Author Archives

Sam Northern is a National Board Certified Teacher-Librarian at Simpson Elementary School in Franklin, Kentucky. He currently serves as President-Elect of the Kentucky Association of School Librarians. In 2014, Sam was selected for the Fulbright-Hays Summer Seminars Abroad Program where he spent four weeks in China. Since then, Sam has voyaged to Antarctica as a National Geographic Grosvenor Teacher Fellow and worked aboard a research vessel on the Atlantic Ocean as a NOAA Teacher at Sea. From January to April 2018, Sam traveled to Finland as part of the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program to research best practices for project-based learning. Connect with him on Twitter @Sam_Northern and Facebook @themisterlibrarian.

• Distance Read-Alouds

  By Sam Northern on 03/19/2020 • ( 6 )

  

  Note: This post was updated to reflect US Copyright Law. Many students are now learning at home due to COVID-19. For my elementary school students, story time is an important and exciting part of the day. How will students hear… Read More ›

• Project RAP

  By Sam Northern on 12/02/2019 • ( 1 )

  

  Young learners come to the school library possessing skills and talents just waiting to be revealed. The school librarian also possesses talents. The librarian knows how to connect students with literature that incites curiosity. The librarian knows how to select… Read More ›

• Coming to Kentucky: 2019 AASL National Conference

  By Sam Northern on 10/15/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  On November 13, Louisville, Kentucky, will welcome school librarians and other educators from across the country for the 2019 AASL National Conference. The AASL National Conference & Exhibition is the only national conference dedicated solely to the needs of school… Read More ›

• The 5 E’s of Inquiry-Based Learning

  By Sam Northern on 08/30/2019 • ( 2 )

  

  The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects an 18.7 percent growth in employment in science and engineering occupations between 2010 and 2020, compared to 14.3 percent for all occupations (NSF 2019). Due to the need for STEM-skilled workers, the U.S…. Read More ›

• Gold Standard PBL in the Golden State

  By Sam Northern on 07/29/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  Golden Gate Bridge, Golden State Warriors, and the Golden Gate Bakery are just a few of the attractions that draw tourists to northern California. The views are stunning, and the food is succulent. But for me and 1,400 other educators,… Read More ›

• Autonomy Lays the Foundation for Motivation

  By Sam Northern on 06/24/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  High ability does not guarantee high achievement. Our students need motivation if they are expected to perform at their greatest levels and to perform well over an extended period of time. For many students, motivation comes in the form of… Read More ›

• Creative Performers and Producers

  By Sam Northern on 06/10/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  “Educators can play important roles to enhance any components of students’ creativity” (Sak 2004). School librarians are no different. School libraries have the staff, resources, and space needed to foster creativity in students and teachers. There are many definitions and… Read More ›

• Interview with a Future, Future Ready Librarian

  By Sam Northern on 04/25/2019 • ( 0 )

  

  May 2019 marks five years since I completed the practicum to earn a Master of Science degree in Library Media Education (LME) from Western Kentucky University. The LME Practicum requires 120 field hours—with 40 of these hours being completed in… Read More ›

• One School + One Book = A Love of Reading

  By Sam Northern on 03/25/2019 • ( 2 )

  

  Creating a culture for reading is a major part of what it means to be a school librarian. It is also an ongoing effort. There will never come a time when we stop encouraging students to read. One of the… Read More ›

• Research Ambassadors

  By Sam Northern on 02/28/2019 • ( 2 )

  

  In my school, third graders reign supreme. The school consists of three grade levels: first, second, and third. There are approximately 225 students enrolled in each level, so it is a fairly large school. For most people, it is difficult… Read More ›