Menges 1

Katie Menges

SLM 501: Administration and Leadership

Module 1

19 June 2016

Tribute, Leadership Analysis, Professional Development Plan

I. Tribute

We are truly blessed at Gerstell Academy to have Katie Menges as our Library Media

Specialist. Mrs. Menges is a highly motivated teacher, coach, mentor, and leader who is always

ready to share her time and talents with colleagues and students alike. Brimming with energy,

Mrs. Menges is always working on a new idea or project or improving previous ideas. She

inspires those around her to reach their full potential while lending encouragement to those who

need an extra push. She collaborates seamlessly with all members of the school community,

leading to consistently excellent and increasingly creative student experiences across all subject

areas. Mrs. Menges is always available to solve information needs, and treats each request as

though it is her main priority. She makes every member of the community feel important and

valued, and we truly value her expertise and leadership every day.
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II. Leadership Analysis.

Raw Scores
Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI): Encourage the Heart: 59; Enable Others to Act:
57; Model the Way: 56; Inspire Shared Vision: 56; Challenge the Process: 53
Keirsey Temperament Sorter: Guardian (SJ)
Locus Of Control & Attributional Style: 68% success orientation; mixed attribution
style
Collaborative Leadership Qualities Inventory (CLQI): 8 OK, 14 Good, and two areas
for improvement.
Myers Brigg: ENTJ the Commander

Reaction and Analysis

I am more inclined to trust the results of the Myers Brigg evaluation, both because it

includes significantly more nuance in the possible responses than the other tools listed above,

and because this evaluation was very much in keeping with my self-image. I was barely on the

extroversion side at 54%, and the other aspects the intuition, thinking, and judgment, seem on-

par. This agrees with the LPI scores, which also reflect a strong ability to motivate and inspire

others. The Keirsey and Locus of Control tests seem to be outliers, but I distinctly recall having

difficulties between choices that did not seem entirely opposed to one another in both of these

tests. I will need to compare this current set of scores to scores in six months and a year, for

future analysis.

Strengths
Motivating others
Leading by example
Enthusiasm for projects
Vision for the future & planning
Ability to see the big picture and to set and follow deadlines
Efficiency

Weaknesses
Failure to attribute success to personal merit and work (Locus of Control)
Lack of confidence
Lack of political savvy
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Areas and Strategies for Growth

Area: Confidence Strategy: I need to embrace leadership and gain comfort in

making certain that the people I work with adhere to the principles and standards we have

agreed on (LPI). This speaks to two sections of leadership development: modeling the way for

others and inspiring shared vision. My enthusiasm will help me to inspire shared vision once I

gain experience and respect through sharing time and projects with colleagues.

Area: Attribution Style Strategy: I need to realign my attribution style to give myself

more credit for triumphs and attribute fewer shortcomings or triumphs to chance.

Area: Political Savvy Strategy: My Guardian nature directs me to see things as they are and to

be devoted to my teams, but I will need to think politically as well, if I am to become a truly

effective leader and embrace my ENTJ, commanding side. I will also need to ensure that I keep

abreast of school and education reform, so that I will be able to act as a leader in my own

building and be able to advise faculty and students to appropriate periodicals and publications

that will help to clarify expectations and changes to the education setting.
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III. Professional Development Plan

As part of my professional development plan, I will need to keep my memberships in the

American Association of School Librarians (AASL) and the Maryland Association of School

Librarians (MASL). I will continue my journey as a lifelong learner by attending webinars,

workshops, and conferences offered through these associations and through the Carroll County

Public Library (CCPL).

Objectives
Create a Makerspace in the Library Media Center
Collaborate as an active member of a social and intellectual network of learners
Improve the student experience
Plan for continued professional growth and leadership opportunities

Books to read
Invent To Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom, by Sylvia
Libow Martinez and Gary Stager. This book approaches the philosophical ideas about
how we learn, and then gives ideas about how to learn by doing, incorporating
technology, science, and tinkering. This is a STEM friendly book that includes how-tos
for educators and creative ideas to jumpstart the makerspace.
Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace for Your School by
Laura Fleming, a nationally recognized expert in the makerspace field. Practical
strategies to crate a makerspace while keeping to a budget make this book indispensable;
standards alignment will encourage teachers to make time for their students to visit the
makerspace.

Journals and articles to read

Knowledge Quest: Journal of the American Association of School Librarians. This
journal is available both in print and in digital formats. With associated blogs, reviews,
and articles from members of AASL, this journal includes new and cutting-edge ideas for
libraries and for librarians.
o Read the blog: STEM and the School Library: A Marriage that Makes Sense by
Cathy Collins. This article details ways in which bringing STEM into the library
helps students, with references to Q&As that are linked at the end of the article.
Teacher Librarian: The Journal for School Library Professionals. This journal
includes many articles by recognized teachers and librarians across the country. Articles
all include ideas that are easy to implement, and offer real-world solutions.
o Read the article: The Philosophy of Educational Makerspaces: Part 1 of Making
an Educational Makerspace by R. Steven Kurti, Debby L. Kurti, Laura Fleming.
This article describes why makerspaces are so important, both for students and for
schools. This will give plenty of ideas and information to use in a request for
funding.
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Blogs to and Websites to follow

http://renovatedlearning.com. This website is created and maintained by a teacher who
implemented her own makerspace. The website and accompanying blog covers research
behind makerspaces, how to create your own makerspace on a budget, and many, many
ideas of makerspace themes for children of all ages.
http://www.weareteachers.com. Full of free information and resources by teachers, for
teachers. With articles on hot topics as well as more standard blogs, lessons, resources,
and grants and discounts available to teachers, this resource is bursting with information.
o Blog: Making Matters! How the Maker Movement is Transforming Education by
Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary S. Stager. Reviews ways in which a makerspace
may change not only the educational atmosphere but also how we approach
education.

Conferences and Webinars to attend

Maryland Association of School Librarians (MASL) meetings are now conducted
virtually, and so I plan to attend the once a month webinar for MASL Executive Board
Meetings when possible. According to MASLs website, these meetings focus on regular
business being discussed and voted on. Participating in this network will help me to make
connections and share ideas with a wider range of school librarians.

MASLs annual conference is scheduled for October 21st, 2016 in Hagerstown,

Maryland. This years theme is Teacher Librarians as Leaders, which I feel is uniquely
suited to guide me on my path toward increased leadership as I teach in the library. This
will also provide a venue in which to make more social and professional connections.

Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS) Librarian Gathering, held at

rotating member schools each winter. This is a valuable opportunity to compare notes and
share programs that have worked well in our schools, while reviewing programs that
failed to meet expectations. Meeting in the independent school setting is very important,
since we face a set of demographics that are not often reflected in the settings of public
school colleagues. This is also an opportunity to brainstorm ways in which to involve
students in the library, to increase circulation, and to increase visibility for database use.
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Strategies

By reading, attending workshops and conferences, and networking, I will be able to learn

what I need to know in order to plan and propose a makerspace for our school. With an active

professional learning network and online resources, I will be able to anticipate problems that

others have already encountered, and source solutions to problems that may arise in my own

unique situation. By collaborating with other teachers and librarians both in person at

conferences and virtually using Web 2.0 tools, I will establish and maintain a professional

learning network that will grow for years to come.

Outcomes

By incorporating a makerspace into the collective learning opportunities at Gerstell

Academy, we immediately show our commitment to STEAM and student social-emotional

growth. Since makerspaces teach failure tolerance as well as art, engineering, science,

technology, and math, our brighter students will benefit just as much as the students who may

require additional scholastic support. In piloting a new makerspace program, I will gain

additional responsibilities within the school, leading to additional avenues for collaboration with

classroom leaders. Following this professional development plan, I will grow as a leader while

improving our student experience and increasing collaboration with a growing network of

professional learners, and our school will benefit from having a makerspace, a valuable

educational tool that is aligned to content standards.

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Works Cited

Fleming, Laura. Worlds of Making: Best Practices for Establishing a Makerspace for Your
School. N.p.: Corwin Connected Educators Series, 2015.

Kurti, R. Steven, Debby L. Kurti, and Laura Fleming. "The Philosophy of Educational
Makerspaces." Teacher Librarian. N.p., 17 Feb. 2016. Web. 18 June 2016.

Martinez, Sylvia Libow, and Gary Stager. Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering
in the Classroom. N.p.: Constructing Modern Knowledge, 2013.

Martinez, Sylvia L., and Gary S. Stager. "Making Matters! How the Maker Movement Is
Transforming Education." How the Maker Movement Is Transforming Education. We
Are Teachers, n.d. Web. 18 June 2016.

Rendina, Diana. Renovated Learning. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 June 2016.

Toor, Ruth, and Hilda K. Weisburg. Being Indispensable: A School Librarian's Guide to
Becoming an Invaluable Leader. Chicago: American Library Association, 2011.