This morning’s keynote speaker was the inspirational Joyce Valenza. She began with challenging us to stop saying, “think outside the box” – why have a box at all? She wants to keep school libraries and librarians weird by encouraging us to have continuous transformation as part of our practice. The title of her presentation was ‘The whys and the what if’s: library innovator’s mindset.’

Valenza asserts that in school libraries transformation is a mandate and it is empowering ~ librarians are responsible for creatively move communities forward. Our spaces and programmes must be growing organisms. Choose to look up and look at the sky not the floor of our practice. There is no one right way to do school library so you can do it your way.

Using the Simon Sinek model of starting with the why of what we do Joyce asked us to think about our own WHY. Knowing your why it will make all the difference to your practice. What is your vision? My why is – I want the people in my school community to be the best learners they can be

What is the worst consequence of your best idea? Then take the risk. Taking responsible risks is all part of an innovator’s mindset. F

FAIL = First Attempt At Learning. The most important word in growth mindset and learning is “yet.” Nurture the growth mindset in yourself in others.

Some useful social networking groups to follow include: Twitter hashtag #inTLchat and #inTLlead

Some books to add to my summer reading list: The innovator’s mindset by George Couros; Social Leadia by Jennifer Casa-Todd; Connected Librarians by Nikki D. Robertson; Reimagining Library Spaces by Diana Rendina and School Librarianship, past, present and future edited by Susan Alman

 

An action point in planning for the next academic year is to think of three personas you want to develop in your role at school and focus on those. Stop doing anything that does not directly and positively impact learning.

Thanks, Joyce for the inspiration to keep school libraries weird.