Tools are used to install ceiling fans, repair leaky faucets, plant flowers, and make other improvements. Tools can also be used to support educators’ teaching practices and students’ learning experiences. When it comes to classroom tools, people often think of… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Read & Relax: Summer Reading Challenge
As the school year draws to a close, keep kids in the mindset of reading with a summer reading challenge. Summer challenges are an outstanding way to motivate students to keep reading over the summer. They have tasks to complete… Read More ›
New York City is Supposed to Have a Librarian in Every Secondary School- So Where Are They?
When I came to my school library in 2018, it was a dump. And I don’t mean that metaphorically. I mean that literally. Once a gorgeous centerpiece of a school built in the 1930s, the library had become a desolate… Read More ›
If My Administrators Only Knew
School librarian Kristina Holzweiss recently posted on social media wondering what school librarians wished their administrators knew about their jobs. Admittedly, I have an administration that offers overwhelming support to our school library programming, and it is due to the… Read More ›
LEAD OUT LOUD: Access Defended in the May/June 2022 Issue of Knowledge Quest
School librarians and information professionals unconditionally endorse the power of voice. We personify speaking up, advocating, and sharing our truths. Ensuring our communities are seen and represented is our mission. We are teaching and learning through our school libraries… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Animal Crossings in 2nd Grade
In my school, we use a hybrid schedule in the library. This means that all lessons taught in first through third grade are done in collaboration with the homeroom teacher. The goal is to teach the library and… Read More ›
AASL at ASCD Conference
As a long-time partner in the ASCD Whole Child Initiative, AASL exhibited at the 2022 ASCD Annual Conference: Recharge & Reconnect which was held in Chicago on March 18-21. AASL President Jennisen Lucas, AASL President-Elect Kathy Lester, former AASL Board… Read More ›
(Re)Building A School Library, Part 2: The Newsletter
“Complex Library News” I previously wrote about my efforts to reestablish a library presence for my middle school’s students, starting with a website. Once I had a digital presence put together, the next step was to let folks know about… Read More ›
From Empathy and Virtual Reality to Math Escape Rooms: The Award Winning Work at the Norman North Library!
A Day in the Life of the Norman North Library If you ask us what a typical day at our high school library is like, the answer is always going to be “depends on the day, but it’ll be fun!”… Read More ›
Create Instagram Stories
Instagram Stories are a creative and engaging way for students to demonstrate their learning. Students can create short videos with images, text, animation, and filters in an Instagram format. Use this feature for students to create a book trailer or… Read More ›