I agree with Barbara on this one. It is NOT our responsibility to teach our
principals what they should already know. (I had written an earlier comment
on this topic for LM_NET, but deleted it because it stepped on many
toes....)
My complaint is that we, as librarians, are required to understand many of
the aspects of our positions including how to work with administrators,
teachers, parents, students, the community, special needs students, etc.
Many of those instructional elements comes from courses such as library
administration. I took at least two courses in my MLIS program that covered
various issues regarding administrative programs. Part of that involved how
to deal with individuals, how to understand different cultures and how to
work diplomatically with individuals as the "head of the library." However,
I don't see many principals enrolled in courses at the university level
(where they attend classes for certification...hopefully) where they are
instructed in what is involved in the "frivolous courses" that are often cut
first....library services, music, art, humanities, services to special needs
students....instead, I watch them tackle these areas for budget savings when
times get tough and protect those areas such as technology and athletics
because they generate "educational benefits" and "public relations." (Check
your school's budget...if these areas aren't overly funded, you're probably
one of the lucky ones!)
I believe that much of our problem starts at the university level (or
certification area level) when administrators are learning what their role
is in the school. Nothing teaches them for the most important element of a
school's success--the heart beat--the library. Study after study after
study can be done and they will always report that with strong libraries,
students succeed. However, no one except librarians and those interested in
studies are reading these reports. Instead, we hope that our study gets in
the hands of our principals...if we push it there...but rarely do our
principals see how those studies impact the students unless we continue to
push the issue.
Although some colleges and universities might address the issue of libraries
and student success, many are not. The majority of our principals have no
idea of what libraries are doing (or can do) for students. (Some principals
that I have worked with have even boasted that they received their degrees
without even stepping foot in a library....)
The overwhelming problem of our "invisibility" within the school is a result
of many years of silence. However, regardless of what HAS happened, it is
time that we demand that our principals be educated in the true areas of
student success which include strong libraries that are filled with
professional librarians who work collaboratively with teachers.
As someone who sat on a committee at the university level and watched as a
new program for school library certification be developed, I was amazed at
the ignorance of many of the professors who were developing the program.
They rejected core library courses that I suggested, such as cataloging,
reference, and collection development, and added their own required courses
such as Internet searching, database development, and digital photography as
what they believed would be the needs of a school librarian (certification).
Regardless of what I recommended or even gave them (I did research to find
out what other universities required and gave them examples), they refused
my suggestions because they truly believed that librarians today were people
who were technologically proficient but spent most of their days in front of
the computer "surfing the Net." They knew little of the skills of a
librarian, and their ignorance resulted in the Board of Higher Regents
rejecting the course development because it did not fit the requirements
needed for a school librarian (according to the state's media coordinator,
ALA, etc.)
These are examples of some of the individuals who teach our principals what
is important in many schools (and technology seems to be the most important
issue in most of their minds). Libraries and librarians seem archaic,
quaint and old-fashion. Regardless of what WE know, the reality is that
they DON'T know. Those who are teaching our principals DON'T know.
It's not just a job of teaching our principals, it's teaching the educators
who teach our principals. It's teaching the educators who teach our
teachers. We must know every one of THEIR responsibilities, job
descriptions, duties, and requirements and yet, not one of them truly
understands (or is taught) what our job duties, responsibilities, skills, or
abilities are within the school.
When do we begin teaching those who educate our future principals? Perhaps
we need to work with our university professors, so that they can THEN teach
our principals and teachers what we can do for them.
Just my thoughts...off the soapbox.
~Shonda Brisco
Trinity Valley MS / US Librarian
Fort Worth, TX
sbrisco021@charter.net
----- Original Message -----
From: "Barbara Braxton" <barbara@AUSTARMETRO.COM.AU>
To: <LM_NET@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU>
Sent: Friday, June 20, 2003 4:31 PM
Subject: Re: Educating Principals
> >It is our responsibility to inform them and to develop an advocacy
program
> and not
> complain about their lack of education.
>
> Sorry, but this is NOT our responsibility - when does the janitor, the
> bursar, the classroom teacher have to teach the principal what they do?
> Principals and principals' associations have the responsibility to educate
> themselves and each other if they don't already know and they should be
> approaching bodies like ASLA and ALA to do it. They ARE principals, they
> SHOULD know and if they don't, then as professionals in that role, they
need
> to take responsibility for finding out. If we don't complain about
their
> lack of education, how will the standards of principal improve? Or maybe
> principals in some places are seen as demi-gods whose coat-tails must be
> licked and who expect staff to tug their forelocks as they go by. Doesn't
> happen here! Some of my best friends are principals :>}
>
> I am so SICK of hearing that we have to justify our position in the school
> and advocate our role that it is the focus of an article I am writing for
> Teacher-Librarian!
>
> Yes, I have read Gary Hartzell and others, and heard them speak, and they
> make excellent suggestions about what we can do and do do. But it angers
me
> that we have to - in the name of justification. I do some of them in the
> name of communication. I am too busy doing my job to be a one-man band.
>
> Barbara
>
> Barbara Braxton
> Teacher-Librarian
> Palmerston District Primary School
> PALMERSTON ACT 2913
> AUSTRALIA
>
> T. 61 2 6205 6162
> F. 61 2 6205 7242
> E. barbara@austarmetro.com.au
> W. http://www.palmdps.act.edu.au
>
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