Reading, Writing, and Critical Thinking for the 21st Century
"The authors illuminate theoretical ideas with insightful, practical ways for teachers to encourage students to develop the critical and creative thinking necessary in a flourishing democratic society." -Angela Ward, Acting Associate Dean, University of Saskatchewan College of Education "An excellent resource filled with useful strategies and approaches for creating student-centered learning through reading and writing." -Eric A. Combs, Teacher, Fairborn City Schools, OH Discover how to enhance learning for your students Engaging from the first page, this is a book that you "do" rather than read. Award-winning authors Kurtis S. Meredith and Jeannie L. Steele actively guide teachers through the learning process with this well-tested and successful literacy-based professional development program. Educators are encouraged to assess their knowledge, make predictions, ask questions, and track their own progress to deepen their understanding of teaching and learning processes. Grounded in a framework that has been effectively implemented in more than 30 countries, the carefully designed sequence prepares teachers to help students: Become lifelong learners with the capacity to integrate knowledge and experiences across content areas Efficiently sort information and transform learning into action Contextualize knowledge by adding new information to what they already know Enhance their capacity to meet 21st-century demands Each chapter includes an overview of expected outcomes, self-evaluation activities, learning experiences, and reflection exercises. This action-oriented guidebook is immediately applicable and is ideal for individual or group professional development.
Despite the prevalence of addiction in our society, we remain remarkably ignorant of the effects of addictive behaviour in classrooms - and unprepared to deal with the consequences. The authors of this book combine their own experiences of family and individual addictions with research to provide an accessible resource for understanding and dealing effectively with addiction. Classrooms Under the Influence provides suggestions for developing a classroom plan for assessing, intervening and preventing inappropriate behaviours for both addicted students and those who live with addicts. Readers are also encouraged to identify ways in which their own addictive behaviours may have a negative impact on the health and productivity of classrooms.
Advancing Science Literacy, Knowledge, and Know-How
"Climate Smart & Energy Wise provides a roadmap to teachers to assist them in acquiring the background and resources to bring climate and energy education into their classrooms . . . It provides a wealth of information to help teachers find resources, including the very useful Climate Literacy and Energy Literacy frameworks, developed by scientists and master teachers. This book is packed with suggestions for where a teacher can find more information and classroom guidance for the teaching of global climate change." - From the Foreword by Eugenie C. Scott, Ph.D., former Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education, Inc. and Jay B. Labov, Ph.D., Senior Advisor for Education and Communication for the National Academy of Sciences and the National Research Council Today's answers to our most urgent climate issues The twenty-first century ushered in a set of unmistakably urgent global challenges that are too important to be an afterthought in today's classrooms. Just in time, here's a resource to improve your students' understanding of the intersection of science and social policy by making climate and energy literacy the centerpiece of your curriculum. What recommends Climate Smart & Energy Change in particular? That there's no more informed expert on the subject than Mark McCaffrey. His book offers a virtual blueprint to climate and energy education, packed with resources and strategies, including: A high-level overview of where climate and energy topics fit (or don't fit) in to your current curriculum A discussion of the new Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and how you can meet them with well-planned pedagogical strategies Proven methods to teach climate change and related topics in a grade-appropriate way Sample learning activities and high-quality online resources from the Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network (CLEAN) Students, educators, and parents must pool their diverse skills and abilities to ensure our schools produce graduates that are able to respond to the global imperative facing us all. Climate Smart & Energy Wise is the key to making a better future our reality.
By exploring what close reading is and how to teach it, this book helps teachers implement it in their classroom to enrich students' literacy learning. The book is broken down into three parts: Part I gives readers a clear definition of close reading & why it's important Part II explores how to make close reading happen in the classroom Part III investigates close reading in context, including 10 easy steps to implement close reading in the classroom and how to set short & long term goals Each chapter offers an explanation of and insights into its designated close reading focus with information on that topic as well as examples from site-based work with teachers and students, advice on how to avoid close reading pitfalls, and classroom-ready resources to use immediately. Questions for reflection are suggested at the end of all chapters to encourage readers to consider the implications on practice.
How District and University Partnerships Shape Effective School Leaders
"Makes a distinct contribution to the field and will be a very useful resource for universities and school districts." -Susan Villani, Senior Program/Research Associate, Learning Innovations Author, Mentoring and Induction Programs That Support New Principals "Will improve the training and practice of future school administrators and the learning of students across the country." -Jim Lentz, Superintendent, Augusta Public Schools, KS Blend theory with real-world practices to develop and sustain effective leadership! University preparation programs for educational leaders are continually criticized for lack of connectedness to the real world, while school and district leaders face mounting pressure to adopt the latest research-based best practices. Closing the Leadership Gap demonstrates what happens when universities and districts work together to shape and support superior leadership that harnesses the qualities of excellence in both practice and research. The authors, experts in school-university partnerships for leadership development, help close the gap between academic training and day-to-day issues with a program that incorporates collaborative partnerships between university faculty and inservice administrators. Filled with lessons learned, school leader voices, and reflections throughout, this book illustrates how to cultivate and sustain ethical, effective leadership. Readers will find: Field-tested tools, templates, and forms Research-based strategies to apply in any leadership development endeavor Performance assessment and documentation methods This resource is ideal for staff developers, leadership coaches, university preparation programs, and prospective or practicing administrators committed to a strong leadership preparation curriculum that inspires leaders to remain in education and have a lasting, positive impact upon student achievement.
'I can get future teachers to appreciate the role of culture and poverty, but it is very hard for them to translate that understanding into specific activities or strategies. This book provides so much more than any other text that I have ever used in an Introduction to Education course regarding working with diverse populations' - Rosemary Traore, Assistant Professor of Urban Education University of North Carolina at Charlotte 'Provides a rich collection of research for instructional strategies. The combination of a call to action and supporting strategies provides a tool kit for instructional leaders' - Mary Reeve, Director, Services for Exceptional Students Gallup McKinley County Schools, NM Many caring teachers have expressed a need for more help in improving student achievement, especially in low-performing//high-poverty schools. This research-based book offers a comprehensive set of instructional strategies that have been proven to make a significant difference in student learning when diverse cultures and poverty come into play. Donna Walker Tileston and Sandra K. Darling provide a six-part framework to help teachers build on students' assets and strengths rather than attempt to overcome perceived disadvantages. Based on their extensive experience and gathered data, the authors discuss: - Why some cultures are "turned off" by typical motivational approaches and what educators can do to reach students - What research says about the brain's desire to learn - How teachers can build on students' prior knowledge and help forge new connections - The importance of resiliency, especially for students of poverty and diverse cultures - Teaching procedural and declarative knowledge and preparing students for high-stakes tests This practical resource provides the key structures for working effectively with students of differing cultures and poverty, ensuring higher student achievement in the diverse classroom.
Instructional leadership begins in the classroom Donald B. Bartalo reveals the experiences of school leaders and teachers who have discovered that meaningful school improvement does not necessarily come from the top-it comes from effective teaching and leaders who support it. Based on eight fundamental tenets, the text features a clear how-to process, success stories, and methods for bridging the "teaching gap" between the kinds of teaching needed for the 21st century and that which is found in most schools. Special features include: - An interactive writing style that "coaches" educators - Powerful "what to do" and "how to do it" tools - Case illustrations and success stories - Protocols for leading collaborative inquiry - Journal reflections - Leadership team activities This practical guide's step-by-step approach is easy to follow, research based, and steeped in common sense. Closing the Teaching Gap is the next best thing to having a seasoned coach give you the playbook for becoming a successful instructional leader.
"This book provides a wealth of information for teachers who are seeking new ways to meet the needs of all learners for high academic achievement!" -Marguerita K. DeSander, Assistant Professor of Leadership and Policy Studies The George Washington University "Using this book as part of the alignment process will greatly enhance any classroom curriculum!" -Joen M. Painter, Education Consultant Develop integrated, meaningful units that engage students and address multiple standards! Using a student-oriented approach, Clustering Standards in Integrated Units, Second Edition, offers guidelines for designing interdisciplinary units that combine content areas, address standards, and involve students in their own learning and assessment. Diane L. Ronis offers a framework for organizing, implementing, and evaluating units and provides sample rubrics, templates, and reproducibles for the planning process. Drawing on a constructivist approach and geared to meet students' individual learning needs, the text demonstrates how to: Integrate content across multiple curriculum areas Make instruction meaningful using new information about how the brain works Encourage students to pose and investigate questions relevant to the real world Access specific Web sites for meeting state standards This book helps seasoned and novice teachers facilitate collaborative learning with teams of students and assist them in making significant connections between their own experiences and events in the real world.
