“Laughter is the best medicine.” You’ve heard that saying, right? The Mayo Clinic supports this message in their post “Stress Relief from Laughter? It’s No Joke.” They present the benefits of having a good laugh. So when things get a… Read More ›
pandemic resource
The Original Plan vs. What It Really Looks Like
This year I have been teaching students who are face to face as well as those who are learning remotely. At the start of the school year, I had grand plans. I was going to do all the things and… Read More ›
Finding Joyful Moments
We Choose Our Focus This school year has been like no other. Educators are struggling to figure out what works for themselves and their students amidst unprecedented turmoil. Although the temptation to “doom scroll” beckons, I’m trying to choose wisely…. Read More ›
Making the Virtual World a Happier [Reading] Place: Authors and School Librarians Go Hand in Hand
March 13 was the day COVID-19 changed everything for school librarians in my school district. Like other school librarians across the globe, we quickly transitioned from our beloved library spaces to an unknown virtual world. Like the character Lucy in… Read More ›
Enhancing Students’ Reading through the Inspire Special Event Grant
Students at Loch Raven Technical Academy (LRTA) are being given the chance to read for personal enjoyment or a chance to engage their knowledge of the world and the events around them. Through the Inspire Special Event Grant, 60 students… Read More ›
Winter Is Coming
The Election Storm I am writing this post in the last days of early voting in my state. Next week is election day, and there is so much rhetoric on the news that the election will not be certain for… Read More ›
Turn to Your School Librarian for Leadership in Online Learning
School librarians have many roles, among which are teacher and instructional partner. AASL’s position “The Strategic Leadership Role of School Librarians” notes, “The American Association of School Librarians (AASL) supports the position that full-time certified school librarians provide effective leadership… Read More ›
Teaching in the Shadow of COVID: Changes and Adaptations
I am finally resigned to the idea that the COVID pandemic will not go away any time soon. It is like an unwanted guest that decided to move in. Initially, I felt we would be back to normal within a… Read More ›
Simplifying Library Resources
Simplicity is something that school librarians, teachers, and students welcome right now. As Julia Hobsbawm, the author of The Simplicity Principle, puts it, “The human desire for simplicity is ancient, and especially evident during times in which society undergoes upheaval”… Read More ›
Access to Print Books? Yes!
In this time of virtual and hybrid learning, are print books still important? My answer is a resounding “yes”! However, what do you do if your administrator doesn’t “get it”? I received a request for advice from a school librarian… Read More ›