Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: I See You

It’s a busy world – our task lists are huge and the distractions are many. We hardly finish one thing when we are on to the next, barely looking up as we move on.  Our devices with the lure of email, social media and games pull at our limited attention and time.  It feels as though it connects us, but on a personal level we usually aren’t. Taking the time to stop, see, and connect with the people in your life, whether they are family and friends, work colleagues or casual acquaintances may be more important than ever – and it builds your leadership abilities.

Leaders need to see the people around them.  They need to read emotions and to engage others in whatever is being planned by administrators or faculty. This skill is even more vital when it’s time to acknowledge the diverse members – and needs – of our school communities. Marlene Chism, whose post I discussed in last week’s blog, talks about the importance of making these people-to-people contacts, suggesting 2 Skills to Increase Connection in 2020. She says, “The desire to connect is at the core of what it means to be human.”  The underlying truth is that humans are social organisms.  We need the person-to-person contact for our well-being.

Chism’s first skill is developing Super Vision. Her explanation of this is powerful and the steps are clear:

Decide to notice the brilliance of others. Notice your neighbor’s ability to do carpentry. Recognize your grandmother’s love of crochet and see her genius. Observe your physician and lean about what it took to get through medical school. Realize the talent of your friend who plays in a band.

Now do the same for your employees in noticing their interests and talents, but don’t stop there.

Verbally acknowledge what you notice. Find the interest and appreciate what it took for them to do what they do. This skill takes practice and repetition, so do the same for your colleagues and boss. If you don’t see a skill or talent what about their character? Their sense of humor, their patience, their willingness to give 100%.

When you really start seeing others, your whole world and your heart expands.

As your Super Vision improves, you will see the special qualities your colleagues bring to their jobs and their lives. Acknowledge them and let them know you appreciate what they do. The same is true for students. With Super Vision, you’ll notice their gifts in and out of academics. In both cases, don’t focus only on the work they are doing. See what brings them joy as people.

The second skill is Letting Go of Judgement.  Chism goes into detail on how judgement limits us and writes:

Seeing others as separate is a form of ostracism born from unconscious bias. It’s easier to judge “them” instead of entering into dialogue to find the connection. When you see others as “just like you” then, even when they are misguided, you can offer some grace, and make a connection.

Too often when we look at people, we categorize them, putting them in a box as though it’s the sum total of who they are. We note their age, their weight, their style of dress, and any other number of meaningless classifications. And then we judge them based on that.

I’ve written about my experience at the recent AASL Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, when I met an African American man with an incredible number of dreads, wearing a white tunic that extended below his knees.  I smiled at him and said, “I love your hair.  I can’t do much with mine.” From that we got to talking about libraries and librarianship and our purpose in life.  His was bringing kindness to the world.  We parted when I told him I needed to get to the keynote, and he responded he was the keynoter, Dr. Adolph Brown.

For his presentation he removed his fake dreads and the tunic and spoke of how some librarians asked if they could help him, implying he didn’t fit.  Security guards approached him believing he had no business at the conference.  I was honored he referred to our meeting especially when he said, “She saw me.”  He exhorted us to not let our brains take over our mouths.  Too often our brains have a picture of what something should be when we have no evidence to corroborate it.

We all want to be seen for who we are and what is the best in us. When those moments happen – they light us up. We remember them. Good leaders know this and help to bring it out in the communities with which they interact.  By using Super Vision and Letting Go of Judgment, you will find new ways to enroll others to support your projects and ways to collaborate with them.

Who have you seen lately?

Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES: Leaders Are Team Players

Leaders need to know how to be team players.  They can’t succeed in a vacuum.  And for those of you who are still leery of stepping into leadership, learning to be a valued team player is a good entry into leading. Being part of a team means you listen carefully, evaluate critically, and offer suggestions and alternatives. When you contribute in this way you are showing leadership while you build your confidence to propose plans and ideas of your own.

When you are a team player, you lead from the middle which means, according to Hildy Gotleib in her article Leading from the Middle: Bringing out the Best in Everyone: “bringing out the best in others, so that they can realize and step into their own potential to create change.” This is an important and results oriented form of leadership that allows you to have a voice in what is working as well as what is not working for your program and students.

I faced a situation that called for being a team player when administrators suggested changing to a block schedule for our high school. By doubling the length of classes, students would take one year of a course in a single semester.  The lab science teachers loved it. The world language and English teachers hated it. Others had mixed views but generally were opposed. I liked it because it increased time to do research.

But it didn’t matter – I knew it was a done deal even though the administrators presented it as though it was a possibility.

The challenge was how to respond. Since, the decision was already made, there was nothing to be gained by presenting alternatives.  On the other hand, outright support for block scheduling would pit me against many teachers.

My solution was to suggest I be given a one-time budget supplement to purchase materials to support the teachers as they learned to prepare lessons that lasted 90 minutes. The funds were immediately approved.  I bought the material and set up a special section in the library for the teachers to work there or they could make arragments to take the information home.

The teachers were grateful for the help I got them making this a win-win for the school library.  Even better, when I got my budget for the next school year the money that had been added remained there for me to do with as needed.

As usual, the business world offer suggestions we can use to learn to lead from the middle. In her blog post, 5 Ways to Build a Leadership Pathway.  Marlene Chism writes that you can “build your own pathway to leadership by becoming the best possible employee.”  Some of thewse you already do. See which ones you still might need to put into practice.

Ask for clarification – This has two parts.  When you learn of a change or new situation, don’t assume you understand exactly what your principal wants. Try to recognize the intended purpose of the plan and if you don’t know – find out. (My administrators wanted to change the method of instructional delivery.) After you know the what and the way, do some negotiating. If too much is being put on your plate, ask for advice on what has priority.

Using this particular approach shows that you are an active listener and aware that decisions have many parts and reasons.  Your administrator will recognize you are focused on achieving positive results. In the process, you might save yourself some work.

Master the skills – On the one hand, this is a reminder to keep current with technology, standards (including the AASL National School Library Standards), and the latest approaches in education which would interest your administrator and support new initiatives. Chism also talks about mastering soft skills as well.  You want to hone your relationship building skills and be aware of how you are being perceived.  If you detect negatives, do your best to change them. Consider getting a mentor to help you.

Become resourceful – Propose solutions to challenges you see whether it’s about the school library or other areas.  Never bring a problem to an administrator without having a potential solution to offer. They don’t appreciate being put on the spot and might very well come up with a method that doesn’t work for you.  By being pro-active you make it more likely your approach will be the one used, although there are likely to be tweaks.  Administrators want to let you know they can think on their feet, but you have already paved the way.

Take ownership – This is about your commitment to what you do. Your school library reflects your values. You take responsibility when something isn’t working and seek to fix it.  Leading from the middle (or the top) also means that you spotlight and acknowledge others who worked with you on a program or unit.

Seek accountability – Chism says ownership is about mindset and commitment while accountability is about measurement. Always assess. Whether you do a formal one for a large project or informally evaluate a lesson, always take time to review, reflect, and assess. By doing this you will also come to notice that your successes outweigh by far the ones that didn’t go as planned.

Actively and consciously being a team player means that your work strengthens the whole team. This can be an important way for the library program to be viewed as vital to the success of the school as a whole. Your input, support and knowledge will be an asset and you will be known for being a leader.

Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES – Feeling and Fighting Fear

Being a leader is a job requirement, and because of this, you can’t afford to let fear take over. Most of the stories we tell ourselves about why we can’t be leaders have fear as their underlying cause. We fear failing.  We fear making fools of ourselves. We fear being judged.  When fear paralyzes us we don’t move out of our comfort zone. Most everyone feels nervous and unsure in situations where you will stand out or do something new, but you can’t let that stop you..

Every leader knows the sensation of fear, myself included.  Even after years of giving presentations, I still worry about getting to the site and having all technology work. To manage these fears, I plan, first by always arriving early and the second by arranging in advance for someone to handle the tech for me. Does it always work? Of course not. I once needed to give a presentation when we lost power.

You might not be able to let go of your fear, but you can take a first step by moving from fear to nervousness. That may not sound like much of a solution, but since fear tends to freeze you, being nervous can be more of a call to action giving you the strength you don’t always realize you have.

In an internet post, John Baldoni says Nervousness is just another word for fear: Deal with It!  His four-step approach directed to the business world works just as well for us.

From Pixar’s “Inside Out”

Prepare- It sounds obvious, but too often other tasks can distract us and we rush our preparation.  Yes, if you are giving a presentation you prepare carefully, but do you do the same thing if you are giving a short workshop for teachers?  How about if you are bringing a proposal to your principal?  As the moment arrives, you become unsure and your fear takes over.

Another way to feel prepared is to be certain you know your audience.  Whether it is teachers, an administrator or a larger group, you need to know what knowledge they have, where they are lacking, and what they are seeking. Then you can craft your message in a way they can receive it.

Deliberate- Much like Prepare, this ensures you have examined all the options. You’ve probably done the research to be sure you are focusing on the key elements but are you also knowledgeable about other aspects? If you are showing teachers a new tech resource, you know its features, but can you give them examples of how to integrate it into their curriculum and let them know how you will work with them?

When dealing with an administrator, have you considered other options in the event you meet with resistance?  I once discussed with my superintendent an expensive purchase I wanted included in my next year’s budget. I knew I had to give something up. I had my best choice and an additional backup choice.  Ultimately, I gave up both items and I got what I wanted.  When I presented my recommendations for a library renovation project to another superintendent, I had costs for doing it in one year and also how to accomplish it in three years. One year may have been my preference, but for the administration, three was better.

Seek counsel- Don’t do it alone.  It’s too easy to miss an important detail. This is the time to reach out to your Professional Learning Network (PLN) whether that’s in person or via social media.  The various library-related groups on Facebook can alert you to all the possible pitfalls. Ask advice from those who have done it before.  What worked? What didn’t?  The more knowledge you have – the less fear there will be.

If you have a mentor, check in with them before and after. You’ll definitely want their advice before launching something that feels big to you.  You also want to work with them to review how you did afterwards.  It will make your next leadership step that much easier.

Persevere- You may fail.  That’s what we always fear, but risk-taking and stepping out of your comfort zone always carries that possibility. The truth is – you can handle it. Take some time to nurse your wounds, but don’t let it keep you from trying again.  In a short time, only you will remember that you didn’t succeed and people will be ready for your next initiative.

If you keep working to grow your school library and make it indispensable to the school community, you will have more successes than failures. Eventually, you will become increasingly confident in your abilities to lead the way.  You will always have to deal with some fears, but you won’t let that stop you from leading.

 

 

 

 

Posted on by hildaweisburg

ON LIBRARIES – School Librarians Are Transformers

A number of years ago, while attending an ALA Conference (remember – I’m a conference junkie), AASL gave us pins that read: “Ask Me How School Librarians Transform Learning.” If someone saw you wearing that pin and asked you that question, are you prepared to answer it?  You never know when someone will challenge the need for school librarians and school libraries.  You must be able to respond.

AASL produced a mini magazine entitled “School Librarians Transform Learning,” published by American Libraries. Although it came out several years ago, the content is still relevant and it’s available as a free download electronically or as a PDF. It contains six articles and an infographic, all of which will ensure you can effectively answer that challenging question.

As Barbara Stripling says in the opening article, “The vision of school librarians is to enable all students to become independent readers and learners.” She details five ways in which we do so.

  • Fostering Independent Reading – Students learn how to read in the classroom. With a certified librarian and a school library, they learn to love reading.  In other words, we transform readers into lifelong readers and learners.
  • Teaching Critical Information Skills and Dispositions in Collaboration with Classroom Teachers – That’s a mouthful, but translated for the challenging questioner, it means we work with classroom assignments (and the teacher who gave it) to teach students to identify valid, relevant information, so they can create new knowledge. We also help students develop the attitudes that sustain them through the sometimes frustrating experiences of true research.
  • Ensuring Equitable Access to Resources and Technology – The sixth Common Belief in AASL’s National School Library Standards states, “Information technologies must be appropriate, integrated, and equitably available.’ By curating websites and other resources that are aligned with the curriculum and then guiding students in how to use them effectively, librarians support students to develop powerful tools for learning.
  • Creating a Safe and Nurturing Environment – This one is basic to us, but others are not always aware that learning can’t take place when students don’t feel safe. The library is can be a place in the school where some of students who deal with threats to their safety in school or have stress-filled home lives feel safe. We strive to make the library a haven for those who need it.
  • Providing Schoolwide Instructional Leadership – As tech integrators, we bring the latest websites and apps to classroom teachers. We help them incorporate these tools into their teaching and work with them when they have their students use them.

The Infographic follows Stripling’s article and it’s worth reproducing and hanging in your library. Among the great facts it showcases are:

  • Students equate research with Googling.
  • Use search engines instead of more traditional sources.
  • Lack the ability to judge the quality of online information.

The Infographic has many more such supportive facts.

Barbara Stripling also wrote the next article, “Reimagining Advocacy for School Libraries.”  This is an extensive article and one with solid information on how to advocate for your library.  Rather than go into details, I want to tempt you to read it by listing the headings.

  • Clarifying the Characteristics of the Effective School Library
  • Identifying Evidence of School Library Impact
  • Crafting the Message
  • Developing Partnerships and Delivering the Message
  • Evaluating the Advocacy Impact

In a third article, Kay Wejrowski responds to the challenging question, “Do Kids Even Use the School Library Anymore?” This article grew out of Wejrowski being confronted by a couple at a charity fundraiser.  You need to be ready with a solid response as she was.

Her answer includes how the library builds community spirit (transforming the education community) and is the center for tech skills.  I love this line from her article: “It is our library that often serves as a think tank for evolving ideas and programs and finds solutions to local challenges.” I hope the parents who asked the question were amazed and impressed by what Wejrowski told them.

In another article Daniel Mauchley writes about “Creating Coalitions.” They brought in him after the school district tried to eliminate nearly all the librarian positions, forcing the librarians to advocate strongly for themselves. Mauchley writes about being able to work with teachers as an instructional partner despite having to move between two schools. Many of you are in a similar situation.  You can’t show how school librarians transform learning unless teachers can see it for themselves. As District Librarian Shelly Ripplinger says, “Working with teachers and co-teaching is better for students. And doing what’s best for students, that’s what it really comes down to.”

The final article by Nancy Everhart and Marcia A. Mardis report on “Building Advocacy Before a Crisis” based on the Pennsylvania School Library Study. Their suggestions should add to your knowledge base of how to place your school library in the spotlight as the place where transformational learning happens.

Be prepared to answer the tough questions. Take the time to read the articles in this magazine and look at the Libraries Transform website.  We must get the word out.  Each one of us is responsible for ensuring that students, teachers, administrators, parents, and indeed the whole community is aware of the vital contribution school librarians and school libraries make on teaching and learning.  If you haven’t done so as yet, use this magazine and your own knowledge to create a plan to bring this message to your stakeholders.