Been a long time with much going on but.....
Have just spent a couple of hours reading for ETL511 and going through the 23 Things on the Learning 2.0 site in Naslund and Giustini Towards school library 2.0. Have done 5 of the things so far - posting on blog and joining Yahoo and Flickr. Intend to keep going to finish the 23 Things. Cannot keep track on the 43 Things post but I don't think that matters.
Tuesday, 19 July 2011
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Teamwork and collaboration
Harvey,Bearley and Corkum - Core steps in decision making - required reading - view that implementation must be part of decision making and problem solving. It is easy to discuss problems and make decisions - much harder to implement the solution. Thought the 6 step approach of value - particularly the Mind Set - the first part of how to think about the problem is probably the most important - what attitude do you bring to the problem? What do you think of it? Approach to the problem probably marks one's behaviour throughout the further 5 steps. In the organisational context - a sense of vision or mission in the organisation will make arrival at solution easier. Having no vision could make the process reactionary and negative.
Article goes on to describe the sort of problems that may arise - puts them into categories. What does the TL face? Probably all 4 at different times - TL needs to recognise what they are facing and how to deal with each situation whether it be an improvement or a new venture. As the TL is in a central position in the school, a number of different problems are likely to arise.
Hough and Paine - Collabortive decision making with teams - required reading - collaborative and collegiate methods - preferred methods in teams to resovle problems. Interesting discussion about committees not being such successful problem solvers in schools. Agree with this having worked with principals who believe every problem can be solved by forming a committee meaning that there is a plethora of committees but still no solution.
Collaborative processes require a principal who believes in collaboration and allow such decision making to take place. Team work goes hand in hand with collaboration not committees.
Forming, storming, norming and performing mentioned - current principal loves this process and constantly raises it at meetings - I'm not sure that we ever get to performing as there are so many changes to our daily/weekly/monthly lives.
Law and Glover - Leading effective teams - required reading - finally found out who created the development model for teams - Tuckman in 1965 - as mentioned above, current principal loves it to death. Article made more sense of it to me than principal.
Team roles p.82, found this very informative - helps put into perspective role of TL in teams - group dynamics - how does TL's role as a non-teaching classroom/subject teacher, work within a team? - caused a lot of reflection - TL needs to be flexible and collaborative perhaps more than others. If the reliance on individual skills may undermine team work, then it really does require a conscious effort in making the team work.
p.84 empathy, warmth, genuineness, concreteness - good basis for describing quality of relationships in leadership in teams
Beck and Yeager - Making teams work:an underused window of opportunity - required reading - have seen some of points about why teams fail - p.184 - gimmick approaches - someone read somewhere so let's try it. Discuss it in the team and then feel good about it - move away back to desk and what has changed? Not much. Requires vigilance that TL ensures new or old ways of making teams work are developed in a team spirit and constantly and carefully checked to ensure success.
p.188 - a team of 4 also means there is one more - the actual team or group of 4. interesting concept as the group can have a life of its own. Need to know how to diagnose the group's needs and how what sort of leadership style suits that group. I would add that there is a need to understand how that group fits into and relates to the whole of the school.
p.193 - shared responsibility , clearly empowered team members, clarity about who else will be involved in decisions and a leader who actively facilitates communication to build trust - team will work. A critical paragraph for my understanding of leadership skills fr a TL.
Article goes on to describe the sort of problems that may arise - puts them into categories. What does the TL face? Probably all 4 at different times - TL needs to recognise what they are facing and how to deal with each situation whether it be an improvement or a new venture. As the TL is in a central position in the school, a number of different problems are likely to arise.
Hough and Paine - Collabortive decision making with teams - required reading - collaborative and collegiate methods - preferred methods in teams to resovle problems. Interesting discussion about committees not being such successful problem solvers in schools. Agree with this having worked with principals who believe every problem can be solved by forming a committee meaning that there is a plethora of committees but still no solution.
Collaborative processes require a principal who believes in collaboration and allow such decision making to take place. Team work goes hand in hand with collaboration not committees.
Forming, storming, norming and performing mentioned - current principal loves this process and constantly raises it at meetings - I'm not sure that we ever get to performing as there are so many changes to our daily/weekly/monthly lives.
Law and Glover - Leading effective teams - required reading - finally found out who created the development model for teams - Tuckman in 1965 - as mentioned above, current principal loves it to death. Article made more sense of it to me than principal.
Team roles p.82, found this very informative - helps put into perspective role of TL in teams - group dynamics - how does TL's role as a non-teaching classroom/subject teacher, work within a team? - caused a lot of reflection - TL needs to be flexible and collaborative perhaps more than others. If the reliance on individual skills may undermine team work, then it really does require a conscious effort in making the team work.
p.84 empathy, warmth, genuineness, concreteness - good basis for describing quality of relationships in leadership in teams
Beck and Yeager - Making teams work:an underused window of opportunity - required reading - have seen some of points about why teams fail - p.184 - gimmick approaches - someone read somewhere so let's try it. Discuss it in the team and then feel good about it - move away back to desk and what has changed? Not much. Requires vigilance that TL ensures new or old ways of making teams work are developed in a team spirit and constantly and carefully checked to ensure success.
p.188 - a team of 4 also means there is one more - the actual team or group of 4. interesting concept as the group can have a life of its own. Need to know how to diagnose the group's needs and how what sort of leadership style suits that group. I would add that there is a need to understand how that group fits into and relates to the whole of the school.
p.193 - shared responsibility , clearly empowered team members, clarity about who else will be involved in decisions and a leader who actively facilitates communication to build trust - team will work. A critical paragraph for my understanding of leadership skills fr a TL.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Response to forum comment 22 March 2011
Noted a post on forums which I found deserved a response but have chosen to add to blog. The writer questioned the necessity to spell words including pharaoh and hieroglyphic (both of which were spelled incorrectly) asking if it mattered if her daughter could spell those words. She queried whether students should know Pythagoras' theorem and how to multiply fractions without a calculator. She thinks these things are becoming obsolete as everyone can 'google it'. Further the writer thinks that one can change jobs every year not just stay in the same job for years and that students should not be forced to stay at school so that the 'government can claim low unemployment rates'. Spelling - language is living - it changes according to many things but most of all usage. Spelling and grammar will change over time, words come and go, but if youth does not have the basis of the structure including spelling, they may find it very hard to understand requirements in the workforce, written instructions in areas of safety, laws, tax etc. Pharaoh and hieroglyphic - it may not matter to some, but the Egypitan culture from whence these words originate, gave much to our society and it is worth respecting the knowledge we have now that came from them. To spell or not to spell correctly - it does help to understand much that came before. much that we need to know and much that will come after (even in a changed form). Pythagoras - well I was never much good at maths but I appreciate how much of our world revolves around mathematics (the writer didn't mention science which surprises me as so much of my world is made up of scientific matter!) It may not appear to matter now but many trades require mathematics as a basis for the skills therein and Pythagoras may matter. How do we know at a Year 9 level of school. If the student does not have that information they may not gain the qualification and therefore the skill, later. Fractions in your head - sharpens the mind - the brain is probably the most underutilised organ in our body - use it. If a person wants to change jobs every year - boy would they have to be well equipped with knowledge and skills. Schools are there to provide students with that knowledge - we are there to provide and guide. There are many faults with our schooling system but that is the intention. To 'google it' - well whatever you want may appear to be there but isn't this what TLs are supposed to be doing - teaching students not only how to find the information but to determine its authenticity, veracity, accuracy - does this really answer my question and if not what else do I need and how can I decide if it is appropriate? Spelling is my bug bear - I am tired of having to ask students in grade 5 what they mean - it is a critical part of communication in language - whether Pharaoh is important or not isn't the issue
Friday, 18 March 2011
ETL504 Reading Quality Management
Found these two readings:
Quality Management in Education by Myron Tibus and
The 12 quality prinicples fron Streeton Primary School
to be most enlightening.
Have commented on the former on forums but further comments on the latter are warranted.
A PD was held amongst staff at my school and we discussed the Strategic Plan for 2012. My group raised principle 3 - that quality and value are defined by the client - we thought that we should be outreaching more to our community in general to culitvate their interest in us.
This raised private thoughts for me re the role of the library and a TL. There is a library here but no TL and I have commented before on the difficulties this raises for this school.
The Streeton principles reinforced my sense of how important the library and the TL's role in the school would be with respect to reaching out to the community. The dynamics of a library can attract community interest as it is there for all not just individual year levels. It should be the hub of team work and the meeting place of all with like minded thoughts and the place where we embrace the unlike minded thoughts to join us!
Found much food for thought in this reading particularly impressed by the fact that it comes from a primary school.
Quality Management in Education by Myron Tibus and
The 12 quality prinicples fron Streeton Primary School
to be most enlightening.
Have commented on the former on forums but further comments on the latter are warranted.
A PD was held amongst staff at my school and we discussed the Strategic Plan for 2012. My group raised principle 3 - that quality and value are defined by the client - we thought that we should be outreaching more to our community in general to culitvate their interest in us.
This raised private thoughts for me re the role of the library and a TL. There is a library here but no TL and I have commented before on the difficulties this raises for this school.
The Streeton principles reinforced my sense of how important the library and the TL's role in the school would be with respect to reaching out to the community. The dynamics of a library can attract community interest as it is there for all not just individual year levels. It should be the hub of team work and the meeting place of all with like minded thoughts and the place where we embrace the unlike minded thoughts to join us!
Found much food for thought in this reading particularly impressed by the fact that it comes from a primary school.
Tuesday, 8 March 2011
Doham reading ETL504
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
I agree with the statement p. 296 that good leaders know and respect the limits of their circles of influence. I think much of this comes from knowing your environment and people int it and learning how to approach matters and leadership personnel when necessary - as stated on p297 - looking inside and outside of themselves (leaders) to find solutions. Being proactive in the environment is critical - a leader stuck behind a desk will never achieve anything. Figure out what you do best and use it to the fullest and work hard on the skills that don't come so readily - I like that because doing the MasterTL has definitely pointed out to me skills I have and enjoy using and skills I need to work harder on to improve.
Have a vision - (p298) "sharedness", "concreteness" and "clarity". Collaboration and communication are particularly important in leadership.
p299 - leading by influence through being collegial rather than distant and superior - to demonstrate knowledge willingly and co-operatively
(p300)- keep up association with the students in the classroom and the classroom processes.
p301 - get involved in curriculum committees, leadership committees, council, function committees - promote the value of the library
p302 - that the library is a centre for teaching and learning rather than a room full of educational books - much has been written on this particular topic - it's not just a place to read - it is an active, productive and dynamic facility that offers so much more than a storage place for shelves of books.
p303 - encouragement to be self aware - write a journal and ask yourself everyday, what can I do differently and how can I do it in a better way.
Reading also differentiates between leadership of the nature of a principal and leadership of a TL - I think a TL's leadership role is much more subtle for obvious reasons and requires perhaps a greater degree of diplomacy.
Posted above on forum but will add more here:
Judy Bolton responded saying she thoroughly enjoyed reading this article - so did I - found it very informative - agree with her point about leading from a collegial position - essential in a workplace involving the human element rather than inanimate objects. Also thought Siobhan's point about being in a locus-of-control position was thought-provoking.
I agree with the statement p. 296 that good leaders know and respect the limits of their circles of influence. I think much of this comes from knowing your environment and people int it and learning how to approach matters and leadership personnel when necessary - as stated on p297 - looking inside and outside of themselves (leaders) to find solutions. Being proactive in the environment is critical - a leader stuck behind a desk will never achieve anything. Figure out what you do best and use it to the fullest and work hard on the skills that don't come so readily - I like that because doing the MasterTL has definitely pointed out to me skills I have and enjoy using and skills I need to work harder on to improve.
Have a vision - (p298) "sharedness", "concreteness" and "clarity". Collaboration and communication are particularly important in leadership.
p299 - leading by influence through being collegial rather than distant and superior - to demonstrate knowledge willingly and co-operatively
(p300)- keep up association with the students in the classroom and the classroom processes.
p301 - get involved in curriculum committees, leadership committees, council, function committees - promote the value of the library
p302 - that the library is a centre for teaching and learning rather than a room full of educational books - much has been written on this particular topic - it's not just a place to read - it is an active, productive and dynamic facility that offers so much more than a storage place for shelves of books.
p303 - encouragement to be self aware - write a journal and ask yourself everyday, what can I do differently and how can I do it in a better way.
Reading also differentiates between leadership of the nature of a principal and leadership of a TL - I think a TL's leadership role is much more subtle for obvious reasons and requires perhaps a greater degree of diplomacy.
Posted above on forum but will add more here:
Judy Bolton responded saying she thoroughly enjoyed reading this article - so did I - found it very informative - agree with her point about leading from a collegial position - essential in a workplace involving the human element rather than inanimate objects. Also thought Siobhan's point about being in a locus-of-control position was thought-provoking.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
ETL504
Found EER500 enjoyable and refreshingly different in approach to format of study. Also felt doing subject in the summer break - comfortable and advantageous.
Now onto ETL504 - dropped this in 2008 - had Fullan text but find now that text is:
Winzenried, A. (2010). Visionary leader for information, Wagga Wagga, NSW: Cetnre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University
Reflections on reading Introduction, Chapter 1 and Scenarios:
Intro/Ch 1: Suggests that the Library (or whatever name is used) is a place for all people, to be used for what ever they need (information or leisure), for whatever purpose and from a range of sources (print in various forms, electronic in various forms, sound, relaia etc)
That leadership of librarians (includes all professionals involved in work in libraries) will move the library into a much more prominent, productive and necessary facility in the 21st Century.
The idea of the hub is appealing. While I work in the library of a primary school (not as a librarian), the location of said school is in a zone comprising 7 primary schools. one middle school and one senior school. The idea of a hub for the whole group particularly for the primary schools, would probably create a dynamic approach to the resourcing of the needs of all - encourages sharing of skills, encourage a co-operative relationship and the potential strength of that relationship would make facing change more managable and agreeable.
Scenario 1 - read it once then noted author and thought - typical - such a visionary and way ahead of most in his thinking - unlikely scenario up here but who knows - apart from the library role - I'm impressed with the extraordinary power young Miles has at his fingertips in his futuristic environment. His commitment to his timetable and work load impressed - just seeing that in the students I teach without the gadgetry would be fabulous - or does the gadgetry make Miles motivated? - Chicken/egg?
Scenario 3 - author makes interesting points of BER program from Federal Government. Personal experience is that not much revolution has happened in my work place where the library has had a bit of a paint job, new carpet and new shelving but no TL, L or anyone qualified to operate the library and rooms have been built including a kitchen, attached to the library block but none have any direct relationship with the library - it has become the passage way to all other rooms! Principal excited about new rooms and their future - does not believe in TL or L - that's antother story!
Scenario 4 - Loved the approach and manner of writing - easy to read and caught my attention. Can see how this sort of change to the environment of the library can motivate people to use the facility.
Scenario 7 - point on page 155 'disjuncture between the essentiale processes and reasons of a library' - struck me as a critical matter for the future. In my own work place the library has lost the meaning of its existence other than a place to borrow and return books. Little Information literacy takes place - it has become more of a tutorial room without using the resources.
Other thoughts - References in scenarios to technology usage - what sort of technology are we talking about? If it is computers most primary age students in my school of 460, will not have access to or use a computer of any description at home. However most will have access to electronic toys including hand held computer games of various sorts and mobile phones - a low to mid socio economic background school - not able to buy top of range or latest vrsion BUT they are all able to use some sort of tech. On the other hand - read much about the move to include technology in high schools and tertiary institutions during EER500 - related to realisation that technology of various sorts will allow students access to teachers/fellow students/wider community to increase/improve process of learning. Therefore much to think about in terms of advantages of students having prior knowledge and comfort in use of technology - therefore embrace it and use it!
Now onto ETL504 - dropped this in 2008 - had Fullan text but find now that text is:
Winzenried, A. (2010). Visionary leader for information, Wagga Wagga, NSW: Cetnre for Information Studies, Charles Sturt University
Reflections on reading Introduction, Chapter 1 and Scenarios:
Intro/Ch 1: Suggests that the Library (or whatever name is used) is a place for all people, to be used for what ever they need (information or leisure), for whatever purpose and from a range of sources (print in various forms, electronic in various forms, sound, relaia etc)
That leadership of librarians (includes all professionals involved in work in libraries) will move the library into a much more prominent, productive and necessary facility in the 21st Century.
The idea of the hub is appealing. While I work in the library of a primary school (not as a librarian), the location of said school is in a zone comprising 7 primary schools. one middle school and one senior school. The idea of a hub for the whole group particularly for the primary schools, would probably create a dynamic approach to the resourcing of the needs of all - encourages sharing of skills, encourage a co-operative relationship and the potential strength of that relationship would make facing change more managable and agreeable.
Scenario 1 - read it once then noted author and thought - typical - such a visionary and way ahead of most in his thinking - unlikely scenario up here but who knows - apart from the library role - I'm impressed with the extraordinary power young Miles has at his fingertips in his futuristic environment. His commitment to his timetable and work load impressed - just seeing that in the students I teach without the gadgetry would be fabulous - or does the gadgetry make Miles motivated? - Chicken/egg?
Scenario 3 - author makes interesting points of BER program from Federal Government. Personal experience is that not much revolution has happened in my work place where the library has had a bit of a paint job, new carpet and new shelving but no TL, L or anyone qualified to operate the library and rooms have been built including a kitchen, attached to the library block but none have any direct relationship with the library - it has become the passage way to all other rooms! Principal excited about new rooms and their future - does not believe in TL or L - that's antother story!
Scenario 4 - Loved the approach and manner of writing - easy to read and caught my attention. Can see how this sort of change to the environment of the library can motivate people to use the facility.
Scenario 7 - point on page 155 'disjuncture between the essentiale processes and reasons of a library' - struck me as a critical matter for the future. In my own work place the library has lost the meaning of its existence other than a place to borrow and return books. Little Information literacy takes place - it has become more of a tutorial room without using the resources.
Other thoughts - References in scenarios to technology usage - what sort of technology are we talking about? If it is computers most primary age students in my school of 460, will not have access to or use a computer of any description at home. However most will have access to electronic toys including hand held computer games of various sorts and mobile phones - a low to mid socio economic background school - not able to buy top of range or latest vrsion BUT they are all able to use some sort of tech. On the other hand - read much about the move to include technology in high schools and tertiary institutions during EER500 - related to realisation that technology of various sorts will allow students access to teachers/fellow students/wider community to increase/improve process of learning. Therefore much to think about in terms of advantages of students having prior knowledge and comfort in use of technology - therefore embrace it and use it!
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