For the upcoming school year, my building just added an instructional design coach. This position will be new to the high school as we pilot for the other high schools in our district. An instructional coach is a supporting role… Read More ›
Student Engagement/ Teaching Models
Compare and Contrast: A Lesson With Picture Books
Why is it important to practice comparing and contrasting with learners? Because the exercise develops critical thinking skills and improves reading comprehension. There’s great value in considering how two or more entities are different, yet similar. Noticing and discussing differences… 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 ›
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 ›
(Re)Building A School Library, Part 1: The Website
Raising My School Library’s Profile During a renovation a couple years back, my middle school’s library closed, and it never reopened. Students and teachers were told they could access the high school library, which is literally on the opposite end… Read More ›
Digital Poetry Slam
It is no wonder why April has been deemed National Poetry Month. Early spring is filled with inspiration. The longer days and warming temperatures seem to improve my mood and stir my creativity. What a great time for reading and… Read More ›
April is also National Poetry Month
Could you recommend a SHORT book? As a librarian for tweens and teens, I am always on the quest for extraordinary, shorter novels to offer my patrons. Unfortunately, books now compete with schoolwork, video games, and social media. One of… 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 ›
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 ›
Amanda M. Fairbanks Author Visit
Authors are my superstars. Although I haven’t been to many book signings or speaking events, I recently started connecting to authors through Instagram. A few years ago, when I created my own book account as a way to share reviews,… Read More ›