Five years ago, I began my new position as head librarian in a large public high school located in the Midwest. Needless to say, I was excited about all the opportunities and possibilities it would offer. My previous experiences at… Read More ›
literacy
3 Ways to Share Your Reading Life with Students
If we expect our students to become lifelong readers, we need to model that in our own lives. There are so many different ways we can share our reading life with students. One-on-one conversations are always ideal, but it can… Read More ›
“The Good Stuff”: Why Arguments about YA Matter
Years ago, after weeks of urging teachers to come to me for student book recommendations, an English teacher dropped by to take me up on my offer. I asked her what kinds of books she wanted for her 8th graders. “Good… Read More ›
Confessions of a Librarian Who Does Everything Wrong
“How do you do inventory if you can’t close the library because you’re letting kids take books out for the summer?” The criticism in the other school librarian’s voice was not even trying to veil itself behind a smile. “I… Read More ›
Something to Celebrate
April is National School Library Month, and that is a great reason to celebrate! But, there’s no reason to wait until almost the end of the school year to have some fun, build community, and promote your library program. “There’s… Read More ›
A Maker Family and Tinker Teachers
A Maker Family Meet Wooldridge Elementary librarian Elizabeth Mikeska-Benfield, her husband Patrick, the STEAM and Maker Space coordinator at St. Gabriel’s Catholic School (PreK-8), and their two sons, Memphis (10) and Jackson (8). I met the family when we gathered for a… Read More ›
3 Reasons Why Making and Literacy Aren’t Mutually Exclusive
After my post last month on Why a Makerspace Isn’t a Magic Cure-all For Your Problems, the conversation in social media took off. I noticed that some in the conversation felt that they couldn’t coordinate literacy programs and makerspace programs. Others… Read More ›
Media Literacy Education in a Blurred Truth Landscape
My favorite childhood movie is “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” Though every bit of that movie is magical, fun, and chock full of wisdom, one of the scenes that especially replays in my mind as I think about media… Read More ›
#ASKinUAE: Connecting School Librarians Around the Globe
In November, we journeyed over 7,000 miles across the globe on a non-stop 15-hour flight all the way to the United Arab Emirates. Why? We traveled to share the power of libraries with fellow librarians at the Sharjah International Book… Read More ›
Engaging Readers with Bookopolis
What Is Bookopolis? I’m always on the lookout for new ways to get my students excited about reading. This summer, I came across a website from AASL’s 2015 List of Best Websites for Teaching and Learning that does exactly that…. Read More ›