Distance Learning: On the Fear of Falling Behind

“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 […]

Read More

Design Thinking for a Covid Halloween

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 […]

Read More

Banned Books Week 2020

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 […]

Read More

What is a Distance Learning Coordinator, Anyway?

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 […]

Read More

How Do We Create Equitable Virtual Learning Spaces for Students?

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 […]

Read More

Monday Wonder: What Questions are We Asking about Online Learning?

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 […]

Read More

Sarah FitzHenry, Professional Optimist

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 […]

Read More