Teaching Life Skills in the School Library

Book excerpt: Drawing on stories from successful programs and research, this book shows librarians how to provide students with the practical information they need for a bright future. Chapters cover career readiness, financial literacy, and civic responsibility at each grade level. From preschool through high school, students are preparing for their future. As they move through grade levels, they choose courses, research potential careers, learn about managing money, and recognize the responsibilities of being active citizens. At each step of the way, librarians can collaborate with teachers to help students to learn how to live in a world they can only imagine. School librarians are positioned to make a positive impact on students' lives when it matters most. Focusing on preparation for life after high school, this book cites research and provides anecdotes of successful programs as examples of how school librarians, in collaboration with counselors, community members, public libraries, and teachers, can develop collections and offer programming to show students the importance of finishing high school. Chapters also explain how to help students to find the college or university that fits with their educational interests and won't cause them to incur enormous debt. Included in every chapter are activities, resources, and lesson plans around topics at each grade level for librarians to co-teach with teachers, counselors, and other school staff.