Lately, when I’m in the middle of my high school library research lessons, I’ve been asking the students a question: “How many of you have listened to a podcast?” Usually not one hand goes up. Occasionally, there are a few…. Read More ›
Technology
Weeding without Controversy: Part Two – The Process
Mapping your library A starting point to organize and begin a massive weeding project is to get a feel for the physical space. Some may want to use a computer to draw out the shelving to scale to understand how… Read More ›
Purposeful Instructional Technology and Formative Assessments in the Library
Spring has sprung! As we get ready to support our teachers and students with end-of-the year (or semester) review, encourage your teachers to use formative assessments. Powered by easy-to-use digital platforms, formative assessments enable your teachers and students to maximize… Read More ›
Computational Thinking in Your School Library
School and public libraries offer youth formal and informal learning environments, while providing access to a variety of resources. Librarians can introduce students to computational thinking and coding concepts in low-stakes contexts. This month’s post features Dr. Jennifer Moore (associate… Read More ›
YoTeachApp – A New Backchannel
Remember the sad feeling when Today’s Meet shut down? Today’s Meet was the first backchannel tool I utilized with students. It enabled students to participate in synchronous or asynchronous discussions in virtual classrooms. It was fabulous–it was free and easy to… Read More ›
On a Mission: Students with Exceptional Abilities Coding Music
Libraries Ready to Code (RtC) is an initiative of ALA that is sponsored by Google. This initiative focuses on the role of school and public libraries in providing opportunities for youth to develop computational thinking skills through coding activities and… Read More ›
Five “Must-Have” Google Chrome Extensions
Last week I spent a few minutes cleaning up the Google Chrome extensions I’ve added to my collection over the past year or so. I must confess that I’m quick to add Chrome apps and extensions that other librarians and… Read More ›
Research Ambassadors
In my school, third graders reign supreme. The school consists of three grade levels: first, second, and third. There are approximately 225 students enrolled in each level, so it is a fairly large school. For most people, it is difficult… Read More ›
Read Across America in the Middle School
Read Across America is an annual event that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of children’s author Dr. Seuss. Most elementary schools celebrate in a variety of ways, including: Allowing students to… Read More ›
Three Ways to Extend Your Library Digitally
School libraries often extend their resources beyond a brick and mortar room. Digital resources are collected, curated, and shared. Many school librarians use Pinterest, Padlet, and hyper docs to curate resources. Yet, there are many more ways to collect, curate,… Read More ›