As each new school year approaches we are all thinking about what we want to change and improve on and setting new goals for ourselves. For many years I have heard the ideology that our school library positions are an… Read More ›
school libraries
The School Wide Love for The Hate U Give
I am never one to turn down a free lunch. So when the invitation was extended by Khristi Jenkins (school librarian) and Wrenn Heisler (English teacher) at Patuxent High School to come and join in a lunch-time book discussion, I… Read More ›
Autonomy Lays the Foundation for Motivation
High ability does not guarantee high achievement. Our students need motivation if they are expected to perform at their greatest levels and to perform well over an extended period of time. For many students, motivation comes in the form of… Read More ›
Adventures in 3D Printing
As the makerspace craze continues to sweep across libraries nationwide, school libraries are trying to come up with ways to engage students in meaningful makerspace work. This year the majority of my time at the close of the semester has… Read More ›
Popcorn and the Power of a Great Book Trailer
There’s nothing like seeing a great movie in a theater. First of all, there’s the popcorn. Movie-theater popcorn is unlike anything you can microwave or cook on the stove. There’s the anticipation of a great film and spending 2 hours… Read More ›
Traveling the Dust Bowl in the School Library
Connection: Classroom Curriculum and School Library Standards School librarians wear many hats; teacher, keeper of the books, tech expert, collaborator, program planner, host of events and programs, just to mention a few. I recently planned, organized, and hosted “Traveling the… Read More ›
Interview with a Future, Future Ready Librarian
May 2019 marks five years since I completed the practicum to earn a Master of Science degree in Library Media Education (LME) from Western Kentucky University. The LME Practicum requires 120 field hours—with 40 of these hours being completed in… Read More ›
Stuck on Standards? The School Librarian’s Role
In last month’s post “Stuck on Standards?” I highlighted two examples of how to implement the AASL Standard Framework for Learners. In both examples, I utilized the same lesson and standard frameworks, scaffolding each for different grade levels. Scaffolding is… Read More ›
Teamwork: Advocating for School Librarians & School Libraries
There seems to be an ever-increasing movement across the nation to do one or more of the following: Reframe the school librarian position as something less than a teacher. Do away with credentialed school librarians. Do away with school libraries…. Read More ›
More Support for Ending School Library Fines
A couple of blog posts ago I wrote that I was evaluating my stance on school library fines. Since then my co-librarian has warmed up to the idea, and we’ve been planning how we are going to phase out fines…. Read More ›