The Many Faces of School Library Leadership: A Chapter 8 Review

IMAGE: A screenshot of a scanned, xerox copy of page 115, chapter 8 of The Many Faces of School Library Leadership, edited by Sharon Coatney.

I decided to review chapter 8, written by Janice Gilmore-See, of The Many Faces of School Library Leadership because of the very first line: "Staff development, while it should not, often exists as a random event on a particular day of the school year, seemingly disconnected from the real work of the teaching staff." I have always found professional development for teachers kind of weird. At designated times the entire school or district gathers to listen to a speaker(s) talk for hours about random topics that may or may not relate to what you are teaching. But chapter 8 brought up the idea of teacher-librarians being able to facilitate professional development for teachers that directly impacts their needs. 

Summary 

Teacher-librarians collaborate with all facets of the school which gives them a broader outlook on classroom needs and advocacy efforts. Teacher-librarians are usually up-to-date on technology, pedagogy, and organizational behaviors which makes them perfect candidates for leading professional development in schools.

IMAGES: Generated by Bing Image Creator, https://www.bing.com/images/create, prompt: "a librarian presenting technology in front of a group of diverse teachers".

Take Aways 

Teacher-librarians are constantly managing whether it's their time, budget, schedule, or leadership opportunities. By harnessing their ability to manage, and being a part of the school that connects to all areas, they are able to focus on school-wide goals and advocate for areas in need. They are great at making lists and connecting people who can aid them in their goals. They are also excellent at keeping focused on school improvement because they care and are enthusiastic about their students. With interpersonal and communication skills — a skill practiced and not always intuitive — along with their knowledge of technology, pedagogy, and organization, teacher-librarians are equipped to be a leader in professional development. The chapter acknowledges that one professional development session cannot make a drastic change in a school, but it can build confidence in the role of the teacher-librarian as an on-site-support member that teachers and administration can access. An advantage of this is that the professional development provided is site specific, department specific, or even content specific to the school and can be given all at once or be broken down into smaller sessions. The best part, the professional development session(s) can be delivered formally or informally, to be looked at or referenced at any point.

A teacher librarian must ask themselves if the professional development they created or will create is worth the time and effort it takes to put it together, if it will benefit students, if it saves time, and / or if it provides additional benefit to teachers. This is especially important for technology use for the classroom. Some teachers may be reluctant to learn the latest technologies, but if you record your trainings, teachers can watch at their own pace and contact you if they have questions or want to learn more.

Tips for presenting professional development:

• Know your stuff! Make sure you know what you are presenting inside and out.
• Practice! Practicing will help you be prepared and sound natural while presenting.
• Be organized! Need handouts? Have them made ahead of time. When would be the best time to give them out? Do you need a question and answer time?
• Proofread! Check your presentation for erors errors.
• Keep track of the time! You want to make sure you can fit everything into the time allotted.
• Set expectations! Tell participants what you expect of them behaviorally before starting.
• Ask for feedback! We all can improve and receiving constructive responses can help you improve.

Source

Gilmore-See, Janice. The Many Faces of School Library Leadership. Edited by Sharon Coatney, Santa Barbara, California, Libraries Unlimited, an Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2010, pp. 115–122.