Turning Pages Together: Celebrating National Family Literacy Day

There are many little ways to enlarge your child’s world. Love of books is the best of all. Jacqueline Kennedy Jacqueline Kennedy’s timeless wisdom reminds us that within the pages of a book lies a magical journey, a key to unlocking vast landscapes of imagination and knowledge. National Family Literacy Day, observed annually on November … read more »

Let’s Talk About: International Literacy Day

We are all worthy of telling our stories and having them heard. We all need to be seen and honored in the same way that we all need to breathe. Viola Davis As educators, we are entrusted with shaping young minds, igniting their curiosity, and nurturing their love for learning. On September 8th, International Literacy … read more »

Empowering Students for Responsible Social Media Use: Strategies and Resources to Celebrate Social Media Day

June 30 is Social Media Day and is an excellent time to consider options for providing students with the tools for responsible use of social media. With over 4.9 billion active users worldwide and teens spending an average of 3 hours daily on social media, it is vital to equip students with the necessary skills … read more »

Let’s Talk About Literacy for a Human-Centered Recovery

International Literacy Day is celebrated annually on September 8th. This year’s theme center’s around recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.  Unesco facilitates the global celebration as a day to remember that literacy affects a person’s sense of dignity and that globally there are over 773 million people who lack basic literacy skills. While we are in various phases … read more »

Cash in on Free Lessons for Financial Literacy Month

“One reason why we need to teach financial literacy in school is to ensure that every child has equitable access to a fundamental life skill that is related to the financial outcomes of their lives.”National Financial Educators Council April is Financial Literacy Month, an opportunity for educators to focus on skills not taught in most … read more »

Be a Sport! Lessons for Increasing Literacy Using Sports Heroes

One method for engaging reluctant readers is to provide books and activities that connect to their interests and passions. Making this connection is especially helpful when introducing nonfiction reading materials to students. Matching the appropriate books and articles to individual students takes time but provides long-term rewards, such as increased interest in reading.  Many students … read more »

Teaching Students to Create Media Responsibly

Today, teaching students to create media is not enough. Students must learn to create media responsibly. What does it mean to create media responsibly? According to Common Sense Media, teaching media literacy helps students to “Create media responsibly (by) Recognizing your own point of view, saying what you want to say how you want to … read more »

Teaching About Diversity in Media

Diversity in media is all about recognizing that multiple perspectives should be present in media, and if they aren’t then seeking out more diverse perspectives is warranted. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TED Talk, “The Danger of a Single Story,” is a shining explanation of why diversity in media is a must and why we must not … read more »

Analyzing Media In the Classroom

Media is all around us. Students need to be able to analyze media in the classroom and in their daily lives. Analyzing media should be one of the first media literacy activities to be incorporated into the classroom as it is one of the easiest activities to integrate. Teachers use media in the classroom to … read more »

Media Messages Matter

We are inundated with media messages – be it in traditional print formats or digital texts, images, videos, or advertising. As adults, we have the experience and ability to interpret and often ignore the constant barrage of information that confronts us. However, our students do not have the expertise to handle all the extraneous information … read more »