A Guide to Peer Consultation for Administrators and Teachers
Boost teacher-to-teacher collaboration and learning as a means of informal, but powerful professional development! Most teachers have experienced some kind of formal mentoring or induction program. What these programs can miss is the meaningful daily interaction with peers that builds mutual trust and instructional collaboration-the organic, coachable moments that boost professional learning. Based on a unique investigative study of nearly 300 teachers, this powerful new resource provides informative teacher perspectives of informal, naturally occurring, teacher-to-teacher professional development. Jo and Joseph Blase use this research to identify the following five teacher behaviors that can positively influence other teachers' morale, teaching skills, and professional growth: Building healthy relationships by communicating, caring, and developing trust Using five guiding principles for structuring learning experiences Planning and organizing for learning Showing and sharing Guiding for classroom management This excellent resource helps school leaders promote a culture that encourages lasting professional development. Each chapter presents practical concepts and strategies that can occur in and out of the classroom. Educators share specific experiences and examples, showing each skill in action. School leaders will learn what strong teacher peer "consultants" actually do that leads to improved teacher confidence and motivation, enhanced trust and mutual respect, and reflective instructional behavior among their colleagues. These cost-effective, authentic strategies will build camaraderie and leadership in your school, engaging colleagues as a team in the vital mission of all schools-educating our youth.
"There's a strong possibility that this will become one of the most used books on the educator's bookshelf, and that's all to the good because ultimately it will be the students (and their brains) who benefit." -From the Foreword by Pat Wolfe "Teachers want ideas that make them better teachers. This is a welcome addition to books available in this field." -William Fitzhugh, Teacher, Reisterstown Elementary School, MD Combine the best of what we know about how the brain learns with the best of what we know about teaching! This revised, updated edition of Designing Brain Compatible Learning synthesizes the latest brain research into a powerful set of teaching tools and strategies for integrating thinking skills, cooperative learning, graphic organizers, and authentic assessment into any classroom. The new edition features: Step-by-step strategies for teaching concepts, skills, and content to all age groups and learning styles A newly expanded section on standards-based lesson design and lesson planning Charts, diagrams, and other visual tools to reinforce learning A collection of new planning templates and graphic organizers An extended glossary and updated bibliography This comprehensive guide for teachers and instructional leaders provides in-depth coverage of instructional planning at its best.
A Guide to Peer Consultation for Administrators and Teachers
Boost teacher-to-teacher collaboration and learning as a means of informal, but powerful professional development! Most teachers have experienced some kind of formal mentoring or induction program. What these programs can miss is the meaningful daily interaction with peers that builds mutual trust and instructional collaboration-the organic, coachable moments that boost professional learning. Based on a unique investigative study of nearly 300 teachers, this powerful new resource provides informative teacher perspectives of informal, naturally occurring, teacher-to-teacher professional development. Jo and Joseph Blase use this research to identify the following five teacher behaviors that can positively influence other teachers' morale, teaching skills, and professional growth: Building healthy relationships by communicating, caring, and developing trust Using five guiding principles for structuring learning experiences Planning and organizing for learning Showing and sharing Guiding for classroom management This excellent resource helps school leaders promote a culture that encourages lasting professional development. Each chapter presents practical concepts and strategies that can occur in and out of the classroom. Educators share specific experiences and examples, showing each skill in action. School leaders will learn what strong teacher peer "consultants" actually do that leads to improved teacher confidence and motivation, enhanced trust and mutual respect, and reflective instructional behavior among their colleagues. These cost-effective, authentic strategies will build camaraderie and leadership in your school, engaging colleagues as a team in the vital mission of all schools-educating our youth.
Joseph Murphy calls this 'finely crafted and beautifully written' book 'the most comprehensive and extensive treatment of the school leadership literature available to date' - from the Foreword by Joseph Murphy A set of key leadership behaviours can help create the right kind of conditions in schools for learning to occur. How can school leaders excel in those behaviours? An important and trusted resource for 25 years, this fourth edition of School Leadership: Handbook for Excellence in Student Learning emphasizes the school leader's role as champion of student learning. Integrating theory and practice, the editors introduce school leadership from five perspectives: the person, the values, the structure, the mission, and the skills. This expanded edition draws from a variety of viewpoints on educational leadership to give school leaders - and those preparing for the role - insight and wisdom to meet the challenges of helping all their students learn. Updates include: o Expanded coverage of instructional leadership and the principal's role in student learning o New chapters covering the headship, accountability, effects of leadership, distributed leadership, political leadership, and engaging the public o New chapters on data-based decision-making and allocation of human, financial, and physical resources o Eight completely reworked chapters that tie back to student learning o End-of-chapter reflection questions for group discussion This is the ultimate guide for all headteachers and administrators; a simultaneous life-preserver and indispensable coach for the important work of school leadership.
A Guide to Planning Your Curriculum, Teaching Through Learning Centers, and Just About Everything Else
"This indispensable new edition is a must-have for every early childhood teacher. Explaining how to manage a classroom while encouraging children to make good choices and assume greater responsibility for managing their own behavior (among many other things!), the book will help new teachers get started and veteran teachers improve what they're already doing." -Sharon MacDonald, Education Consultant Create an inviting, high-quality early childhood classroom! Many excellent teachers find themselves bewildered when teaching three- to six-year-olds, especially if their professional preparation was focused on the elementary grades. While they may recognize children's unique learning styles and special needs, they may not know how to handle noise, activity, and even messes in classrooms that revolve around hands-on learning centers. In this updated edition of a classic, teacher trainer Dianne Miller Nielsen guides teachers through the basics, from lesson planning and developing daily schedules to arranging furniture and managing classroom activities. The book also offers suggestions to enhance learning through modeling, purposeful interactions, and conversations. The variety of updated topics in Teaching Young Children, Second Edition include: Setting up and managing an ABC center to develop children's understanding of the alphabetic principle Setting up and managing a computer center to bring new technology into the classroom and extend literacy skills Involving parents and families inside and outside the classroom Sidebar teacher tips peppered throughout, from activities and ideas ("Try This") to important concepts to remember ("Keep in Mind") This comprehensive handbook provides absolutely everything that preschool and kindergarten teachers need to create a high-quality, child-centered classroom!
Tips and Strategies for School Leaders and Classroom Teachers
"This book has numerous practical and relevant suggestions. It could be purchased for an entire staff and used for a faculty book study." -Judy Brunner, Principal Parkview High School, Springfield, MO Co-Founder of EDU-SAFE "This is not just another book delineating the problem. It gives answers! It is easy to read, and the perfect length. I would recommend this book to any administrator or classroom teacher." -Ruth Gharst, Assistant Administrator Heatherstone Elementary, Olathe, KS Make your school safer for all children with a practical anti-bullying program! We've seen it too many times-the weak, lonely child being tormented by an aggressive, powerful bully. The result is a damaging outcome for the victim, bully, and school community at large. Bully Prevention, Second Edition, addresses the growing concern of bullying and violence by offering updated strategies for developing social skills, resolving conflicts, and intervening in bullying situations. Providing techniques for immediate implementation in both elementary and secondary classrooms, this resource includes: Explanations of the relationships between bullies, victims, and witnesses Case studies and vignettes Role plays for use with students Guidelines for intervening in bullying situations By using these tools to plan and implement anti-bullying programs, educators can increase the safety of all their students.
"Any teacher can use this book regardless of the reading program a district may be using. It brings the various practices of reading and writing together in a practical and useful way." -Betty Ann Collinge, Kindergarten/First Grade Teacher Green Acres Elementary School, North Haven, CT "This book's major strengths include straightforward writing, clear discussion of topics, excellent graphic samples, strong attention to a balanced perspective, and practical ideas." -Jennifer Trujillo, Assistant Professor, Teacher Education Fort Lewis College "The book is easy to follow and very accessible. It is not too esoteric or philosophical, yet includes important theory and knowledge about learning. The suggestions are excellent, relevant, and inclusive." -Karen Heath, Literacy Coordinator Barre Schools, VT Use these practical strategies to help students develop strong reading and writing skills! Reading is a complex process. And in today's increasingly diverse classrooms, each student has unique learning needs. In the face of these challenges, how can teachers ensure that all students develop essential literacy skills? How to Teach Balanced Reading and Writing provides practical, research-based strategies for all aspects of literacy education. Presenting best practices in an easy-to-use format, literacy expert Bonnie Burns supplies guidance for providing direct instruction in phonics, using authentic texts, building word recognition, strengthening comprehension, and implementing writing across the curriculum. Aligned with the National Reading Panel Report (2000) and Reading First legislation, this book offers strategies to use with students at all developmental levels. This second edition has been extensively revised to include ? A discussion of language acquisition Strategies for assessing phonemic awareness Techniques for developing fluency Increased attention to the needs of diverse learners Additional instructional activities in every chapter Because of its flexibility, this book is suitable for both novice and experienced teachers. Its friendly, accessible format also makes it an ideal text for preservice teachers and students in education courses.
The chapters in this Yearbook are examples of ways to study the power of teacher education. They describe practices of teacher education based on theory, research, and experience and then assess influences of these practices. These research findings become part of the knowledge base on good teacher education.
This book is about the inner voice of the self. It addresses the ways students, teachers, and others speak to themselves about who they are and how they fit in the world.
