I am finally resigned to the idea that the COVID pandemic will not go away any time soon. It is like an unwanted guest that decided to move in. Initially, I felt we would be back to normal within a… Read More ›
Student Engagement/ Teaching Models
Simplifying Library Resources
Simplicity is something that school librarians, teachers, and students welcome right now. As Julia Hobsbawm, the author of The Simplicity Principle, puts it, “The human desire for simplicity is ancient, and especially evident during times in which society undergoes upheaval”… Read More ›
Promoting Reading during Virtual Learning
Like many school districts across the country, my district started the year with students learning from home. While the other librarians and I wanted to support students and teachers in any way we could, we decided that our top priority… Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Oscar’s American Dream by Barry Wittenstein and Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell
Usually, I write about historically based narrative nonfiction picture books. There was a book that didn’t fit into that category that I saw recently. However, I knew it would fit perfectly into a primary source-focused learning experience with some of… Read More ›
All the Literacies
Literacy is one of those terms with academic cache like critical thinking or problem-solving. It has a nice intellectual ring to it, a sense of student accomplishment. Every academic standard, unit and lesson plan, school mission, and vision is stuffed… Read More ›
Tips to Consider before Teaching Lessons about American Indians
Before teaching your next lesson about American Indians, read “Tips for Teachers: Developing Instructional Materials about American Indians” by Dr. Debbie Reese (Nambé Pueblo) and Dr. Jean Mendoza (White). This one-page guide shares ten examples to help facilitate culturally sensitive… Read More ›
Revitalizing Our School Library Collection
Back in January, my very first blog post for Knowledge Quest was all about how librarianship is a marathon, not sprint. I wrote about the importance of pacing yourself and not trying to tackle big changes all at once. I… Read More ›
Stranger Library Reading Challenge
The month of October always brings scary and spooky reading challenges. My high school library is still closed for students, so I had to get creative on how to share and motivate my students to read this year. Creating a… Read More ›
Learn from Home Toolkit
[SPONSORED CONTENT] (Adapted from the Tales2go Blog) This school year, it feels like we’re learning to teach all over again. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or a parent who never thought they’d be a classroom teacher at home, we can… Read More ›
8 Games to Play Virtually with Elementary Students
Like most educators I know I have been learning everything I can about how to best support students who are face-to-face being socially distant as well as those who are learning remotely. Recently, in one of the Facebook educator groups,… Read More ›