How many students learn for the sake of learning? It’s a question I think about a lot in this age of overtesting. In New York, children start with the ELA, Math, and Science tests in the early grades and then… Read More ›
nonfiction
Speed Dating with Nonfiction Books
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 ›
Engaging Nonfiction Titles for High School Students
Summer is a reading marathon for me. Each year, as I prepare to go back to my high school library, I take stock of titles I’ve read that might engage my students. I’m not always successful at motivating resistant teenage… Read More ›
Fighting Anti-Semitism and Anti-Asian Hate Through Books
May is Jewish American Heritage and Asian American & Pacific Islander Month. Both these cultures contain vibrant histories. Unfortunately, something else they have in common lately is an increase in hate crimes against them. It’s more important than ever to read… Read More ›
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 ›
It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Book Lists
One of my favorite times of the year is the end-of-year book lists. Public libraries, journals, authors, publishing companies, educators—they are all posting their favorite books from the year. Are you a middle-grade librarian? There are lists just for the… Read More ›
Nonfiction November: Titles to Motivate High School Students
When the leaves begin to turn and the air becomes cooler here in the Northeast, I find myself turning more to nonfiction. With #NonfictionNovember a popular hashtag on social media, maybe I’m not the only one who craves reality-based stories… Read More ›
Creative Book Displays to Get Students Reading (Part 1)
This post is the first in a series that will focus on book displays in school libraries. When students enter my middle-school library, they come with many different backgrounds and opinions about reading. Some of them are super excited about… Read More ›
Nonfiction for Personal Growth in the High School Library
Reading Nonfiction Coming from a corporate background, I enjoy business-related nonfiction. This past summer, my selections included several recommendations from KQ bloggers. I started the summer with a recommendation by Kelly Hincks, Backable: The Surprising Truth Behind What Makes People… Read More ›
Collection Development Today: Learning Is Personal
This past year brought a global pandemic, massive protests around policing and racism, a fraught election, a riot at the Capitol, mass unemployment, mass shootings, and our democracy on the brink. And, of course, the impact of these events on… Read More ›