Day 18: Celebrate a Tiny Victory August can feel like one long to-do list. Somewhere in the middle of all that activity, it’s easy to believe you haven’t accomplished very much. But that’s rarely true. The problem isn’t that you’re making no progress. The problem is that you’re only noticing what’s left to do. Today’s… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 18
Day 17: Build an Emergency Lesson & Substitute Folder School libraries are wonderfully unpredictable. No matter how carefully we plan, life occasionally reminds us that not every day will go according to schedule. That’s why today’s Quick Win may become one of the most valuable preparations you make all year. Create an Emergency Lesson &… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 1
Day 16: Simplify One Procedure Most school librarians have a routine they don’t even think about anymore. You’ve done it so many times that it feels automatic. But here’s something worth considering: Just because a procedure is familiar doesn’t mean it’s the simplest way to do it. Today’s Quick Win isn’t about making a big… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 16
Day 15: Hide a Few Fun Surprises One of the best parts of reading is discovering something unexpected. Why not bring a little of that same sense of discovery into your library? Today’s Quick Win is all about creating small moments of delight for your students. Sometimes the smallest gestures leave the biggest impressions. Why… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 15
Day 14: Create a Student Recommendation Board One of the best book recommendations a student can receive doesn’t come from a bestseller list. Or a book review. Or even the librarian. It comes from another student. Students love discovering what their classmates are reading, and they’re often willing to try a book simply because someone… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 14
Day 13: Prepare Three Questions You’ll Ask Students The first library visit of the year is full of opportunities. Those things are all important. But before students remember what you said, they’ll remember how you made them feel. One of the simplest ways to help students feel welcome is to ask a few thoughtful questions—and… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 13
Day 12: Send a Friendly Email to Teachers Day 12: Send a Friendly Email to Teachers The beginning of the school year is full of introductions. As the school librarian, this is also the perfect time to introduce—or reintroduce—yourself to the teachers you’ll be serving all year long. Today’s Quick Win is wonderfully simple. Take… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 12
Day 11: Choose One New Book to Book Talk As school librarians, we love sharing books. We get excited about a new picture book that makes us laugh out loud. A middle grade novel we couldn’t put down. A fascinating nonfiction title that leaves us saying, “Did you know…?” That excitement is contagious. When students… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 11
Day 10: Label Something That Has Been Annoying You We all have one. That drawer. The one where bookmarks, batteries, paper clips, tape, sticky notes, scissors, USB drives, and who-knows-what-else somehow end up living together. Or maybe it’s a cabinet full of supplies. A shelf of processing materials. A stack of bins that all look… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 10
Day 9: Prepare One Grab-and-Go Activity If you’ve worked in a school library for any length of time, you know one thing for certain: Schedules change. A class arrives ten minutes early. Another class is delayed. The fire drill interrupts your lesson. The teacher gets called to the office. The technology decides today is not… More August in the Library: 21 Quick Wins – Day 9