ETL401 - Topic Six

Management implications

As part of topic six we had to consider time management and the management of others.

Time management is something I think I can handle. I totally get the “Effective time management for teachers” idea of three time zones. That is, structured time, unstructured work time and personal life. Ever since I started teaching in 2008 I have had this thing where I won’t take work home unless I really really have to. Usually the only work I do at home is report writing for students. And once I had to mark 180 year 7 Religion assignments so some of that had to be done at home too. The reason I don’t have to take anything home is because I get most of it done at school. And that is not to say that I am great at structuring my unstructured work time, I have become an excellent procrastinator, it’s just that when I know something has to be done I just do it.

I think the best thing to do is just complete each task as it arises. This is especially important with marking. I would rather spend half a day doing nothing but marking rather than taking a week in shorter time frames.

All this said I have found time management in the library different from time management as a teacher. With more time on my hands I find I procrastinate more. I’m finding it hard to delegate because I don’t want the library technicians doing all the work when I am not doing much at all. I think this will iron itself over time.

As for people management – as the readings suggest this is much harder and much more daunting.

Gilman’s text has validated a lot of what I feel I have been doing in the library so far this year. With the other library staff we created a roster of what needs to be done and when. We are also working on developing a new library policy together as well. When I go to buy something I seek their opinion and we deal with issues that arise together. It helps that they are lovely and want me to succeed in my new role. I feel like this open approach is also being extended to the students. The idea of “individual research-education consultations” really stuck out to me. I feel that I have opened the library up and made the librarian available to students for help on individual projects. Students come to me for help with assignments, editing and so on, as well as to be directed to research material.

But I don’t feel confident in the conflict resolution arena yet. I understand that differences of opinion can occur and that sometimes this can be good, but it is the not so good ones that I worry about. The problem is that I feel my age and inexperience will be used against me.