Unit 4, Activity 1

Unit 4, Activity 1: Creating Strategic Focus

1. As you will be connecting a variety of ideas and inputs, it might be helpful to initially work with paper and sticky notes as you will be seeking to prioritize, sort, and organize these into some areas of focus. Review the questions and steps below. If you want to organize your thinking before creating your focus sheets, you are welcome to do so. Your key questions are:

• Based on your research and your conversation with your administrator, what are the most pressing/ important areas of need and focus either at the school or systems level? What are some examples of need or challenge in this area?

• In the present, what skills, tools, resources, or interests do the librarian or library program potentially bring to responding to this focus area?

• With additional supports or resources, what else might the librarian or library program be able to do to respond to this focus area?

2. Use or adapt the focus sheet (scroll down on your Leadership Conversations Portfolio document) template for this activity. While there may be many needs, aim to narrow to 2-3 areas and create a focus sheet for each. At this point, you are creating working documents that you will review and iterate with your administrator. Title each focus sheet with a working name such as 'remote learning support for teachers,' or 'ensuring digital equity for students.' Under the title, include 2-3 examples of needs or challenges related to this focus area. Include areas of need even if they may not currently align with your skills, resources, or interests.

3. Review your results of the Future Ready Librarians® Self-Assessment and consider your other professional interests and skills. On your focus sheet, list some examples of ways in which either you as the librarian or your program could lead, teach, or support for each focus sheet. Also include what you or your program might be able to do with additional time, planning, collaboration, or resources.

4. At this point, do not fill in the what/who/when/where on the focus sheet. This is something that you will do with your administrator when you have decided on a single area of focus.

4. Complete 2-3 focus sheets in preparation for your second administrator meeting. Include some examples for each of the areas, but don't feel as though you must be exhaustive in defining the challenges, needs or possible solutions. These are intended as starting points for conversation rather than project proposals. You will review and share these with your administrator and can continue to edit and modify them.

5. List the areas of focus you've selected on your Leadership Conversation Portfolio.