Many times over the years, as a teacher-librarian, students visited the library and left empty handed. Some students wandered back and forth from the fiction to the non-fiction sections of the library, to the online catalog, and back to the shelves again. When observing the student’s indecisiveness, I would ask the child if I could…
Early in my career as a teacher-librarian, I regretfully encouraged younger students to read only fiction books. I steered them away from non-fiction because I saw informational texts (Common Core term) as uninteresting compared to works of fiction. I also believed that lower grade students would not be able to handle or understand informational texts.…
Since the 2014 publication of my book, Mama, I Want to See God, several people have purchased it for their unborn children or for their infants. In addition to these adult readers supporting me, their major purpose for purchasing my book was two-fold. First, they desired for their unborn children and/or infants to experience…
“Cover to Cover, Coast to Coast,” is the theme for this month’s celebration of Children’s Book Week (May 2-8, 2016). Throughout the year, but especially this week, the goal is to applaud the joy of reading for young people. Started in 1919, Children’s Book Week initiative has become one of the longest-lasting national literacy program…
Greetings and Welcome to the Connecting Readers to the Word: Children’s Bookroom Blog! My blog will officially launch on Wednesday, May 4, 2016. As a retired teacher-librarian, reading, and music teacher, I am an advocate of children’s literacy. According to the 2015 Nation’s Report Card, only 36% of 4th grade students and 38% of 8th…
“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10 NASB). A few years ago, I received an email message from a former chorus student I taught in elementary school some 14 years previously. In college and pursuing a…
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. ~ Colossians 3:12 (NIV) Two months ago my ex-daughter-in-law, Trina, who is more like a daughter to me, suffered a massive stroke. Giving gratitude to God, Trina survived. The three and a half weeks she lay in intensive care…