Category Archives: Blogging

As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education. While the official club has ended, they have shared posts to continue the journey through 2017. This week’s prompt was about a preferred method of communication.

If you asked me which makes me sound more intelligent, I’d say in print. My words tend to flow better, I have the time to think of the right word rather than the quickest word to get to my point, and I can edit for content. Specifically, I revise so that my point is direct rather than my verbal communication where I circuitously make my point (What was I saying again? Or, I forgot what I was saying). I’ve also made improvements like editing out exclamation points and using bullet points when emailing. I’m also the one friend you have that uses capitals when needed and proper punctuation in a text message. I have never used LOL. Ever.

Though improvements can be made for verbal skills as well. Several years ago I heard myself say “no problem” too many times when someone said thank you or deflecting a compliment rather than saying thank you. I wanted to change that, so I made a concerted effort to reply “you’re welcome” when someone said thank you and “thank you” when someone gave me a compliment.

I think about this again and again especially in my constant reflection of Turkle’s book Reclaiming Conversation that I posted about here. We are living in a society that does value digital rather than verbal. People would rather text than talk because it allows for a disconnect in interaction.

As educators to the young and old, we should listen more and talk less, something that I’m working on with teens in my library. I’m quick to put words in their mouth when they’re not coming out fast enough– thinking I know exactly what they’re going to say. But I’m doing the thing that I hate– feeling rushed when speaking. Let’s give our kids a chance to say what they want to say and not scare them into being silent. As they say, listen and silent are comprised of the same letters.

We should also read what they write, I value when current and graduated students send me their work to read and respond to. It’s why we get such a positive response when authors visit and kids are eager to get feedback from those making it in the business. Give praise and feedback to our students because they will then value their own voice in writing and keep that flame alive.

As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education. While the official club has ended, they have shared posts to continue the journey through 2017. This week’s prompt was what an alternative career would have been.

When I saw this prompt, I had to laugh out loud a little and then I got really quiet. What would an alternative be? I don’t think I have ever really had a crisis of conscience that I wasn’t in the right field– well except for those fleeting moments during a stressful day or March (educators– amiright?). Luckily those are few and far between.

And I can read the prompt one of two ways– 1) a dream job that I could do without worrying about things like income or 2) if librarianship went extinct tomorrow, what would I then do?

Humor me and I’ll answer both. First, my dream job would be reading and writing. Reading children’s, young adult, and adult literature and blogging, speaking, and sharing everywhere and anywhere people would have me. Luckily that seems like something I’m doing on the side now, which is a good thing and I won’t rock the boat. It’s a nice balance.

But, if school librarianship went away? Gosh. That’s a tough one. If I trusted my horoscope, I should go into something like mortuary science or investigation. Maybe psychology. But I’d have to take a long hard look at what’s out there in the job market. There were times where I thought about being a paramedic. The truth is that it is too difficult to think this way.

Because Allen Smith’s quote rings true. Everything I do in life prepares me for being a librarian. While I know I sound super annoying to love my job as much as I do, it is good to dream and think. What would you do if you weren’t doing what you’re currently doing?

As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education. While the official club has ended, they have shared posts to continue the journey through 2017. This week’s prompt was short and long term goals.

Taken from Pinterest and saved from spoken.ly

As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education, this week’s topic focuses on an article of interest.

I read widely because of my job and because of my interests. I find Pocket, a Chrome extension to be useful in curating the articles that I want to save, read, re-read, or remember for the future. This Huffington Post article is one such article about why libraries remain essential for school.

After a short but very fruitful week this week, I’d like reflect on what Williams’ shared and specifically their quote from Timothy Healy that “the most important asset of any library goes home at night– the library staff.” Whether it’s my drive home, the moments before I fall asleep, or even during the work day, I’m constantly reflecting on my purpose. And now re-reading Healy’s words, it’s likely the most important thing I do each day as we celebrate student success and fill our cups with positive human interaction for our young learners.

Like today, I spent two periods with AP Language classes of thirty students each booktalking and then zeroing in on a narrative nonfiction or informational text for their outside reading project. I was buzzing with adrenaline sharing my favorites and seeing the light in their eyes as they made a connection with what I was sharing or what they found.

I also use the library’s social media to share what we’re doing, but my personal social media to recognize the importance of my work to me. My mother even recently commented on a Facebook post I had made during my presentations and attendance at School Library Journal‘s Leadership Summit that I epitomize the saying that when you find a job you love, you don’t have to work a day in your life. That is true.

So yes, libraries are essential. In the public sphere in and in public education. But ultimately, what moves you in your own position?

As part of the #edublogclub year-long challenge to blog on education, this week’s topic focuses on World Teacher Day.

Dear Mrs. Clark,

Here’s what I want to thank you for

• Bunnicula and Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.
• Sesquipedalians by the week– how else would I learn awesome words like ambidextrous?
• Kindly smiling and (hopefully) loving the homemade canned pickles that my mother made and we lovingly gave you each year for a holiday treat that you then received two years later… then two years after that since you had both of my younger brothers.
• An energized classroom that valued writing
• Your kindness and love for quirky eleven year olds in all their shapes, sizes, and attitudes
• And the most important was a love of the news and information. You did riddles. I can’t remember now whether they were daily or weekly but I began reading the paper every morning because sometimes they were about current events and I needed to get the answer right. From that year on I have NEVER, ever, ever stopped reading at least one newspaper daily. It’s a habit and a need that you created.

Thank you for being one of the handful of teachers I will always remember fondly. Yes, I do remember the chain that dangled from your reading glasses and your mid-calf skirts, but I will also remember enjoying fifth grade because of you.

Happy World Teacher Day.