This has been a long semester for me and after much contemplation I am going to have to take time off to get some things sorted out. This topic has been an interesting one but quite draining and frustrating at times. It is hard when you aren't in a library and you don't see the goings on to envision how things could be better. For me then, Assignment 2 about the vision statement, was quite generalised. I am sure my feedback will be, as was in the first, a good beginning but ..... I was quite disheartened by the grade in Assignment 1 and now, sadly,am just hoping for a pass for this unit. I feel that as a casual teacher with the dream of being a Teacher Librarian, it just isn't enough. Perhaps I should take the information that I have learned from these subjects and be pro-active. I need to volunteer my time in a library. Perhaps that is what I'll do in my 'time off'.
So, what else did I learn from Teacher Librarian as a leader? It all seems to come back to collaboration, having good people skills and showing initiative. The concept of leading from the middle was an interesting one. It taught me that just because others don't see you as a leader, doesn't mean that you aren't one. Being a leader isn't always about telling people how to do things but by showing through attitude, work ethic, flexibility and passion that your job is important and you can help others do their jobs more easily and efficiently. You can lead by example.
The Teacher Librarian is in such a unique position because they have contact with everyone at the school. They can put their own personal stamp on everyone they meet and advocate their roles at the same time. They can use change processes like the CBAM model to help teach others about new technologies and practices. They can work with challenging staff members because they know how to manage different personality types and leadership styles. They can make a difference at their school no matter what the obstacle.
The roles and responsibilities of the Teacher Librarian are many and varied but I can honestly say that I am looking forward to the challenges and the triumphs that await me.
