Monthly professional development opportunities, mostly webinars, will be posted here. They will be updated to reflect the offerings of the next month.
May 1, 2024 @ 4 pm CT
Why Press Freedom Matters: Exploring Evan Gershkovich’s Case
Join the News Literacy Project and The Wall Street Journal for an important conversation ahead of World Press Freedom Day (May 3).
Press freedoms, the legal and/or constitutional protections that journalists have in order to do their jobs, are fundamental to democracy. Without press freedoms and the standards-based reporting they enable, we risk the further spread of misinformation, disinformation, and declining trust in institutions.
In this edWebinar, we’ll look at a high-profile example of the denial of press freedoms: the case of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, who was wrongfully detained in Russia last year on bogus charges of spying. Wall Street Journal Assistant Editor Paul Beckett, who leads the Journal’s efforts at securing Gershkovich’s release, will discuss the case with New Literacy Project’s Brittney Smith.
Topics to be covered include:
Attendees will also learn about free News Literacy Project resources, including the Misinfo 101 course and the Press Freedoms Around the World lesson, offered on the News Literacy Project’s free Checkology®️ virtual classroom.
Register here.
May 8, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Creating Community for Diverse Learners: How Teacher-Student Connections Help Build Equity-Centered School Culture
How can schools create a sense of community for diverse learners with unique needs? In this edWebinar, experts will share research around the importance of implementing a school vision and mission around positive school culture, and then delve into practical ways to do this at the classroom level using tools such as Along, a free tool that helps teachers quickly build and maintain the strong ties needed so that their students feel comfortable sharing their classroom experience.
Register here.
May 15, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Values and Tech: Fostering a Positive Digital Culture in Your School
Feeling overwhelmed by the constant ping of notifications? Us too! But what about our students? Between social media pressures and the 24/7 news cycle, technology can be stressful. Join school leaders and educators to learn more about how to integrate digital well-being practices to support the values in your school community.
In this edWebinar, you will learn:
Register here.
May 9, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Alexandria Basic Training Part 1
The first session of our Basic Training will introduce you to the three main parts of the Alexandria program Patrons, Items, and Circulation.
We will focus on the key fields and required information when working in these particular parts of Alexandria and also be laying some of the foundations to be built upon in our second session.
Register here.
May 15, 2024 @ 12 pm CT
Destiny Library Manager and Destiny Resource Manager Training - End-of-Year Essentials
How to close out the school year in Follett Destiny®. We will discuss reports, overdue to lost, and patron updates.
Register here.
May 16, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Alexandria Basic Training Part 2
The second session of our Basic Training is going to introduce you to Operations, Tools, and Preferences.
We will go over running reports, utilities, and imports, configuring your default settings in Alexandria, and finishing some of the foundations built upon in our first session.
Register here.
May 2, 2024 @ 10 am to 6 pm CT
Open Books Open Minds 2024
Experience dynamic and informative content in this day-long virtual conference brought to you by School Library Journal & Library Journal in partnership with NCTE. You’ll hear from the rockstars of reading and literacy from authors and teachers to librarians and other education and industry leaders. All of this talent and expertise is coming together to raise up the love of reading.
NCTE’s contribution is a specific strand of content that shines the light on “Heart Hope and Humanity,” their theme for the year which will culminate with their annual convention in Boston this November.
Tune in for a robust day of expert panels, keynotes, downloadable resources, thought-leadership presentations, product exhibits, and more — all designed to give you the strategies you need to support engaging reading environments. Attendees will gain insight into tools, practices, and initiatives that put books and reading front and center, elevating and celebrating the value and impact of this important collective work.
Recordings of sessions will be available, just make sure to register!
Register here.
May 8, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Exploring Social Justice Through Young Adult Books
Join Random House Children's Book authors Jumata Emill (WANDER IN THE DARK), Kim Johnson (THE COLOR OF A LIE), and LaDarrion Williams (BLOOD AT THE ROOT) in a discussion about their books that focus on social justice. During the discussion, the authors will delve into social issues such as inequity, inequality, and injustice - including gender inequality, poverty, racism, and LGBTQ+ issues - and explore how they can be portrayed through different genres. This free one-hour webinar is happening on Wednesday, May 8th at 2pm ET / 1pm CT, moderated by Ronny Khuri, Senior Editor for Books for Youth at Booklist.
Register here.
May 21, 2024 @ 1 pm CT
Page-Turning Picture Books
Summer is just around the corner, and with the new season there are always fresh and riveting new picture books for young readers! Join us for a free one-hour webinar on Tuesday, May 21, to find out about some phenomenal new picture books soon to hit your shelves! We’ll hear representatives from Tundra Books, Macmillan, Simon & Schuster, Hachette Book Group, and Albatros as they present their upcoming titles!
Register here.
May 23, 2024 @ 8 am to 5 pm CT
School Library Journal Day of Dialog Spring 2024
Join us May 23rd for our School Library Journal Day of Dialog virtual event! Our day-long program of author panels, in-depth conversations, and keynote talks will leave you informed, inspired, and entertained.
Come hear about the hottest forthcoming titles for children, tweens, and teens, from nonfiction and romance to picture books and graphic novels. You can also visit the virtual exhibit hall to network with leading publishers, enjoy intimate author chats, and download digital galleys and other free resources.
Recordings of sessions will be available, just make sure to register!
Register here.
May 13, 2024 @ 4 pm CT
Managing Fatigue: I Don’t Think I Have Any More to Give
Educators exert tremendous effort to bring their best selves to their roles daily, juggling staff and individual student needs, setting ambitious goals, and often working long hours. You may have heard, “I’m trying to make sure I get enough rest, I’m trying to make sure I drink enough water, I’m trying to do all those self-care things—but even doing those things, it’s still a lot.”
Stress has been found to impact educators’ health and well-being, job satisfaction, turnover, and even student outcomes (Greenberg, Brown, & Abenavoli, 2016). Therefore, educators must take time to prevent burnout, promote health, and safeguard themselves from the adverse effects of stress. Attendees of this session will enhance their knowledge, skills, and tools to:
Register here.
May 20, 2024 @ 3 pm CT
Read Alouds and the Science of Reading: Don’t Stop Your Storytimes!
It’s a common classroom sight—students gathered on their carpet spots while the teacher reads aloud to them. This cherished tradition may seem unscientific, but Read Alouds play an important role in research-based literacy instruction. In this edWebinar, Dr. Molly Ness, author of Read Alouds for All Learners: A Comprehensive Plan for Every Subject, Every Day, will share how to apply the Science of Reading to this beloved instructional practice and outline the dangers of dropping the Read Aloud from the classroom’s literacy block.
Classroom educators and curriculum leaders alike are invited to join this session and learn how to structure a Read Aloud routine that can:
You’ll walk away with an understanding of the latest research about the linguistic, socioemotional, academic, and even physiological benefits of Read Alouds, plus actionable instructional strategies to bring into the classroom the very next day.
Register here.
May 2, 2024 @ 2 pm CT
AI in Education: Steering Towards Equity and Empowerment
This edLeader Panel aims to arm district administrators with actionable insights to lead their teams in harnessing the potential of AI within digital learning solutions, ensuring that personalized learning remains unbiased and effective.
The panelists will address the pressing challenge of identifying and mitigating biases that may be embedded in AI algorithms and how education leaders can help ensure that digital learning solutions serve to support equitable educational outcomes. They will also share strategies for demystifying AI for teaching staff, alleviating apprehension, and championing the adoption of these tools as a means to augment—not replace—their instructional impact.
Register here.
May 20, 2024 @ 12 pm CT
Combining Creativity, Civic Mindedness, and Belonging to Motivate Children to Read and Learn
On her website for Hairiette of Harlem, Tanya Wright includes a quote from Albert Einstein, “Creativity is intelligence having fun.” In this edWebinar, we are going to discuss creativity, what’s needed to spark creativity in learners, and why it matters beyond school, at the workplace, and in society at large. We’re also going to showcase concepts from Tanya‘s Hairiette of Harlem, a story-driven literacy system about the misadventures of an impatient seven-year-old girl named Hairiette.
Besides creativity, a 21st-century and much-valued skill, we’ll touch on the importance of motivation and engagement in literacy development. We’ll elevate the role of belongingness, which can work against stereotype threat and “otherness” to create safe spaces where each student can meet their potential. Attendees will walk away with:
Register here.
May 21, 2024 @ 4 pm CT
Ignite...Incite...and Inspire Independent Reading!
Join this fascinating presentation and gather new ideas and strategies to help your students become engaged independent readers!
Teachers and librarians often scratch their heads at less-than-stellar attempts to steer students toward the enjoyment of independent reading. This high-energy webinar can change that as it imparts new ideas to help teachers release reservations and fears about the process of creating independent readers.
Attendees will learn:
Register here.
Many of these resources and programs are funded under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.