School libraries are often a refuge for learners who feel overwhelmed, need a safe space, or just want somewhere to go. At the start of the school year many are feeling stress and anxiety about the unknown of what the… Read More ›
makerspace
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Animal Crossings in 2nd Grade
In my school, we use a hybrid schedule in the library. This means that all lessons taught in first through third grade are done in collaboration with the homeroom teacher. The goal is to teach the library and… Read More ›
Summer Planning – Assessing the School Library Facility
Yes, Rest and Reboot, but Plan! By the time summer rolls around each year, many of us are exhausted and in need of rest and a reboot. Every other book or article I have read so far this break cover… Read More ›
Consulting the Library’s Crystal Ball: Planning Ahead for the Coming Fall
If we’ve learned anything from the past year, it’s that the poet Robert Burns was right: the best-laid plans often DO go awry. We’ve all had to pivot quite a bit, think on our feet, and be extraordinarily flexible. Although… Read More ›
Get Ready to Make It New: Embracing Change in 2021
Attention is love, what we must give children, mothers, fathers, pets, our friends, the news, the woes of others. What we want to change we curse and then pick up a tool. Bless whatever you can with eyes and hands… Read More ›
Tips for Starting a Makerspace Program and More
Once upon a time, I started my own free after-school program for elementary and middle school children. I worked with a few neighborhood children in a donated space. After I arranged for the room, I talked with local parents to… Read More ›
Learn How to Curate a Digital Collection for All Learners in the Nov/Dec Issue
Curating a digital collection for all learners provides students with the opportunity to Think, Grow, Create, and Share. One of the Common Beliefs at the forefront of the AASL Standards is, “Information technologies must be appropriately integrated and equitably available.”… Read More ›
Stations in the Library Part 1 – Choosing Your Stations
Want to create stations or centers in your school library but don’t know where to start or what to use? My friend Leigh Hopkins, instructional technology facilitator for Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools, and I tackled that topic in a recent workshop…. Read More ›
Makerspace Tools: Fancy Die-Cutting Machines
Summer can be a time to relax. It is also a time to learn new tools that can enhance the school library’s services to staff and students. We recently purchased a fancy die-cutting machine that cuts fabric, wood, leather, vinyl,… Read More ›
Creative Performers and Producers
“Educators can play important roles to enhance any components of students’ creativity” (Sak 2004). School librarians are no different. School libraries have the staff, resources, and space needed to foster creativity in students and teachers. There are many definitions and… Read More ›