Tip #546

How do you stay connected with your education colleagues?  Edutopia offers “Ten Tips for Becoming a Connected Educator” gleaned from the 2013 ASCD annual conference: 
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/10-tips-become-connected-educator-elana-leoni

Tip #545

We Give Books has launched the “Read for My Summer” program - an initiative that fights summer brain drain by encouraging children up to 10 to read over summer vacation. The summer reading program last 10 weeks and includes 1 book a week for children 0-3, 4-7, and 8-10. There are related reading materials for each book, and some newly created interactive activities from IRA’s & NCTE’s Read.Write.Think website.  www.wegivebooks.org/readformysummer

Tip #544

People don’t have to work at the library to support it. Reach out to people you know who aren’t affiliated with the media center.

Submitted by Ruth Stiles, LIS Student, New York

Tip #543

Need some lesson plans as you prepare for next year?  There’s always the Standards for the 21st-Century Learner Lesson Plan Database at www.ala.org/aasl/lessonplandatabase. Or, the Curriculum and Instruction page on AASL Essential Links contains a variety of resources: aasl.ala.org/essentiallinks/index.php?title=Curriculum_and_Instruction.

Tip #542

Common Sense Media (dedicated to improving the lives of kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in a world of media and technology) offers Digital Literacy and Citizenship Classroom Curriculum on their website at www.commonsensemedia.org/educators/curriculum

Tip #541

How do you combat summer “brain drain?” Top of the list for schools in Austin, Texas, are book swaps and a new mobile library that will visit parks near their schools: 
http://bit.ly/170Aml2

Tip #540

The ALA Washington Office is hosting a free webinar on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM EDT. “Advocacy Recycling”: Leverage Existing Events and Resources For Lasting Advocacy Impact will look at 10 quick and easy ways to use something you’re already doing to impact the policy arena. Think of it as “advocacy recycling.” 
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/820414770