Selling the Language of Poetry It’s hard to persuade teenagers to read novels in their spare time but when it comes to poetry, it’s an even tougher sell. Each year I teach poetry research lessons to English classes. Though I… Read More ›
Blog Topics
Picture Books and Primary Sources: The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D.J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier by Rob Sanders and Nabi Ali
Often when students learn about large topics like the Civil War, teachers work to help students see the human side of the event. It can personalize an abstract larger-than-life event, given an entry point to put themselves in someone else’s… Read More ›
Being an Active Collaborator
If there is one consistency in our ever-changing school library profession, it is the need to tell the world who we are, what we do, and why we’re essential workers. Remote Collaboration Collaboration is always difficult for educators. But this… Read More ›
It’s School Library Month; Let the Celebrations Continue!
April is School Library Month, and students and staff around the globe continue to celebrate all month long! This year, library staff at Nags Head Elementary School are commemorating the occasion by promoting the library and all it has to… Read More ›
Maps in Endpapers: What Stories Do They Tell?
When you first open a book, take a look at the front endpapers. An interesting map might catch your eye. Most times, these maps serve a purpose. And if you pass over them, you could miss a part of the… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Stop Motion in Preschool
As school librarians, we know that collaboration is important. I am fortunate that many of my colleagues love to work together. They understand the shared vision and benefits that collaboration can offer. Below is a project that was developed alongside… Read More ›
To Kill a Mockingbird Themes with Student Choice
In my high school, teaching To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee is a requirement for all freshman English classes during second semester. This year I had a teacher approach me wanting to brainstorm ways we could make this book… Read More ›
School Library Month: A Celebration and Time to Reflect
School Library Month always invokes a sense of nostalgia for me as I reflect on my school’s library programming and the experiences I had as a child. I have fond memories of visiting my elementary school library and searching the… Read More ›
You Have Always Been My Safe Home: The School Library
“The library is my safe harbor since I dare not go into the cafeteria alone, a whale surrounded by starving sharks.” — Lisa Fipps, Starfish This month being April, I had a veritable menagerie of subjects swirling about in my… Read More ›
#NJASLSpring21, Part 2: Lessons from a Virtual Conference
We Did It! All the planning paid off! The NJASL Spring Mini-Conference was an unqualified success! As with any event, there were last-minute changes and hiccoughs. But everything came together, and we received lots of positive feedback from both attendees… Read More ›