Though schools have long relied on teachers to assume leadership roles, they have received little assistance in becoming the leaders they are expected to be. Leadership preparation tends to focus on teaching educators to become administrators rather than teacher leaders. This innovative sourcebook is designed to redress the balance. Based on a thorough review of current literature, A Handbook for Teacher Leaders guides readers through the leadership skills and strategies they will require. Issues covered include leading in curriculum development and school restructuring, and leading teachers in their professional development.
This book helps mathematics leaders build a high-quality instructional programme based upon the five principles identified by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM, 2000): equity, curriculum, teaching, learning, and assessment, and the four leadership principles from the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics in the PRIME Leadership Framework (NCSM, 2008): equity leadership, teaching and learning leadership, curriculum leadership, and assessment leadership. The authors provide an approach to improvement that includes: - Articulating the curriculum - Implementing the curriculum - Using effective instructional strategies - Providing timely feedback - Providing opportunities for collaboration and professional development Leaders will find guidance on how to plan for long-term change and how to focus their time and energy towards short-term objectives, with the overarching goals of continually engaging and empowering mathematics teachers.
'The authors provide a commonsense approach for those who work directly with classroom teachers to support and improve teaching and learning. Easily read, this book lays out a simple plan for success as a mathematics coach' - Emily S. Rash, Mathematics Specialist, Monroe City School District, LA Math coaches play a vital role in strengthening math instruction and learning in schools. However, without a collegial relationship with the teachers they are trying to help, it is difficult to foster productive collaborations that lead to better teaching practice and increased student achievement. This resource helps coaches confidently clarify, define, and fulfill their role as influential mathematics leaders. Based on principles established by NCTM and NCSM, this volume features a three-part process for engaging teachers in building high-quality, equitable mathematics programs. The chapters help coaches effectively: - Collaborate with teachers to align and implement curriculum that positively impacts student learning and achievement - Build trust and rapport with hesitant or resistant teachers - Develop collegial partnerships for planning, analyzing, and reflecting on instruction - Support and sustain individual and institutional change Filled with numerous vignettes to illustrate coaching practices and strategies to move teachers toward more effective instructional models, A Guide to Mathematics Coaching is an essential companion for transforming mathematics classrooms.
"A very hands-on approach to helping teachers, parents, students, and the community. Coaches are not only given the theory behind what they do, but also the knowledge of how to implement the research and theory." -Emme Barnes, Literacy Facilitator Hawk Ridge Elementary, Charlotte, NC "This superior text clarifies the responsibilities, qualifications, and capabilities of the coach within and without the school and as a leadership partner." -Connie Molony, Reading-Language Arts Specialist Fargo Public Schools, ND An essential guide to the "what" and the "how" of literacy coaching! Literacy coaches regularly encounter practical and theoretical issues, ranging from decoding national and state coaching requirements to understanding how to work effectively with all students, including those with special needs. This practical guide presents effective coaching strategies and best practices for enhancing literacy instruction and student performance across all grade levels. Ideal for individual or group professional development, this text covers skill requirements for coaching and describes four roles of effective coaches: facilitator, observer, colleague, and learner. Readers will find sample scenarios, advice from recognized literacy experts, and topic extensions for study groups, as well as: Information on NCLB, Reading First, and Reading Next requirements Insight into developing relationships with school administrators Tips for coaching difficult or noncompliant teachers Practical recommendations for first-year coaches A Guide to Literacy Coaching illuminates the many practical strategies literacy coaches, mentors, teacher leaders, and staff developers can use to collaborate with multiple school constituencies to promote teacher development and schoolwide literacy success.
"A very hands-on approach to helping teachers, parents, students, and the community. Coaches are not only given the theory behind what they do, but also the knowledge of how to implement the research and theory." -Emme Barnes, Literacy Facilitator Hawk Ridge Elementary, Charlotte, NC "This superior text clarifies the responsibilities, qualifications, and capabilities of the coach within and without the school and as a leadership partner." -Connie Molony, Reading-Language Arts Specialist Fargo Public Schools, ND An essential guide to the "what" and the "how" of literacy coaching! Literacy coaches regularly encounter practical and theoretical issues, ranging from decoding national and state coaching requirements to understanding how to work effectively with all students, including those with special needs. This practical guide presents effective coaching strategies and best practices for enhancing literacy instruction and student performance across all grade levels. Ideal for individual or group professional development, this text covers skill requirements for coaching and describes four roles of effective coaches: facilitator, observer, colleague, and learner. Readers will find sample scenarios, advice from recognized literacy experts, and topic extensions for study groups, as well as: Information on NCLB, Reading First, and Reading Next requirements Insight into developing relationships with school administrators Tips for coaching difficult or noncompliant teachers Practical recommendations for first-year coaches A Guide to Literacy Coaching illuminates the many practical strategies literacy coaches, mentors, teacher leaders, and staff developers can use to collaborate with multiple school constituencies to promote teacher development and schoolwide literacy success.
Helping Students Organize and Process Content for Deeper Learning
Using Graphic Organizers to Increase Learning: A Step by Step Guide, Second Edition offers teachers of all grade levels and content areas a collection of 24 ready-to-use graphic organizers to help students organize their thinking, process content, and work cooperatively. In the bookAEs first section, each graphic organizer is featured in its own chapter, providing:A lesson for introducing the organizer to studentsIdeas for using the organizer in different subject areas and grade levelsTips for using the organizer to maximize student learningThe second section provides strategies for using graphic organizers with cooperative learning groups, exploration of the role of graphic organizers in developing thinking processes, and suggestions for using them as assessment tools. This revised edition has been updated with current research, several new graphic organizers, a streamlined format, and an expanded collection of examples.
Helping Students Organize and Process Content for Deeper Learning
"Creating a mindful rendering of student thinking with these graphic tools is at the heart of this extensive work. K-12 teachers will applaud this effort as they use these graphic organizers in rich and relevant instructional activities." -Robin Fogarty, Educational Consultant and Author "An excellent aid in teaching students to gather and process data systematically, develop critical thinking skills, and become actively engaged learners." -Mary Jo Johnson, Educational Evaluator, North Carolina School for the Deaf, Morganton, NC Help students organize their thinking, process content, and work cooperatively! Graphic organizers are effective, research-validated tools for supporting student achievement, promoting students' higher-level thinking, and strengthening learners' visual and metacognitive skills. In this combined update of The Cooperative Think Tank I and II, James Bellanca offers teachers a collection of 24 ready-to-use graphic organizers to enhance student learning across subject areas and grade levels. Presenting each graphic organizer in its own chapter, the author includes lessons for introducing these engaging learning tools to students and offers tips for maximizing their positive learning effects. Revised with current research, new graphic organizers, and a streamlined format, this edition also provides guidelines for using graphic organizers to: Support cooperative learning groups Help students process content Effectively assess students' understanding of concepts For novice teachers or seasoned veterans, Bellanca's extensive collection is the ideal guide to help you integrate graphic organizers into daily instruction.
Making Thinking Visible, Meaningful, Shareable, and Amplified
Documenting Learning is a process that facilitates student-driven learning, helping students reflect on and articulate their own learning processes. It also helps teachers reflect on their own personal professional learning and their practice in the classroom.
The Journey to Realize Equity and Access in K-12 Mathematics Education
Create a pathway to equity by detracking mathematics The tracked mathematics system has been operating in US schools for decades. However, research demonstrates negative effects on subgroups of students by keeping them in a single math track, thereby denying them access to rigorous coursework needed for college and career readiness. The journey to change this involves confronting some long-standing beliefs and structures in education. When supported with the right structures, instructional shifts, coalition building, and educator training and support, the detracking of mathematics courses can be a primary pathway to equity. The ultimate goal is to increase more students' access to and achievement in higher levels of mathematics learning-especially for students who are historically marginalized. Based on the stories and lessons learned from the San Francisco Unified School District educators who have talked the talk and walked the walk, this book provides a model for all those involved in taking on detracking efforts from policymakers and school administrators, to math coaches and teachers. By sharing stories of real-world examples, lessons learned, and prompts to provoke discussion about your own context, the book walks you through: Designing and gaining support for a policy of detracked math courses Implementing the policy through practical shifts in scheduling, curriculum, professional development, and coaching Supporting and improving the policy through continuous research, monitoring, and maintenance. This book offers the big ideas that help you in your own unique journey to advance equity in your school or district's mathematics education and also provides practical information to help students in a detracked system thrive.
