Week 4 Reading Response

Abilock, Debbie. (2002).Ten Attributes of Collaborative Leaders. Knowledge Quest, 31 (2), 8- 10.

"Ears and mind open, mouth closed" (Abilock, 2002). A simple yet straight forward quote for her discussion of how school librarians can become collaborative leaders in schools. This quote was chosen because all too often, everyone wants to talk or take the lead and no one listens. The personal perspective can cloud everyone's goals in education, although ultimately we only want whats best for the student.
Abilock presents ten attributes of collaborative leaders. First, one must be able to picture the whole and identify steps to reach that vision, believe they can make a difference, listen,be able to aquire new knowledge, in addition to seeking understanding. Usually the vision is greater student achievement, yet when it comes to achievement, teachers are often left solely responsible for students. Difficulties arise when teachers are programmed, dare I say, to teach whatever grade or subject within a structured setting with the pressure of some type of state assessment breathing down their back. The collaboration with a teacher librarian makes students information literate and life long learners. Also, the collaboration with a teacher-librarian can add flavor to the same old method a teacher uses to facilitate learning in her classroom. Teachers feel bombarded often, yet if only they could understand collaboration with another person with the same goals would make their jobs more delightful.
Next, Abilock discusses that collaborative leaders asks questions, mediates, identifies learners, buys books, and values thinking together (2002). I think these all relates to just simply being a proactive partner. By treating adults as learners and by using language that is not so finite, one encourages thought and respect. Respect is often something an overwhelmed teacher feels they have the least amount of from those around them. Including teachers in the thinking process makes them feel appreciated and respected. Not to mention when there are supplies available to differentiate a lesson. This also makes the teacher-librarian seen as a vital asset to the learning community and not just as the person who loves books.
In conclusion, I think teacher librarians are assets to any school culture, but especially when there is a spirit of collaboration. Neither teacher nor librarian is seen in isolation when they work together. Working together benefits our students and benefits us as well because we remove boundaries that are put in place by misconception.

Harada, Violet. (2002). Taking the lead in developing learning communities. Knowledge
Quest, (2), 12-30.

"The traditional model of classroom teachers working alone is no longer effective". This quote was chosen because as education changes, so must how we utilize our resources. The roles of teachers are changing and so is how they must facilitate learning in the classroom. The needs of our students are so diverse that the teacher is not working alone anymore in the classroom. But the biggest effect is how educational funding is decreasing. The push of doing more with less. This forces the classroom teacher to update how he/she serves students. The answer is utilizing available resources to the maximum, which is the teacher-librarian.
Harada present a central concept of social learning which is presented in learning communities. The heart of these learning communities are collaborative relationships between teachers, administrators, teacher-librarians, and counselors. Teamwork is crucial to the development of curriculum and resources. The goal is long-term results. One important long-term result is the development of life-long learners who are information literate. This means the teacher-librarian is integral in instructional planning and teaching. Thus thrusting teacher-librarians in a leadership role. This is because the teacher-librarian not only has the advantage of seeing the whole school, but the skill set to access information and utilize technology. Their roles on teams are interchangeable. Their skill set is complimentary to their peers.
So we see that teacher-librarians are vital to success at schools. Their skill set is vast and their collaboration with teachers can facilitate growth and change in the school environment. Teacher-librarians are resources and resource leaders that can assist students in becoming life-long learners and improve achievement.