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 ›
The AASL/ALSC/YALSA Interdivisional Committee on School and Public Library Cooperation is now focusing its work on equity, diversity, and inclusion projects that include library partnerships. This blog post is the first in this new series. By Carrie Sanders The YALSA… Read More ›
The wood piece falls from my hand. I pick it up, put it in the clamp, and saw away at the block until the blade slices through the remaining attached fibers and one piece becomes two. I have thirty minutes… Read More ›
One of the things I’ve struggled with as a high school librarian is makerspaces. At my large suburban high school, students have ample opportunities to take STEM/STEAM-related classes that allow them to create the types of projects they might make… Read More ›
I am lucky enough to serve librarians, teachers, and students in Denver Public Schools, which has a wonderful collection of circulating makerspace kits for librarians and teachers to check out–kind of a “try before you buy” concept that provides a… Read More ›
Summer is almost here for many of us. It’s a great time to relax, recharge, and reinvigorate our passion for education. I love using my summers to explore creative ideas that I haven’t gotten to throughout the school year. Whether… Read More ›
Although I was super excited about the makerspace movement, my enthusiasm quickly faded as I realized expectations and reality can be very different. What started as a $50,000 educational shopping spree (thanks, TeacherPreneur Grant), had all but ended with two… Read More ›
Today’s students live in a global society. But does that mean they can function effectively in that multicultural environment? That same question may be put to school librarians. Furthermore, in what ways can today’s school librarians facilitate global awareness and… Read More ›
If you’ve been following what I’ve written here on AASL Knowledge Quest and on Renovated Learning, you know that this year I’ve moved to a new-to-me school, an independent 6-12. I wrote earlier about slow change and figuring things out gradually…. Read More ›
Makerspaces are amazing places. Our students can learn all kinds of new skills. But it behooves us to learn some of those skills ourselves. You certainly don’t have to be an expert in all things to create a makerspace in… Read More ›