Celebrating National Tree Day
National Tree Day has just passed, but every single day can be tree day and I highly recommend selecting a native tree or plant and getting out in some sunshine very soon to plant...
Review of ‘Gecko’
This review is another by Dr Sam Lloyd AKA one of my neighbours, and also an ecologist and manager for South East Queensland Fire and Biodiversity Consortium. Sam is also a former dance teacher...
Australia Illustrated Map
(and a LEGO Room)
Under our internal stairs is this teeny little room...very Harry Potter-esque really; when Harry moved in with the Dursley family, instead of being given a real bedroom, he was kept in...
Cookbooks to Cook By (or live by)
I have serious cookbook issues and although I know I could (and often do) just Google what I want to cook, there is something terribly therapeutic about browsing favourite cookbooks over breakfast or a...
First Facts and First Reads
If you've been reading here for a while now you'll know that I love the work of Australian author Rebecca Johnson, who happens to also be an award winning teacher, her latest accolade being...
Native Stingless Bees and Bee Books
It has been a very big week at school! Monday we had Elly Awesome (who was awesome and her book is here) and Tuesday we had Dr Tobias Smith from Bee Aware Kids to...
Top Twenty Magazines for Kids
Each year around this time I publish a list of magazines for kids – good ones for aunts, uncles, parents, grandparents to gift to little people for Christmas. Magazines are the gift that keeps...
Review: Elly Awesome
With the Summer holidays approaching (yes I know it's only week two of Term Four, but we all know that Term Four is a blur), it's time to turn our minds to 'Summer Reads'...
Encouraging Reading of Non-Fiction Books
I’ve met many children over my years as a teacher librarian who love nothing more than reading every non-fiction book in the library. They crack me up with their topic obsessions and their encyclopaedic...
Dyslexia Empowerment Week
Next week is Dyslexia Empowerment Week Australia-wide, and it’s something we always join in with at school. Now in it's fourth year, this national event has been created to increase awareness of dyslexia in support...
Books for Insight, Strategies, Advice on ASD
I have done a few blog posts now, and spoken on 612ABC, about books which focus on the Autism Spectrum. However I am no expert in this area and a firm believer in finding...
Book People: Benjamin Law
Benjamin Law is a Sydney-based TV screenwriter, journalist and newspaper columnist, who has PhD in creative writing and cultural studies. That's the official spiel from his website but I'm pretty sure that my intro is better; Benjamin Law...
Literature Supporting Makerspaces
I've just presented another Webinar for the fab Eduwebinar team - this time on texts which support the makerspace movement. Some notes from this evening's webinar are below for attendees, and anyone else who...
School Holidays HERE WE COME
School holidays are nearly upon us and this is fairly obvious in my house. The small people are over-tired and unable to admit this and, according to #backboy, so am I. I know I'm my usually bubbly,...
Chinese New Year: ‘New Year Surprise!’
We are incredibly fortunate to have living with us, a delightful student from Macau, so Chinese New Year 2016: Year of the Fire Monkey, is being celebrated in style in our household! We’ve always...
Literature Supporting Coding and the Makerspace Movement
My teacher partner, Jackie Child AKA #bestteachingpartnerever is the most insanely energetic, enthusiastic and talented maker, creator and educator that you could ever hope to meet. I am in complete and total awe of...
How to Make Paper
I have done quite a few 'Slow Communication' workshops at Brisbane City Council Libraries, based on the book 'Snail Mail'. You can read about my slow communication station in my school library here. We've...
Favourite Reads of 2015: Jo
I've asked some of my fav people and keen readers to share their favourite books of 2015. Like my fav people, these books are a jumble of ages, genres and lengths...I like my friends...
Favourite Reads of 2015: Anita
I've asked some of my fav people and keen readers to share their favourite books of 2015. Like my fav people, these books are a jumble of ages, genres and lengths...I like my friends...
Favourite Reads of 2015: Clare
I've asked some of my fav people and keen readers to share their favourite books of 2015. Like my fav people, these books are a jumble of ages, genres and lengths...I like my friends...