As educators, school librarians, and professionals we have all had the training necessary to properly do our jobs. Training for classroom management. Training for library best practices. Training on new and emerging technologies. Those professional development and learning opportunities came… Read More ›
This summer has been unique for me. Usually, I jump into professional development opportunities or professional reading, but this summer I have needed a minute. Instead, I have focused on reading for pleasure every day. I have just tried to… Read More ›
When we mention anyone getting up on a soapbox, we generally mean that they are speaking or writing about something that evokes strong feelings within them. The term, which was first noted in print in 1907, was once a literal… Read More ›
Curiosity as a Learning Tool As a curious individual, I ask myself dozens of questions every day: What type of insect is that? What did this street look like 100 years ago? How does color affect people’s moods? I’m the… Read More ›
I have always been drawn to Hispanic culture. For my Master’s of Library Science thesis, I wrote a 100-page study examining the portrayal of Hispanic characters in contemporary young adult books. Though I’ve never traveled to Latin America, I keep… Read More ›
Recently, I went to a school library in lower Manhattan whose neglected space overwhelmed the new librarian and me. Not only were books piled everywhere–library books, classroom titles, those annoyingly thin paperbacks–but discarded furniture, musical instruments, papers, technology, and an… Read More ›
By Amanda Jones and Shannon DeSantis Gile The AASL National Conference, being held October 21-23, 2021, in Salt Lake City, will be here before you know it. Here are some of the ways that social cedia co-Chairs, Shannon DeSantis Gile… Read More ›
Has your school adopted or created a social and emotional learning (SEL) framework? If so, are you wondering how to integrate SEL in the school library? If you answered “yes” to both questions, I have an idea for you. Read… Read More ›
My research study titled “Enabling School Librarians to Serve as Instructional Leaders of Multiple Literacies” was recently published in School Library Research. This study was an extension of my previous research focused on exploring how school leaders can foster the… Read More ›
Sometimes we all just need a break from our laptops and Chromebooks. Sometimes we need a way to relax, calm our minds, and re-center our thoughts. For many students crafting is the answer. This year I created a new section… Read More ›
There is nothing more satisfying than reaching my goal for how many books I can read in a summer. In fact, I pride myself on how many books I can get through in a summer, setting the goal realistically but… Read More ›
Sharing Online So much of our world, both professionally and personally, has moved online. One benefit of being digital is the “virtuous cycle” of colleagues both near and far sharing ideas. These online shares often receive lots of replies from… Read More ›
As the United States withdraws from Afghanistan, many American children and adults do not know what to do to support the Afghan people caught in the turmoil. Throughout the pandemic, we have turned to both literature and research to guide… Read More ›
Earlier this summer, I asked our Twitter community for ideas about how to reserve spaces in the library during all school intervention and “open” time. Four days a week, my high school has “academic support time” where students can visit… Read More ›