Improving Disposition

I have been researching librarian dispositions this semester, and for a recent assignment was asked to narrow these dispositions down to the five I felt to be the most important. If you're wondering what exactly a disposition is, Lillian Katz defines dispositions as a "pattern of behavior exhibited frequently... in the absence of coercion... constituting a habit of mind under some conscious and voluntary control... intentional and oriented to broad goals" that can be caught and taught through modeling. 

Narrowing down to just five patterns of behavior that librarians must exhibit was quite a challenge! As librarians we must be empathetic, hospitable, professional, collaborative, flexible, respectful, reflective, persistent, open-minded, enthusiastic, reliable, trustworthy, ....How to edit down to just five? Through the process, I was able to reflect on the dispositions that are my strengths and those that I can continue to improve. 

So, after much thought and reflection, here are the top dispositions I believe school librarians must have in order to effectively do his/her job supporting learners with the right resources at the right time....

School Librarian Dispositions

Disposition	What does this disposition look like in a school library?	How could a librarian develop this disposition if he/she felt weak in this disposition?
EMPATHETIC	When an educator has compassion, he/she has a core belief that all people can learn. He/she then works diligently to find strategies tailored to individual students. Librarians do this by taking time to get to know staff and students and their interests, assisting students in finding good fit books, and matching resources with timely needs. Librarians use various scaffolding techniques to meet student needs - show and tell, tapping into prior knowledge, allowing time to talk, pre-teaching vocabulary, using visual aids, and pausing to ask questions.	He/she can make an effort to get to know individual students who are struggling. One idea is to have a weekly “lunch bunch.” When relationships are established, then the librarian will have motivation to find creative ways to support these students.
COLLABORATIVE	School librarians participate in school and district-based Professional Learning Teams. They regularly collaborate toward continued improvement in meeting students needs using data, professional experience, and best practice. Librarians have a shared vision for a better learning environment that supports the needs of all students. In collaborative planning, the teacher brings knowledge of subject content and students needs. The librarian contributes a knowledge of resources and technology, as well as teaching strategies.	He/she can reach out to grade levels, asking to join team meetings. At these meetings, the librarian should listen closely to the needs of the teachers and students.
LEADING	The librarian is instrumental in moving the school vision forward. He/she stays on the forefront of trends and has a love of learning. He/she leads by modeling best  practices and innovative strategies. He/she sets up the library environment so that it is the center of learning. Not only is it the place to find resources and creative ideas and to collaborate with staff members, but where staff and students turn for leadership in learning.	He/she can establish a professional learning network (PLN) separate from the school setting. Twitter is one example of a PLN where librarians can find and share ideas, practices, and strategies.
ETHICAL	The librarian seeks equal access for all, respects intellectual property rights, and is committed to intellectual freedom. He/she models and advocates these for both staff and students. For example, while collaborating on a research project the librarian infuses instruction on copyright.	He/she can commit to personal learning about equal access, intellectual property rights, and intellectual freedom. ALA has many helpful resources to support this learning.
REFLECTIVE	On a regular basis, the librarian reflects on his/her practices. Reflective thinking and self-examination takes place during and after instruction in the library. The librarian has many opportunities for instruction, both formal and informal, so the reflective process is continual. Many librarians are blogging as reflective practice.	He/she can commit to posting once a week on a personal professional blog. In this post, he/she can reflect on the week in his/her library - what went well, what needed improvement, what was unexpected, etc.

In which dispositions are you strongest? And, where can you improve? For me, I would like to focus on becoming intuitively collaborative. I need to do a better job of reaching out to grade levels and individual staff members. This is somewhat overwhelming to me, but I will start with just a grade level (or two) and go from there. Be on the lookout for a post on my successful collaboration (hopefully sooner than later!)

Katz, L. G., & Raths, J. D. (1985). Dispositions as goals for teacher education. Teaching and Teacher Education, 1(4), 301-307.