Andy Weir for School Libraries in New PSA
A new PSA featuring Andy Weir, author of the New York Times best-seller "The Martian" and spokesperson for the AASL 2017 celebration of School Library Month, is now available for view and download. In the PSA, Weir speaks to how school libraries empower learning by fostering experimentation and innovation. The PSA is available at www.ala.org/aasl/slm/2017/psa.
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Join AASL's Advocacy and Legislation Coalition Call April 12
Join AASL for its monthly Advocacy and Legislation Coalition Call to hear from ALA’s Washington Office on recent education bills, the future of federal funding for education, and the important messaging that must continue. AASL’s Advocacy and Legislation Coalition Calls take place the second Wednesday of each month at 12 p.m. CT. All calls are recorded and posted for viewing by those unable to attend.
AASL Introduces the Inspire Disaster Recovery Grant
Through the generous donation of Marina "Marney" Welmers, AASL is pleased to offer the Inspire Disaster Recovery Grant, a grant to support public middle or high school libraries that have incurred damage or hardship due to a natural disaster, fire, or an act recognized by the federal government as terrorism. The grant also provides funding to schools impacted by an increase in enrollment due to displaced/evacuee students.
New AASL Webinar Shares Innovative Ways to Deliver Professional Development
A new webinar is now available for view on AASL eCOLLAB. In "Delivering the Message: Using Podcasts, Google Hangouts, and Other Technologies for Professional Development," Heather Moorefield-Lang explores how to use technologies such as podcasting, YouTube channels, Twitter Chats, and Google Hangouts to inspire and engage peers.
Digital Literacy ALSC/AASL Forum Available Online
The archived webcast of the the ALSC Community Forum on digital literacy that was held on March 23 is now available online. The ALSC Board of Directors, ALSC President Nina Lindsay, and AASL co-hosted the ALSC Community Forum live chat on the topic of digital literacy, digital citizenship for children in libraries. The forum addressed the questions: with library and education funding and policy in question, who is teaching children information literacy--where and how?
ALA Launches New Site to Advocate for Libraries
ALA has launched a new website to help members and other stakeholders advocate for libraries. The site provides alerts, background, and resources regarding ALA’s ongoing appropriations advocacy. It offers what you need to contact your representative in the House of Representatives to ask them to sign the two important letters, addressed to the Appropriations Committee, that are now making the rounds, one supporting LSTA (PDF) and the other IAL (PDF).
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Delia Wallis Profiled in Local News Article
Delia Wallis, librarian in the Hermiston School District in Oregon, is profiled in a local news article. When asked about her goals for the next year, she notes, “To help complete writing state Library Standards with folks at the Oregon Association of School Libraries."
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Submit a Member Spotlight Today!
Have you or another AASL member been recognized for an award or published a new article on school librarianship? Let us know. Submit a Member Spotlight today!
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Trump Overturns Rules on ESSA and Teacher Prep
President Donald Trump signed two bills overturning education regulations. One measure overturned regulations about how states should comply with the Every Student Succeeds Act and the other rolled back a requirement for states to give annual ratings to teacher-preparation programs.
Study Casts Doubt on Effectiveness of Internet Filters
A new study by the University of Oxford casts doubt on whether Internet filters work after finding no link between homes with Internet filters and the likelihood of the teenagers in those households being better protected. The research paper, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, suggests that resources would be better spent trying to develop the resilience of teenagers to such experiences.
Senate Votes to Kill FCC Online Privacy Rules
The US Senate on March 23, in a 50–48 party line vote, decided to eliminate broadband privacy rules that would have required ISPs to get consumers’ explicit consent before selling or sharing web browsing data and other private information with advertisers and other companies. The rules were approved by the FCC in October 2016.
Google Seeks to Expand WiFi on School Buses
Google is working to expand the use of WiFi-equipped school buses in rural areas with limited access to broadband Internet. In a South Carolina community, where some students ride the bus two hours to and from school, Google funded 28 such buses.
STEM Lessons Should Start Earlier
Exposure to scientific activities between birth and age 8 can help children develop positive attitudes toward science, a new research project suggests. The project found that such activities help build science, technology, engineering and math “vocabularies.”
Department of Education Seeks Comments on New IDEA Website
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) is seeking input from users of the IDEA.ed.gov website as part of an effort to provide updated, easy-to-navigate IDEA resources to children with disabilities and their families, teachers, administrators, advocates, and other stakeholders. OSERS has posted a Blog for comments.
E-Readers Tied to Less Frequent Reading
The greater access students have to electronic reading devices, such as iPads and mobile phones, the less likely they are to read, according to a recent study by Murdoch University lecturer Margaret Merga. Findings also show that frequent readers prefer paper books.
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Resources for School Librarians
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How to Teach about Politics in a Polarized World
Modeling positive political discourse is important when offering students a different path from the current divisive discourse, according to educator Lawrence Luhlier. In the article, he offers some successful strategies to teach about politics in a polarized world.
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3 Poetry Pairings for National Poetry Month
In this blog post, English teacher Brett Vogelsinger shares an activity to help mark April as National Poetry Month. He suggests using comparisons of two short poems to engage students and offers three poetry pairings to help jump-start planning.
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How to Implement Adaptive Learning
In this blog post, fifth-grade teacher Amy Crisp shares five ways she uses her school's adaptive-learning platform, Dreambox Learning. Among them are encouraging students to think independently and setting weekly goals.
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How to Develop a Culture of Innovation
Developing a culture of innovation in a school should be a priority for school leaders, Zachary Herrmann and Zora Wolfe, with Widener University, write in this blog post. They share three steps to help leaders get started.
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Why Teachers Should Prioritize Media Literacy
The age of "fake news" means it is more important than ever for teachers to teach media literacy, writes education consultant Frank Baker. In this blog post, he explains why students need to study issues, including the conflict between the White House and the media, to develop the critical-thinking skills they need for college and career.
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Code.org to Offer Computer-Science Course
Code.org is expected to release "CS Discoveries," a free, introductory computer-science course for seventh- through ninth-grade students. A pilot program will launch in the spring and include professional development for teachers.
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Dav Pilkey Summer Reading Educator Contest
Educators are invited to enter the Dav Pilkey Summer Reading Educator Contest for a chance to win a set of 500 books for their school. Pilkey, Caldecott Honor artist and creator of the “Captain Underpants” and “Dog Man” series, is also Scholastic’s summer reading global ambassador. Applications are due by April 14.
2017 Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship
Applications are now open for the 2017 Gordon M. Conable Conference Scholarship, sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation, and four half scholarships for students to attend “Intellectual Freedom and Censorship,” a two-credit graduate course offered through the University of Illinois iSchool, sponsored by the Judith F. Krug Memorial Fund. The Conable scholarship provides funding for an LIS student or recent graduate to attend the ALA Annual Conference. Apply by April 21.
Jan Stauber-Sherlock Holmes Literacy Grant
US and Canadian librarians and teachers are eligible to apply for a Jan Stauber Grant that will provide up to $500 to fund the development of a project to introduce young people to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories about his famous fictional detective, Sherlock Holmes. Grants are awarded by the Beacon Society, a not-for-profit affiliate of the Baker Street Irregulars. Apply by May 1.
Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming
School libraries are invited to apply for a $5,000 award recognizing outstanding humanities programming in kindergarten through eighth grade, the American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office announced. Nominations for the 2017 Sara Jaffarian School Library Program Award for Exemplary Humanities Programming will be accepted until May 5.
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