…changing the world, one reader at a time.
I used to be a teacher. (That’s going to take some getting used to.) I’m one of the lucky ones: I had a great experience as an educator in 2020-2021. My unique position didn’t break me; instead, it made me realize just how much I’m capable of. Stepping out of the classroom and into a […]
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My most recent anti-racist read was You’ll Never Believe what Happened to Lacey – Crazy Stories about Racism, by Amber Ruffin and Lacey Lamar. I experienced this book in the audiobook format. Here is some information about the book, from Brave and Kind Books: Writer and performer on Late Night with Seth Meyers Amber Ruffin […]
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My 7th graders are teaching me to code in Python. I have no idea what I’m doing. And it is so great. There’s some important context here, and it starts with a big question: Are you comfortable with not being the expert in the room? For me, that’s when the magic happens. When I first […]
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My November anti-racist read was We Want to Do More than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom, by Bettina L. Love. I experienced this book via audiobook, and then re-read the hard copy from my local library. Here is some information about the book, from IndieBound: Drawing on personal stories, research, and […]
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“I’m tired of hearing people say that kids are falling behind. Behind what exactly? We have third graders logging into Zoom meetings, troubleshooting technology glitches, learning to communicate their needs, and adapting to a completely foreign school environment. With these life skills, I think they just might be pulling way ahead.” I’ve been thinking about […]
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Happy November, friends! Although there was no Haunted Library to celebrate the spooky holiday this year, there was plenty of opportunity to problem solve and get creative to safely spread some creepy fun in the era of Covid-19. Let me set the stage for you. We live in a neighborhood that normally sees quite a […]
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Image via Brave and Kind Books My September and October anti-racist read was Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor, by Layla F. Saad. In September, I experienced this book via audiobook, which the author read herself. In October, I purchased a hard copy from my local bookstore, […]
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Image via Sojourners My August antiracist read was I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness, by Austin Channing Brown. I experienced this book via the audiobook, which the author read herself. Here is some information about the book, from the AustinChanning.com: In a time when nearly all institutions (schools, churches, universities, […]
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Today, I’m wondering: Why do people ask “Can online/remote learning work for all children?” when they never asked, “Does classroom learning work for all children?” I shared this question in my Instagram stories yesterday and got so many smart and heartfelt responses that I wanted to shift the conversation here to open it up for […]
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This year, for the first time in my professional life, I won’t be a school librarian. I’m starting a new role at a new school, and the change comes with a lot of feelings. I’m still working through those. (But suffice it to say, there are a lot of emojis involved.) Mr. Fitz and I […]
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fitzbetweentheshelves.com 