Author Archives

Ms. Collins has worked as a Media Specialist/Librarian for 14 years. She is currently a library media specialist at Sharon High School, where she has worked for the past four years. She began her career as a reporter who covered business, arts and education-related issues. While interviewing the headmaster at a private school, she realized that she wanted to combine her love of research and writing with a career in education. At that point, she returned to school for a Masters in Library Science and further graduate studies in educational leadership. Ms. Collins has published her writing in various journals including “Library Media Connection,” “NEA Today,” education-related blogs and websites including AASL’s “Knowledge Quest.” She is a 2012 Reynolds High School Journalism Institute Fellow and project consultant for the E-Book, “Searchlights and Sunglasses: Journalism in the Digital Age.” She received a “Teachers for Global Classrooms” fellowship from the U.S. State Dept. in 2014 and is the recipient of AASL’s Intellectual Freedom Award (2014) as well as a “Super Librarian” award bestowed by MSLA (Massachusetts School Library Association). She is a Massachusetts Library System Executive Board Member and has served on the MassCUE Board as PD Chair since 2013 along with the NEISTE Board. She earned National Board Certification as a Library/Media Teacher in 2009. In her spare time, she enjoys nature walks, reading, travel and yoga.
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Using Short Videos to Enhance Reading and Writing in the ELA Curriculum
by Lori Ayotte and Cathy Collins “Three R’s are no longer enough. Our world is changing fast – faster than we can keep up with through our historical modes of thinking and communicating. Visual literacy – the ability to both… Read More ›
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Media Literacy Education in a Blurred Truth Landscape
My favorite childhood movie is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Though every bit of that movie is magical, fun, and chock full of wisdom, one of the scenes that especially replays in my mind as I think about media… Read More ›
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Connecting ESSA to School Libraries: MA Workshop
On Saturday, Sept. 17, school librarians and library department coordinators from around the state of Massachusetts gathered at Sharon High School for “Connecting ESSA to School Libraries,” hosted by the Massachusetts School Library Association. Dr. John Marcus, Superintendent of Administration… Read More ›
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STEM and the School Library: A Marriage that Makes Sense
From makerspace creation and related activities, to coordination of “STEM Talks” from experts in the field, the school libraries in my district continue to take on an increasingly expanded role in STEM/STEAM programming and instruction. I’ve been excited to serve… Read More ›
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Health and Wellness Through the School Library
The lights are dimmed as meditative nature sounds and gentle music drift through the air. I instruct all students to stand at the front of their mats, exhale and fold forward, symbolically shaking all stressful thoughts from their heads to… Read More ›
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Beautiful Strangers
I was late for the party, and though the scent of warm spices filled the car, I worried that the rich samosas and mouth-watering pakoras were growing cold. Always more of a country mouse than a city mouse, I felt… Read More ›
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The Poetry of Advocacy, by Cathy Collins
What is advocacy? As the new Chair of MSLA (Massachusetts School Library Association), I have been asking myself how best to define it. Being a librarian and lover of language, poetry is always my first reference source of choice. Not… Read More ›
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Ch-Ch-Changes
As a new school year begins, I find myself excited, exhilarated and overwhelmed all at once. My guess is that I’m not alone in experiencing these conflicting feelings that go along with the territory of being a school librarian/media specialist… Read More ›