When We Reach Them
Picture Book Parade
This season, if you visit Minneapolis’ Midtown Farmers Market, you’ll stroll by a harvest of picture books by Minnesota authors: Picture Book Parade — a new initiative by children’s authors Sarah Warren and Catherine Urdahl.
We Are the Future
We Are the Future: Poems with a Voice for Peace is impossible to read without being deeply moved by the open hearts and minds of refugee and immigrant youth in the Seattle area, guided by poets and teachers Merna Hecht and Carrie Stradley.
Children’s Literacy Foundation
Imagine the joy of a child who never had the privilege of owning a book being able to choose new hardcover or paperback editions for free out of hundreds displayed in front of him. The Children’s Literacy Foundation doesn’t have to imagine. Staff have seen the excited smiles on these young faces for the past 23 years,
A Good Word
As teachers and writers, we all love words. Wouldn’t we love to be able to infuse that same love into each and every one of our students! Teaching English to middle schoolers and high schoolers for years gave me plenty of opportunities to try out different ways of attempting to kindle enthusiasm in my students
Shhhhhh
This is the sound of walking into retirement for me and so many teachers this spring. Although friends are already emailing to congratulate us on this new journey, we’re all alone while packing up our offices and classrooms for the last time. There will be no big parties, no formal farewells, no cozy get-togethers where
The Gems: Revolutionize Your Teaching of Writing
The stack of student papers lurks on the corner of your desk, just waiting to be marked and graded. Yes, the rubrics and grading standards will be applied conscientiously, paper after paper. Your students wait, some in dread, some in hopeful anticipation, for your final judgments on their papers. But wait — there’s another way to evaluate
Timeless Tales Program
Creating a Connected Community of Readers: Intergenerational Storytime After seeing a handful of articles about nursing homes opening up preschools in a shared space, as well as the benefits from this partnership, I wanted to find a way to create the same intergenerational connection in a library setting. We already had a relationship with our local retirement home as our Circulation Supervisor
#OneStatelinerStory
Modeled after the One School, One Book premise, Phillipsburg School District Elementary ELA & Social Studies Curriculum Director Darlene Noël created a school-wide event called #OneStatelinerStory: Every Classroom. Every Student. Every Family. The fundamental purpose of this event is to build a community of readers through a shared reading experience. Think of it as a really large book club!
When We Reach Them
We’re out of school today in observance of Oaks Day here in our area. This morning, Anita Silvey, children’s literature expert and resource, reminded us on Facebook that Pete Seeger celebrates a birthday today. 100 years. I might not have known that without her post. How many of us would? How many of us would have known