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#Always: Running a Harry Potter club

My school's original Harry Potter club ( called M.A.G.I.C. for Magical and Gifted Individuals Club ) predates my time at the high school.  It was originally created by the students a few years before my time there, but had ceased to exist in anything but memories.  I was approached to take on the role of Head of Slytherin House shortly after arriving and was immediately all-in, baby! MAGIC was back! If you are a Harry Potter fan, I want to encourage you to start a Harry Potter club on your campus .  Honestly, it is one of the most rewarding things I do in my job.  In part, because it brings kids from all walks of life together in our mutual love for Harry Potter; in part because it is JOYFUL and we all need more joy in our lives. My friend and fellow TALL Texan, class of 2016, Jennifer De Waelsche, presented on our HP clubs at the Texas Library Conference in April this year.  Back at our TALL retreat, I mentioned our HP club, and as a fellow Potterhead,...
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On Reflections & Planning

Some truths about me. I have a serious notebook addiction. I love awesome pens. I love to journal. So, I guess it stands to reason that when I do my reflections over the year, and when I do my planning for the upcoming year, I love to do it with old-school, hand-written, paper & pen, in awesome notebooks. This year, I picked up a medium-sized hot pink number at a local discount store for 2.99.  Maybe it seems odd, but I really like to start each new BuJo-ish library-planning journal right after the end of the school year. All the things are still fresh in my mind. I've just completed end-of-year reports, and all that data is handy for pondering. I've just made my state library standards review, and my EOY infographic to share with stakeholders. So, I've learned to begin at the end.  As it turns out, for me, at least, starting at the very beginning isn't necessarily a very good place to start because: 1. I want this year's data and other info cle...
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Always Learning

Sometimes the world feels especially heavy. Sometimes I struggle with it all.  Always, but especially in those moments, I turn to some of my mentors to help me sort through my feelings, help me know I'm not alone, and find actions that help.  They help me both to remember and to come to new understandings. As an educator, I follow many other educators. These particular mentors, however, are educators in the larger sense of the word for me. They educate me on life. Social media definitely has its flaws and limitations, but it also enables me to be inspired by these mentors, most of whom I've never met and none of whom will know or remember me should we run into one another at some point.  I read their work, I follow them on Twitter, I watch for TED talks and interviews.  I learn from them. So here are 10 of my fabulous mentors: Jason Reynolds - I just love Jason Reynolds so much.  He is one of my most favorite humans.  I've had the pleasure of me...
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