About me

Hi!

My name is Trish and I am a Teacher Librarian in an Australian high school where my role is to promote literacy, learning and literature across the curriculum.

Whilst this blog arose as part of my Masters in Education, I found that I enjoyed writing down my thoughts and reflections about my practice as a teacher librarian. This ‘writing for knowledge construction’ has helped my understanding about pedagogy and curriculum grow. I now write for me, to share what I am doing in my practice and in turn have created a space for me to continue my own life long learning experience. So, if you have read this far, and wish to read more, please subscribe to my blog.

Thank you

Trish

  • Happy 250th Birthday Jane!
    Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon, Hampshire, into a lively and book loving family. She grew up surrounded by stories, plays and the gentle chaos of a household that valued reading as much as conversation. Her early writing began in childhood and by her early twenties she had drafted the novels that would later become some of the most beloved works in English literature. Although she published anonymously during her lifetime, her six completed novels have secured her place as one of the most influential writers in the world. Austen died in 1817 at the age … Continue reading “Happy 250th Birthday Jane!”
  • Keeping Minds Sharp: Beating the Summer Reading Slump Together
    As the scholastic year draws to a close, children and teenagers eagerly anticipate the long summer holidays filled with play, family time and relaxation. While this break is important for wellbeing, research consistently shows that it can also lead to what is known as the summer reading slump. This phenomenon refers to the decline in literacy skills that many children experience during extended school breaks. Studies have found that children can lose up to a month of learning over summer, particularly in reading and spelling, with the effect most pronounced among children from lower socio-economic backgrounds who may have limited … Continue reading “Keeping Minds Sharp: Beating the Summer Reading Slump Together”
  • A Season of Reading and Reflection: A Year in Review.
    As the school year wrapped up last week, I found myself reflecting on the many moments that shaped our library community in 2025. There have been challenges, yes, but also plenty of reasons to celebrate. One of the brightest sparks has been our book clubs. What started as a simple idea, a few snacks and a chance to talk about stories, has grown into something much bigger. My secondary Book Club stands out. At the beginning of the year they were a small group, some unsure of what to read, others firmly attached to their favourite genres. Over time, though, … Continue reading “A Season of Reading and Reflection: A Year in Review.”
  • Crossing Generational Trauma- Wild Swans and Fly Wild Swans.
    Women, Memory and Exile: A School Library Reflection Adding Fly Wild Swans to our school library felt like a natural continuation of a legacy. Wild Swans has long stood as a canonical piece of literature, a book that captures the struggles of three generations of women against the backdrop of China’s political upheavals. In her second publication Fly Wild Swans, Jung Chang turns her gaze inward, reflecting on the cost of telling that story and the way truth can estrange a writer from her homeland. It is a pensive work that reminds us how women across centuries have shouldered familial … Continue reading “Crossing Generational Trauma- Wild Swans and Fly Wild Swans.”
  • Reflecting on the story of the shelves.
    At the end of each school day, I wander through the library and notice the gaps and blank spaces.  Why? It is because the shelves never lie about the books that are loved the most.  These are the ones that stack tall on our return trolleys.  To be fair, they are also the ones that leave with another student almost instantly.  They are the ones with worn spines, grubby covers and suspicious stains on the pages.  Yet all of them tell me a story.  They all tell me something about our school community. Non‑fiction loans follow the interests of the … Continue reading “Reflecting on the story of the shelves.”