Library Skills Archives - Staying Cool in the Library

Librarian Interview Tips to Help You Ace Your Next Interview

If you’re gearing up for a school librarian interview, first of all, congrats! Whether you’re stepping into the library world for the first time or looking to move to a new school, preparing for the interview is a big step toward landing a role you’ll love. I remember how nerve-wracking it felt trying to figure out how to showcase everything a school librarian does, especially in an elementary setting where your day might include teaching research skills, finding the perfect read-aloud, running a book fair, and supporting classroom teachers with resources. That’s why I’m sharing some of my favorite interview tips to help you feel confident and ready when it’s your turn to shine. How I Prepared for a School Librarian Interview When I was getting ready to interview for a school librarian position, I knew I needed to go beyond just showing my love for books. I had

Free Resource Library Elevates Library Experience for Students!

When I became a librarian, I scoured every nook and cranny for resources that would not only impact but also add a dash of excitement to the reading experience for my readers. The goal? To make our library a place of anticipation and joy with each visit. I also wanted to support my fellow classroom teachers by providing resources, that aligned with the skills they practiced in their classrooms. However, I had a hard time finding tools that fit my needs. That’s how my free resource library came to be! As I navigated the ropes of being a school librarian, I started creating special resources to fill the gaps. These resources can all be found in one convenient place – my Free Resource Library! Join me by signing up for my free resource library, where you can discover a treasure trove of materials that have enriched my journey. You’ll

Activities to Help Students Understand Why Citations Are Important

An age-old question students have is, “Why are we doing this?” Students have asked that question for decades before us, and they will continue to ask well into the future. Luckily, there is a simple answer to why citations are important. In the digital age we live in, it’s absolutely critical to understand copyright and plagiarism. Citations are important whether students are writing a paper and need to cite evidence, or when using music for a presentation. Each of these areas comes with its own rules and regulations for copyright. Why Citations are Important Citations are important because they protect people’s work. When we cite a work correctly, we are giving credit to the owner or creator of that work. Being fair is something students are often naturally passionate about, so help bridge that connection for students. When we cite = we are being fair. In order to appropriately

Must-Have Activities for Teaching Internet Safety to Kids

The internet is a double-edged sword. It’s filled with useful information. We have knowledge and power at our fingertips, and there is a lot of good it can do for the world. But, the internet is also dangerous and scary. There are dark corners of the internet where harmful things lurk. How can we keep our students safe? If you ever use technology in your classroom, it’s imperative that you teach internet safety for kids. What does internet safety mean? Internet safety for kids can mean a wide variety of things, from protecting passwords to not having access to inappropriate content. Essentially, internet safety is about protecting the student (and also equipment) from potentially dangerous content. When teaching internet safety, especially to young students, it might feel a little awkward. How do I explain that the internet can be a dangerous place? However, with younger students, you don’t need

Ideas and Activities for a Successful Literacy Night

Hosting a family literacy night or reading night is a great opportunity to get parents involved in the school and grow students’ love of reading. Parents don’t often get a glimpse of what their child is working on and doing at school each day, but with literacy nights, you can bring the parent into the school and share literacy tips and research. Of course, a well-planned literacy night can take time and effort to put together. I want to pass along some planning tips, literacy night themes, and activities you can use as you plan. What is a Family Literacy Night? Also called family reading night, a literacy night is a chance to provide important information about a child’s literacy skills and share reading strategies with families. It’s also an opportunity to get families involved in the school and student learning. During the literacy night, you can focus on

How to Teach Text Features in NonFiction

When you think of reading, charts and graphs probably aren’t the first things to come to mind. But when reading nonfiction texts, these elements play a role in understanding the text. Many times I’ve asked students to read a caption or refer to information from a chart, only to get a blank stare back. This just tells me how important it is to directly teach text features in nonfiction. What are nonfiction text features? Text features are the elements of an informational text not found within the main body of the text. This includes elements that come before and after the text (such as the table of contents or glossary) and the elements surrounding the text (such as labels and graphs). To help students understand the importance of text features, I like to give them a few examples. In one example, I will have them read directions to another

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Librarian Interview Tips to Help You Ace Your Next Interview

Free Resource Library Elevates Library Experience for Students!

Activities to Help Students Understand Why Citations Are Important

Must-Have Activities for Teaching Internet Safety to Kids

Ideas and Activities for a Successful Literacy Night

How to Teach Text Features in NonFiction

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