A School Librarian Sharing Books & #ClassroomBookADay
For the start of *Freedom to Read Week* I choose to put the focus on the main point of the activism week from the positive stance of what we’re promoting vs the negative actions of banning books and restricting access to stories and violating rights of readers to decide for themselves a reminder that one of the most often banned… Read More
A few days ago I posted a list of alternative options to update your first day read aloud by replacing First Day Jitters with newer titles. Today I’m sharing updated alternatives for the classic (and somewhat overused in classrooms) Chrysanthemum. Classics can be beloved for a valid reason, but I know that books that are 20+ years old may not… Read More
As I have deepened my picture knowledge over the last eight years of doing #ClassroomBookADay, and now as a school librarian, one of the things I notice is that many teachers have a tendency to stick with tried & true favorites for read aloud. Especially for back-to-school time. I think a lot of it comes from always feeling a bit… Read More
I shared this on social media and was asked to house it on the blog also for easier citation. Feel free to use for your own reflection or share (with credit!) as you see fit. 12 Steps to EduGrowth When Called In ©2019 Jillian Heise @heisereads A footnote: After posting this, a generous twitterer replied to my step 11 to… Read More
With the news about the terrorist attack on mosques in New Zealand, my mind went to books I could share with students. The books that would help them better understand the wearing of a hijab. The books that would help them better understand what it means when they hear the word Muslim or Islam. The books that would help them… Read More
I don’t read books to pick them apart. I read them to enjoy and figure out which ones will work for, and connect with, the students I serve, and to recommend to other educators. But that doesn’t mean I can read without a critical lens. In fact, it’s a requirement. In the quest to provide more diverse representation in literature,… Read More
I’ve been using the phrase #representationmatters in a lot of my postings about books lately. (sidenote: where did that phrase originate? If anyone knows, please share!) Because it does. Because kids need to see themselves represented in the books they read. Their lives need to be validated. All of the different variations of lives and families and types of people there are… Read More
I am utterly exhausted, but feeling utterly blessed after this year’s trip to NCTE & ALAN. So much learning, so much laughter, so many amazing conversations, leaving me with so much to go home and think about. I feel as if NCTE is my yearly call to action to center me in the work of doing best by kids. And… Read More
