Make your library the center of your school
Most students and educators have just completed the most challenging year in their educational lives. The Covid-19 pandemic has turned our regular school routines upside down, backwards, and on their heads! This has brought stress and anxiety to a myriad of students and the adults who care for them. So, now more than ever it is important to address SEL in the school library. What
Assessment in the school library can be tricky. In my opinion, it’s not strictly a paper-pencil thing. We see our students on a limited basis (for me it was once a week, now it’s once or twice per month). The skills we are teaching in our library classes support lifelong learning – they’re definitely important! Therefore it makes sense that we want to check that
Sometimes we have some time off and WISH we could travel, but it’s just not in the cards. If you’re like me, your travel plans may have been cancelled again this year. If you have some time on your hands with no place to go, why not get in some professional development? There are lots of reasons to love online PD for school librarians… Online
Teaching research skills in second and third grades is fun when you remember a few important guidelines. The key is looking at the big picture. What have your students learned up until this point? And what will your students need as they progress though school? Research skills for second and third grade students build upon an early foundation and lay the groundwork for future learning
When I think of Spring, I think of Earth Day. April brings us outside to enjoy all that our earth has to offer. Earth Day falls at the perfect time to motivate our students to take care of our beloved planet. It’s a great time for a fun school wide event, some engaging lessons, or a special library storytime. These fun Earth Day activities will
April is National Poetry Month, so of course it’s a great time for some poetry activities in your school library. I really love to take advantage of these types of themes to create fun events in the library. Many classroom teachers do poetry units in April, so that makes it a collaboration opportunity too. Using Poetry Month activities in your school library is a win-win
Have you heard about Boom Cards? They are no-prep, digital, interactive task cards that are super easy to use! They are just the ticket to add some fun to the learning in your virtual or in-person library classes! I’ve got some tips to help you get started using Boom Cards in the school library. What are Boom Cards? Boom Cards are self-grading exercises that are
Have you heard of the Cybils Awards? The Cybils Awards aims to recognize the children’s and young adult authors and illustrators whose books combine the highest literary merit and popular appeal. http://www.cybils.com/ Volunteer judges from the blogging community read nominated titles to choose an outstanding winner in 12 categories. Round 1 judges read through large lists of nominated titles to narrow each category for the
You probably know that I LOVE to create special storytime sessions for my primary grade library lessons. Leprechaun Storytime is always a big hit! Engaging picture books, music, movement and fun lead to high levels of engagement. Since we’re coming up on the one year anniversary of school closures due to the pandemic, I’ve been reflecting on how I was unable to do my traditional
Is it possible to teach research skills in the primary grades? Of course the answer is a resounding “YES!” The key is looking at the big picture – what will your students need as they progress though school? Research skills for kindergarten and first grade students lay the groundwork for future learning and success. Think of these skills in the primary grades as building a
