Professional Engagement - Website Excerpt

Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/caregivers and the community

Comment [M1]: Good clear topic sentence which outlines the role of a TL!

Highly accomplished Teacher Librarians (TL) demonstrate professional practice through effective engagement. According to the Standards of professional excellence for teacher librarians excellent TLs demonstrate leadership and actively engage the wider community (ALIA/ASLA, 2004), whereas highly accomplished TLs demonstrate leadership and actively engage but do so by building links internally and externally, and responding to the needs of their learning community (AITSL, 2012). Neither the TL evaluated, or myself meet the criteria of highly accomplished but there is some evidence of excellence, to varying degrees, in what we strive to achieve.

Comment [M2]: This sentence is quite long and wordy. I would try to break this into two sentences so that it reads a bit easier. Comment [M3]: Insert comma here.

The TL at site 1 demonstrates a number of strengths in relation to engagement. His main strength lies is his ability to maintain formal and informal communication links with the Principal, who is his direct line manager. This relationship has enabled him to put forward his ideas in scheduled meeting arrangements and seek approval to lead curriculum in the school, a critical function of the TL role (Toor and Weisburg, 2007). Another strength of my mentor TL is his ability to engage Heads of Department (HoD) to ensure his presence at faculty meetings. This further enhances his ability to deliver training, expose what is on offer from the library and demonstrate leadership through influence (Donham, 2008). Engagement of this nature equates to a Level 3 on the Exemplary School Library Program Continuum and constitutes excellence in Teacher Librarianship (Exemplary School Libraries in Ontario, 2009).

Comment [M4]: I think you might need a topic sentence before this which demonstrates the role of a TL in relation to best practice: TLs require the ability to form and maintain professional relationships with key stakeholders.

Comment [M5]: I would write this as HOD. Capital o also.

Active engagement of the wider school community is also a priority of my mentor TL. Development of a Library Home Page on the school website is evidence of his commitment to inform parents/caregivers of what the Library has to offer and how it can support their child/ren. This medium is used as a means of communication to better inform the parent/caregiver of what the student is studying and influence their engagement in the learning process. This engagement approach is evidence of my mentor TLs Technical competence and according to Bennis (1999), one of the key traits of a successful leader (as cited in Donham, 2008). Further engagement of colleagues, parents/caregivers, and the wider community is demonstrated through internal and external publication of the Librarys literature collection. The TL is passionate about reading and communicates this broadly in an attempt to influence participation by all parties. According to the School Librarian Evaluation Rubric developed by the School Library System Association (SLSA) of New York and the New York Library Association (NYLA) this engagement approach demonstrates elements of highly effective community collaboration (SLSA & NYLA-SSL, 2012).

Comment [M6]: Again, perhaps a topic sentence before this one which is more related to the best practice role of a TL. A highly accomplished TL needs to develop engagement with the wider school community. Comment [M7]: Not sure if Library needs a capital.

Comment [M8]: Again dont think a capital is necessary. Comment [M9]: Unsure of the use of this word here, maybe The TL is passionate about reading and promotes this passion in an attempt

Since coming to power in 2013 I have strived to improve engagement of colleagues, parents/caregivers, and the community. When initially offered the position of TL I requested that the E-Learning HoD be my line manager, which was approved by the Principal. I then requested for meetings to be held on a regular basis to ensure that my line manager was informed of Library operational issues and able to report upwards during his line management meetings with the Principal. This arrangement has proved beneficial, not only from the perspective of keeping the Principal informed on progress, but also as a means of indirect communication with HoDs. The status quo, of my predecessor, was to meet with the Principal in an ad hoc approach. I personally did not agree with this communication style so challenged this method and subsequently opened more channels, a difference identified by Bennis (1989) between a manager and a leader (as cited in The Wall Street Journal, 2009).
Comment [M13]: Capital o? Comment [M14]: Capital o? Comment [M15]: Capital l? Comment [M16]: Insert collection Comment [M12]: Capital o? Comment [M11]: Revert to lower case l. Comment [M10]: Capital o?

Liaison with HoDs and teachers occurs on a daily basis to meet curriculum teaching and learning needs. I have responded to many requests from classroom teachers and HoDs to build the Library resource base to meet teaching and learning needs. Given that a significant amount of time was consumed in weeding the Library in the early stages of my commencing in the TL role, I feel that I am now in a position to improve this level of engagement. I intend to scope the curriculum needs, across all teaching areas, on a more formal basis as this will enable me to plan and prepare for effective engagement of all parties in the future. I also intend to develop a Library Intranet Homepage with links to pages such as library literacy skills, relevant web resources, and student literature reviews. The development of Inquiry Based Learning lessons aligned to curriculum needs is also an identified priority.

Comment [G17]: I still need to find a source to back this...will get there!! Ideas are welcomed . Comment [M18]: Do you have the set texts for this subject Glenda? One of the books is called Curriculum Integration: learning in a changing world by Ross J Todd. This is all about Guided Inquiry Learning. Comment [M19]: I understand that youre trying to say child or children, but not really sure that it works too well. I thought it was a typo at first! Comment [M20]: Capital o?

Communication and collaboration with parents/caregivers and the wider community is steadily improving. I have initiated communiqus with parents/caregivers and the wider community through a Library Update in the school newsletter. I have recently informed the community of two reading programs that have commenced and sought support in getting their child/ren involved. I am working collaboratively with the HoD of Middle School to implement a boys and books reading program with feeder primary schools, in an attempt to build a wider reading culture. I have also engaged my Teacher Aide to run 3-weekly genre promotions to broaden the scope of reading in the school. My immediate future aim is to develop a Strategic Plan for the library, which includes the establishment of a library committee and subsequent creation of policies and procedures. I believe that this process will enable us to set the future direction of the Library and help to define how we can best meet the needs of our school community.

Comment [G21]: Need a source for this one too...its hard to reference this stuff after youve read so much!!

Great start Glenda! I hope that my comments make sense. It was interesting to read this from the perspective of someone who is already in a TL role.

I have mainly made structural and grammatical suggestions in my feedback comments. Hopefully my suggestion for a source relating to inquiry learning is helpful. Not too sure about a source for your second requirement! Sorry. I think you are definitely on the right track and have been able to identify the best practice required of a TL. Keep up the great work!