Just thinking randomly at the moment - it is strange looking at this group assignment, I have an underlying sense of urgency but am unsure why. Maybe because I would be looking at this myself and planning the different components but with group members there are others to consider and making decisions together. Skype is interesting and it is good to be able to talk but there were only 3 of us last week doing the Skype session so I am wondering if an extra person in the group trying to talk makes a difference. I can understand how chat can possibly be more effective as you have to take time to read then have time to comment and can have a written log immediately. I am still struggling with the concept of leadership, not with the relating it to my role, I can see that in every article I read, but in the relationship with principals to get this rolling so to speak. I think I have to try to instigate some of these myself and then present this to the staff and hopefully work my way from the back to the front, get the teachers on board so the principal comes too. might work, might not but it is worth a shot, but where to start? I think I have to do what some of the articles are looking at, make a vision/mission and work from there, what do I see as the preferred future, work out the goals, look at the path and the possible barriers, look at the steps to achieve this and off I go....
Now just to find the time to do all these wonderful things. I would love the time to go back over my subjects and the resources and points that were in them and work through some of them too - I might have to do a vision of having a vision/mission I think, use all my subjects so far to help formulate it. Oh well back to readings..
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Leadership assignment
What did I learn today?
I am learning more about the role of leadership and what I as a TL should be looking at. I have considered myself a leader but I think I restricted myself to library issues and haven't looked to far beyond being a leader in that area. Some of this was time restrictions but now I am starting to see where else I can be a leader.
Whom did I nurture?
Today it was myself, my own understanding of my role and where I could go with it
What challenge did I confront?
My view of what I can do in the school, my own issues with approaching others in my school and being the leader I should and can be. I have placed barriers in my way and I am starting to look at what I am putting up and saying that it isn't good enough to do this.
How did I make a positive difference?
I am experiencing acceptance of what a powerful and unique position I have and where I can take it.
Cheng, Y. (2002). Leadership and strategy.
This was an interesting article and one of the first that I could start to see where the TL can push forward as a leader in other areas on the library's radar. I like the 5 dimensional model and the break up of different components that make a leader. That we are transformational leaders and can utilise this in our position in a number of ways. The key word was proactive here and this tied in with Donham's article and that we can shape beliefs, attitudes and values to development opportunities for the future. This can be done from a single staff member, to a group to the whole staff. I really enjoyed looking through this article as it really compounded what a TL can do and that is adapt, adapt our behaviour to the situation but that we can transform the situation too and armed with our knowledge this is something I can see occurring.
I am learning more about the role of leadership and what I as a TL should be looking at. I have considered myself a leader but I think I restricted myself to library issues and haven't looked to far beyond being a leader in that area. Some of this was time restrictions but now I am starting to see where else I can be a leader.
Whom did I nurture?
Today it was myself, my own understanding of my role and where I could go with it
What challenge did I confront?
My view of what I can do in the school, my own issues with approaching others in my school and being the leader I should and can be. I have placed barriers in my way and I am starting to look at what I am putting up and saying that it isn't good enough to do this.
How did I make a positive difference?
I am experiencing acceptance of what a powerful and unique position I have and where I can take it.
Cheng, Y. (2002). Leadership and strategy.
This was an interesting article and one of the first that I could start to see where the TL can push forward as a leader in other areas on the library's radar. I like the 5 dimensional model and the break up of different components that make a leader. That we are transformational leaders and can utilise this in our position in a number of ways. The key word was proactive here and this tied in with Donham's article and that we can shape beliefs, attitudes and values to development opportunities for the future. This can be done from a single staff member, to a group to the whole staff. I really enjoyed looking through this article as it really compounded what a TL can do and that is adapt, adapt our behaviour to the situation but that we can transform the situation too and armed with our knowledge this is something I can see occurring.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Reflection
What did I learn today?
Nothing is as scary as you make it in your mind so go ahead and do it.
Whom did I nurture?
LA learning a new procedure to do with Scis and inloading/extracting images
What challenge did I confront?
Minimising the difficulties in my mind through preconceived notions
How did i make a positive difference?
Students are excited about the new feature and about their library lessons, they are enjoying learning.
Nothing is as scary as you make it in your mind so go ahead and do it.
Whom did I nurture?
LA learning a new procedure to do with Scis and inloading/extracting images
What challenge did I confront?
Minimising the difficulties in my mind through preconceived notions
How did i make a positive difference?
Students are excited about the new feature and about their library lessons, they are enjoying learning.
Organisational Theory
I do view my school as an organisation but a special organisation. It contains structure - in Cath. Ed. there is the Bishop, Director, school board and Principal that form the top structure of a school. The school's mission statement and motto lend it to its purpose and underpins the educational philosophy. There are clients that are there to 'get' something from us - the students intrinsically and the community (including families), workplace extrinsically. They all have an interest in the school organisation. Each person's job is defined and outlined for requirements and there are checks in place to ensure this is happening. There are measurable outputs - e.g. syllabus/work program documents, unit plans, school policies and so forth, this is done through various connections within the organisation some whole school some are selective participants meaning collaboration and power and cultural aspects are at work. There are reviews in place and an action plan to implement what is lacking/changing/refining. Financial issues are there from year to year and managed from the top. I found myself agreeing with Bennett's view of school effectiveness and improvment through structure, power and culture (2001).
As stated in the first line, schools are a special sort of organisation and even stated in Bennett (2001) and Beare (1990) adaptations to the organisational theory needs or does occur for the principles to work effectively in a school. One aspect of this is that we are working with a hostile participant in the student, they are made to be there and if you are made to do anything quite often this starts a negative feeling. I liked the idea that was mentioned in the forums of everyone thinks they know a school and how it works or should work because they have all been there. But there is little awareness of how the school changes in response to new concepts/educational theories/syllabus materials. I think the idea of people making the policies being out of date applies to the Government especially, looking to our Ministers of Education there are few and far between that have education degrees in any area and yet they are making decisions for all our schools effectively. This needs to be reviewed - do people in organisations have to keep up to date with qualifications or courses?
Change is always occuring and often not at the school level - we are finding little consultation with the 'coal-face' of teaching as to the teaching and learning processes and the changes expected at various times. I also liked how we aren't about teaching anymore we have so many other facets to include that the teaching often gets left behind, lets teach about bullying, about weight and self-esteem, about values. Where is the teaching for academic and they wonder why students' literacy and numeracy is dropping - look at how much time is actually spent teaching these days and see. So I think it should be the case that schools are seen as a different organisation we are dealing with a multi-faceted area that is juggling a bombardment of extras.
I do understand that some organisations are like this in that they have their shareholders, their clients who don't always want help or the help the organisation can provide but schools are different.
As stated in the first line, schools are a special sort of organisation and even stated in Bennett (2001) and Beare (1990) adaptations to the organisational theory needs or does occur for the principles to work effectively in a school. One aspect of this is that we are working with a hostile participant in the student, they are made to be there and if you are made to do anything quite often this starts a negative feeling. I liked the idea that was mentioned in the forums of everyone thinks they know a school and how it works or should work because they have all been there. But there is little awareness of how the school changes in response to new concepts/educational theories/syllabus materials. I think the idea of people making the policies being out of date applies to the Government especially, looking to our Ministers of Education there are few and far between that have education degrees in any area and yet they are making decisions for all our schools effectively. This needs to be reviewed - do people in organisations have to keep up to date with qualifications or courses?
Change is always occuring and often not at the school level - we are finding little consultation with the 'coal-face' of teaching as to the teaching and learning processes and the changes expected at various times. I also liked how we aren't about teaching anymore we have so many other facets to include that the teaching often gets left behind, lets teach about bullying, about weight and self-esteem, about values. Where is the teaching for academic and they wonder why students' literacy and numeracy is dropping - look at how much time is actually spent teaching these days and see. So I think it should be the case that schools are seen as a different organisation we are dealing with a multi-faceted area that is juggling a bombardment of extras.
I do understand that some organisations are like this in that they have their shareholders, their clients who don't always want help or the help the organisation can provide but schools are different.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Leadership by Jean Donham
This article was brilliant in its application to TL's leadership in the school. The clarity of the attributes and that Donham applied them specifically to the TL in the school made relating them to my role easy. I liked the idea that 'leaders act from an internal locus of control' (p. 296) and that we are in control of our actions and outcomes but no one elses and that we should be focusing on others but on ours.
The other aspect I liked was the concept of pursuing what we are passionate about (p. 298) and this will generate enthusiasm and inspiration, which like the circle of life continues to perpetuate the other. I liked Fullan (1996) suggesting there were 3 attributes of sharedness, concreteness and clarity.
There were a few things I thought I could be working on and that included establishing one's expertise and processes for continuous reflection and assessment. I feel that I am one that enjoys the state of constant learning as long as there are opportunities to apply that learning and it is not going to waste (nearly stepping away from the 'can-do' mentality a leader is meant to have!)
I want to help the principal see the benefits of library media in school decision-making groups and really focus on the "leading from the middle" position (p. 301). I suppose the hardest thing I find is finding the time to achieve this, I will find alterative ways around this but it is an issue, between work, family (2 young children) and study there is little time to add in extra things to do but I want to look at my work and see if there are areas that I can refine that will allow better time management so I will have the time to do extra things.
And with reflection we do a reflective cluster day in Term 4 every year that is both looking back and looking forward as the 3 questions state (p. 303). I think I will print these 3 questions out and have them up for me so they remind me what I should be considering. I do think I can be reactive at work but it is very difficult to change that when every week there are different issues to sort out or refine and so forth. BUT I will do it!!
So here is my first journaling effort:
What did I learn today?
I learnt that reflection is as important as doing the job at hand
Whom did I nurture today?
This I feel was my staff (LA), students who were in the library at lunch time and other staff with technology issues.
What challenge did I confront today?
Fitting what I needed to into the time I had available.
How did I make a positive difference today?
I worked with staff, moved further in creating opportunities for me to show my expertise, initiated actions from my conference days and worked towards making my (or the students') library a more inviting place to be and easier to find information.
A short journaling entry today and I am sure they will get longer the more I do it.
Finally, from the article I also what to look at the action strategies more closely and plan towards achieving these in a little more detail for my libraries over this course.
Reference
Dohnam, J. (2005). Leadership. In Enhancing teaching and learning: a leadership guide for school library media specialists (2nd ed.) (pp. 295-305). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers
The other aspect I liked was the concept of pursuing what we are passionate about (p. 298) and this will generate enthusiasm and inspiration, which like the circle of life continues to perpetuate the other. I liked Fullan (1996) suggesting there were 3 attributes of sharedness, concreteness and clarity.
There were a few things I thought I could be working on and that included establishing one's expertise and processes for continuous reflection and assessment. I feel that I am one that enjoys the state of constant learning as long as there are opportunities to apply that learning and it is not going to waste (nearly stepping away from the 'can-do' mentality a leader is meant to have!)
I want to help the principal see the benefits of library media in school decision-making groups and really focus on the "leading from the middle" position (p. 301). I suppose the hardest thing I find is finding the time to achieve this, I will find alterative ways around this but it is an issue, between work, family (2 young children) and study there is little time to add in extra things to do but I want to look at my work and see if there are areas that I can refine that will allow better time management so I will have the time to do extra things.
And with reflection we do a reflective cluster day in Term 4 every year that is both looking back and looking forward as the 3 questions state (p. 303). I think I will print these 3 questions out and have them up for me so they remind me what I should be considering. I do think I can be reactive at work but it is very difficult to change that when every week there are different issues to sort out or refine and so forth. BUT I will do it!!
So here is my first journaling effort:
What did I learn today?
I learnt that reflection is as important as doing the job at hand
Whom did I nurture today?
This I feel was my staff (LA), students who were in the library at lunch time and other staff with technology issues.
What challenge did I confront today?
Fitting what I needed to into the time I had available.
How did I make a positive difference today?
I worked with staff, moved further in creating opportunities for me to show my expertise, initiated actions from my conference days and worked towards making my (or the students') library a more inviting place to be and easier to find information.
A short journaling entry today and I am sure they will get longer the more I do it.
Finally, from the article I also what to look at the action strategies more closely and plan towards achieving these in a little more detail for my libraries over this course.
Reference
Dohnam, J. (2005). Leadership. In Enhancing teaching and learning: a leadership guide for school library media specialists (2nd ed.) (pp. 295-305). New York: Neal-Schuman Publishers
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