As a former 6th-grade English teacher, I miss teaching kids how to be writers. As a school librarian, I realize that reading and writing go hand in hand and there is no reason writing cannot be a part of my… Read More ›
literacy
Meaningful Displays: 4 Examples of Displays with Purpose
In November 2015, Jennifer LaGarde wrote a blog post called “Six Tips for Building Book Displays That Matter.” In the post, she shared how her philosophy around displays had changed since starting as a librarian. She questioned, “Why would we… 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 ›
Collaboration with Choice Novel Studies
English Class: Choose Your Own Book Really? In English class?! We get to choose? Choice Novel Studies (CNS) are beginning to ripple into our high school English department, with great benefits. Our circulation numbers in the library increased by over… 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 ›
Building a Reading Community, One Reader at a Time
This spring, one of our 9th graders found a safe spot with us in the Camden Hills Regional High School Library. Erica is a self-proclaimed non-reader. She’s not a member of our Student Library Advisory Committee. But she is… Read More ›
Popcorn and the Power of a Great Book Trailer
There’s nothing like seeing a great movie in a theater. First of all, there’s the popcorn. Movie-theater popcorn is unlike anything you can microwave or cook on the stove. There’s the anticipation of a great film and spending 2 hours… Read More ›
5 Things I Love about Author Visits
Each year I am responsible for scheduling the author visit for my school. Preparing for these visits can be a lot of work. There are many factors to consider such as finding the right fit for your audience, budgeting, book… Read More ›
Journalism Fosters Inclusiveness in the Library
Staff writers, editors, and head editors flood the center of my library to produce the Webb Canyon Chronicle, the public record of student voice at The Webb Schools. Although I always valued student-centered and artful approaches to education, I never… Read More ›
One School + One Book = A Love of Reading
Creating a culture for reading is a major part of what it means to be a school librarian. It is also an ongoing effort. There will never come a time when we stop encouraging students to read. One of the… Read More ›