Educational strategies and policy Books

Book Synopsis''A manifesto for change in education with collaboration, openness and optimism at its core.'' Steve MunbyThis ground-breaking book is both a manifesto and a call to arms to inspire all those involved in education to consider new visions and values for the future of the school system. Renowned educationalist, speaker and author Richard Gerver offers an empowering vision for how education, both in the UK and internationally, can be transformed and made fit for purpose in the 21st century and beyond.Education has never been more important than it is now but the current school system lacks the continuity and longevity required to ensure young people can survive and thrive as we continue to head into the unknown. Education: A Manifesto for Change argues that students must be prepared for the lives ahead of them; they must understand how important and valuable what they learn in school will be long after they have left formal education. To facilitate this, Richard encourages eTrade ReviewIn this powerful book Gerver calls for a collaborative vision for education that will prepare society to 'thrive in uncertainty'. He shares sharp insight achieved through school leadership uniquely combined with global experience of working with eminent leaders throughout industry. A great read. * Dame Alison Peacock, Chief Executive, Chartered College of Teaching *Richard Gerver's book gives a personal yet authoritative account of the current state of UK education, and also provides a refreshingly optimistic perspective on where we might go next. * Geoff Barton, General Secretary, Association of School and College Leaders, @RealGeoffBarton *In this refreshing, honest and deeply personal book, Richard Gerver builds on all his international experience to set out a manifesto for change in education, with collaboration, openness and optimism at its core. * Steve Munby, Visiting Professor at UCL London Institute of Education *Intelligent, passionate, honest and at times contentious, Richard Gerver does not simply present a manifesto for education. He gives us joined-up thinking about how education, business and society can work and succeed together. * Steve Wheeler, Author and Speaker, @SteveWheeler *Richard Gerver not only writes about optimism, he exemplifies it and we desperately need that now. It is an optimism founded in his wide and unique experience and definitely worth sharing. Read this book! * David Cameron, Education Consultant, @realdcameron *This is unpicking Richard's 25 years in education, but also the last 10 years on top of his work in schools, on his travel around the world. I found this book a very fascinating insight... Richard influenced my work as a deputy head five or six years ago... He's written quite a few books now. Two of them definitely changed the way I thought about school life, teacher workload, mental health, and what influence we can have on the system, how we can change the narrative. * Ross Morrison McGill, @TeacherToolkit *This book is not a manifesto where teachers get beaten with negative, bureaucratic or performance threats, but it is a manifesto of optimism, fellowship and common sense. If you are working within education and feel beaten by the system you are working in, then explore this book to help re-ignite the passion, belief and hopes that you undoubtedly had during your induction years. * UKEdChat *Instead of the book being the gun-slinging shootout with the system and rival ideologies I imagined, I was instead taken on an immersive and surprising journey. It was a journey that meandered through the author's years of observing and connecting with a wide range of people, experiences and insights. A bare-foot journey, which felt reflective, authentic and, as the title suggests, potentially leading to change. * Mike Fairclough, TES *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Foreword by Ross Morrison McGill Introduction 1. Peace! 2. It takes a village 3. Beyond the walls 4. Efficiency is not enough 5. Skills and knowledge 6. Optimism 7. Love matters 8. The chalkface 9. Leadership 10. Legacy Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis''I believe this book will change the conversation in schools on children''s behaviour.'' - Dr Luna CentifantiA School Without Sanctions offers an innovative approach to behaviour management in schools, prioritising compassion and behaviour modification over punishment. Drawing on their award-winning methods, Steven Baker and Mick Simpson explain why challenging behaviour occurs and provide a toolbox of non-confrontational approaches that will benefit the whole school community.When Steven and Mick set out to transform their school''s approach to behaviour, it changed everything. With the help of Dr Alice Jones Bartoli at Goldsmiths, they developed a sanction-free approach in their special school for boys with social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) difficulties. Far from descending into anarchy, lessons began to improve and studentstaff relationships flourished. The school is now rated outstanding in all areas, and more importantly, student outcomes have been rTrade ReviewThis is more than a book! It is a professional conversation, the sort you would like to be taking place in every school. The authors draw on research, their own experience and hard-won expertise to underpin their arguments. Most importantly they challenge us all to see things differently and not ‘just follow the crowd’. -- Professor Derek Bell * Director of Learnus, www.learnus.co.uk *This book is a game changer. The narratives seek to address the issues around behaviour management and modification through first acknowledging the root causes. Steven and Mick start by expertly interweaving high-level concepts of epistemology and ontology with the challenging of educational norms every day. -- Pran Patel * Teacher and Equity Activist, @MrPranPatel *Steven Baker and Mick Simpson write in a solutions-based way that is inspiring, light, personal, and honest. The practical solutions they offer are wonderfully accessible for any person looking to manage another person's behaviour in a humanitarian way. I believe this book will change the conversation in schools on children's behaviour - and perhaps in wider society. -- Dr Luna C Muñoz Centifanti * Senior Lecturer in Clinical Psychology, @lunacentifanti *This is the most relatable, readable book I have read in years. It's written in a conversational style that makes complex ideas so very easy to understand and has given me a plethora of ideas. I will be passing this book around my schools, family and friends - I could not put it down. Superb. -- Dame Nicola Stephenson DBE * CEO of Valour Multi Academy Trust *A book packed with sound advice and made more relevant because the writers are teachers and have put their advice into action. Evidence based practice is always the best. There are so many useful phrases and practical tips and quotes. -- LoveReading4SchoolsTheir positive approach advocates the use of authentic praise and a focus on students who make good choices. They also recommend strategies for avoiding being drawn into arguments. This is an excellent book that radiates with its authors’ compassion and common sense. -- Mary Mountstephen * SEN Magazine *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTeaching for Realists is a funny and honest guide to surviving and thriving as an early career teacher, despite the challenges of the education system.We all know the education system has its flaws, but they shouldn''t stand in the way of providing the very best learning experiences for your pupils. This book presents a ground-up approach to help you manage the obstacles you might encounter and implement day-to-day methods to maintain your love for the profession, teach effective lessons and ensure pupil progress.Omar Akbar, author of The (Un)official Teacher''s Manual, offers a wealth of hard-won practical advice for avoiding frustration and developing teaching techniques that have a real impact in the classroom. Full of hilarious anecdotes and exploring hot topics such as pupil apathy, enriching the curriculum, Ofsted, data and behaviour, this book is a refreshing and uplifting take on what newly qualified teachers can do to have a happy, healthy and succeTrade ReviewOmar Akbar has done it again! Having had the pleasure of speaking to Omar on Naylor's Natter, I can confirm that his funny, direct style comes straight from his passion for teaching in his classroom. This book is perfectly timed as we see a resurgence in recruitment to what Omar describes as 'the best job in the world’. 'Teaching for Realists' will make your life easier. The book condenses lived experience into actions which, alongside continuing professional development, will make a big difference to your practice and your learners’ progress. Omar has his finger on the pulse of educational developments. His pragmatic, self-effacing advice makes it enjoyable to imbibe his years of lived experience. Recommended for realists everywhere. -- Phil Naylor, host of Naylor's Natter Podcast and deputy headteacher, @pna1977It’s not often an edu-book makes me smile and even less often does one make me laugh. Omar’s take on all things education is a reminder that we can take our business seriously without being serious all the time. From jammed photocopiers to rabbit hutches and frozen warts, there’s much in here to reassure any colleague that we’re all in in together and we all have “one of those days” regardless of how long we’ve been teaching. -- Emma Turner, Discovery Trust research and CPD lead and author, @Emma_Turner75Another fantastically written book by Omar in his usual direct, funny and unique writing style. It encapsulates the teaching profession perfectly, providing brilliant and realistic advice for teachers of all educational experience. A must read for any teacher and one we can’t recommend highly enough. Truthful, funny and realistic - it's a book that captures teaching in the best possible way! -- Matt and Sam, student teachers and hosts of Teachers of Tomorrow Podcast, @TofTPodTeaching for Realists is like having a really wise, old teacher friend who tells you how it really is, makes you laugh but ultimately makes you realise that you will be OK. There is so much sense, wisdom and humour packed into this book! As Omar says, "You can make the education system work for you and your pupils". And this book shows you how. I wish I had read this book when I was new to teaching. -- Adrian Bethune, teacher, author and founder of Teachappy, @AdrianBethuneI love this book. It oozes empathy, experience, wit and wisdom. Omar writes as a passionate, committed and practicing teacher who knows what it is to struggle and yet still knows ours is the best job in the world. It poses lots of the questions that many new teachers are anxious to ask and reassures them that they are not alone, whilst providing tons of pragmatic advice about negotiating life in teaching. -- Emma Kell, coach, wellbeing trainer, teacher and author, @thosethatcanA useful handbook for those embarking on their first year of teaching, exploring key aspects of the role. -- @digicoled * UKEdChat *

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe first in-depth assessment of language use and attitudinal perceptions among adults who received an immersion education in a minority language.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book argues that American schools are marked by fundamental structural deficiencies that get in the way of student achievement. The structural deficiencies are pervasive. They include the emphasis on grade level, building large schools and districts, and insistence on building comprehensive high schools. These structural deficiencies negatively impact achievement for all kids, but they are particularly detrimental to at-risk populations. In fact, at-risk populations are negatively impacted to such a disproportionate degree that to continue to maintain these structural deficiencies borders on racism at the worst or pure negligence at the least. After identifying the structural problems, the authors consider what the best schools in the U.S. and other countries do to promote excellence. Based on what works, the authors offer suggestions for fixing the broken structure and promoting educational excellence. The book ends with a self-diagnostic tool to help schools and districts identiTrade ReviewThe authors take a critical look at the structure of the American schooling system and the negative impact the current structure is having on teaching and learning for all students – particularly students from culturally diverse and low income backgrounds. As a person who was educated in a private school of less than 1000 (K-12), I know firsthand the benefits of a smaller learning community, where everyone knew everyone, and while choices were limited, they were rich and meaningful. Much of the content makes perfect sense and is timely for the transformation needed in the K-12 education system. -- Kendra Hughes, senior program advisor, equity program, Education NorthwestIn Structural Deficiencies in the School System, Trani and Irvine once again demonstrate how small, student-centered school systems can not only meet the learning needs of the students they serve, but provide fantastic opportunities for children to have long-term success by obtaining rigorous foundational skills. -- Ken Haptonstal, Ph.D., superintendent, Garfield County School District, ColoradoStructural Deficiencies in the School System: How Grade Level, Comprehensive High Schools, and Big Districts Cause Student Failure is a compelling, sharp, and ringing indictment of the bloated and misguided state into which many of the schools in this nation have fallen. In this text, Randy Trani and Robert Irvine leverage their substantial experience and know-how in the educational space to provide an insightful look into where so many schools are going wrong, coming up short, or just missing the point altogether. Indeed, having served and worked as teachers, principals, and superintendents in schools across the country, the authors provide a crisp and unique insiders’ perspective in a space that demands more insight and clarity. In so doing, Trani and Irvine illuminate certain facets of the modern American school system—both good and bad—that desperately need the type of attention and focus that they receive in Structural Deficiencies in the School System. -- Quanyu Huang, Ph.D., director of Asian/Asian American Studies, Miami UniversityTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Epigraph Preface Introduction 1.The Modern State of Education in America 2. A False Promise OR The Siren Song of Choice 3. The US vs. the World 4. The Educational Approaches of Other Nations 5.Great US Schools – Breaking From the Grade Level & Comprehensive 6.Model 7.Examination of Minority Achievement 8.Today’s Paradigm 9. Existing Sociological Theoretical Framework 10. Empirical Data that Supports Structural Deficiency Theory Or: I wonder if anyone will ever read this dissertation stuff! 11. Structural Efficiency Theory 12, 14 and 15. A View to A Kill: How to Slay Your Cerberus Appendix

Read more less

Book SynopsisHarnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness is a comprehensive look at the American public education system. Building on the current system, the book takes on the War on Education in an effort to rethink, redesign and develop a new state-of-the-art system of learning that will regain international competiveness and be the best choice for parents in a growing system of choice. The authors provide critical analysis of the current system while also offering specific solutions and hope for one of the greatest institutions in America..as it Return's to Greatness!Trade ReviewWe love this book. It calls for an approach to education that is quite different from what is now the norm while simultaneously recognizing and celebrating much of what is great and inspiring about American education. That call for change is grounded in an understanding of leading edge developments in how the brain/mind learns naturally, as illustrated by the power of play. It explores the corresponding need for a more complex yet authentic approach to teaching that matches how people learn. It grasps and illustrates the power of context. And it has a deep appreciation of the immense importance of physical and emotional safety, and the crucial importance of great leadership. The book is well researched, beautifully written, elegantly colored with metaphors that bring the message to light, and is both practical and inspirational. It deserves to be very widely read. -- Geoffrey and Renate Caine, co-authors , “Making Connections, Education on the Edge of Possibility”, “Mindshifts”, “The 12 Brain/Mind Principals in Action and Natural Learning for a Connected World”.Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness is insightful, forward thinking and riveting. An absolute must read to anyone involved in education! -- Jeremy K. Glenn, EdD, superintendent, Waxahachie Independent School DistrictSchools evolve to meet the demands placed upon them by laws, legislatures, and culture. The result has been the unimaginative standardized educational processes that punish innovation and creativity. Drs. Timothy B. Jones and David C. Barrett’s new book, Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness, provides an important, and often critical, view of education. We must face what we have become before we can get better, but fortunately, there is a path to the schools we want. -- Wesley D. Hickey, EdD, chair department of educational leadership and policy studies, The University of Texas at TylerIn their book, Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness, Timothy Jones and David Barrett draw attention, critically and importantly, to the deleterious nature of standardization in American education. The authors are instructive in their argument that America as a democratic society is witnessing the slow erosion of intellectual excellence that has been the hallmark of American’s educational system, and a mainstay of America’s democratic way of life. The authors focus on the need to transform, rightly so, old patterns that have contributed to the destruction of public education. Argued in this book is the need to create America’s schools anew, taking a new path to greatness for public education, shattering outdated and constrictive notions of traditions in favor of a new paradigm that permeates and gives way to thinking and necessary actions. -- Patrick M. Jenlink, EdD, E.J. Campbell Endowed Chair in Educational Leadership, Stephen F. Austin State UniversityIn Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness, the reader is immediately drawn into this book’s story and premise. The authors skillfully establish not only the need for change in American education, they do so with bold words. Their use of seven drivers to return public education to greatness is clever and intellectually provocative. The reader cannot help but become motivated to join Drs. Jones and Barrett’s call to return American public schools to their greatness. -- Lloyd Goldsmith, EdD, professor and former principal, Abilene Christian UniversityInspiring and spot on! Drs. Jones and Barrett’s new book provides hope and strategy for one of America’s most important institutions returning to the prominence it deserves. -- Russell D. Marshall, superintendent, Mabank Independent School DistrictIn Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness, Drs. Jones and Barrett emphasize the importance of school improvement efforts in order to empower stakeholders to initiate needed school change. They stress the critical nature of saving public education and the vital role authentic leaders play in creating and maintaining effective and competitive campuses for the future. This should be a required read for practicing school leaders and those who prepare and certify them. -- Casey Graham Brown, associate professor and chair, Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, The University of Texas at ArlingtonHarnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness is a wide angle take on, and prescription for, the current state of America's school system. With great clarity and insight, the authors make a persuasive argument that in order for there to be authentic learning in schools, there must be authentic teaching. This requires a journey toward authentic leadership-that finding and pursuing your own authentic leadership in teaching--is the key to regaining quality education in our school systems. The future belongs to leaders who want to win, without ever losing track of their own values. We live in a day when the best people can work or learn anywhere. They will follow authenticity-a person who leads with passion and purpose. -- Michelle Cummings, owner, Training Wheels Group LLCAs educators it is easy to get caught up in the, “it was good enough in the past/it is good enough for the present,” mentality. The students of today express their ideas in a different manner than students of the past…i.e. the way we did. Dr. Jones and Dr. Barrett skillfully articulates to the reader the importance of evolving as an educational system and making learning relevant for todays (and tomorrow’s) learners. -- Terry Lapic, superintendent, East Texas Charter High School & Calvin Nelms Charter SchoolAs a business owner I think this book offers hope for providing a future full of creative individuals and thinkers on a global scale through a personalized education versus a standardized process that doesn’t address businesses needs for 21st century skills. -- Ken Skaggs, president/founder 3008 Editing & AudioTable of ContentsDedication Foreword Acknowledgements About the Authors Introduction: Harnessing the Dynamics of Public Education: Preparing for a Return to Greatness! Chapter 1. Building a Naturally Great School Chapter 2. Fostering a New Mindset for the Future Chapter 3. The War on American Public Education Chapter 4. Comprehensive Accountability Chapter 5. Overcoming Pedagogical Paralysis Chapter 6. Authentic Leadership Chapter 7. The Price of Safety Chapter 8. Our Return to Greatness

Read more less

Book SynopsisMichael Lubelfeld has served as a public school superintendent in Illinois since 2010. He is the superintendent of North Shore School District 112 schools in Highland Park and Highwood, IL, north of Chicago. Mike has spoken around the USA and the world on leadership, student voice, and global service and he is active in leadership development with state and national associations. He has experience as a teacher, a middle school building principal, and an assistant superintendent for personnel services. He co-authored four books The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow's Schools (2017), Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable (2018), and The Unfinished Leader: A School Leadership Framework for Growth & Development (2021). His latest book, The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself, was released in December 2023. Mike was awarded the 2017 Lake County (IL) Superintendent of the Year and the 2021 Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education. Mike leads the National Instructional Leader Academy for the AASA and he co-leads aspiring superintendent academies nationally and statewide. Mike and his wife, Stephanie, have two children, and they live in suburban Chicago.Dr. Nick Polyak has served as the Superintendent for Leyden Community High School District #212 for the past twelve years. Prior to that, he served as the Superintendent for Illinois Valley Central School District #321 for four years. Nick and his wife Kate have four children and they reside in suburban Chicago. Over the past several years, Leyden, has received many honors. They were named the National Advanced Placement District of the Year, Illinois Democracy Schools, Chicago Tribune Top Workplaces, and the National School Board Association Grand Prize Magna Award as a top equity program. Nick facilitates the Illinois Global Service Project and annually takes a group of Superintendents and School Board Members from across Illinois to serve schools and students in the Dominican Republic. He has co-authored four books: The Unlearning Leader: Leading for Tomorrow's Schools Today, Student Voice: From Invisible to Invaluable, The Unfinished Leader: A Leadership Framework for Growth and Development, and The Unfinished Teacher: Becoming the Next Version of Yourself. Nick facilitates the AASA Transformational Leadership Consortium, and both the IASA and AASA Aspiring Superintendents Academies. He was awarded the Finest Under 40 Alumni Award by Augustana College in 2015, The West Cook County Superintendent of Distinction in 2016, and the Administration and Supervision Distinguished Alumni Award from the Loyola University of Chicago School of Education in 2023.

Read more less

Book SynopsisImprove teaching practice through powerful professional conversations! Move beyond isolated teaching, passive observations, and ineffective workshops to be the leader who engages staff and affirms the value of reflective and informal professional discussions. Launch meaningful conversations and a powerful team of teachers who understand how students learn, what motivates them, and how to implement that research in the classroom. Good leaders know that sharing, discussing, and examining teaching practices and student work improves student learning through professional examination, inquiry, and growth. Educators who harness the power of informal professional conversation invite teachers to do the intellectual work needed to connect with students and boost achievement. The second edition of this powerful book includes: A new chapter guiding conversations to align with new state standards Outlines for sTrade Review"The book’s major strength is that it combines a discussion of what constitutes good teaching and how to conduct productive professional conversations. This book would be an excellent resource for supervisors and principals." -- M. Susan Bolte, Principal"This is a great resource for leaders who regularly facilitate conversations with teachers. I use it in my graduate class in supervision and strongly recommend that students keep this book as a resource for the future." -- Diane Canino Rispoli, Clinical Professor of Educational Leadership and Former School Leader"Talk About Teaching! Leading Professional Conversations provides a fine survey of how to encourage professional conversations and discussions about education, and comes from a team of teachers who discuss the basics of connecting with students on a meaningful level. The second edition of this book offers a new chapter on guiding conversations, sample topics and conversation activities, and discussions of how to engage students through conversational approaches and professional practices. From promoting analytic thinking to taking into account what motivates students and affects their actions, Talk About Teaching is for educators who want to open and foster dialogues that support the learning process." -- The California Bookwatch: January 2016Table of ContentsAcknowledgements About the Author Preface 1. Why Professional Conversation? The Imperative for Improvement in Teaching The Nature of Teacher Learning Promoting Professional Learning Through Conversation Assumptions Underlying Professional Conversations Summary 2. Power and Leadership in Schools Overview The Reality of Power Reconciling Power and Leadership Summary 3. The Big Ideas that Shape Professional Conversations What Constitutes Important Learning? What Causes Learning? How Are Students Motivated? The Merging of All These Ideas Summary 4. The Topics for Conversations Power, Leadership, and the “Big Ideas” Summary 5. Conversation Skills Setting the tone for conversation Linguistic Skills Paraphrasing Summary 6. Informal Professional Conversations Purpose Settings for Professional Conversations Procedure Summary 7. Implementation Issues Finding Time for Conversation Communicating the Purpose Establishing Trust Forging Understanding and Consensus on the “Big Ideas” Elaborating the “Topics for Conversation” Summary 8. Conversation Activities for Implementation Establishing the Foundation Communicating the Purpose Establishing Trust The Big Ideas: Considering High-Level Learning How do People Learn? Worthwhile learning experiences Human Motivation Topics for Conversation Summary References Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe globalization of American style higher education is a field of study that is undergoing a significant phase with the current expansion of American branch campuses and curricula around the world. This volume contributes to the scholarship on the project of implementing and expanding U.S. influenced curricula in the Middle East and Asia. Many of the branch campus projects are only a few decades old making this a liminal moment in the translation and development of higher education worldwide that needs to be captured. What are the challenges, opportunities, and considerations faculty encounter in classrooms in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Asia? How do faculty translate western higher educational principles in new contexts? Projects like the multiversity international branch campuses of Education City, in Doha, Qatar, demonstrate the interest of foreign governments in western education and training. Other collaborations, like the Yale National University of Singapore College, deTrade ReviewThe authors in this volume explore how American higher education gets localized though curricular adaptation in Asia, Eastern Europe, and the Middle East, thoroughly challenging claims of uniform cultural imperialism and neoliberalism. The rich case studies presented here, often based on first-hand teaching experiences, are a unique and welcome addition to the scholarship on globalized higher education. -- Neha Vora, Lafayette CollegeThis book makes an important contribution to the growing literature on the spread of American higher educational models and institutions throughout the world. Rather than theorizing abstractly about the meaning and significance of the internationalization of curricula, academic personnel and institutions, this volume provides a view from the inside out. Academics who have confronted the pedagogical and political-sociological issues associated with higher education transplantation write perceptively about their experiences. As a result, this collection provides the reader with a richly critical analysis of the promises and pitfalls associated with our present moment of higher educational transformation. -- John Willoughby, American University, Co-author of Higher Education Revolutions in the Gulf: Globalization and Institutional ViabilityMohanalakshmi Rajakumar’s edited volume takes a much-needed comparative look at the internationalization of western higher education, investigating its challenges and opportunities through both theoretical lenses and detailed pedagogical interventions. In particular, the collected essays dive deeply into the experiences of American universities in the Middle East, with three case studies of Qatar’s Education City alongside contributions from the American Universities of Beirut and Kuwait. Full of provocative and unique insights, Western Higher Education in Global Contexts invites the reader to better understand the interactive negotiations between the imported universities and the local communities they are meant to serve. -- Jocelyn Sage Mitchell, assistant professor in residence at Northwestern University, QatarTable of Contents1.Writing Centers and Academic Professionalization in the Russian Federation—Ashley Squires 2.Imported Traditions—Oana Fotache and Mircea Vasilescu 3.The Shadow of America on Japanese Higher Education—Myles Chilton Cultural Challenges in International Branch Campuses 4.Writing Program Administration, Mobility, and Locality at the American University of Beirut, 1970 to the Present— Amy Zenger 5.The Challenges of Imagining Post-Universal Education in the Arabian Gulf Region— Angelica DeAngelis 6.Developing Symbolic Competence on a North-American Branch Campus in Qatar—Krystyna Golkowska 7.Rethinking Critical Thinking in a Non-Western Educational Context—Magdalena Rostron 8.Scaffolding Literacy at a Branch Campus of an American University in the Middle East: Interdisciplinary Collaborations—Silvia Pessoa, Thomas D. Mitchell, and Ryan T. Miller

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhat comes to mind when you think about algebra? For many of us, it's memories of dull or frustrating classes in high school. Award-winning mathematics professor G. Arnell Williams is here to change that. Algebra the Beautiful is a journey into the heart of fundamental math that proves just how amazing this subject really is. Drawing on lessons from twenty-five years of teaching mathematics, Williams blends metaphor, history, and storytelling to uncover algebra's hidden grandeur. Whether you're a teacher looking to make math come alive for your students, a parent hoping to get your children engaged, a student trying to come to terms with a sometimes bewildering subject, or just a lover of mathematics, this book has something for you. With a passion that's contagious, G. Arnell Williams shows how each of us can grasp the beauty and harmony of algebra.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Supreme Court's decision in Broad v. Board of Education in 1954, which declared the racial segregation of American schools unconstitutional, is universally understood as a landmark moment in our nation's history. Yet looking back from the present day, we judge the integrationist dream post-Brown as an utter failure, in the belief that it harmed students and deepened racial divisions in our society. Though integration efforts continued into the 1980s, reaching a highpoint in 1988, since then we've reverted to a situation in which segregation-no longer de jure, but de facto-prevails. Was integration a social experiment doomed from the start? In Children of the Dream, economist Rucker Johnson unearths the astonishing true story of integration in America. Drawing on immense longitudinal studies tracking the fates of thousands of individuals over the course of many decades, Johnson reveals that integration not only worked, but worked spectacularly well. Children who attended integrated schools were far more successful in life than those who didn't-and this held true for children of all races and backgrounds. Indeed, Johnson's research shows that well-funded, integrated schools were nothing less than the primary engine of social mobility in America across the 1970s and 1980s. Yet the experiment was all-too-brief, owing to a racial backlash and the unwillingness of even self-professed liberals to send their kids to integrated schools. As Johnson argues, by allowing educational segregation and inequality to fester, we are doing damage to society as a whole. Explaining why integration worked, why it came up short, and how it can be revived, Children of the Dream offers a prescription for ending inequality and reviving the American Dream in our time.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA decade ago, James Lang banned cell phones in his classroom. Frustrated by how easily they could sidetrack his students, Lang sought out a distraction-free environment, hoping it would help his students pay attention to his lessons. But after just a few years, Lang gave in. Not only was his no-cellphones policy ineffective (even his best students ignored it), he realized that he, like many of his fellow teachers, was missing an important point. The problem isn't phones. It's our antiquated notions of the brain. In Distracted, Lang makes the case for a new way of thinking about how to teach young minds based on the emerging neuroscience of attention.Although we have long prized the ability to focus, the most natural way of thinking is distraction. Our brains are designed to continually scan our environment, looking for new information, occasionally wandering off in different directions in search of new insights. This is not to say that iPhones are not good at distracting us, but that what they represent is in principle nothing new, because sustained periods of intense focus are not what humans are good at. Of course, we still do need to pay attention to learn. The problem is that we think of learning as a matter of managing distraction, when we should instead think of it as actively cultivating attention. This starts with letting go of technology bans, which are little more than a fig leaf applied to the objective difficulty of paying attention. But it involves more active ways of rethinking classroom conventions too. For example, rather than structuring lessons as 45 or 60-minute blocks of lecturing, teachers could segment their classes into a series of smaller lessons, with regular shifts in focus, appealing to the brain's interest in novelty. Simple changes can drastically improve students' performance, and in Distracted, Lang takes readers on a sprawling tour of how some of America's best teachers are improving student performance using concepts such as modular classrooms, flow states, and student-directed learning. Together, these insights offer a new way of thinking about how to not only more effectively teach a lesson plan, but to teach students the most important lesson of all: how to learn.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe onset of COVID broke a 150-year social contract between America and its children. Tens of millions of students lost what little support they had from the government-not just school but food, heat, and physical and emotional safety. The cost was enormous.But this crisis began much earlier than 2020. In The Stolen Year, Anya Kamenetz exposes a long-running indifference to the plight of children and families in American life and calls for a reckoning.She follows families across the country as they live through the pandemic, facing loss and resilience: a boy with autism in San Francisco who gains a foster brother and a Hispanic family in Texas that loses a member to COVID, and finds solace when they need it most. Kamenetz also recounts the history that brought us to this point: how we thrust children and caregivers into poverty, how we over-police families of color, how we rely on mothers instead of infrastructure. And how our government, in failing to support our children through this tumultuous time, has stolen years of their lives.

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe are in the midst of a full-scale attack on our nation's commitment to public education. From funding, to vouchers, to charter schools, public education policy has become a political football, rather than a means of fulfilling the most basic obligation of government to its citizens.As Derek W. Black vividly illustrates, this assault threatens not just public education, but democracy itself. Black offers both an illuminating history of our nation's establishment of a constitutional right to education, and a trenchant analysis of how such a right is being undermined today. He looks at education history with a wide view, describing both periods when our democracy has been strengthened-when the commitment to public education has been strongest-and weakened, when such a commitment has been lacking. And today, such a commitment is sorely lacking.Schoolhouse Burning shows what is at stake: not just the right to public education as guaranteed by the constitution, but an erosion of democratic norms.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis comprehensive overview of the challenging issues around boys and reading includes strategies and practical solutions for helping struggling readers.The role of gender in reading success is a complex one. This book faces the issues head-on, uncovering many of the assumptions and stereotypes parents and educators have about boys and how they handle the world of print text. Included are the voices of boys and men interviewed by the author, who reveal their literacy challenges, struggles, tastes and values. These real voices provide valuable insights into how we can support boys in their journey towards becoming successful readers and writers.Even Hockey Players Read explores the powerful potential of literacy in a boy's life:What factors in the home and in the classroom influence the literacy lives of boys?Why do so many boys select different reading materials than girls?Why do girls score higher than boys do on tests of reading achievement?Why do so many males consider themselves non-readers?Are society's expectations for boys' and girls' literacy lives different?Do we minimize the literacy needs of girls if we focus on the difficulties with boys?Drawing upon his background as a parent and a literacy educator, the author suggests a wealth of strategies and techniques for promoting an alternative culture of literacy in school and home settings, where what children choose to read is valued alongside what children need to read. Even Hockey Players Read advocates changing the classroom environment so thatBoys who can't read are helped;Boys who don't read become motivated;Boys who do read find enrichment.This highly readable book demonstrates the powerful potential of literacy in the lives of boys. It is essential reading for teachers who want to guide boys to a love of reading that will help them in their school life and beyond.

Read more less

Book SynopsisPresented as simple lists of common-sense ideas, practical, time-saving suggestions ad solutions to perennial problems. this book is a comprehensive guide to smooth-running classrooms. It provides a variety of learning games, fun activities and creative prompts along with tips to help teacher cope with marking demands, classroom organisation issues, standardised testing and much more. The book shows teachers how to - communicate with all students, whether they need tutoring, support or just a simple thanks or encouragement. - involve students in initiatives that promote a sense of ownership and accountability. - implement innovative classroom practices to teach the same old stuff in a different more meaningful way. - present student learning through innovative approaches to concerts, assemblies and art displays. Easy for teachers to use, the book includes ready-to-copy tip sheets to share with students on such topics as organising notes, doing homework, getting teacher help, dealing with bullies, taking tests and studying. Reproducible pages to involve parents in the classroom range from tutoring tips to a parent interest questionnaire.

Read more less

Book SynopsisMaps have been used for centuries to help orient us in the physical world, yet they can also be useful tools for making sense of the more abstract world of thought. This remarkable book explores visual techniques for helping students understand how they think so they can become more effective learners. Thinking Visually combines the latest research with effective classroom practices that offer new possibilities for teachers and students.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis comprehensive guide offers teachers everything they need to inspire students to write and experience poetry as they build language skills. The book combines the rich background of poetry with sample poems and activities that are ready to use in any classroom. This new edition is updated with discussions of such contemporary poets as Naomi Shihab Nye, Karen Hess, Cynthia Rylant, and Mattie Stepanek.Based on the classroom experiences of two master teachers with an obvious love of poetry, readers will find answers to the common questions surrounding the study of poetry in the classroom.What is poetry?--from poems old and new to celebrating children's poetry;How do poems work?--from painting pictures with words to tricks of the trade;Why should we share poems with children?--from increasing word power through poetry to poetry as a way of thinking.The book also covers:ways to present poems--from using narration and mime to a model for presentation;when children write poems--from patterns for poems to using riddles, personification, and stream of consciousness;classroom concerns--from assessment techniques to tips for choosing and displaying poems in the classroom.An updated bibliography of the very best children's poetry anthologies and books for children complement this remarkable book.

Read more less

Book SynopsisIn TheClassroom Troubleshooter: Strategies for Dealing with Marking and Paperwork, Discipline, Evaluation, and Learning through Language, author Les Parsons provides practical, no-nonsense solutions to the problems that plague a teacher's day. This handy, easy-to-use guide incorporates a number of invaluable rubrics, checklists, templates, reference sheets, questionnaires, and student guidelines. Included are strategies to help teachers Avoid being overwhelmed by paperwork and other types of "administrivia" Mark "smart" Anticipate, prevent, respond to, and manage a host of discipline problems Develop and administer evaluation instruments for projects, research, essays, and objective-style tests Increase student comprehension of textbooks Implement and mark journal writing Guide talk-based learning Reflect on how individual teachers can impact on the overall functioning of the school The Classroom Troubleshooter empowers teachers to control their environment and to reclaim time and energy so that their gifts and skills can be directed into teaching and learning with their students.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEvery teacher has at least one student in their class that they worry they'll never be able to reach. A student who is reluctant to speak in public, forgets, finds it difficult to work in groups, is uninterested, seems to be an outsider, and so on. In What Do I Do About the Kid Who … ? educators learn how to create a learning environment that helps meet the needs of these students.Practical and functional, the book shows teachers how to structure content learning activities so the day-to-day operation of the classroom is easier, more organized, joyful, and exciting, with simple strategies to make learning contextualized, inclusive, respectful, and creative.Trade Reviewof value to students or inexperienced practitioners working in the primary or secondary sectors." - SEN Magazine, October 2015

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhether or not to teach formal grammar in the classroom is a hot topic. Teachers need help in making sense of the issues. Grammarama! offers a powerful classroom context and practical strategies for helping students cope with all aspects of grammar and language usage. It provides:discussion of the pros and cons of teaching grammar;exercises that involve students using grammar in fun ways;sentence-combining challenges that strengthen student language usage;examples and activities based on professional writing;creative expressions of grammar usage and how to incorporate them in your teaching;up-to-date details on how grammar and language evolves—from particular word usage to changing grammar rules to appropriate terminology for the classroom;a comprehensive glossary that offers capsule definitions of essential terms.All student activities are accompanied by detailed teacher guidelines that provide background, outcomes, ways of introducing the activities, and an answer key. Suggestions for group work and assessment complement this valuable classroom tool.Language is constantly changing. This remarkable resource shows you how students can make powerful connections with language that last a lifetime.Table of ContentsTo grammar or not to grammar; "Do-it-yourself" grammar; Sentence-combining challenges; Learning from a pro: Reading and grammar; Creative grammar; Changing rules and suitable terms; Final Words: Personalizing Grammar; Glossary; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow do we make writing meaningful to students? A leading educator and a popular novelist present a refreshing exploration of how the challenges of professional writers can give students new insights into writing. The Write Genre presents a balanced approach to writing workshops in grades 3–9. It provides hands-on activities that focus on all stages of the writing process, with teacher-directed assignments and self-selected writing lessons that emphasize writing to learn. These unique lessons are designed to help students write with a concrete purpose and audience in mind and complete assignments that are more focused and authentic. Organized around six writing genres, more than fifty mini-lessons deal with specific skills that help students write effective fiction and nonfiction in such genres as:personal memoir— from techniques involving a personal memoir timeline and organizer to great ways to start, create powerful paragraphs, and cut the clutter;fictional narrative— from character, plot, and dialogue to point of view and conflict resolution;informational report— from strategies for reading nonfiction and K-W-L-S organizers to adding voice and style;opinion piece— from loaded words and other persuasive writing techniques to business letters and topical issues; procedural writing —from incorporating visuals and interviewing experts to techniques for writing imperative sentences; poetry – from teaching the tools and specific forms of poetry to creating a poetry anthology.For easy classroom implementation, the key elements of many mini-lessons are also presented in reproducible pages, including frameworks, organizers, prompts, checklists, and grids. The book offers chapters devoted to the writing process, writing workshop, and using rubrics for instruction and assessment. The concluding chapter pulls all the threads together with a multi-genre project that involves students in using the skills they have learned throughout the school year.Table of ContentsIntroduction; How Writers Really Write--The Writing Process; How Students Learn to Write--The Writing Workshop; Using Rubrics for Writing Instruction and Assessment--The Six Traits; Telling Their Own Story--The Personal Memoir; Our Plot Thickens--The Fictional Narrative; Just the Facts, Ma'am--The Informational Report; What Do They Really Think?--The Opinion Piece; Doing It My Way--Procedural Writing; More Than Rhyme Time--Poetry; Putting It All Together--The Multi-Genre Project; Annotated Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisMaking Words Stick shows you how to move beyond spelling lists and rote memorization to make words both meaningful and memorable for all your students. It builds on the connection between vocabulary and comprehension and guides teachers in their most important task— building a strong literacy foundation.Full of efficient, effective, and engaging strategies, this useful guide explores innovative ways to organize vocabulary instruction in the grade 1 to 8 classroom. It demonstrates how to: create a positive, student–centered environment for the concept-based, multi-layered learning of words;teach vocabulary during shared reading, guided reading, and independent center time;incorporate visual displays of read aloud/picture study vocabulary to develop important conceptual knowledge;introduce think-and-search prompts and stretch charts to expand word knowledge during shared reading;build reading and writing independence with a wealth of fun small-group, and word-play challenges.From the role of semantics and syntax to original classroom-tested activities, this imaginative guide helps you give your students the lifelong gift of words and language.Table of ContentsAnchoring Word Knowledge; Semantic Mapping; Using Semantic Mapping; STRETCH-Chart Prompted Conversations; Using STRETCH Charts; Independent Centres; Using Centres; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis handy tool guides students through the seven essential steps for writing successfully in any form, from idea to draft to revision to final product. The layout is inviting and offers a valuable review of the essentials:Why Write?RAFTS to focus and discover Pre-writing strategiesStrategic DraftingThe Power of VoiceRevision that WorksResponse and FeedbackSeven Steps to Successful Writing helps writers get started, stay motivated, and complete pieces of writing they are proud to share. Its straightforward and easy-to-read format will ensure that writers return to it again and again.

Read more less

Book SynopsisInformal Assessment Strategies explores the power of informed assessment practices on teachers, on instruction and, most of all, on the literacy success of students. Beth Charlton shows teachers how to use the results of assessment and how to find time to assess in an increasingly-crowded school day. She challenges teachers to reflect on their own practice, encourages them to explore the why, what, and how of assessment, and presents techniques to help busy teachers listen, question, and observe students, and focus on student strengths and abilities. These observations form the foundation for lessons that build on what students know. Informal Assessment Strategies addresses the three fundamental components of successful teaching and learning:asking questions that engage students as they investigate, theorize, communicate, share, and reflect on their learning;observing students as they interact with others, participate in lessons, and complete assignments;planning well thought-out lessons that reflect an awareness of the curriculum, what a student can do, what the student needs to know next, and how the student and teacher measure success.With student and teacher reflections sprinkled throughout, this highly-readable book is rooted in the life of the classroom. It shows teachers how to foster true engagement and nurture students who are involved in, aware of, and excited about their learning.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTalking, Writing, and Thinking About Books shows teachers how to engage students in reading, responding to what they read, and improving reading comprehension. It features 101 ready-to-copy, single-page activities that involve students in all aspects of the reading process. The activities encompass the complete range of the language arts; students use writing, talk, drama, visual arts and other media to express their thoughts and ideas. The full array of text components—character, setting, plot, personal response, language, and words—are also covered. An ideal complement to any literature study, the activities are organized around the major components of language arts:Oral Language—talking about character, plot, language, and words;Drama—bringing character and plot to life;Visual Arts—creating art based on literary character, setting, and plot;Writing—formal and informal expression of character, events, setting,plot, language, and words;Research—investigating details about author, setting, and genre.The activities in Talking, Writing, and Thinking About Books are flexible enough to use with individuals, partners, and small groups, and in conjunction with a wide variety of texts from novels to newspapers. In addition, the busy teacher will find time-saving assessment forms (for teacher and student) invaluable. Simple tools give the teacher a quick record of student work habits and quality of work. A companion checklist for students helps them reflect on their work, follow directions, and complete tasks.Table of ContentsIntroduction; Talking and Reading Aloud; Drama; Visual Arts; Writing; Research; Appendix; Index of Activities

Read more less

Book SynopsisEarly Literacy Fundamentals offers powerful activities to develop the skills, concepts, and knowledge underpinning early literacy. It builds on the personal, social, emotional, creative, and physical development skills that are a traditional part of early childhood programs.Based on the latest research, the book recognizes that oral language is the bedrock upon which formal learning is based and that literacy: begins at birth and is part of an ongoing developmental process; develops concurrently with oral language development; is enhanced by adult models who expose children to print and how it works; is based on a systematic relationship between letters and sounds; is rooted in and connected to the child's culture and communication patterns. Each of the activities, organized around a seven-strand framework that reflects successful early childhood practices, is presented along with background research and practical advice on helping children initiate their own constructive play. The types of activities teachers will find include: learning activities appropriate to a young child's age and stage of development; quality pre-school activities that boost all children's language and literacy skills, and build a strong foundation for reading and literacy success in school; opportunities for children to use oral language in a variety of ways as they play and experiment with words; adult-initiated whole-group activities that can be extended into child-initiated play. Early Literacy Fundamentals provides a comprehensive overview of the language and literacy experiences children need, and helps teachers give them a strong base on which future reading and learning success can grow.

Read more less

Book SynopsisNow more than ever before, students in all disciplines must know how to write with clarity and conviction. Whether they're studying science or social studies, they have to learn to collect and analyze information, and communicate their own ideas with precision.This book helps teachers of content-area subjects discover ways to help their students become better, more capable writers. It shows them how to take students through all the steps involved in producing written documents—from generating ideas to researching to revising and editing—and provides them a wealth of practical tips for supporting and encouraging student work. Exploring Writing in the Content Areas suggests specific techniques designed to help students:organize information into paragraphs;use visual elements like photographs, charts, and diagrams to enhance written text;find and document secondary source material;create powerful pictures using words.This practical guide also explains how teachers can provide student writers with the concrete, constructive feedback they need, and demonstrates how assessment can guide effective teaching practices.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStudents aren't the only ones bullying in schools. Teachers, principals, and parents bully too. Together they create a bullying culture that strikes at the heart of effective learning and teaching. A bullying culture harms everyone it touches—targets, student bystanders, teachers, parents, and even society at large. To eradicate bullying, the school community must first acknowledge its existence in all forms. This timely book explores the background and issues related not just to student-on-student bullying but to all forms of bullying found in schools. It then goes on to illustrate how schools can devise—and enforce—a policy that works. This indispensable guide offers an anti-bullying blueprint that explains how to:recognize a systemic culture of bullying;neutralize the power imbalance that enables bullies;create an environment free of sexual, racial, and cultural stereotyping;use cooperative learning to foster respect for differences;empower students through positive reinforcement; counteract the “blame the victim” mentality.

Read more less

Book SynopsisTo teach with excellence demands more than strategies and techniques. The most successful teachers draw on their personal power—their confidence, compassion, and empathy, and their professional power—their ability to lead, instruct, and inspire their students to do their best. With practice, most teachers can develop the skills they need to conquer almost any classroom challenge. This book offers specific, practical ideas to help teachers: manage their classroom time efficiently; educate with passion and enthusiasm; support students who are struggling; motivate with creativity and humor; lead effectively both inside the classroom and out. In 55 Teaching Dilemmas, Kathy Paterson also shows readers how to counsel students in need, how to recognize and prevent burnout, how to communicate with parents and guardians, and how to encourage cooperative learning among students with different capabilities and skills.

Read more less

Book SynopsisJust what teachers need to incorporate the rich diversity of home and out-of-school experiences in classroom instruction! This book explores innovative ways to motivate students using all forms of communication — books, magazines, blogs, movies, zines, the internet, television, music, comics, texting, newspapers, rap, video games, collector cards, and more. Based on the belief that literacy takes place everywhere, the book promotes learning strategies that incorporate what we see, read, hear, and do every day. The stories of students, teachers, education leaders, and parents bring immediacy to this powerful book.Table of ContentsFamily Literacy Experiences: Creating reading and writing opportunities that support classroom learning

Read more less

Book SynopsisTutoring Adolescent Readers shows teachers how to reap the benefits of one-to-one teaching by using volunteer tutors. It provides the information you need to incorporate a tutoring program that addresses a variety of student needs — from students who are unmotivated or have different learning styles to those learning English for the first time or who have a learning disability.Teachers will learn everything they need to create an effective tutoring program that supports classroom instruction.Setting up a tutoring program — from defining the roles and responsibilities of tutors to recruiting and training volunteers;Working with dependent readers — from identifying readers who need more help to tips for dealing with the specific learning needs and styles of students;Using explicit instruction — from encouraging tutors to recognize where students are and how to set goals to monitor and assess student progress;Promoting fluency and word recognition — from teaching cueing systems and modeling effective reading strategies to using specialized techniques for introducing and reviewing decoding skills.Resources that teachers can copy and use with tutors are an important part of this handy resource. These materials explain the essentials of reading instruction and investigate the variety of techniques that good readers use.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe skills required to write an essay are the same skills required to write a speech, to prepare a persuasive argument, to prove a point, or to explain an idea. If we can help our students acquire these skills as we teach “the essay,” we will have assisted them in accomplishing truly valuable life skills.Essay Writing contains easy-to-incorporate lessons along with tips for teaching specific concepts that range from pre-writing exercises to revising and editing to celebrating the final product. This down-to-earth look at the foundations of good essay writing is full of useful ideas and strategies that help students:build skills in writing on a wide range of topics; distinguish between formal and informal writing;use effective pre-writing techniques such as brainstorming, making an outline,gathering information, and evaluating the relevance of information;gain confidence as they begin to recognize what works and what doesn't.The book incorporates a wide range of innovative approaches to teaching essay writing — from how to “picture” and “act out” an essay to a winning format for a topic sentence and using scattergrams to turn brainstorming into constructive outlines. Throughout the book, assessment tools and marking keys support simple marking techniques that consider not just the final essay, but effort and time on task.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAsking questions and caring about the answers is a pivotal part of becoming an independent learner. In this handy practical, the authors provide strategies that help students and teachers effectively and critically evaluate what they read, see, hear, and do. Out of the Question explores such key issues as: why ask questions?nurturing questions in the classroom;promoting deeper thinking;generating an emotional response;encouraging creativity; building questioning skills;assessing the questioning process.The core activities in this practical guide focus on formulating questions that uncover what is relevant, what is of interest, what is legitimate, what is authentic, and what requires further investigation. It examines the role of teacher and student in answering and asking questions, looks at the structure of questions, and offers rubrics and checklists for assessment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Writing Circle explores classroom writing groups as a powerful structure for giving students the support and guidance they need. Based on a common structure found in the writing world outside of school, these groups provide an ideal way for students to learn from each other. Under the teacher's guidance, young writers can work together on all aspects of the writing process—sharing drafts of writing, responding to each other's works-in-progress, and building confidence in themselves as writers. The writing process is dynamic; writers move from one stage to the other and back again doing two—or three or more—things at once. Students become more energized when they tap into this dynamic process and interact with peers. Writing circles have the added bonus of giving teachers lots of opportunities to observe, advise, learn, teach, and take part in writing circle discussions.This comprehensive resource includes everything needed to support writing circles in the classroom. Sample lessons outline specific learning goals and offer suggestions for student and teacher roles. Many of these lessons require that the teacher guide the writing circles, step-by-step, through activities, but the groups gradually gain their own momentum as students become more independent, skilled, and confident writers. Table of ContentsA Community of Writers; Within the Writing Circle; Establishing Writing Circles; Facing the Blank Page; The Author as Writing Coach; Where Does Revision Fit?; Voice and Voices; Within and Without Circles; Bibliography; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis practical book offers effective and creative activities that help young students master the skills they need to grow as writers. Among the topics discussed, the book thoroughly explores the important beginning steps, such as:putting pencil to paper;identifying and printing letters of the alphabet; exploring sound–symbol matches.Table of ContentsA Contextual Framework; Putting Pencil to Paper; Identifying and Making Letters of the Alphabet; Incorporating Basic Tools into Routines and Play; Phonemic Awareness and Sound-Symbol Matches; Learning How to Spell; Creating a Legible, Coherent Text; Resources; Appendixes; Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis playful 32-page flip book explores all aspects of poetry — from guidelines and an overview of poetic forms to the Top Ten lists of various poetry favorites. Handy reproducible masters are also provided which include a poetry timetable, ten questions to ask about any poem, an observation checklist for teachers, and a personal poetry inventory for students.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn ideal review for teachers, this innovative flip book shows students how to identify their learning style as they build important information literacy skills. Students learn how to apply what they read, hear, and see to what they already know, and grow in their understanding of themselves and the world around them. From reading books and analyzing a movie to working on a research project, students will investigate effective strategies for finding and using all kinds of information and making it their own.

Read more less

Book SynopsisRooted in real-life math experiences, this highly readable book explores innovative ways you can teach math principles using the best children's books. This simple book shows teachers how to select, organize, and use children's literature to connect children with real-world math. Committed to creating long-lasting positive math memories, it goes beyond reading about math and encourages linking text with relevant manipulatives in a hands-on, minds-on, problem-solving environment.

Read more less

Book SynopsisAll text comes with layers of meaning influenced by the background knowledge and attitudes of readers. This valuable resource examines the power of language and persuasion helps students critically examine and negotiate the underlying meaning in all that they read and see. It asks them to consider the author''s purpose, and to appreciate that each text is written from a particular point of view.

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow can you help students find meaning in informational texts and become independent strategic readers and thinkers? Nonfiction Reading Power gives teachers a wealth of effective strategies for helping students think while they read material in all subject areas.Trade Review"Gear's Nonfiction Reading Power provides a pratical approach for teachers on how to actually teach important comprehension skills so that students can better use and understand nonfiction." - CM Magazine

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis timely book offers teachers practical tools that promote student learning and personal growth in our fast-paced information age. Building on students' love of text messaging, this book offers 100 "crisp and snappy" strategies that are easily taught, reviewed, and reinforced by teachers. The name of each strategy reflects its function, which makes the strategy easy to recall, easy to apply, and fun to use. The strategies are organized around seven themes -- Remembering, Communicating, Organizing, Discovering, Understanding, Creating, and Living Well -- that represent general teaching goals. Text Me a Strategy provides teachers with a wealth of tactics to help students sift through volumes of content and develop life-enhancing strategies.

Read more less

Book SynopsisGetting Dads On Board offers teachers effective techniques for attracting, recruiting, and keeping fathers involved in their children's literacy learning. Real-life experiences illustrate how a father's individual interests, strengths, and identity can complement and enrich his child's learning. Filled with sample letters to send home (with suggested games and activities), as well as ideas for workshops and other literacy events, this book provides teachers with a range of tools they can use to get and keep dads on board.

Read more less