Earlier this month I posted about Blog Safety and included a link about CyberBullying. Andy Carvin is initiating Stop Cyberbullying Day this Friday, March 30, 2007 and we want to be responsive to this issue in school libraries. In our school libraries we work hard to create an atmosphere that is positive and safe for the [...]

National Library Legislative Day (NLLD) is only one month away. Will you be there or will you send someone to speak for you? You can participate virtually through the Virtual Library Legislative Day (VLLD). I deeply appreciate the American Library Association's Washington Office staff member training. These people know the facts, the climate, the approach [...]

Interactive tools online don't have to be sequential and wordy. I am definitely a graphical learner. I love Kidspiration with my students. I use Inspiration whenever I am brainstorming lessons and grant ideas with teachers. The online tool Gliffy is one of my favorite Web 2.0 technologies but I need help mastering the collaborativeness. Who'd like [...]

Movers & Shakers! Each year Library Journal takes nominations for 50 plus librarians and other individuals to honor as a Mover and Shaker. Take a look at who represents the school library field this year including the amazing Lisa Von Drasek, the passionate Melissa Johnston, the inspirational Julie Masterson-Smith,  the dedicated Gregory Lum, and so [...]

Since the new research says working out makes us smarter and helps fight cancers, what will you be doing in your library? The March 26, 2007 Newsweek article by Mary Carmichael "Stronger, Faster, Smarter" was entertaining reading especially when it confronted stereotypes of jocks as being less capable with Charles Hillman blaming schools for cutting athletes [...]

Have you forgotten a student population in your district? Look at the alternative education programs that keep expanding throughout the country. Should you be reaching out to them, why, and how? I interviewed Alan Chiupka, alt. ed. Teacher at M.A.P. Academy in Lebanon, TN about the special library needs his students have. Alan indicated that [...]

Everywhere you turn there are programs out there to motivate your students to read. Some of them are commercial products. Some are business-based that have hidden agendas. Most of them purport their motivation is to get students to read. But who is determining the goals and reasons for these programs? What are sample goals of [...]

So do we have one of the 25 best careers in 2007 or one of the 10 most overrated careers in 2007? Maybe we have both. This week the U.S. News & World Report released their 2007 lists of the 25 best careers. Librarians made the list! But we did suffer in the category of [...]

Nancy Willard's new book for parents: Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens, has been released today. Her previous book was Cyberbullying, Cyberthreats.  Nancy often speaks to parents and educators about internet safety. She has a website for Cyber-Safe Kids, Cyber-Savvy Teens. Nancy emailed me back in November to say she will be providing powerpoints on her site "librarians and teachers can use [...]

There are levels of collaborativeness. Can you find ways to transform lower levels of cooperation and coordination into collaborative projects? One of my goals this year is to help teachers unpack our new district technology standards including the technology communication standards. Using a lower level of initial collaboration, I sought a way to involve students [...]