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 ›
Blog Topics
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 ›
8 Things on my “To Do” List to Start the School Year
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 ›
Supporting Each Other
In my KQ Blog Post last month, Standing Together, Working Together, I wrote: “The school library voice is stronger and heard more clearly when we work together to educate everyone about the essential work of school librarians.” An important aspect… Read More ›
Getting SMART with PDPs, SGOs, ETCs
“I am so smart! S-M-R-T! I mean…” -Homer Simpson This September will be my first as a school librarian, after a mid-year switch early in 2022. After 23 years of writing professional development plans (PDPs) and student growth objectives (SGOs)… Read More ›
Genrefying the High School Library
Over the past few years, I’ve kept a few book carts at the front of my high school library for students’ convenience. Avid readers and curious students take note of the colorful displays as they enter the school library. Though… Read More ›
Working with Instructional Coaches – I have questions
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 ›
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 ›
MAME Summer Book Club: The Gift of Story by John Schu
Summer is a great time to catch up on reading. So when the Michigan Association of Media in Education (MAME) shared they were hosting a virtual summer book club I was all in! The Book The title that was chosen… Read More ›
Working Together; Standing Together
I love the school library profession and have gained so much from being a member of the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) throughout the years. Therefore, I feel very honored to have been elected as the AASL President for… Read More ›