WEBOOKS, a cooperative ebook purchasing plan, has been named a Cutting Edge Technology Project by the American Library Association. This model can work for districts and consortia around the country, says Christopher Harris.
(Mis)Guided Reading | Consider the Source
By on February 13, 2013 Leave a Comment
Marc Aronson explores the fundamental clash between guided reading and Common Core.
SLJ Talks to Author Andrea Cheng: Her latest book, ‘Etched in Clay,’ charts the courageous life of Dave the potter | Under Cover
By on February 13, 2013 Leave a Comment
Author Andrea Cheng’s latest book, ‘Etched in Clay,’ charts the courageous life of Dave the potter, a 19th-century slave who became an accomplished artist.
Saved by I-SAIL: Making the most of a tool that articulates the value of school libraries | On Common Core
By on February 11, 2013 Leave a Comment
In 2007. “ the superintendent came to me when he was cutting the budget and asked me why he should keep me and the library,” said Karen Smith-Cox. “He was not joking.” Her story is not unfamiliar, but the outcome provides insight for all libraries.
“As I researched support to keep the librarian and the program, I stumbled upon a first draft of I-SAIL,” added Smith-Cox, a K–8 Teacher/Librarian at the Arthur/Lovington (IL) School District. “I read it and knew [...]
Consider the Source: Why Do We Bother?
By on February 6, 2013 5 Comments
In his latest Consider the Source column, Marc Aronson talks about whether grades really matter, or if classical music is the key to a fulfilling education.
The Art of the Caldecott: At 75, the powerful award keeps proving the value of librarians’ expertise | Editorial
By on February 5, 2013 Leave a Comment
There’s nothing quite like the run-up to the announcement of the Youth Media Awards at the American Library Association’s (ALA) Midwinter Meeting.
Letters to SLJ: February 2013
By on February 5, 2013 Leave a Comment
On Common Core | Talking about Nonfiction
By on February 4, 2013 Leave a Comment
“Talking takes time” note the authors, but allowing students time for conversations about the texts they are reading is essential.
Making the Principal Connection
By on January 31, 2013 Leave a Comment
Mark Ray asserts that principals and librarians have a lot more in common than you might think—and he should know. After 20 years as a teacher librarian, the 2012 Washington Teacher of the Year has become a district IT administrator. From his new perch, he shares insights into the the pivotal alliance possible between two key solo players in the school: librarian and principal.
Planning Common Core Lessons?: Free, Web-based applications can help align your plans with the new standards
By on January 31, 2013
Ready or not, here they come. At almost every school I visited this year, teachers asked me to address the Common Core (CC) standard in my workshops. Planning lessons with CC in mind presents a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be difficult. These sites are designed with the express purpose of helping plan lessons around Common Core.
Consider the Source: Changing on the Fly
By on January 30, 2013 Leave a Comment
In his latest “Consider the Source” column, Marc Aronson compares recent developments in digital publishing to hockey’s “change on the fly” technique.
CES 2013 Top Trends for Schools: From adaptive ebooks to crowd-funded technology, products to look out for
By on January 23, 2013
Grumbling about the relevance of CES notwithstanding, several standout products are set to impact K–12 education. SLJ columnist Jeff Hastings taps the highlights, including one overarching trend that’s bound to affect a wide range of devices for all users.
Consider the Source: Getting History Right
By on January 16, 2013 1 Comment
History texts for young readers and young adults should invite them to participate in the process of thinking about, and thus re-imagining, who we are and how we got that way. Using annotated citations and other methods, our goal should be to let kids in on the process.
Teens Dig Tumblr
By on January 14, 2013 1 Comment
According to Social Times, an online source for all things social media, Tumblr has eclipsed Facebook as the number-one platform of choice, with 61 percent of 13- through 18-year-olds using it, compared to just 55 percent using Facebook. What gives? Is Facebook really for old people?
Tumblr lets teens fine-tune their interests, and it’s highly customizable. Users can post text, photos, quotes, links, music, and videos from their browsers, phones, desktops, or email accounts, making it accessible anytime, anywhere. More than [...]
Ebook Toolkit: SLJ Reviews StarWalk Kids
By on January 9, 2013
School Library Journal columnist Jeff Hastings test drives the new Web- and subscription-based ebook collection StarWalk Kids.
That Collaborative Spirit: Changing times demand more complex partnerships | Editorial
By on January 8, 2013 Leave a Comment
Who wouldn’t want to work with the two librarians on our cover? To me, their joyous, open faces welcome engagement. I want in on the action—in this case, the series of projects they pull off to bring more to the kids they each serve.
Ebooks 2013: New leasing models, cheaper devices, more content
By on January 4, 2013
“School libraries, I believe, will be the coming focal point for ebook licensing,” write Chris Harris. “We have strong relationships with our K–12 publishing partners, but now we must reach out to the trade houses. As the print market weakens, the time is right for schools to present a new business proposal.”
Life After Death: Susin Nielsen’s tenderhearted novel, ‘The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen,’ explores the aftermath of a school shooting | Under Cover January 2013
By on January 3, 2013 Leave a Comment
Canadian novelist Susin Nielsen talks about her novel The Reluctant Journal of Henry K. Larsen, which explores the aftermath of a high school shooting.
One Librarian’s Success Story | On Common Core
By on January 3, 2013 2 Comments
With one smart step at a time, Christine Poser, a middle-school librarian at Myra S. Barnes I.S. 24 on Staten Island, NY, is helping her school move on the new standards.
Oh, Mama!: What to do when a parent wants to narrow her child’s reading choices | Scales on Censorship January 2013
By on January 1, 2013 Leave a Comment
As I was preparing a library card for a new student, she handed me a two-page list of books that her mother won’t allow her to read. Then later on, her mother called and told me she expected me to monitor what her daughter was reading. What should I do?
You need to tell the mother that it’s not your role to monitor students’ reading. If she has an issue with the titles that her daughter chooses, then she [...]
