it is how I feel writing my final (EVER) reflection in my Master of Education (Teacher Librarianship) course.
When I began this course and composed one of my first entries, Little Did I Know…. (Gonye, 2022, March 10) I had not considered the importance of studying a subject such as Teacher Librarian as Leader. I had identified roles associated with a teacher librarian but had not related the importance of leadership within this role.
One surprising revelation was that leadership transcends formal titles; anyone can embody its qualities. You don’t require a specific position to demonstrate the attributes synonymous with effective leadership. The term leading from the middle was something I knew I had done in previous leadership roles but had not labelled it as such. In my post titled, Leading from the Middle (Gonye, 2024, March 4) I realised that there is potential for me to exercise and build upon my leadership qualities in my role as a teacher librarian.
I hadn’t considered the various leadership styles available to a teacher librarian. The way a teacher librarian chooses to lead is a crucial element I had previously overlooked. With this new understanding, I reviewed my strengths, including building relationships through collaboration and implementing skilful communication techniques (Bender, 2005, p.25). Adding to these traits, my ability to build relationships with children and gain the trust of staff and families aligns with the servant leadership style.
As I read about servant leadership (DocMartin Leadership, 2019) the servant leadership approach appealed to me as it encourages a focus on student-centred learning and cultivates a spirit of collaboration among staff. The primary emphasis of a servant leader lies not in their personal leadership aspirations or the organization’s goals, but rather in the welfare and requirements of those they lead. (Crippen & Willows, 2019, p.171). To be genuinely effective, I recognised the need to broaden my understanding of leadership by integrating transformational and distributed styles into my approach. This is especially vital for achieving the vision of the library as a key centre for integrating technology and promoting the development of future skills (Bonanno, 2015).
While I am in the early stages of my career as a teacher librarian, I understand the crucial role I can fulfil in guiding staff towards adopting 21st-century curriculum practices. In my post titled The Teacher Librarian as Leader (Gonye, 2024, March 15) I explored qualities of leaders and how it is important to strike a balance between providing curriculum support, delivering classroom instruction, and navigating emerging learning technologies, literacies, and resources. Effective leadership involves staying grounded in the present while staying abreast of current and future trends to remain relevant in an ever-changing educational landscape.
Anticipating my future as a teacher librarian in a primary school, I approach it with a keen awareness of my unique position within the school community. It’s a ‘bird’s-eye’ view, as Cox and Korodaj (2019) aptly describe it. I’m filled with enthusiasm about exploring how I can leverage this perspective to create a meaningful and positive impact on the community.
References
Bender, Y. (2005). The tactful teacher: Effective communication with parents, colleagues and administrators. Nomad Press.
Bonanno, K. (2015, March). A profession at the tipping point (revisited). Access. 14-21. http://kb.com.au/content/uploads/2015/03/profession-at-tipping-point2.pdf
Cox, E., & Korodaj, L. (2019). Leading from the sweet spot: embedding the library and the teacher librarian in your school community. Access (Online), 33(4), 14–25.
Crippen, C. & Willows, J. (2019). Connecting teacher leadership and servant leadership: A synergistic partnership. Journal of Leadership Education, 18(2), pp. 171-180. https://journalofleadershiped.org/jole_articles/connecting-teacher-leadership-and-servant-leadership-a-synergistic-partnership/
DocMartin Leadership. (2019, February 8). What is servant leadership? [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/3dS7FpUUbY8
Gonye, S. (2022, March 10). Little did I know…My understanding of the role of the Teacher Librarian [Blog Post] Assessment 1: Little did I know…. My understanding of the role of the Teacher Librarian – SUZANNE’S SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (csu.edu.au)
Gonye, S. (2024, March 4). Leading from the middle [Blog Post] Leading from the middle – SUZANNE’S SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (csu.edu.au)
Gonye, S. (2024, March 15). The Teacher Librarian as a leader [Blog Post] The Teacher Librarian as a Leader – SUZANNE’S SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (csu.edu.au)
Gonye, S. (2024, April 3). Changing Education Paradigms [Blog Post] Changing Education Paradigms – SUZANNE’S SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (csu.edu.au)
Holland, B. (2015, 14th January). 21st century libraries. The learning commons. Edutopia. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/21st-century-libraries-learning-commons-beth-holland
