Redefining and reorganizing my library space has been a huge focus for me this school year. I am completely looking forward to next year, being able to have students back exploring and interacting in the library space. After a massive… Read More ›
In October 2016, I attended the School Library Journal Leadership Summit and was honored to hear YA author Shaun David Hutchinson speak about the impact of his mental health and sexuality on his writing and his life. He said, “I… Read More ›
AASL’s final snapshot survey has closed, and data regarding the state of schools and learning settings were captured. The results from the final survey found changes have occurred over the past year that will impact school librarian practice for years… Read More ›
Pivoting and flexibility have become critical to teaching and learning during the last year. The ever-changing nature of the pandemic has kept educators on their toes and ultimately upended the education system around the world, forcing districts, schools, teachers, and… Read More ›
This past year brought a global pandemic, massive protests around policing and racism, a fraught election, a riot at the Capitol, mass unemployment, mass shootings, and our democracy on the brink. And, of course, the impact of these events on… Read More ›
The article “7-year-old girl traumatized after White school staff member cuts her hair” first came across my news feed on Saturday evening, April 17. I clicked on the article to learn more. How could something like this happen in a… Read More ›
Friends, colleagues, librarians, lend me your ears! My writing usually takes a rather reflective bent. However, this go ‘round, my intents and purposes are of a different nature, and are threefold. First of all, I have an update and some… Read More ›
Covid-19-Altered Education After a year and a half of Covid19-altered education, we might ask, are our seniors ready for the next chapter? My students may have an advantage in attending all but 2 weeks in person during the 2020-2021 school… Read More ›
Student Reading Recommendations I love having students discuss the books they’ve read and enjoyed. They are empowered by taking ownership of, and pride in, their reading. And their peers benefit from hearing about titles they could add to their “Want… Read More ›
Let’s face it, end-of-school year materials collection does not rank high among the reasons we went into this profession. Why highlight this process school-wide then? There are some ways we can turn a tiresome task into a real-life example of… Read More ›
Over the past few years, I have cultivated a professional learning network on Twitter of exemplary school librarians from across the world. One of the biggest lessons I have learned from my PLN is the importance of school library advocacy… Read More ›
“The path to success is to take massive, determined actions” (Robbins 2020). School librarians must take such steps when talking with decision-makers about how to seek funds for their school libraries via the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This federal act has… Read More ›
As we culminate our celebration of School Library Month, it is exciting to think about the profound influence of school librarians on the broader learning community. School administrators operate from a vantage point that affords them a unique look into… Read More ›
Selling the Language of Poetry It’s hard to persuade teenagers to read novels in their spare time but when it comes to poetry, it’s an even tougher sell. Each year I teach poetry research lessons to English classes. Though I… Read More ›