When the pandemic hit, the world changed drastically. I went from working full-time as a school librarian, studying as a graduate student, and working part-time at the university’s library to being ordered to shelter inside the one-bedroom apartment that I shared with my husband and our dog. My days, which were once fully booked and overstimulating, were now quiet and full of free time....
When I was a kid, summer break always began the same way: on the last day of class, my mom would blast “School’s Out” by Alice Cooper on the car ride home, windows rolled down, my brother and I giddily singing along at the top of our lungs, “No more pencils, no more books..” Ironically, I would then spend my summer reading as many books as I could get my hands on! Most students say they really...
As a secondary ELAR Coordinator in Rockwall, Texas, when we implemented the readers/writers workshop, my first goal was to share with all the middle school and high school teachers the value of choice reading. That part was easy with all the research available including from NCTE and the fact that our recently adopted new state standards include one that states, “The student is...
Of course, educators want students to develop into lifelong readers and learners. We want our students to find genres, authors, series, information, and perspectives they are eager to dive into. We also know that the minute we assign something or grade something, it reduces our students’ motivation. So how do we show our students we value their journey into reading for enjoyment...