The SLLN (School Librarian Learning Network) Podcast

Guest: Stacy Brown, Director of Innovation and Professional Learning (previously the Media Specialist and 21st Century Learning Coordinator) From: The Davis Academy Georgia (with a strong dose of Texas) Grade(s) Taught: Pre-k, K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Resources: Book Club Bash: https://tinyurl.com/bannedbooknooks Add'l Links: These are the book club slides that we followed for that particular boo...

Guest: Melissa Snider, School librarian From: Jackson - Munger Mountain Elementary School, Teton County School District #1 Wyoming Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Resources: Winter Book Give-Away: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jZtqbFm2DzLzj8Mgb6MzAl4ZEVHrFHYlJDu6KGZDqGk/edit?tab=t.0 Book Break: Poetry anthologies curated by James Crews , especially The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peac...

Guest: Pamela Verfaillie From: Valdez High School Alaska Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12   Resources:  Topic Tasting for research projects: Are you tired of the same old topics for student research projects? A topic tasting, similar to a book tasting, might be just what you're looking for! Topic Tasting folder: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ixEwNLvsijkXgpfdG4Ow-zAqwXQnq9Hg   Add'l Links: ...

Guest: Quentin Taylor, School Librarian From: Legacy Elementary School, Macclenny Florida Grade(s) Taught: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Resources:   Read Out of the Box: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JL2TBaNAaQ8JRtm2fD90tAuhvdaKNcOW/view?usp=sharing   Add'l Links: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1VzRrYDjEenqPW4MtV7X4R55gnwbPEcDA?usp=drive_link   Book Break:  Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins Cry...

This is a super-short bonus episode -  First, we want to announce the winner of the raffle winner from Episode 54, where guest Rachel Grover set up a raffle to give away a copy of the book Life After Whale . Congratulations to the winner, Heidi Sumner! Second, we want to encourage listeners to reach out and share a lesson, program, or activity. If you like the podcast, we need YOU to come and shar...

Guest: Nicole Smith-Schultz,M.Ed, School Librarian Media Specialist  From:   New Jersey  Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Resources:  Poem in your Pocket flyer:  https://www.canva.com/design/DAGiGQj3NJc/hOyX-EobuIGWEJMMkK7dgA/view?utm_content=DAGiGQj3NJc&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=heeb813405c   Book Break:  The Invisible String by Patririce Karst We Sho...

Guest: Michael Czajkowski Resources:  "Boost your brain with boredom" from May Clinic "Human Information Behavior" by T.D. Wilson "Parasocial relationships, social media, & well-being" by Cynthia A. Hoffner & Bradley J. Bond Check in with us, and check us out! Have an idea, a question, or a lesson you want to share? Email SchoolLibLearning@gmail.com Check out the curated list of free online resour...

Guest: Amy Brownlee, Librarian & Reading Teacher From:   Kansas Grade(s) Taught: Prek-12   Resources:  Active Learning: Mapping the Library: https://knowledgequest.aasl.org/mapping-the-library-at-student-orientation/   Add'l Links:  Call number location activities https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v3xReMZigQTIg65pjBgJy68Rttfa88mJ/view?usp=sharing   Article: " Reading for pleasure in free fall: New...

Guest: Rachel Grover , School Librarian From:   Virginia Grade(s) Taught:  7, 8   Resources :  Building Conversational English Skills in the Makerspace: https://groverscornerofthelibrary.com/2016/10/29/conversational-english-in-the-makerspace/     Book Break:  Popcorn by Rob Harrell (realistic/humor) Thieves' Gambit by Kayvion Lewis (adventure/mystery) Life After Whale: The Amazing Ecosystem of a...

Guest: Katie McNamara , Teacher Librarian & Program Director From: Central California  CA   Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12, Higher Ed   Resources:  Author Visit : https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fNlU1ZiBMUio06LeiDQzO5xldBmx4vSEP518XmN3R78/edit?tab=t.bwb4b0l15rk3     Book Break:  This Thing of Ours by Frederick Joseph  Speechless by Aron Nels Steinke Of Earthly Delights by Goldy Moldavsky A Cat...

Fellow New Jerseyan Meredith and I randomly crossed paths on Bluesky, and I'm glad we did! Meredith's lesson is great, and our conversation blew my mind in about five different dimensions.  Guest:  Meredith Butts , Library and Information Scientist Grade(s) Taught: 5, 6, 7, 8 Resources:  Information Organization Lesson: https://edushare.ing/organizinginformationbymeredithb   Add'l Links: https://e...

Sarah joins us all the way from Mumbai, India! And she brings some great ideas for building reading culture with active and engaged students. Guest: Sarah Ducharme, Head of Secondary Library Grade(s) Taught: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Resources:  Creating a Culture of Reading: Booktalks & more Lesson: Various activities: https://oberoi-is.libguides.com/OGC-Secondary/OISReads   Book Break:  Everything...

When I saw Bernadette's post on Bluesky featuring a video of her students serving as bowling alley bumpers, I had to know more! I'm so glad Bernadette was willing to share about this hands-on learning activity she does with her students to teach about, and then reinforce, library materials organization.  Guest: Bernadette Roche Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Resources:  Biography Bowling vid...

My new friend Rachael Welsh shared a great idea on Bluesky, and I had to learn more! Thanks to her generosity, we can now all learn along with her and her students as she shares her interactive history lesson.  Guest: Rachael Welsh Grade(s) Taught: 5, 6 Resources:  Interactive History Lesson : https://www.canva.com/design/DAGVAMqSWxc/vUSYg5HVNeki2Ys0pMIWQw/view?utm_content=DAGVAMqSWxc&utm_campaign...

First-year school libarian Gwen and I stumbled across each other on Bluesky, and I'm glad we did! We had a great time chatting about being new school librarians, and Gwen shared some of her methods for engaging her students with the library space.  Guest: Gwen Blumberg Grade(s) Taught: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Resources:  Strengthening Library Skills to Increase Independence & Engagement Lesson:...

I had heard Christina discussing her passion for getting publishers to focus on books for our 12-15 year olds on Amy Hermon's School Librarians United podcast, and was completely on board with her message. Months later, I happened to come across Christina on Bluesky, where we were able to connect and share some ideas. And now she's here to share some of those ideas with you, too!  Guest:  Christin...

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast. Ryan has so many great ideas on collaborating with teachers and bringing writing into the library to complement the reading and reasearch students do. Here he shares how he teaches students how to use research skills to add depth to their creative writing!  View Ryan's lesson p...

My friend Mike is back to chat about our different strategies for finding our next reads and keeping track of our TBR lists! 

Lindsey is a new friend I made on Bluesky. After years as a school librarian, she moved into school library administration. While our conversation isn't about a specific activity, Lindsey shares some great ideas for making our school libraries and resources more readily available; because it doesn't matter how great our libraries are if no one is using them!  Guest: Lindsey Kimery Grade(s) Taught:...

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast. Barbara Johnson blew me away with this amazing program that encourages student engagement and increases their technological literacy. It is also a great opportunity to highlight the many ways school libraries support students beyond books - which can be some great PR and librar...

This episode was originally recorded for the second season of School Library Connection's "One Lesson at a Time" podcast. The always-amazing Melissa Thom was kind enough to share her lesson plan for a student podcasting lesson. This lesson engages students with research and offers them creativity in presenting their findings.  View Melissa's lesson plan, catch the original version of the episode,...

Texan-by-way-of-the-Pacific-Northwest Heather is a Library Coordinator for a 52-school district, after having moved over to admin from the library. She now supports the school librarians in her district through a variety of means, several of which focus on the librarians' self-collected data. They use the data for quarterly reports. Unlike so much of the data collected in schools, Heather's school...

I made a new friend, and she is awesome! Illinois school librarian Jennifer Fox Eberle shared some pictures of an amazing "Library of Things" program and a super-cool cardboard haunted house activity her students did. When we started chatting, she mentioned an AMAZING program she does that kinda blew my mind. And she was kind enough to come share it with everyone!  Guest: Jennifer Eberle Grade(s)...

Ryan and I first chatted a while back on the One Lesson at a Time podcast (which will be a Throwback episode here in the near future), and I was immediately struck by how Ryan managed to connect writing with the school library. In this episode, Ryan shares more suggestions to help school librarians support student writing.  Guest: Ryan Bani Tahmaseb Grade(s) Taught: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,...

I had seen the amazing things Andrea was doing with her students online, and when I first met her in person at TXLA in April 2024, I was absolutely blown away by her energy and enthusiasm. I'm excited to have her share with us some important ideas for working with ALL our students!  Guest: Andrea Keller Grade(s) Taught: 9, 10, 11, 12 Resources:  Add'l Links: https://beeinthebookends.blogspot.com/...