Experiential Learning That Builds Character and Motivation
'Interesting, captivating, thought-provoking. Thomsen's explanations and examples of service learning show us that students can engage in higher and more complex thinking skills while they serve others, address learning standards, meet the expectations of the curriculum and -oh, by the way-find out that school can be fun!' - Dr. Richard Castallo, Chair, Deparment of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, California State University Northridge 'Teachers and site administrators will find their "how" and "why" questions answered in this inspirational and motivational book. The research behind the efficacy of service learning is a highlight of the book. In addition, it contains plenty of complete, useful examples of service learning projects for those educators who don't want to invent their own. Kate Thomsen's book is a great addition to the conversation on community learning!' - Neal A. Glasgow, Educator//Author 'Service Learning is a compelling work which addresses a universal need often overlooked in school curricula-the need to practice compassion and generosity. Kate Thomsen provides eudcators with a practical handbook for teaching wisdom and empathy along with math, language arts, social studies, and science. This book is a testament to our faith in the promise of all of our children, and in the capacity of teachers to transform lives through thoughtful instruction and example' - Lauri Pepe Bousquet, Professor of Education, LeMoyne College, Syracuse, NY Kate Thomsen wrote about the power of service learning to promote resiliency in her book Building Resilient Students. In Service Learning in Grades K-8, she explores in greater depth the positive effects of service learning on youth, different types of successful programs, and how to start a service learning program. Service learning-making community service part of the school's educational program-can be used at all grade levels; however, some high schools require that students earn a certain number of credits in service learning in order to graduate. One type of service learning program is curriculum related and tied directly to what the students are learning in school. For example, students may work on a beach cleanup during an oceanography unit. In another type of program, students are required to serve the community for a set number of hours, for example working at a homeless shelter, retirement community, hospital, or animal shelter. In this case, the students may reflect on their experiences through a journal or paper, but the program is not connected to a class or specific curriculum.
What's Necessary, What's Nice, and What's Got to Go
Dig out from your desk and discover a refreshing new world of school leadership! Do you find yourself so busy digging a ditch with a spoon that you don't have time to go back to the tool shed and fetch a shovel? Are your in-box and daily schedule at maximum capacity? Does it seem impossible to include those extras that would make your job more enjoyable and satisfying? Conquering overload is a constant challenge for 21st-century school administrators. This book breathes fresh air into the often murky world of priority management. Setting Leadership Priorities teaches busy professionals how to distinguish between information, activities, and situations that must be retained, those that might be refined, and many that should be relinquished. Drawing on more than twenty years of experience as a teacher and administrator, Lovely understands that reducing frustration and overload helps administrators by: Increasing retention rates and improving success on the job Allowing them to redistribute leadership by delegating Creating balance in their daily lives and in their long-term professional journey When the emergencies outnumber the victories and you can't see the door over your towering in-box, it's time to reshuffle your priorities and let clarity emerge.
'The High Achiever's Guide to Happiness is a very practical book that provides both a strategic framework to understand why high achievers do what they do as well as plenty of real life examples on how to achieve the right work//life balance in your own life. I found this to be a refreshing reminder of what's really important in my own life as well as what I need to do to keep it all in perspective. Highly recommended reading.' -Kip Knight, Vice President, Marketing eBay, Inc. '...a great reference to get people thinking about themselves and their professional happiness. A school leader could use this information with teachers, students, parent groups, and community groups.' -Gwen Gross, Superintendent Manhattan Beach Unified School District, CA 'This book makes a contribution to the entire world. From educators to professionals in any work organizations, all would benefit from putting the practices in this book into their lives.' -Kim Boelkes, Principal Eastview Elementary School, Canton, IL 'The authors got me thinking about my own life purpose, for whom I am living, and my vision. I found the strategies useful and positive!' -Gail Houghton, Chair//Associate Professor Department of Educational Leadership School of Education & Behavorial Studies Azusa Pacific University Do you feel that happiness and fulfillment are still missing even after reaching the high goals you set for yourself? You're not alone. According to research by well-known educator and life coach to Fortune 500 leaders, Vance Caesar, only 8 percent of high achievers feel happy and fulfilled. This simple, straightforward, easy-to-reference guide explores the profile of a high achiever and provides tools throughout for improving one's own leadership style and incorporating more happiness along the way. The authors provide leaders and aspiring leaders with seven keys to gain fulfillment in all areas of life, including one's career: Discovering and articulating your life Purpose Possessing a Vision to set your direction Attitudes and beliefs for finding Meaningful Work Developing Energizing Relationships Creating Peace in your life Reviewing, Renewing, and Recommitting to your purpose Forming the habits of Discipline Filled with personal anecdotes, thought-provoking examples and questions, reflection exercises, and easy-to-implement models, this inspirational resource is a must for those interested in more deeply connecting personal values, vision, and satisfaction to life and work and modeling that connection for others. This is a book you will return to again and again as your personal life coach!
Memorable Movie Moments That Promote Reflection, Conversation, and Action
"One of the fastest ways to provide an understanding is through a story or a visual. Film clips do both. This book is an invaluable aid to any staff developer who wants to captivate an audience and teach at the same time." -Dr. Ruby Payne, President aha! Process, Inc. "Because our metaphorical minds learn through finding patterns, relationships, and analogies, the use of film clips to illuminate such elusive but enduring values as persistence, courage, empathy, creativity, and hope can accelerate their meanings more powerfully than any lecture, definition, or description." -Arthur L. Costa, Professor Emeritus California State University Sacramento Make training fun, engaging, and rewarding with this powerful and readily available technology! Video and DVD clips give participants an opportunity to explore values and ideas, learn about one another, and, in the process, build a stronger learning community. Energizing Staff Development Using Film Clips is a collection of film and television clips that staff developers can use to encourage discussion and reflection on pertinent, common themes, including courage, communication, change, conflict, creativity, and leadership. Each chapter includes real-life examples of how clips may be used in staff development settings, quotes for extending thinking and discussion, and articles and books that relate to the chapter theme. Each film clip section includes: A synopsis of the scene An explanation of critical themes Start and stop times The length of the clip Suggested discussion questions Contexts for use These stimulating, instructive film clips lead to helpful conversations, create positive plans of action, and promote learning through reflection. Whether planning a team meeting, a faculty meeting, or a training program, leaders and organizations will find a clip to generate conversations about many of the most pressing issues in education.
Spark students' motivation to learn and succeed beyond the formal years of schooling! Every student enrolled in school can learn; however, the capacity for learning varies among students. As a result of a two-decade-long interest, author Margaret A. Theobald provides teachers with ideas and insights that can help support and motivate middle and high school students to do their best work. This unique book, which defines motivation, contains basic theories and a wealth of useful practical procedures. Easy to pick up, its simple approach and format will help school leaders apply and modify motivational strategies for all students while recognizing that each student is unique. Written, developed, designed, and presented to teachers and school leaders for immediate application, this handbook provides: General frameworks for thinking about motivation Hundreds of strategies from middle and high school educators who have succeeded in motivating students to learn A deeper understanding of the needs of students as those needs relate to students' motivational levels Increasing Student Motivation fills an important niche in professional educational literature and will prove to be an invaluable resource for all educators who work with students and are concerned about how to help them maximize their potential.
Experiential Learning That Builds Character and Motivation
'Interesting, captivating, thought-provoking. Thomsen's explanations and examples of service learning show us that students can engage in higher and more complex thinking skills while they serve others, address learning standards, meet the expectations of the curriculum and -oh, by the way-find out that school can be fun!' - Dr. Richard Castallo, Chair, Deparment of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, California State University Northridge 'Teachers and site administrators will find their "how" and "why" questions answered in this inspirational and motivational book. The research behind the efficacy of service learning is a highlight of the book. In addition, it contains plenty of complete, useful examples of service learning projects for those educators who don't want to invent their own. Kate Thomsen's book is a great addition to the conversation on community learning!' - Neal A. Glasgow, Educator//Author 'Service Learning is a compelling work which addresses a universal need often overlooked in school curricula-the need to practice compassion and generosity. Kate Thomsen provides eudcators with a practical handbook for teaching wisdom and empathy along with math, language arts, social studies, and science. This book is a testament to our faith in the promise of all of our children, and in the capacity of teachers to transform lives through thoughtful instruction and example' - Lauri Pepe Bousquet, Professor of Education, LeMoyne College, Syracuse, NY Kate Thomsen wrote about the power of service learning to promote resiliency in her book Building Resilient Students. In Service Learning in Grades K-8, she explores in greater depth the positive effects of service learning on youth, different types of successful programs, and how to start a service learning program. Service learning-making community service part of the school's educational program-can be used at all grade levels; however, some high schools require that students earn a certain number of credits in service learning in order to graduate. One type of service learning program is curriculum related and tied directly to what the students are learning in school. For example, students may work on a beach cleanup during an oceanography unit. In another type of program, students are required to serve the community for a set number of hours, for example working at a homeless shelter, retirement community, hospital, or animal shelter. In this case, the students may reflect on their experiences through a journal or paper, but the program is not connected to a class or specific curriculum.
"Purposeful, realistic . . . and clearly written....the book renews my excitement for teaching writing, and for new teachers, the text offers suggestions from a voice of experience-all within the framework of NCLB legislation for differentiating teaching based on learners' needs." -Julia Weinberg, Instructor University of Nevada, Reno Give students the power to express their thinking in writing and to use writing as a process for learning! How can we improve students' ability to write "constructed response" to high stakes content area test items? How can we open for them the writing pathway to exploring and understanding informational texts? How can we help them develop the essential traits of proficient writing? Nationally recognized experts in literacy with experience in elementary, middle school, and university classrooms as well as consulting expertise, Barone and Taylor meld theoretical and practical considerations about writing instruction to explain how to teach each child to: Self-monitor to improve writing skills Grow in ability to write successful constructed response Use writing to process and stretch their own thinking Prepare for high stakes writing assessment Improving Students' Writing, K-8 brings together real-life examples, rubrics, reproducible aids and how-to's for getting the most out of your writers.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Fair Procedures for Identification and Dismissal
Are you faced with the difficult task of teacher evaluations? Does the burden of proof fall to you in cases of teacher dismissals? For over a decade, headteachers have turned to The Marginal Teacher as a resource for ensuring competency in their schools. This third edition of The Marginal Teacher offers timely solutions to successfully dealing with unproductive teachers. Lawrence illustrates the proper actions that headteachers should integrate into the evaluation processes to successfully gather documentation to help improve or terminate an ineffective teacher.
The ABC's of Designing and Delivering Sensational Presentations
"Anyone who reads this book for personal reasons or adopts it for his or her school will soon discover the wealth of information it contains." -Dr. Carol A. Mullen, Editor, The Mentoring and Tutoring Journal "This book is thorough, informative, helpful, collegial, and supportive. A 'must-have' and great guide for everyone involved in professional development, training, or consulting." -Genny DiTrani, Professional Development Consultant New Jersey Education Association Learn to share your expertise with the wider educational community! As staff development moves from the district office to the school building, more teachers and administrators are being asked to lead workshops. Yet most educators have little or no training in adult learning. In this practical guide, best-selling author and acclaimed presenter Hal Portner leads teachers through the step-by-step process of designing and presenting a successful workshop. Packed with proven strategies and ready-to-use worksheets, this insightful book provides information on learning style preferences, offers guidance to selecting and introducing activities appropriate to those styles, and touches on many of the unsettling issues a first-time presenter may face. Features of the book include: A workshop design planning form Tips for overcoming stage fright and dealing with difficult participants Ready-to-use workshop activities Sample evaluation forms Self-assessment worksheets for every stage in the process Teachers and other educators who are presenting a workshop for the first time will find this an essential resource, while staff developers, trainers, and other seasoned consultants will value this book as a refresher or as a source for new ideas.
