Each year, a new group of 9th graders arrive at my high school for the first time. Not only do they need to learn where the library is in the building, but they also need to learn how the… Read More ›
Blog Topics
The Intentionality of School Librarianship in the September/October 2022 Issue of Knowledge Quest
Who deserves our intention more than children? When librarians heard that Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, would interview Jason Reynolds, Library of Congress’s National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, many stayed up late to watch… Read More ›
Embracing Game-based Learning
[SPONSORED CONTENT] School media centers, despite their reputation for being places of quiet study, are now becoming centers for tinkering, coding, and even playing. Game-based learning leverages games to engage students in skill acquisition, thought processing, and creative problem-solving. Experts… Read More ›
Black People Are Brilliant
[SPONSORED CONTENT] Black people are brilliant. Say it with me: Black people are brilliant. Just by uttering those words, we are one step toward reclaiming and centering our worthiness. Our genius is unstoppable and we are responsible for so many… Read More ›
When to Hold On, When to Let Go
When we no longer have the what is needed for them, when is it time to let go of programs in our school library that we have grown from a seed? When is it worth the fight with our… Read More ›
Banned Books Week 2022 – September 18-24, 2022
On August 24, 2022, I participated in the #BannedBooksChat on Twitter which was sponsored by the Banned Books Week Coalition. George M. Johnson, the Banned Books Week Author Honorary Chair and author of All Boys Aren’t Blue, and Cameron Samuels,… Read More ›
Engaging Nonfiction Titles for High School Students
Summer is a reading marathon for me. Each year, as I prepare to go back to my high school library, I take stock of titles I’ve read that might engage my students. I’m not always successful at motivating resistant teenage… Read More ›
Hallway Conversations as Book Challenge Repellent, Part 1
Laying the Groundwork Ahead of Book Challenges There is a lot of information about book challenges out there. I’m just one of several folks who have written about this in Knowledge Quest previously. Out in the wider world, there are… Read More ›
The Perfect SCARF: Use Neuroscience to Boost Collaboration
Fall is my favorite time of year. I love cool weather and Fall colors, spooky season and cozy clothing. Fall also brings the opportunity to accessorize with a scarf. I have several “bookish” scarves that I’m looking forward to breaking… Read More ›
Quick Wins to Collaborate: Tips and a Lesson Idea
Did you watch the AASL Town Hall meeting about collaboration on August 10, 2022? In the meeting, AASL President Kathie Lester interviewed two school librarians about collaboration. Michael Giller and Sarah Sansbury discussed their award-winning collaborative projects. The librarians offered… Read More ›