The newest Knowledge Quest hit the mailboxes of school librarians all over the country yesterday. As one of the co-editors for this month, I was so excited to focus on collaboration but in the sense of collaborative partnerships with other professionals. This issue of KQ takes a look at the various types of mentoring relationships, including: with other school librarians, with teachers, with students, and with public librarians.School librarians from all over the country share their experiences, research, and ideas on how we can learn from each other, whether you are a seasoned school librarian or just a newbie. Take a look at this issue – I think the broad scope will engage you and introduce some possible partnerships you may not have thought of that can indeed help you grow as a professional.
Congratulations, guest editor! This is in my to-read pile!
I hope all Building a Culture of Collaboration Blog readers will make time to read the “Mentoring through Partnerships.” One idea that I followed as a thread throughout this KQ issue is something I call “reciprocal mentorship.” Traditional mentoring relationships suggest a hierarchy with the mentor as the fount of wisdom and experience and the mentee as the one who has everything to learn and gain from the relationship.
Reciprocal mentoring is more egalitarian. Both people learn from and with each other and do not have a need to establish a hierarchy. To my way of thinking and in my experience, these are the types of collegial relationships that build a culture of collaboration in which everyone is both learner and teacher and is invested in everyone else’s success.