In a post early in the course I outlined how I thought the teacher librarian was a leader. I wasn’t necessarily wrong; my view was, however, significantly limited. Throughout this course I have developed an understanding of leadership principles, management theory and change management. Equipped with this new knowledge I can support bringing my school library into the twenty-first century and myself into the forefront as a leader among peers.
I have learned the teacher librarian can lead from the middle. I did not have the most successful experience of this when I attempted to lead from the middle in the Case Study 3, but perhaps that is simply due to the limitations of the internet, physical distance and the busy schedules we as students and teachers have. As Cox and Korodaj outline in an article on the teacher librarian as a leader, the teacher librarian is perfectly placed to be a leader, whether it be the curriculum, the cross-curricular priorities or the general capabilities (2019, p. 16). The reading I have undertaken in this class and the work of the assessment 2 report has helped me identify an opportunity for me to lead from the middle.
As a bilingual school, it is necessary for students to use both languages in all elements (reading, writing, speaking and listening). Unfortunately, I have identified students do not read in Arabic, and rarely read in English. Hence, I would like to develop a school-wide approach to reading. As I do not hold an official leadership position, this would involve me leading from the middle, developing as a leader and supporting the development of other leaders involved in the program.
I have learned conflict management. In particular I have applied the strategies suggested by Strive! In my Managing Conflict post, I reflected upon how I dealt with conflict. A few weeks later I reflected on an incident at school. I used this incident to practice the conflict management strategies from Strive! While it was a difficult conversation the approach, in particular I needed to change how I manage conflict, it was a rewarding experience. I feel better prepared to have difficult conversations both in school and in my life beyond.
I have found the 2nd assessment discussion paper on developing a twenty-first century ‘future proof’ school library very beneficial. I have already discussed this paper with my principal who is interested in aspects of the ‘future-proofing’ report. With his support I would love to develop the school library to better support students learning needs and prepare them with the skills they need for life in a highly digital world (Liu, 2020, para. 7). I would like to focus on developing empathy, global mindedness and the 4Cs, I believe these to be the more essential twenty-first century skills outlined by Couros in his book The Innovators Mindset (2015). This is of particular necessity in Saudi Arabia as we have been teaching and learning online since March 2020.
I appreciate the opportunities this subject has provided me with. It is a heady experience to reflect upon my learning over the past three months and see the potential directions it provides me with.
References
Couros, G. (2015). The innovators mindset. Dave Burgess Consulting Inc.
Cox, E. & Korodaj, L. (2019). Leading from the sweet spot: Embedding the library and the teacher librarian in your school community. Access, 33(4), 14-25.
Liu, C. (2020, September 23). Beyond the 4Cs: Empowering youth in the 21st-Century. Getting Smart. https://www.gettingsmart.com/2020/09/beyond-the-4cs-empowering-youth-in-the-21st-century/
Strive!. (2013, June 12). How to have a courageous conversation. [Video]. Youtube. https://youtu.be/CoFe_NRRITQ