Principals role

I found Haycock and Oberg's articles to be an interesting read, and agreed with both that for TLs to become more involved in the school with collaborative teaching principals need to be involved and advocate the TLs role in student learning. The youtube video has the principal and staff telling us how important TLs are to their school and the roles they play within the school. It highlights for me the great work a TL can do for the school and its students.

Principals know that there is a need for the school library, but perhaps do not grasp how important libraries can be for the school, students and the teachers. Fortunately at the school I am at the principal use to be a TL and gives the library a long leash but it is up to the library staff to create the opportunities within the school. I believe that TLs can make the effort to reach out to the school as a whole. That they can create ideas for collaborative teaching. Also promote the skills and expertise of the library staff and promote what the library has to offer its students and staff.

Haycock

Haycock suggests that collaboration between classroom teachers and Tls is a key factor that affects student achievement, that collaboration will improve student learning. But how to convince the principals and teachers when the research is only delivered to Tls.

Haycock states where collaboration is expected teachers and Tls find it easier to collaborate, a statement which I agree with. The school I work at now has a Director of Teaching and Learning, with collaboration as something that she and therefore the principal is promoting. The principal is expecting there to be evidence of collaborative teaching. The library has been actively involved in implementing and encouraging the Principal's push for collaborative teaching.

I also agree with Haycock about there having to be clear roles for the partners in collaboration for there to be success. Teachers don't want to waste the lesson, as they don't have lessons to waste. If the roles are not clear it might not be understood who is doing what and how the lessons are to progress. Haycock states that there also needs to be motivation between the teacher and TL for the collaboration to be successful. Our school is fortunate, although not directly involved the principal has made it possible for collaborative teaching between Tls and class teachers.

Oberg

My school is fortunate to have a principal that is promoting collaborative learning though not actively involved herself, but creating the position of Director of Teaching and Learning whose role it is to promote effective teaching strategies, which collaborative learning is one. The Principal is allowing it to happen, but it is still up to the Tls to push their own position in collaborative learning, as Oberg states the library tends to be invisible, especially with the Tls being isolated from the rest of staff. The Director of Teaching and Learning has become a great supporter of the Tls, as the Tls have encouraged the collaborative teaching and other teaching strategies the Director is trying to implement. We are happy to be the test subjects if it gets us out into the school, succeeding in collaborative teaching and crucially building trust with the classroom teachers. As Oberg mentions in her article about the shared outcomes by the principal and the Tls. I do not think our Principal shares the same hopeful outcomes as the Tls that the library has the potential to reach the whole school. Tls still need to prove as Oberg says, that they are leaders and agents of change.