…changing the world, one reader at a time.
What goes on in my library? Check out the Teaching category to get all the details on library lessons, computer science collaborations, library interns, middle school electives, social emotional exercises, book clubs, resource lists, and more.
Looking for a book to add to your middle school curriculum that will spark meaningful conversation about racism, especially in schools and sports? Black Brother, Black Brother, by Jewell Parker Rhodes, could be it. Read it with… Jerry Craft’s New Kid to compare microagressions and overt racism, and open readers’ eyes to look more critically […]
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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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We’re six weeks into the 2020-2021 school year, and the charm is starting to wear off a bit. Maybe you’re feeling it, too? August, in all of its uncertainty and whirlwind, felt a bit like the pandemic’s beginnings in March. New and scary, with lots of questions, but a heightened sense of togetherness. We can […]
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September 28-October 2 is Banned Books Week. Buckle up, because – surprise! – I have some feelings about censorship. Librarian Mike Rawls, otherwise known as @thebookwrangler, put it beautifully on his Instagram page this week: “Books are banned for all kinds of reasons… but 8 out of 10 books on the American Library Association’s Most […]
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I’m not working in a school library this year, but that doesn’t mean that I’ve lost sight of the importance of stories. While sharing the reading that I’ve been doing to try and learn and grow this year, I keep getting the same questions over and over again: Can I read this book with my […]
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This is the infographic that I designed to answer the questions that my new coworkers are way too nice and welcoming to ask outloud: “Why are you here, and what do you do??” I’ve been working with my new school’s leadership team to build this role from scratch, and I’m proud and excited about what […]
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This week, Diversity Equity and Inclusion practitioner Erica Roth and I gave a webinar called Seen, Known, and Loved: Equitable and Inclusive Practices for Classroom Teachers K-8 through the Virginia Association of Independent Schools. We spoke to a group of educators about practices to ensure that students feel safe and valued in the classroom (through […]
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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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