Collaboration and Principal Support

I have been reading with great interest the findings and recommendations published in the ‘School libraries 21C’ discussion report by Dr Ross Todd and Lyn Hay. This report was commissioned by the School libraries and information Literacy Unit of Education and Training in June 2009. I have been interested in reading the findings and what the recommendations for future libraries are.

The report found that ‘most respondents were teacher librarians’ and expressed a concern that there was an ‘absence of substantive input from people outside of the profession.’ The invitation to teachers and schools to participate was quite extensive by the sounds of it. I don’t recall reading or hearing about it whilst teaching at the time. There was no information passed on to staff from our TL or Principal as Far as I know. Perhaps it had more to do with the fact that I only work part time (hopefully) than the general view that libraries are there mainly to provide resources and RFF to teaching staff. Oberg(2006) states that in some worst case scenarios ‘principals believe that teacher librarians are not leaders or proactive educators but service providers who merely respond to teacher or student requests.’

One of the recommendations was ‘communicating effectively with the school executive and having a supportive principal and staff.’ What if the reality is altogether different? If the support isn’t there it is very difficult to effect change.

A new initiative has been implemented at my school this year. The teaching staff are given half a day together once a term to plan and programme . This is fantastic but the library teaching staff provide the RFF(Release) time for this (sometimes 2 classes at once). At the time I didn’t understand why it was such a big issue and upsetting to my TL colleague, but after reading widely on the situation I now see the broader picture. This is really an instance where the TL can be involved in the collaborative process and offer curriculum expertise. My colleague expressed her disappointment to the executive staff and principal, but no change to this situation has occurred as yet. I suppose it may take time to affect change like this. Oberg(2006)quotes Hartzel(2002)as saying, ‘the only way to change principal perceptions is to assault them directly, repeatedly and from a multiplicity of directions. Reshaping takes time and effort.’
This sounds quite dramatic and difficult for a person with my personality however.
After all the discussion and reading so far I am facing my biggest fears. I am not assertive or extroverted, nor do I possess strong leadership skills. Am I heading in the wrong direction ? Am I going to fail as a TL? I am beginning to wonder.