Donalyn Miller

In the House!

Donalyn Miller, the Book Whisperer, visited with BVSD teacher librarians, teachers, and parents on 5. 2.19. It was a full house at the Superior Elementary Library for her talk, Invest in Children’s Reading Lives All Year.

Donalyn discussed the factors that engage children with reading both at school and home—ensuring both their academic success and their lifelong reading habits. Donalyn spoke about "the institutional emphasis on standardized testing places students’ reading test scores in front of children’s reading lives". She also addressed the need to "increase the availability and use of diverse texts", offer multiple reading formats, and include mirrors, windows, and sliding doors in our collections ensuring students find themselves in books and stories and can explore the lives of others.

Finally, Donalyn talked about current trends to reduce and, in some cases, replace or eliminate the teacher librarian position. Referencing Keith Curry Lance's recent compendium of research supporting the effectiveness for school libraries, School Libraries Work! 2016, Donalyn reminded all present about the positive impact teacher librarians have on the lives of students and to advocate for hiring qualified teacher librarians.

Thanks Tracy Huffman, Superior TL, for hosting this event and MAKING IT ALL HAPPEN!