From my readings for ETL 401 and ETL 501 I thought I had learnt a lot about the role of the Teacher Librarian (TL). I had learnt the TL needed to be proactive within the school, to be a leader in teaching information literacy, the importance of working collaboratively with teachers and members of the school management team and much, much more. I thought I had a reasonably good idea of the role of the TL as a leader… I was wrong!
I was amazed by how much new insight I gleaned just from the first reading included in the ETL 504 Introduction.
I know it’s commonsense when you analyze it, but until Donham (2005 p. 296) said that despite the TL’s overall view of the school, TLs must remember ‘Leaders know and respect the limits of their circles of influence,’ it had never occurred to me. For example, there is a chain of command and protocols associated with those people who constitute the rungs on the ladder to the top! I do think, however, that in extenuating circumstances, over moral issues for example, that you do need to step outside that circle in order to fight for something you believe is fundamentally right irrespective of how far your influence extends as designated by your role in the school. I had to do that once -I really put myself out on a limb with the risk of possibly losing my job, but I finally achieved what I set out to achieve in order to protect the children in my school.
I loved the way Donham (2005 p. 296) identified two main types of leaders . The first being those who seek to explain why they cannot achieve their aims by rationalising that external factors are to blame, ‘for example, that they cannot teach information literacy skills because the teachers will not cooperate, or the principal does not give adequate support…or some other barrier prevents their success. ’ (Donham, J. 2005 p. 296)
The second are those leaders who ‘act from an internal locus of control’ and believe they have ‘the power to control the outcome of his or her own actions.’ (Donham, 2005 p. 296)These latter TLs think laterally and act strategically to ensure they achieve success in their goals. ‘They will look within their circle of influence for solutions.’ Donham, J. 2005 p. 297)
Upon reflection, I would go further and state that it is those people who are not just proactive, but also, more importantly, have a positive outlook in general who ‘embrace the responsibility to make good things happen in their schools.’ Being a ‘glass half full’, rather than a ‘glass half empty’ person means that you have the positive attitude that enables you to believe you can effect change and you can achieve your goals. I believe that those people are more likely to succeed!
I am a very positive person, and a people person. I believe it is these qualities that have enabled me to have such successful working relationships with the children, staff and parents in my school.
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