Forum Discussion 6.1

• Look at the influential teacher’s among your colleagues. What advanced skills do they have in these two areas?

As I reflect on what I think is influential and the why, certain teachers pop into my mind. I have thought prior to this question being asked ‘why do some teachers appear to just have it (naturally) and others have to work at it? To me, to become a teacher in the first place, you have to be a progressive thinker and someone who is good at learning (becuase that never stops). But then when I think of those particular colleagues that stand out, the skills they have are; confidence, passion, high organisation skills, assertive manner, love of learning, willingness to try new things and high interpersonal skills. Now that is some teacher!

• What will help you be more productive as a teacher librarian in your school community?

The budget given to sustain the Library with up-to-date resources and materials needs to be justified and spent wisely each academic year. I manage this by having different budgets for aspects like Standing Orders costs, teacher/student suggestions, furniture update expenses, professional development courses/conferences, staffing- SLSO assistance for stocktake etc. Each year if I have roughly what I ‘need’ for the year and then a little extra for what I ‘want’ to develop, is how I go forward. Perhaps in the future I could consult with the community as they are an integral stakeholder and would influence types of resources/programs that can be ran out of the library. Also, as I gain confidence with my newly built knowledge that I gain from my uni subjects, I can be stronger advocate for voicing the real importance of the TL in the school setting- being more assertive. Knowledge is power.