Donham 2005 - TL and leadership 504 Reading 1

What I liked about this first reading by Donham (2005) is its way of bringing together leadership ideas and actions to the teacher librarian's role. Upon reading this article I immediately connected with the leadership traits that Bennis (1999) raised of what made successful leaders. These leadership traits: technical competence, conceptual skill, people skills, judgement and character. These traits I need to be vary aware of in order to be a successful TL and leader in my school. Donham clarifies how these traits are possible in TL practice.

Bennis' link below outlines the qualities of leaders.

http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=53

TLs lead from the middle.

In my own TL practice, I feel that I am quite competent at many of the leadership traits above, or at the very least they are attainable in future when hopeful I am working in a secondary school library that fosters and welcomes the TLs role in education rather than the role being confined to just teaching the reading program (from administrations perspective). This I can say is changing due to the vision that myself and my colleague have an establishing an information literacy program within the Year 7 and 8 reading program. This must be an aspect of demonstrating some sort of leadership - having vision and goals to improve student learning. I acknowledge that there will be areas that I can grow and learn more.

Donham mentions that TL always have to be “sharpening the saw” (Covey). This is the process of life long learning and getting my masters has proven to me just how important this learning is.

I am also impressed by Donham's internal locus of control. Leaders look for solutions that are within their grasp. They are can-do people as opposed to people who have an external locus of control. Having just read this I feel that I can actually relate to this internal locus of control as I (and my colleague) have overcome obstacles in implementing information literacy instruction into our Year 7 and 8 reading program. It might be a small step we have made but by facilitating information literacy instruction every three weeks into program (we see each class one period a week) we are in fact making some impact at improving students' learning and research skills. I believe my colleague and I have found "alternative ways to schedule the teaching or organize lessons to make it work for the students' sake" (Donham, 2005: 297). We came up with the solution that stalled information literacy instruction and in future and we hope to work with willing teachers to work collaboratively to facilitate information literacy instruction within the teaching and learning programs in our Years 4-12 secondary boys school. "Leaders are can-do people who look to themselves to make programs great and inspire others to join in the enterprise" (p. 297).

Being proactive and looking for change opportunities (Hartzel, 2000) and perseverance are indicators of this internal locus of control. They anticipate and prevent problems, take action and persevere.

In terms of the future Collins (2000) highlights the importance of TLs who aspire to have great programs to:

• understand what you can and cannot be best at - as the role of the TL is so diverse it is difficult to be truly experts in ALL areas within the role. This highlights that we as TLs have strengths and weaknesses. Therefore Donham believes that leaders work to be the best at their areas of expertise and to pursue them with purpose and clarity, and strive to be as good in other areas as is reasonable (p. 297).
• pursue what you are deeply passionate about - determining where one's passion lies is the first step toward becoming a leader. I am passionate about helping students on their learning journeys. I find it so rewarding to see students progress and learn. But a TL's role is more than just having a passion for teaching. As a TL in my school I am passionate about seeing students start to enjoy reading - whether it be a fiction, non-fiction, magazine, newspaper or graphic novel. The main aim for me is to help foster in students an enjoyment, or at the very least an appreciation of reading. I am also quite passionate about encouraging teachers to start collaborating with me as a teacher librarian and to incorporate new technologies in the library to enhance student learning experiences. Importantly maintaining a library collection that is relevant to the users both students and teachers is a passion of mine and a reason for making the transition to the library. "Finding your passion" resonates with me so much.

A TL in leadership must have a vision of the library program in the context of the curriculum. 3 attributes for sound vision are sharedness, concreteness & clarity. That vision requires:

• collaborative skills
• technical skills
• expertise

To assert leadership TLs need to:

• work collaboratively
• persevere & be passionate - helps sustain one's energy as a leader
• be proactive
• have clear and articulate communication
• carry out what is said
• reflect and self-reflect for continued improvement
• Vision: sharedness, concreteness, clarity (Fullan) focus for developing goals and objectives
• expertise: organize information sources, use information technology efficiently establish process for continuous reflection and assessment.opportunistic disposition allows the TL to watch for ways to integrate the standards in to the academic program.

As TLs we need to understand and talk hold of the notion expressed by Donham (2005) that "schools are collaborative environments and library media specialists can only succeed when they work collegially with other educators in their organisation" (p. 299). In expressing our role as leaders we need to put ourselves in influential positions by serving on curriculum committees and school leadership teams. The TL has such an advantage as they (theoretically) should work with students and teachers at all year levels within the school - this expertise should prove valuable on school curriculum committees as well as the schools information and technology expert.

Other key points of Donham's article:

• TLs play a key role in the school and they have unique skills to offer, however they also need to promote their skills to the school community so they are aware of them
• TLs are there to collaborate with and serve the school community as it is, and how it is needing help. They can be the initiators of change, but change that suits their particular context.
• Systematic review benefits the library, and is also evidence to the rest of the school community of what the library is achieving
• Change is constant and TLs need to be up-to-date with constant change, and being committed to lifelong learners

STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP

TLs need to be proactive in articulating a:

• vision for the library - a clear vision of the desired future. For example, a resource-filled centre for teaching and learning
• mission statement for the library to provide a focus for developing the goals and objectives
• being opportunistic and seizing opportunities to move into new areas of the curriculum or programs

As cited in Donham (2005, p. 295-96), Bennis (1999) identifies 5 leadership characteristics:

• technical competence
• conceptual skill
• people skills
• judgement
• character

Central to these leadership qualities is the necessity of a vision for the Library to align the expectations of the school community and curriculum initiatives.

Such qualities are imperative to effectively management the dynamic changes bombarding quality educational initiatives. Preparing TLs for leadership also begs the question to the understandings school Principals have in dynamic leadership in these ever changing ties. Do they understand leadership or management? Do they really understand the powerful impact TLs and other staff can have in the school and how to harness it? I see our TL leadership role impacting on our administrative leaders as they too grapple with the pace of change.

REFLECTION

Donham emphasises the importance of effective leaders reflecting on progress made and goals still to be achieved. Once a year ask:

1. What will I do differently from what I did last year?

2. What will I stop doing that I did last year?

3. How and when will I know that I am making progress?

OTHER THOUGHTS FROM DONHAM

The first thing that struck me is that Donham describes the expertise of the library media specialist as expertise in literacy, the information seeking process, and applications of technology appropriate for the settings. It is a relief that a broader view of literacy can be taken rather than the focus leadership only on ’information literacy’. Yes I know that the process is listed second but I really think I prefer looking at the processes of information seeking as a subset of literacies and certainly will be looking to find opportunities to develop how learners in our school community can enhance knowledge building and information seeking processes as part of the school’s literacy teaching and learning programs.

I like the additions to the librarians 2.0 mantra offered:

• I can find alternatives or compromises
• I can look for change opportunities, anticipate and prevent problems, take action and persevere (be proactive)
• I can collaboratively develop a shared, concrete and clear vision of the library in the school
  I can collaborate - communicating effectively, listening actively, negotiate and earn the professional confidence of my colleagues
• I can use and organise technology efficiently
• I can conceptualise information access and criteria for quality resources and teaching and learning theory in my local school learning community

The section on strategic leadership nicely describes the main attributes, discussing vision and mission statements, action planning and setting standards for measuring performance on those actions and creating or seizing ‘the opportunities that serendipity offers’.

References

Donham, J. (2005) Leadership. In Enhancing teaching and learning. 2nd ed. New York: New York: Neal-Schumann. PP. 295-305.

Bennis,W. (1999). The Leadership Advantage. Leader to Leader. Retrieved July 9, 2004, from http://www.leadertoleader.org/knowledgecenter/journal.aspx?ArticleID=53