Martin Luther King, Jr., wrote in 1947, “Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false, the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.”(1) With the attack on the Capitol… Read More ›
Student Engagement/ Teaching Models
The I-Search Paper: Getting Students Excited about Research
Whenever I teach a research lesson to a class of high school students, I notice the lack of enthusiasm for the project they’re about to start. I find myself working hard to convince them that research is a rewarding endeavor… Read More ›
A Tool for Struggling Readers: Word’s Immersive Reader
Let’s face it: Google dominates the educational landscape with its Classroom program and endless apps: Forms, Slides, Meets, etc. And there are so many technology tools popping up to make learning fun: Wakelet, Flipgrid, Kahoot, with hundreds more to come…. Read More ›
Picture Books and Primary Sources: The Teachers March! By Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, Illustrated by Charly Palmer
So many historically based picture books now focus on lesser-known events or individuals. When those books fill in gaps of knowledge and connect to other events that we do know, they can broaden students’ understanding of a moment in time… Read More ›
Civic Engagement with the Presidential Inauguration
As we try to heal from the events of January 6, 2021, and move forward, many in education are met with unease on how to proceed with Inauguration Day. Is it a topic to avoid or do you plan for… Read More ›
Top 5 Books for Teens New Year’s Resolutions
Just like adults, teens start the new year thinking about ways to improve, what they want to work on in themselves, new hobbies, goals for the future. The following is a list of the top 5 books that I will… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Mixing Figurative Language and Coding
As a school librarian collaborating with classroom teachers is a key component to our role in the school community. Collaboration can come in many forms, but the goal is to move past just the curation of resources. The focus is… Read More ›
Chess, The Library, and The Queen’s Gambit
Inspired by Television Several students and faculty members are abuzz about a new Netflix series, The Queen’s Gambit. The series premiered on October 23, 2020. I was a little surprised that students are recommending the show, including some older middle… Read More ›
Get Ready to Make It New: Embracing Change in 2021
Attention is love, what we must give children, mothers, fathers, pets, our friends, the news, the woes of others. What we want to change we curse and then pick up a tool. Bless whatever you can with eyes and hands… Read More ›
Book Pairings to Motivate Teenagers
In the midst of our fast-paced society, it’s more important than ever to spark a love of literature in adolescents. Based on conversations I’ve had with students over the years, I’ve learned that teenagers have lost motivation to read for… Read More ›