Every year I collaborate with the 11th-grade English teachers on a nonfiction independent reading project. The goal is to increase student agency and create excitement about literature. While many juniors initially express an aversion to reading, they often show an… Read More ›
independent reading
Speed Dating with Books: The Power of Creative Nonfiction
This year I was thrilled to be back in person for our yearly 11th-grade Speed Dating with Books event. Though last year’s digital version was successful, it could not compare to the energy of a live activity. Amid the chaos… Read More ›
A School Librarian’s Thoughts on Labeling Programs: Part 1
A recent post in the Future Ready Librarians Facebook group on reading levels had me reflect upon my reading experience as a student. If it weren’t for my high school librarian, Dr. Shirley McDonald, I do not know if I… Read More ›
Explore How to Strengthen Your School’s Reading Culture in the May/June 2020 Issue
Reading is so important. It is a life skill that children must master to have success in the world. As author Mary Pope Osborne has said, “Reading is the basic springboard for learning. And books provide the liftoff. They are… Read More ›
Expanding Family Literacy Night with the AASL Inspire Special Event Grant
Griffin Middle School is located in a suburb on the northwest side of Atlanta, Georgia. The population is diverse; approximately 60 percent of the students are Hispanic. Two years ago, my principal asked me to take on the role of… Read More ›
Some Lesser-Known Features of GoodReads, a Great Book-Minding Tool
In January, I wrote about Library Extension, a tool that can inspire some powerful literacy moments. Another great digital resource for sparking powerful literacy moments is GoodReads, which offers some fancy features that aren’t always well-known. Let’s dive in! GoodReads: What… Read More ›
Stop literacy shaming! Engaging the so-called “non-readers”
Do YOU literacy shame? I can’t believe that a single educator would ever admit to shaming a child for being literate. One of the main goals of the education profession is to encourage students to improve their literacy skills. And… Read More ›
Speed Dating with Nonfiction Books
It’s a never-ending dilemma: how to get overworked high school students to read for pleasure. Too often, teens associate reading with mandatory curriculum books. The Scarlet Letter, A Tale of Two Cities, Things Fall Apart. . . though some teens… Read More ›
What should our students know?
At the 2018 School Library Journal Summit in Brooklyn, I had the privilege of hearing George Takei talk about his childhood experiences in Japanese-American Internment Camps during World War II. The talk was timed for his forthcoming graphic novel for… Read More ›
Do people even read anymore?
An administrator recently told me, “We don’t really need a school library. Let’s face it…in 10 years…wait, FIVE years…we won’t need print books anymore. Nobody reads books anymore. They can Google everything they need!” I’m guessing the look on your… Read More ›