School librarians are uniquely positioned to be leaders. We see all of our students. (And — shh, don’t say this too loudly to our classroom teacher friends — but nothing that we teach is on a standardized test, so our… Read More ›
professional development
Stuck on Standards?
The AASL National School Library Standards were published a little over one year ago. Many school librarians have been implementing the standards in practice since, and many school librarians are just getting started in their implementation process. However, some librarians… Read More ›
Circles of Concern, Influence, and Control
Everything we do in our work is an opportunity for advocacy, and we should take full advantage of each opportunity. Every email we send, every conversation we have, every resource we curate, and every event we plan all have an… Read More ›
Reaching Students & Teachers through Videos
I work at a relatively large high school with about 3,000 students and over 200 staff members. I also only have a part-time library aide and we work on three different bell schedules to accommodate student lunches. So although I… Read More ›
Finding Ideas for Professional Development
Last month I wrote about how important it is to offer professional development for our teachers. However, developing a schedule for professional development and finding topics to fill it up can be a challenge. To begin, I recommend offering professional… Read More ›
Professional Development Power
Did you know that as a school librarian, you have an incredible super power? This power can increase teacher retention, improve academic achievement, and change your school culture. What is this magical power? It is professional development for teachers. Let… Read More ›
15-Minute PD: You Get What You Give
There is a lot one can accomplish in just 15 minutes. You can update your resume, grab takeout dinner, take a shower, or even explore a new educational technology or library service. That’s right, in 15 minutes, school libraries can… Read More ›
Drop-In Professional Development in the School Library
Drop-In PD is Born School librarians know all too well how precious time is during the school day. With that in mind, I decided to get creative about offering professional development (PD) opportunities for the teachers here at Highland School… Read More ›
This Is How We Help Future School Librarians
Several years ago when my co-librarian switched from working in a law library to working in a public school library, her internship was something like our school district saying, ”We’re desperate. You’re hired.” A few years after that it was… Read More ›
The Glass Half Full: Focusing on the Positive
Recently, I was able to attend my state library conference, the MAME Conference, for the first time. While there we heard from speakers like Colby Sharp, John Shu, and author Jewels Rhodes Parker. Needless to say, it was two days… Read More ›