ETL Assignment 1 Part B

Reflection

Before I started this Masters degree, my notion of leadership in schools equalled power – people in executive positions.  How naive of me. Reading from CSU Module 1 that strong school leadership generally is about positioning the school for the future, and about supporting and empowering staff and students in the pursuit of teaching and learning excellence was a defining moment for me. However, readings have also confused me pointing out leadership has no generally accepted definition, no paradigms for studying it and little agreement about the best strategies for developing and exercising it (Bennis (2007) and Vroom (2007) as cited in Hackman and Wageman (2007, pp. 43).

My own understanding and practice of leadership in a school library today is different from that of 24 months ago when I had just started my job as TL.  Reading my post from May, 2011 reminded me of just how naive and scared I was about leadership, which at that point I hadn’t even considered one of the roles of a TL.  I remember reading Purcell’s (2010) view on the roles of the TL and feeling overwhelmed.  How could I possibly be a leader?  Now having two years “on the job” as a TL, I do admit there has been some leadership happening.  Overseeing a budget of thousands of dollars, organizing timetables, schedules, book fairs and incursions are part of my job but until this subject I was unaware that these tasks/roles might fall under the big umbrella of leadership.  The readings from this subject support that anyone who fulfills critical system functions, or who arranges for them to be fulfilled, is exhibiting leadership.

Like any TL I am motivated to keep learning – one has to in this digital age. Professional development and modelling best practice are two things I am doing just by being enrolled in this subject. 12 months ago, if you had asked me if this was leadership, I would have answered no.  This subject has helped me understand that influence and setting an example (best practice) are much more important than power. Looking at my own school, there is much leadership happening and it isn’t always by the executive - those in the “power” positions.  I work with some amazing teachers who are motivated to continue their learning.  They are setting the example and influencing their colleagues (me) leading and learning by example.  The expertise to lead instruction lies with the teacher ranks. The distribution of knowledge equals power...thank you Don Taspscott.

Reading about change and the fear factor it can bring resonated with me.  I have worked in schools where change occurred but was not communicated well – quite poorly in fact resulting in with many unsettled, unhappy and disillusioned teachers.  Strong leadership is needed to guide and help people understand the possible bumps in the road a change process can bring.  If people are transparent with their vision and communicate it effectively, change/growth is much more doable. 

There will be lots more learning and leading happening.  Stay tuned. 

 

References

Donham, 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.

Hackman, J. & Wageman, R. (2007). Asking the right questions about leadership.  American Psychologist, 62 (1), 43-47.

Purcell, M. (2010). All librarians do is check out books, right? A look at the roles of a school         library media specialist.  Library Media Connections, 29 (3), 30-33.

Tapscott, Don. (2012). [ETL 504 Module 2 Leading Change]. Don Tapscott: Four principles for the         open world. TEDGlobal 2012.  Retrieved from Charles Sturt website
            http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/ETL504_201330_W_D/page/2179fa2f-bbfd-  4f13-803d-da9d7fd8c83e