Author Archives

• Summer Reading Revamped

  By Amy Gillespie on 06/06/2016 • ( 5 )

  

  When my friend Rachee talks of summer reading, she’s talking about awesome programs, games, snacks, and prizes. When I talk of summer reading, I’m talking about that thing that most students will say ruins their summers. Like many schools, mine… Read More ›

• Specials Collaboration

  By Amy Gillespie on 05/11/2016 • ( 0 )

  The middle school curriculum at my school includes one period that we refer to as “Specials.” During this period, the 5th, 6th, and 8th grade students have two days of visual arts, two days of information skills (our fancy term… Read More ›

• Pull Up Some Rug…It’s Plagiarism Storytime

  By Amy Gillespie on 04/13/2016 • ( 0 )

  

  Forget the groundhog. At my school we have our own harbinger of spring. It happens during a Community Meeting – our morning, all-school gathering where announcements for the day are made. She puts up her hand and waits to be… Read More ›

• Dive Right in…the Information’s Fine

  By Amy Gillespie on 03/08/2016 • ( 3 )

  

  Mrs. Selinsky just hosted her annual Plagiarism Storytime, complete with cookies and milk. Which can mean only one thing. It’s research paper season! Juniors research learning differences. Sophomores tackle the French Revolution. Eighth and ninth graders explore the seven wonders… Read More ›

• Web Evaluation: Does This Website Smell Funny to You?

  By Amy Gillespie on 02/09/2016 • ( 10 )

  One of my friends spent this past weekend working with her 2nd grade daughter on a research project. While her daughter flew through the arts and crafts portion and was able to handwrite the “sloppy copy” of her presentation, she… Read More ›

• We Have Collaborated on the Future

  By Amy Gillespie on 01/13/2016 • ( 0 )

  

  My school, like so many others I’m sure, encourages collaboration among disciplines. We have regular grade level meetings to discuss what we’re doing in our classes and to find ways to work together. Information Skills (that’s Library) and Language Arts… Read More ›

• Real World PLN: A Love Letter to PREP

  By Amy Gillespie on 12/10/2015 • ( 0 )

  

  A few years ago, the professional development group at my school strongly encouraged us to develop our personal learning networks. I loved the idea. Sitting by myself all day, I crave new ideas and input from others. I found blogs… Read More ›

• When You’re Left Behind at Conference Time

  By Amy Gillespie on 11/10/2015 • ( 0 )

  I love a conference. Spending lots of time alone in the library makes me crave the camaraderie of a conference center full of fairly like-minded folks. New ideas energize me. While I may not have time on an average Monday… Read More ›

• A Vertical File for the 21st Century

  By Amy Gillespie on 10/14/2015 • ( 0 )

  

  At the end of the summer, the On Parenting blog from The Washington Post published an article from a parent contributor about her decision to back off from helping too much with her children’s homework. When the head of the… Read More ›

• Thinking Outside the (Search) Box – Part 2

  By Amy Gillespie on 09/10/2015 • ( 1 )

  

  In which students get permission to play on Wikipedia! Many of the students I work with have non-verbal learning disorders. This presents a number of learning and social challenges. One of the biggest is that many of the students think… Read More ›