As I was teaching a research lesson to an AP literature class the other day, a student raised her hand and asked, “Why is this list mostly dead white males?” She had been looking over the chart of author choices… Read More ›
Research
The Value of Research Questions
Curiosity as a Learning Tool As a curious individual, I ask myself dozens of questions every day: What type of insect is that? What did this street look like 100 years ago? How does color affect people’s moods? I’m the… Read More ›
The Future Is Now
It is the beginning of a new academic year. Today, our faculty offered a student orientation activity. I met a group of first-year college students. Despite the trend of many nontraditional students entering college, these students all looked to be… Read More ›
Engage Learners with an Inquiry Lesson about Traveling to School
Would you like to start the school year with an inquiry lesson that supports the Engage Shared Foundation? Here’s an idea for you. Ask learners how they travel to school. Then, invite them to think about how children around the… Read More ›
The 3 Most Important Words We Use
Raise your hand if you’ve ever told a student “I don’t know” only to have a look of shock, awe, or disgust appear before you. Many students believe that because you are a librarian, you must know everything! One of… Read More ›
Data Literacy in the Library
Data Driven Data has always been around us, but recently it’s taken center stage in all areas of society. Earlier this month I attended the virtual Empire State Library Network Pillars Symposium. During the conference, I gathered valuable resources and… Read More ›
My Favorite Collaborative Lesson: Flags in First Grade
Collaboration can take many forms. It does not always have to be a co-taught lesson or one with many parts. It just needs to be one where the school librarian and classroom teacher support each other’s curriculum to help extend… Read More ›
Strategies for Reading an Academic Journal
Academic journal articles can be tough to read. From the challenging vocabulary to the format, students often struggle synthesizing information from such articles. For several years, I have struggled with the best way to guide students. Finally, this year, I… Read More ›
The I-Search Paper: Getting Students Excited about Research
Whenever I teach a research lesson to a class of high school students, I notice the lack of enthusiasm for the project they’re about to start. I find myself working hard to convince them that research is a rewarding endeavor… Read More ›
Submitting a 2021 AASL National Conference Research into Practice Proposal
The next AASL National Conference will be held October 21-23, 2021, in Salt Lake City, Utah. I am excited because I get to be part of the AASL National Conference Committee. I will be working with some innovative people to… Read More ›