When the calendar flips to August I start thinking about the start of the school year. As I make my “to do” list here are eight things I always do to start the year. Share New Back-to-School Books I create… Read More ›
Community/Teacher Collaboration
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 ›
(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 ›
Choose Your Own (Professional) Adventure
The AASL Member Engagement Committee is excited to invite members to join the association’s new Communities of Practice! “Communities of Practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to… Read More ›
4 Levels of Collaboration for Teachers and Librarians
As school librarians, we know that collaboration is a large part of our role. In the AASL National School Library Standards to collaborate is to “work effectively with others to broaden perspectives and work toward common goals.” We also understand… Read More ›
School Librarians: Together We Are a Force
The past few weeks I’ve been doing some serious reflection on my Professional Learning Network (PLN) and just how much of a force we are when we unite as one. I am the only school librarian at my school, and… Read More ›
The New York Times Learning Network: A Great Resource for Secondary Librarians
Providing effective instructional support for teachers requires a plethora of resources that provide lesson plans, project ideas, and information on a variety of topics. One such resource is The New York Times Learning Network. Designed for middle school and high… Read More ›
Creating Book Award Buy In
Book award season is upon us! I love to see what books will be chosen from the gigantic amount of titles published each year. I love seeing what the national and state committees pick, but I especially get excited for… Read More ›
School Library Month: How Will You Celebrate?
April is one of my favorite months of the year because April is School Library Month. While school librarians advocate for school libraries 12 months a year, April is a special month of celebration, advocacy, and reflection. I love to… Read More ›
Journey to a Flexible Schedule: 5 Years Later
Recently, I was chatting with another school librarian and they asked about our schedule. At one time the school library used a fixed schedule for all classes but switched to a hybrid model several years ago. I realized that it… Read More ›