5+Transparency+Rules

= SECRET FIVE: TRANSPARENCY RULES =

media type="custom" key="4548806" Secret Five: Transparency Rules, focuses on what Fullan means and does not mean by transparency. Interestingly, he specifically singles out the U.S. government’s No Child Left Behind policy as an example of bad transparency or not transparency, because of its relentless and punishing focus on data results, without ever focusing on what policies and practices bring about those results. He quotes two researchers who describe //the average teacher as “data –driven to distraction”// (p. 93). The way transparency can become effective is to provide all stakeholders with understandable data, then have all participate in a focused discussion on what areas need to be improved or changed based on that data, and, finally, to implement SMART goals that target specific things that the organization wants to improve on.

The teacher librarian needs to understand the way transparency works effectively in order to create the highest functioning library resource center. For example, //teacher librarians need to collect data on the usage of the collection and the curricular needs of// //the teachers// in order to make sure that the library collection is responsive to the current requirements of the school. Furthermore, the librarian needs to take into account the direction in which the school is heading and //collect transparent data on// //how the library resources currently can support that direction//, as well as to transparently reflect on how the library needs to change and improve its collection in order to meet the future demands of the school, district, and students.