When a word means something very different Some words in the English language have two very different meanings—for instance, the word compromise. One person may use the word by its first definition to reach an agreement or meeting in the… Read More ›
Classroom teachers
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 ›
8 Games to Play Virtually with Elementary Students
Like most educators I know I have been learning everything I can about how to best support students who are face-to-face being socially distant as well as those who are learning remotely. Recently, in one of the Facebook educator groups,… Read More ›
Lunch ‘n Learn – Yummy Learning Tidbits to Takeaway
As school librarians, we often look for opportunities to stand in front of the teachers in our buildings and share our resources. We offer to provide professional development during teacher learning days. School librarians ask to have time at faculty… Read More ›
12 More (mostly cheap) Teacher Tricks that Work in an Elementary Library
In 2017, I wrote a blog post titled “12 (mostly cheap) Teacher Tricks that Work in an Elementary Library.” What I did not realize when I wrote that post was the positive response it would receive. The goal was to… Read More ›
Create Your Own Graph: A Math Collaboration in 5 Steps
Recently, a second-grade teacher and I had the opportunity to work together on a project in math. Her class was finishing a unit on graphing and I recommended the book The Great Graph Contest by Loreen Leedy. The book sparked… Read More ›
6 Things I’ve Learned about Collaboration
Collaboration with classroom teachers is one of the many components of a school librarian’s job. Some might even say that it connects all elements of our profession. Working closely with teachers allows for library skills to be taught throughout classroom… Read More ›
The School Wide Love for The Hate U Give
I am never one to turn down a free lunch. So when the invitation was extended by Khristi Jenkins (school librarian) and Wrenn Heisler (English teacher) at Patuxent High School to come and join in a lunch-time book discussion, I… Read More ›
Summarizing with Dash: A Collaborative Project in First Grade
Recently, a first-grade teacher wanted to have her students use coding to create a summary. Her goal was to have students share a story and include how the main character developed as well as how the setting changed. She sought… Read More ›
Inquiry Framework: What Makes Sense?
I’m on a quest to refine my teaching to be both student-centered and relevant. This has evolved over time to mean that I talk a lot less now, and put more effort into the design of the learning experience. How… Read More ›