Professional Development Books
The New Teacher Toolbox
by Scott Mandel
Proven Tips and Strategies for a Great First Year
This book of tools for new teachers concentrates on those areas of teaching that normally aren't covered in education courses. Strategies are suggested for handling such problematic situations as figuring grades in a way that is fair and rewards students' progress, conducting parent-teacher conferences, teaching five hours of material in a three-hour time slot, and addressing the needs of special education students in the mainstream classroom. Each problem is introduced through a real-life new-teacher dilemma followed by a statement of the basic issue addressed in the section. A time line pinpoints when in the school year new teachers should focus on certain issues.
If They're Laughing They Just Might Be Listening
by Elaine Lundberg, Cheryl Miller Thurston
Ideas for using Humor effectively in the classroom - even if you're NOT funny yourself.
Teachers of any subject, grades 5 to adult, will enjoy this practical and humorous book. It includes 29 tips for tapping into the power of humor, as well as many examples of materials that encourage laughter and learning. If They're Laughing, They're Not Killing Each Other may also be just what you need to bring some smiles to the tired faces of colleagues collapsed in the teachers' lounge. Read aloud the "Teacher Burn-Out Test" or the "Stress Diet for Teachers," two of the most popular items in this fun-to-read book. You will enjoy the authors' down-to-earth and creative approach. 96 pages, 81/2" 11", illustrated.
Looking Forward to Monday Morning
by Diane Hodges
Ideas for Recognition and Appreciation Activities and Fun THings to Do at Work for Educators. Looking Forward to Monday Morning is a must read for all educational administrators and indivuduals who even think that they may be an administrator someday. It is also very helpful for anyone who is required to lead a team or help motivate a group of individuals toward a common goal. Through the use of subtle humor, Dr. Hodges, gives us extensive ideas and examples of ways we can improve our indivdual workplace environment. This book was truly enhanced by the inclusion of personal experiences by the author.
More Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
Over 80 hands-on learning activities for today that make a difference for tomorrow
Still More Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
55 Hands-on activities that are educational, practical, user-friendly and fun!
Teaching With Love & Logic
Taking Control of the Classroom
by Jim Fay & David Funk
The beginning part of this book outlines the philosophy of Love and Logic in the classroom. It is presented clearly and logically. The next part deals with a step by step method of implementing in within your own classroom. The final couple chapters are written by teachers/principals who have taken this philosopy of respect and dignity into whole schools. They explain what they did and what the effects were. I have tried this approach in my own classroom and at home with my own kids (Imagine getting kids to do their chores without threats!). The results are startling! Compliance without power struggles; respect without demands; control by giving away control. You will be stunned at how easily it works, how much better of a teacher you will be, and how your kids will respond. (I even have used this when dealing with my colleagues. What fun!)It is not new; it is common sense brought to the front. It is definitely do-able! We are just beginning to adopt this approach schoolwide. I am excited to see how it works. I recommend this book highly to anyone who is frustrated and exhausted from "dealing with students and their mouths" at the end of the day!
Tests that Teach
Using Standardized Tests to Improve Instruction
by Karen Tankersley
Now that the No Child Left Behind Act has left it's mark on public education, educators across the United States
What's So Funny About Education?
by Lou Fournier, Foreword by David D.
Thornburg, Illustrated by Tom McKeith For everyone who has ever thought that the truth about education is stranger - and funnier - than fiction, here is the book that proves you right! Never has there been a greater need for comic relief for educators, as teachers, administrators, students, and parents alike become increasingly frustrated with the shortcomings and dizzying fluctuations in the educational system. Using satire and affectionate humor, author Lou Fournier delivers both stark and subtle epiphanies alongside enduring truths, offering a deeper social commentary on the present conditions and future directions of American Education. The author shares wildly humorous observations and editorials that both individually and collectively provide thought provoking kernels of wisdom.
Positive Discipline A Teacher's A-Z Guide
by Nelsen, Escobar, Ortolano, Duffy, Owen-Sohocki
Hundreds of Solutions for Almost Every Classroom Behavior Problem!
Many teachers today are facing problems and discipline issues they never dreamed of when they decided to become a teacher. Combine violence, behavioral disorders, and downright defiant attitudes from students with the age-old problems of bullying, poor attendance, and more, and the mix is positively lethal. However, there are effective, positive strategies for restoring order and turning the teacher-student relationship into one of mutual respect. Applicable to all grade levels, this comprehensive A to Z guide addresses modern-day problems and practical solutions for establishing an effective learning environment.
The Tactful Teacher
by Yvonne Bender
Effective Communication with Parents, Colleagues, and Administrators For teachers, everywhere who have been faced by an angry administrator, an overly helpful parent, or a confrontational colleague, help is at hand. This book takes on the pitfalls and perils of miscommunication in the teaching environment, and offers hands-on, practical solutions that work. Using real-life scenarios, The Tactful Teacher offers workable, step-by-step solutions to the most common communication challenges today's teachers face.
Creating the Peaceable Classroom
by Sandy Bothmer
Techniques to Calm, Uplift, and Focus Teachers and Students Emerging directly from the latest brain research, this book provides strategies and techniques for creating the optimal environment to maximize powerful teaching and learning. With this book, teachers will enhance their own well-being and learn better ways to calm, center, focus, uplift, and energize students. Included are real classroom photos, helpful drawings, and step-by-step instructions for creating a healthy, productive classroom. This reference offers centering techniques to use with students, such as conscious breathing, guided imagery, drawing, yoga, spiral and labyrinth exercises, focused and energizing movement, and music.
How to Handle Difficult Parents a teacher's survival guide
by Suzanne Capek Tingley
Practical advice for teachers for handling difficult parents, including: Helicopter Mom, who hovers constantly, ready to whisk away any problem or inconvenience that might befall her child. The Intimidator, who wants what he wants, and he wants it now. Pinocchio's Mom, who believes that her child, unlike every other child in the universe, never ever tells a lie of any kind.
Troubled Children and Youth
by Larry Brendtro and Mary Shahbazian
Turning Problems into Opportunities Clinicians, teachers, youth professionals, mentors and parents are presented with research-=based strategies that will help them improve their relationships with youth, including those who have been ignored, discarded, and branded as incorrigible. While opening the door to a positive, strength-based approach to helping youth, the book reinforces a vital principle that tribal communities have embraced for centuries: Every child is precious, and 3even those who are lost and marginalized can and should be reclaimed by society.
Your First Year as an Elementary School Teacher
by Lynne Rominger, Karen Heisinger, Ed. D. & Natalie Elkin
Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional Many begin teaching because of a desire to make a difference. But aced with the everyday challenges of the classroom, this idealism is often lost. The fact is, teaching is not easy: While there are many personal rewards, teachers must satisfy many constituencies, including students, parents, and administrators. But by being prepared and organized, you can ensure that your first year is fulfilling and productive for both you and your students. This book provides solutions to the most common and difficult issues of teaching. Inside is everything you need to know to create an atmosphere of cooperation, learning, and respect within your classroom. Use this helpful book as your personal mentor and enjoy your first year as a teacher.
Your First Year as a High School Teacher
by Lynne Rominger, Suzanne Packard Laughrea & Natalie Elkin
Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional Teaching high school is the toughest job you'll ever love. Of course, often it is an acquired love. You must learn to manage your students' education and play parent, counselor, police officer, and mentor. Wow! Now relax - it doesn't have to be overwhelming. With a little preparation you can ensure that you and your students get the most out of your time in the classroom and enjoy it. Full of real-world advice and answers for the complex issues facing today's high school teachers, this down-to-earth and witty book will teach you how to create an atmosphere of cooperation, learning, and respect within your classroom. Use this helpful guide as your personal mentor to achieve a successful and satisfying career as a high school teacher.
Motivating Students Who Don't Care
by Allen N. Mendler
Successful Techniques for Educators Motivating Students Who Don t Care is a comprehensive and practical guide for reconnecting with discouraged students and reawakening their excitement and enthusiasm for learning. With proven strategies from the classroom, this resource identifies five effective processes the reader can use to reawaken motivation in students who aren t prepared, don t care, and won t work. These processes include emphasizing effort, creating hope, respecting power, building relationships, and expressing enthusiasm. Each process is fully explained and illustrated with proven strategies from the classroom. Questions for reflection will help the reader identify motivating strategies and apply the five key processes to the challenge of changing students lives.
Reluctant Disciplinarian
by Gary Rubinstein
Advice on classroom management from a softy who became (eventually) a successful teacher In this funny and insightful book, Gary Rubinstein relives his own truly disastrous first year of teaching. He begins his teaching career armed only with idealism and romantic visions of teaching - and absolutely no classroom management skills. By his fourth year, however, he is named his school's "Teacher of the Year." As Rubinstein details his transformation from incompetent to successful teacher, he shows what works and what doesn't work when managing a classroom.
Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
A collection of sixty creative, innovative, and user=friendly Active Learning lesson plans which will influence student behavior and attitudes for a lifetime. This teaching strategy is part of the educational trend which promotes cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking and experiential learning. The Active Learning approach has worked with urban as well as suburban, elementary as well as secondary, and at-risk as well as gifted students.
The Courage to Teach
by Parker J. Palmer
Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life This book builds on a simple premise: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique but is rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher. Good teaching takes myriad forms but good teachers share one trait: they are authentically present in the classroom, in community with their students and their subject. They possess "a capacity for connectedness" and are able to weave a complex web of connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students, helping their students weave a world for themselves. The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts — the place where intellect, emotion, spirit, and will converge in the human self — supported by the community that emerges among us when we choose to live authentic lives.
Setting Limits in the Classroom, Revised
by Robert J. MacKenzie, Ed. D
How to Move Beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classroom Robert MacKenzie is an educational psychologist who has specialized in handling school-related discipline problems. This is his third book. It is the best book that I have seen relating to what parents and teachers can do to help youngsters learn how to behave well. Among its best parts: "detoxifying" "bad" kids into "aggressive learners" (those who challenge limits constantly), and "disobedient" kids into "kids who learn by testing and experience." This book is appropriate for all teachers, school administrators who have site responsibility, and perhaps for central administrators who need help building a coherent system-wide set of policies on discipline. This book also will assist parents in handling their children's school-related discipline issues, such as homework. The theoretical bases of this book are partly tough love (say what you mean, mean what you say, and do not say it meanly), natural consequences (if a child makes an error, let them experience the natural consequences, a la Dreikurs), and logical consequences (to defuse power struggles). The heart of the book is setting limits with kids and shortening down the time from discussion to action (from warning to consequence). There is no "cute" theory or exhortations to love the children more.
Teaching Kids with Mental Health & Learning Disorders in the Regular Classroom
by Myles L. Cooley, Ph.D.
How to Recognize, Understand, and Help Challenged (and Challenging) Students Succeed
Mainstreaming was implemented with good intentions, but it left many teachers with the daunting task of helping students with mental health and learning disorders and related behavioral problems. Formerly taught in special education classes, these students are now in your classroom. If you don't always feel prepared or you sometimes feel overwhelmed, you're not alone. This accessible, ready-to-use guide describes mental health and learning disorders often observed in school children, explains how each might be exhibited in the classroom, and offers suggestions for what to do (and what not to do).
Praising Boys Well
by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Boys need encouragement and praise to develop healthy self esteem, but they can also feel swamped and suffocated by what they see as constant commentary on their every move-and as a result they can be inclined to act out. How can parents strike the right balance between giving effective praise and not going overboard? How can we help our boys to feel proud without inspiring a false sense of confidence or making them praise dependent? Praising Boys Well shows parents and teachers alike what boys need to hear along the developmental continuum and offers countless tips on what to encourage; which phrases to use-and to avoid; when incentives are appropriate; and how to incorporate praise into our boys' everyday activities.
Praising Girls Well
by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Girls like to have their accomplishments noticed, but sometimes the need for praise can spiral into a constant quest for perfection. Girls may have a propensity to do things not because they judge it to be right or helpful but rather to stay in people's good graces. The result is that they can become cut off from their own true selves. Praising Girls Well points the way to using praise in a manner that will boost a girl's inner confidence, help her to understand it's okay to make mistakes, and guide her to trust in her own judgment. Brimming with practical tips for everyday use, this is a handbook to revisit time and again for our girls' grandest-and smallest-successes.
Teaching the Restless
by Chris Mercogliano
One School's Remarkable No-Ritalin Approach to Helping Children
Learn and Succeed Educator Chris Mercogliano has been working with hyperactive (ADHD) children for many years at the Free School in Albany, New York, and has developed numerous ways to help these students relax, focus, modulate emotional expression, make responsible choices, and forge lasting friendships-all prerequisites for learning. In Teaching the Restless, Mercogliano uses the stories of six children without assigning them labels or resorting to the use of stimulant drugs like Ritalin.
Laughing Lessons
by Ron Burgess
149 2/3 Ways to Make Teaching and Learning Fun
What's the best ways to reach kids? Lighten up! Everyone responds to laughter and humor. Everyone enjoys a pleasant environment. Everyone loves to have fun. In the words of world-class funnyman John Cleese, "He who laughs most, learns best." Humor can be a positive force in teaching, learning, and health. Students learn better when lessons are presented with humor. Recall improves when tests use funny examples. Laughter and humor hold kids' attention, helping them retain what you're teaching them. Humor reduces stress and tension. It shortens the school day and lightens your load. This book is full of idas for you to try-classroom-tested tips and techniques drawn from the author's experience and that of other teachers.
Leading with Character to Improve Student Achievement
by Robert D. Willliams & Rosemarye T. Taylor
What does it take to foster and facilitate an effective character education program? We know that a critical element is leadership. The authors' approach to character education leadership is both a model to emulate and a tool that we all can use. Leading with Character will help you be the catalyst and architect in your school or district.
Pediatric First Aid for Caregivers and Teachers
by American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is pleased to bring you Pediatric First Aid for Caregivers and Teachers (PedFACTs), a new national pediatric first aid course. Caregivers and teachers need to know what to do when a child is injured or becomes suddenly and severely ill. Most injuries that require first aid are not life-threatening. Usually, first aid involves simple, common sense procedures. However, first aid can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. All caregivers and teachers should have pediatric first aid training.
10 Best Teaching Practices
by Donna Walker Tileston
How Brain research, Learning Styles and Standards Define Teaching Competencies
This book proves the classroom teach with a practical guide to inspiring, motivating, and therefore educating even the most unenthusiastic students. This exciting update of the original classic details the fundamentals of differentiated teaching strategies, teaching for long-term memory, collaborative learning, higher-order thinking skills, technology integration, and much more. Instructors will learn to use ten highly practiced teaching methods proven to facilitate learning in all students.
Creating Emotionally Safe Schools
by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.
A Guide for Educators and Parents
Creating Emotionally Safe Schools examines neurological, environmental, historical, developmental, psychological, sociological, interpersonal, instructional and administrative factors that contribute to the emotional climate of an educational institution. This is the big picture: a comprehensive view of what makes a school feel the way it feels, and what we can do to make it feel safe for every child - and every adult = who walks through its doors. This book looks at the many dimensions of emotional safety, such as the role of the brain, the impact of the family and early development, childhood stress and coping, the changing role of the school, acceptance and emotional support, respect and belonging, temperament and labels, power dynamics and discipline isssues, social development and resiliency, cliques and bullies, motor needs, instructional strategies, assessment and feedback, learning styles and multiple intelligencies, teacher training and support, the role of the administrator, and the inherent need for sense of community.
Teaching Stories
by Judy Logan
Judy Logan taught middle school at inner-city public schools in San Francisco for more than 30 years (which automatically makes her a hero), and in this collection of short essays, she tells about her experiences. Logan uses an inclusive curriculum that incorporates life elements that her students bring in. She believes in saying "yes" to her students as often as possible, and in balancing the "have-tos" and the "get-tos" of assignments. In "The Story of Two Quilts," each student makes a quilting patch: "Can I do Cyndi Lauper?" "Yes." "Can I sew on buttons, ribbons, sparkles?" "Yes." "Can I stuff cotton underneath to make it three dimensional?" "Yes." Logan's students, who have been encouraged and taught to think for themselves, win awards, achieve in high school, and achieve in life. We should all be so lucky as to have Logan, or teachers like her, in our children's lives.
10 Traits of Highly Effective Teachers
by Elaine K. McEwan
How to Hire, Coach, and Mentor Successful Teachers This highly organized and user-friendly guide shares practical insights into these ten crucial traits through real-life examples, experiences, research, and personal reflections from students, parents, and educators at all levels. Administrators will value the numerous tools that it provides for hiring, coaching, mentoring, and motivating effective teachers, while new and experienced teachers will be inspired to fully embody the ten traits and renew their zeal for teaching.
Don't Smile Until December and Other MYTHS About Classroom teaching
by Peggy Deal Redman
Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers: tools for building a positive classroom environment, sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students, and tips for collaborating with colleagues, and parents.
No Room for Bullies
by Jose Bolton, Sr., Ph.D., L.P.C., & Stan Graeve, M.A.
From the Classroom to Cyberspace, Teaching Respect, Stopping Abuse, and Rewarding Kindness
This book shatters popular myths about bullying to reveal its stark realities. You’ll learn who’s playing the intimidation game, and how they play it… from social exclusion, physical violence, and emotional backstabbing to sexual sleaze and cyberspace cruelty. But No Room for Bullies takes you beyond problem recognition to proven solutions. Parents will find… · How to advocate for a child and work with the school when bullying is a problem · Safe Internet-Surfing Contract for kids that lays down the law on Internet use at home · Helpful strategies on what to do when a child acts like a bully, is a victim, or suffers from “bystander silence” School administrators will find… · Suggestions on how to measure the social climate of schools, including sample surveys to give to students, staff, and parents · A 12-point checklist on preventing problems in hallways, classrooms, and common areas Teachers will find… · Advice for creating and enforcing classroom rules, including an “Airport Rule” that gives students a sense of safety · Ideas to minimize the chaos that occurs during passing periods and in “unowned” areas like restrooms and hallways The contributing authors include child psychologists, parent trainers, and teachers. Drawing on their years of experience, they tackle bullying from all the angles: the bully, the victim, the bystander, the teacher, the parent, and the environment.
The Wonder of Girls
by Michael Gurian
Understanding the Hidden Nature of our Daughters
Therapist Gurian probes the unique aspects of girls' emotional, social and physical development in a follow-up to his bestselling The Wonder of Boys. First, though, he takes a few stabs at feminism, arguing that several of its theories (which, it must be noted, he incorrectly oversimplifies) need to be revised or even discarded by parents seeking to raise healthy girls. But Gurian's trademark is examining how biology impacts behavior. Biological matters hormones, brain differences (girls' brains are "more broadly active" than boys' and have 15% more blood flow) ultimately define girls' and boys' journeys through childhood and adolescence, Gurian argues. Even a girl's drop in self-esteem during adolescence is a "natural," biological phenomenon rather than a result of negative cultural influences. Feminists, he argues, have ignored the biological differences in order to successfully compete with men in the workplace; in so doing, they have denied or downplayed a girl's desire for intimacy and the experience of motherhood. Gurian urges parents to use a new model in raising girls (he calls it "Womanism") in which motherhood is a "season" when careers must be adjusted or put on hold. The author boldly suggests that parents prepare their daughters for the sacrifices of motherhood, and ensure that girls establish a three-family system (the nuclear family, the extended family and institutions such as church or school) that will meet their need for intimate relationships. Expect Gurian's arguments to stir controversy and inspire thought. (Jan.)Forecast: Gurian's success with The Wonder of Boys and other parenting titles should make this an easy sell, though some readers may object to what feels like a rejection of feminist tenets.
A Field Guilde to Boys and Girls
by Susan Gilbert
Differences, Similarities: Cutting-Edge Information Every PARENT Needs to Know
New York Times science writer Gilbert taps into parents' natural fascination with gender issues and urges readers to move beyond the fear that discovering sex differences will lead to sex biases.Beginning with gender differences in the womb, Gilbert walks parents through such issues as early brain development, Barbies, guns, math and personality traits such as aggressiveness or sociability. While much of the information won't seem earth-shattering to parents who keep up on such matters, they will be pleased by Gilbert's thorough research. Some may be surprised to learn that boys are more vulnerable than girls at birth or that girls have a higher risk of sports injuries as they grow older. Each chapter includes a helpful summary and advice on what parents can do to combat problems related to their child's gender. For instance, the author suggests parents talk more to their infant sons to help them develop language skills and help their toddler daughters build self-confidence by resisting the urge to shield them from failure. Parents and educators will find this a useful resource that summarizes the main issues and provides solid advice on how to ensure equality for kids of both genders at home and at school.
How to Deal with Parents Who are Angry, Troubled, Afraid, or Just Plain Crazy
by Elaine K. McEwan
Emotionally charged, often disgruntled, and occasionally abusive parents - sound familiar? The newly revised, second edition of Elaine McEwan's bestselling classic will help you manage your most difficult audience, adding several new features and examples that will give you the confidence and skills you need to handle such situations. Every educator will find invaluable strategies for handling angry and unresponsive parents and the critical issues that cause misunderstandings. Following McEwan's seven steps of effective problem-solving will help with quick solutions while creating a nurturing, healthy school environment. And in today's schools and a NCLB environment, developing a supportive parent-community relationship is essential to everyone's success.
The Manipulative Child
by E.W. Swihart Jr., M.D., & Patrick Cotter, Ph.D.
How to Regain Control and Raise Resilient, Resourceful, and Independent Kids
Why do so many of our kids--raised in the most affluent nation on earth--fail to thrive and strive and enter adulthood lacking appropriate and effective coping skills? Drs. Swihart and Cotter have come up with a revolutionary theory on why our kids are having such a tough time of it today: It is because we allow our children to manipulate us, and the world around them, rather than teaching them how to respond to life and life's tough situations. The result is that manipulative behavior is directly tied to low self-esteem, which only heightens its negative impact on kids, families, and the larger communities we live in. The good news is that Drs. Swihart and Cotter have created a radical and clinically proven program for breaking manipulative behavior and getting our kids back on track. The program teaches parents to say no without feeling guilt; to resist the urge to feel responsible for their child's happiness; to view their children as emotionally competent and resilient; and most importantly, to realize that effective parenting means allowing your child to make mistakes and develop a sense of competence, which leads to enhanced self-esteem and an ability to live independently and successfully in the real world. Drawing on their twenty-five years in private practice, the authors illustrate their program with examples of successful kids, as well as case studies of how parents have regained control and effectively blocked their children's manipulative behavior. The positive results will enlighten, and even astound you, and give you the tools needed to become a better parent.
Choice Words
by Peter H. Johnston, Foreword by Richard Allington
How Our Language Affects Children's Learning
Choice Words shows how teachers accomplish this using their most powerful teaching tool: language. Throughout, Peter Johnston provides examples of apparently ordinary words, phrases, and uses of language that are pivotal in the orchestration of the classroom. Grounded in a study by accomplished literacy teachers, the book demonstrates how the things we say (and don't say) have surprising consequences for what children learn and for who they become as literate people. Through language, children learn how to become strategic thinkers, not merely learning the literacy strategies. In addition, Johnston examines the complex learning that teachers produce in classrooms that is hard to name and thus is not recognized by tests, by policy-makers, by the general public, and often by teachers themselves, yet is vitally important.
The Ambitious Generation
by Barbara Schneider & David Stevenson
America's Teenagers Motivated but Directionless
Presenting a surprising portrait of American youth that contrasts with the conventional image of Generation-X slackers, this significant study finds that U.S. adolescents today are much more ambitious than teens of previous eras. More adolescents than ever expect to graduate from college, earn graduate degrees and become well-paid doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers, professors, architects, athletes or business executives. Yet their collective expectations are not reasonable, the authors assert, because they outstrip the projected number of such jobs in the year 2005. Schneider, a University of Chicago sociology professor, and Stevenson, senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Education, base their conclusions on the Alfred P. Sloan Study, a five-year national research project that tracked more than 8000 adolescents in the 1990s; the authors also analyzed major studies of youth from the 1950s through the 1980s. Compared with the 1950s generation, today's teens have fewer long-lasting friendships and spend more time alone; many remain in college more than four years, instead of leaping into marriage, parenthood and (for males) the working world directly after high school, as '50s teenagers did. Straightforward and accessible, the book provides a useful roadmap for parents and teachers who want to help students match their abilities and resources to educational opportunities and the job market. This worthwhile report should spark national debate and discussion.
101 Great Classroom Games
by Alexis Ludewig and Amy Swan, Ph.D.
Easy Ways to Get Your Students Playing, Laughing, and Learning
101 ways to energize any ho-hum day Created by award-winning educators, these easy-to-learn, giggle-as-you-go games are designed to be both fun and educational. These activities in reading, logic, science, measuring, listening, social studies, and math are the perfect complement to your K-5 curriculum. Get the fun and the learning started with games such as:
Bug Bite: Players flip over vocabulary word cards and slap the table when a bug card comes up. Whoever slaps first reads all the words and then keeps the card. The child with the most cards wins!
Bull's-Eye Feather Math: Children blow feathers around a bull's-eye game board with straws as they sharpen their multiplication skills.
Geography Baseball: Players find map locations that are “pitched” to them. The more “hits” they get, the faster they score runs.
Fishy Facts: Players snag paper fish with a fishing pole and hook. If they can answer the question on the side of the fish, they score.
. . . and many more!
Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom
by Joan Franklin Smutny, Sally Yahnke Walker, Elizabeth A. Mechstroth
Identifying, Nurturing, and Challenging Ages 4-9
Proven, practical ways to recognize and nurture young gifted children and create a learning environment that supports all students. Entire chapters are devoted to topcs including curriculum compacting, social studies, language arts, math and science, cluster grouping and cooperative learning, and finding and supporting giftedness in diverse populations. Scenarios and vignettes take you into teachers' classrooms. Extensive references and resources point you toward books, organizations, videos, publications, and Web sites to explore.
by Scott Mandel
Proven Tips and Strategies for a Great First Year
This book of tools for new teachers concentrates on those areas of teaching that normally aren't covered in education courses. Strategies are suggested for handling such problematic situations as figuring grades in a way that is fair and rewards students' progress, conducting parent-teacher conferences, teaching five hours of material in a three-hour time slot, and addressing the needs of special education students in the mainstream classroom. Each problem is introduced through a real-life new-teacher dilemma followed by a statement of the basic issue addressed in the section. A time line pinpoints when in the school year new teachers should focus on certain issues.
If They're Laughing They Just Might Be Listening
by Elaine Lundberg, Cheryl Miller Thurston
Ideas for using Humor effectively in the classroom - even if you're NOT funny yourself.
Teachers of any subject, grades 5 to adult, will enjoy this practical and humorous book. It includes 29 tips for tapping into the power of humor, as well as many examples of materials that encourage laughter and learning. If They're Laughing, They're Not Killing Each Other may also be just what you need to bring some smiles to the tired faces of colleagues collapsed in the teachers' lounge. Read aloud the "Teacher Burn-Out Test" or the "Stress Diet for Teachers," two of the most popular items in this fun-to-read book. You will enjoy the authors' down-to-earth and creative approach. 96 pages, 81/2" 11", illustrated.
Looking Forward to Monday Morning
by Diane Hodges
Ideas for Recognition and Appreciation Activities and Fun THings to Do at Work for Educators. Looking Forward to Monday Morning is a must read for all educational administrators and indivuduals who even think that they may be an administrator someday. It is also very helpful for anyone who is required to lead a team or help motivate a group of individuals toward a common goal. Through the use of subtle humor, Dr. Hodges, gives us extensive ideas and examples of ways we can improve our indivdual workplace environment. This book was truly enhanced by the inclusion of personal experiences by the author.
More Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
Over 80 hands-on learning activities for today that make a difference for tomorrow
Still More Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
55 Hands-on activities that are educational, practical, user-friendly and fun!
Teaching With Love & Logic
Taking Control of the Classroom
by Jim Fay & David Funk
The beginning part of this book outlines the philosophy of Love and Logic in the classroom. It is presented clearly and logically. The next part deals with a step by step method of implementing in within your own classroom. The final couple chapters are written by teachers/principals who have taken this philosopy of respect and dignity into whole schools. They explain what they did and what the effects were. I have tried this approach in my own classroom and at home with my own kids (Imagine getting kids to do their chores without threats!). The results are startling! Compliance without power struggles; respect without demands; control by giving away control. You will be stunned at how easily it works, how much better of a teacher you will be, and how your kids will respond. (I even have used this when dealing with my colleagues. What fun!)It is not new; it is common sense brought to the front. It is definitely do-able! We are just beginning to adopt this approach schoolwide. I am excited to see how it works. I recommend this book highly to anyone who is frustrated and exhausted from "dealing with students and their mouths" at the end of the day!
Tests that Teach
Using Standardized Tests to Improve Instruction
by Karen Tankersley
Now that the No Child Left Behind Act has left it's mark on public education, educators across the United States
What's So Funny About Education?
by Lou Fournier, Foreword by David D.
Thornburg, Illustrated by Tom McKeith For everyone who has ever thought that the truth about education is stranger - and funnier - than fiction, here is the book that proves you right! Never has there been a greater need for comic relief for educators, as teachers, administrators, students, and parents alike become increasingly frustrated with the shortcomings and dizzying fluctuations in the educational system. Using satire and affectionate humor, author Lou Fournier delivers both stark and subtle epiphanies alongside enduring truths, offering a deeper social commentary on the present conditions and future directions of American Education. The author shares wildly humorous observations and editorials that both individually and collectively provide thought provoking kernels of wisdom.
Positive Discipline A Teacher's A-Z Guide
by Nelsen, Escobar, Ortolano, Duffy, Owen-Sohocki
Hundreds of Solutions for Almost Every Classroom Behavior Problem!
Many teachers today are facing problems and discipline issues they never dreamed of when they decided to become a teacher. Combine violence, behavioral disorders, and downright defiant attitudes from students with the age-old problems of bullying, poor attendance, and more, and the mix is positively lethal. However, there are effective, positive strategies for restoring order and turning the teacher-student relationship into one of mutual respect. Applicable to all grade levels, this comprehensive A to Z guide addresses modern-day problems and practical solutions for establishing an effective learning environment.
The Tactful Teacher
by Yvonne Bender
Effective Communication with Parents, Colleagues, and Administrators For teachers, everywhere who have been faced by an angry administrator, an overly helpful parent, or a confrontational colleague, help is at hand. This book takes on the pitfalls and perils of miscommunication in the teaching environment, and offers hands-on, practical solutions that work. Using real-life scenarios, The Tactful Teacher offers workable, step-by-step solutions to the most common communication challenges today's teachers face.
Creating the Peaceable Classroom
by Sandy Bothmer
Techniques to Calm, Uplift, and Focus Teachers and Students Emerging directly from the latest brain research, this book provides strategies and techniques for creating the optimal environment to maximize powerful teaching and learning. With this book, teachers will enhance their own well-being and learn better ways to calm, center, focus, uplift, and energize students. Included are real classroom photos, helpful drawings, and step-by-step instructions for creating a healthy, productive classroom. This reference offers centering techniques to use with students, such as conscious breathing, guided imagery, drawing, yoga, spiral and labyrinth exercises, focused and energizing movement, and music.
How to Handle Difficult Parents a teacher's survival guide
by Suzanne Capek Tingley
Practical advice for teachers for handling difficult parents, including: Helicopter Mom, who hovers constantly, ready to whisk away any problem or inconvenience that might befall her child. The Intimidator, who wants what he wants, and he wants it now. Pinocchio's Mom, who believes that her child, unlike every other child in the universe, never ever tells a lie of any kind.
Troubled Children and Youth
by Larry Brendtro and Mary Shahbazian
Turning Problems into Opportunities Clinicians, teachers, youth professionals, mentors and parents are presented with research-=based strategies that will help them improve their relationships with youth, including those who have been ignored, discarded, and branded as incorrigible. While opening the door to a positive, strength-based approach to helping youth, the book reinforces a vital principle that tribal communities have embraced for centuries: Every child is precious, and 3even those who are lost and marginalized can and should be reclaimed by society.
Your First Year as an Elementary School Teacher
by Lynne Rominger, Karen Heisinger, Ed. D. & Natalie Elkin
Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional Many begin teaching because of a desire to make a difference. But aced with the everyday challenges of the classroom, this idealism is often lost. The fact is, teaching is not easy: While there are many personal rewards, teachers must satisfy many constituencies, including students, parents, and administrators. But by being prepared and organized, you can ensure that your first year is fulfilling and productive for both you and your students. This book provides solutions to the most common and difficult issues of teaching. Inside is everything you need to know to create an atmosphere of cooperation, learning, and respect within your classroom. Use this helpful book as your personal mentor and enjoy your first year as a teacher.
Your First Year as a High School Teacher
by Lynne Rominger, Suzanne Packard Laughrea & Natalie Elkin
Making the Transition from Total Novice to Successful Professional Teaching high school is the toughest job you'll ever love. Of course, often it is an acquired love. You must learn to manage your students' education and play parent, counselor, police officer, and mentor. Wow! Now relax - it doesn't have to be overwhelming. With a little preparation you can ensure that you and your students get the most out of your time in the classroom and enjoy it. Full of real-world advice and answers for the complex issues facing today's high school teachers, this down-to-earth and witty book will teach you how to create an atmosphere of cooperation, learning, and respect within your classroom. Use this helpful guide as your personal mentor to achieve a successful and satisfying career as a high school teacher.
Motivating Students Who Don't Care
by Allen N. Mendler
Successful Techniques for Educators Motivating Students Who Don t Care is a comprehensive and practical guide for reconnecting with discouraged students and reawakening their excitement and enthusiasm for learning. With proven strategies from the classroom, this resource identifies five effective processes the reader can use to reawaken motivation in students who aren t prepared, don t care, and won t work. These processes include emphasizing effort, creating hope, respecting power, building relationships, and expressing enthusiasm. Each process is fully explained and illustrated with proven strategies from the classroom. Questions for reflection will help the reader identify motivating strategies and apply the five key processes to the challenge of changing students lives.
Reluctant Disciplinarian
by Gary Rubinstein
Advice on classroom management from a softy who became (eventually) a successful teacher In this funny and insightful book, Gary Rubinstein relives his own truly disastrous first year of teaching. He begins his teaching career armed only with idealism and romantic visions of teaching - and absolutely no classroom management skills. By his fourth year, however, he is named his school's "Teacher of the Year." As Rubinstein details his transformation from incompetent to successful teacher, he shows what works and what doesn't work when managing a classroom.
Activities That Teach
by Tom Jackson
A collection of sixty creative, innovative, and user=friendly Active Learning lesson plans which will influence student behavior and attitudes for a lifetime. This teaching strategy is part of the educational trend which promotes cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, critical thinking and experiential learning. The Active Learning approach has worked with urban as well as suburban, elementary as well as secondary, and at-risk as well as gifted students.
The Courage to Teach
by Parker J. Palmer
Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life This book builds on a simple premise: good teaching cannot be reduced to technique but is rooted in the identity and integrity of the teacher. Good teaching takes myriad forms but good teachers share one trait: they are authentically present in the classroom, in community with their students and their subject. They possess "a capacity for connectedness" and are able to weave a complex web of connections between themselves, their subjects, and their students, helping their students weave a world for themselves. The connections made by good teachers are held not in their methods but in their hearts — the place where intellect, emotion, spirit, and will converge in the human self — supported by the community that emerges among us when we choose to live authentic lives.
Setting Limits in the Classroom, Revised
by Robert J. MacKenzie, Ed. D
How to Move Beyond the Dance of Discipline in Today's Classroom Robert MacKenzie is an educational psychologist who has specialized in handling school-related discipline problems. This is his third book. It is the best book that I have seen relating to what parents and teachers can do to help youngsters learn how to behave well. Among its best parts: "detoxifying" "bad" kids into "aggressive learners" (those who challenge limits constantly), and "disobedient" kids into "kids who learn by testing and experience." This book is appropriate for all teachers, school administrators who have site responsibility, and perhaps for central administrators who need help building a coherent system-wide set of policies on discipline. This book also will assist parents in handling their children's school-related discipline issues, such as homework. The theoretical bases of this book are partly tough love (say what you mean, mean what you say, and do not say it meanly), natural consequences (if a child makes an error, let them experience the natural consequences, a la Dreikurs), and logical consequences (to defuse power struggles). The heart of the book is setting limits with kids and shortening down the time from discussion to action (from warning to consequence). There is no "cute" theory or exhortations to love the children more.
Teaching Kids with Mental Health & Learning Disorders in the Regular Classroom
by Myles L. Cooley, Ph.D.
How to Recognize, Understand, and Help Challenged (and Challenging) Students Succeed
Mainstreaming was implemented with good intentions, but it left many teachers with the daunting task of helping students with mental health and learning disorders and related behavioral problems. Formerly taught in special education classes, these students are now in your classroom. If you don't always feel prepared or you sometimes feel overwhelmed, you're not alone. This accessible, ready-to-use guide describes mental health and learning disorders often observed in school children, explains how each might be exhibited in the classroom, and offers suggestions for what to do (and what not to do).
Praising Boys Well
by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Boys need encouragement and praise to develop healthy self esteem, but they can also feel swamped and suffocated by what they see as constant commentary on their every move-and as a result they can be inclined to act out. How can parents strike the right balance between giving effective praise and not going overboard? How can we help our boys to feel proud without inspiring a false sense of confidence or making them praise dependent? Praising Boys Well shows parents and teachers alike what boys need to hear along the developmental continuum and offers countless tips on what to encourage; which phrases to use-and to avoid; when incentives are appropriate; and how to incorporate praise into our boys' everyday activities.
Praising Girls Well
by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewer
100 Tips for Parents and Teachers
Girls like to have their accomplishments noticed, but sometimes the need for praise can spiral into a constant quest for perfection. Girls may have a propensity to do things not because they judge it to be right or helpful but rather to stay in people's good graces. The result is that they can become cut off from their own true selves. Praising Girls Well points the way to using praise in a manner that will boost a girl's inner confidence, help her to understand it's okay to make mistakes, and guide her to trust in her own judgment. Brimming with practical tips for everyday use, this is a handbook to revisit time and again for our girls' grandest-and smallest-successes.
Teaching the Restless
by Chris Mercogliano
One School's Remarkable No-Ritalin Approach to Helping Children
Learn and Succeed Educator Chris Mercogliano has been working with hyperactive (ADHD) children for many years at the Free School in Albany, New York, and has developed numerous ways to help these students relax, focus, modulate emotional expression, make responsible choices, and forge lasting friendships-all prerequisites for learning. In Teaching the Restless, Mercogliano uses the stories of six children without assigning them labels or resorting to the use of stimulant drugs like Ritalin.
Laughing Lessons
by Ron Burgess
149 2/3 Ways to Make Teaching and Learning Fun
What's the best ways to reach kids? Lighten up! Everyone responds to laughter and humor. Everyone enjoys a pleasant environment. Everyone loves to have fun. In the words of world-class funnyman John Cleese, "He who laughs most, learns best." Humor can be a positive force in teaching, learning, and health. Students learn better when lessons are presented with humor. Recall improves when tests use funny examples. Laughter and humor hold kids' attention, helping them retain what you're teaching them. Humor reduces stress and tension. It shortens the school day and lightens your load. This book is full of idas for you to try-classroom-tested tips and techniques drawn from the author's experience and that of other teachers.
Leading with Character to Improve Student Achievement
by Robert D. Willliams & Rosemarye T. Taylor
What does it take to foster and facilitate an effective character education program? We know that a critical element is leadership. The authors' approach to character education leadership is both a model to emulate and a tool that we all can use. Leading with Character will help you be the catalyst and architect in your school or district.
Pediatric First Aid for Caregivers and Teachers
by American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is pleased to bring you Pediatric First Aid for Caregivers and Teachers (PedFACTs), a new national pediatric first aid course. Caregivers and teachers need to know what to do when a child is injured or becomes suddenly and severely ill. Most injuries that require first aid are not life-threatening. Usually, first aid involves simple, common sense procedures. However, first aid can sometimes mean the difference between life and death. All caregivers and teachers should have pediatric first aid training.
10 Best Teaching Practices
by Donna Walker Tileston
How Brain research, Learning Styles and Standards Define Teaching Competencies
This book proves the classroom teach with a practical guide to inspiring, motivating, and therefore educating even the most unenthusiastic students. This exciting update of the original classic details the fundamentals of differentiated teaching strategies, teaching for long-term memory, collaborative learning, higher-order thinking skills, technology integration, and much more. Instructors will learn to use ten highly practiced teaching methods proven to facilitate learning in all students.
Creating Emotionally Safe Schools
by Jane Bluestein, Ph.D.
A Guide for Educators and Parents
Creating Emotionally Safe Schools examines neurological, environmental, historical, developmental, psychological, sociological, interpersonal, instructional and administrative factors that contribute to the emotional climate of an educational institution. This is the big picture: a comprehensive view of what makes a school feel the way it feels, and what we can do to make it feel safe for every child - and every adult = who walks through its doors. This book looks at the many dimensions of emotional safety, such as the role of the brain, the impact of the family and early development, childhood stress and coping, the changing role of the school, acceptance and emotional support, respect and belonging, temperament and labels, power dynamics and discipline isssues, social development and resiliency, cliques and bullies, motor needs, instructional strategies, assessment and feedback, learning styles and multiple intelligencies, teacher training and support, the role of the administrator, and the inherent need for sense of community.
Teaching Stories
by Judy Logan
Judy Logan taught middle school at inner-city public schools in San Francisco for more than 30 years (which automatically makes her a hero), and in this collection of short essays, she tells about her experiences. Logan uses an inclusive curriculum that incorporates life elements that her students bring in. She believes in saying "yes" to her students as often as possible, and in balancing the "have-tos" and the "get-tos" of assignments. In "The Story of Two Quilts," each student makes a quilting patch: "Can I do Cyndi Lauper?" "Yes." "Can I sew on buttons, ribbons, sparkles?" "Yes." "Can I stuff cotton underneath to make it three dimensional?" "Yes." Logan's students, who have been encouraged and taught to think for themselves, win awards, achieve in high school, and achieve in life. We should all be so lucky as to have Logan, or teachers like her, in our children's lives.
10 Traits of Highly Effective Teachers
by Elaine K. McEwan
How to Hire, Coach, and Mentor Successful Teachers This highly organized and user-friendly guide shares practical insights into these ten crucial traits through real-life examples, experiences, research, and personal reflections from students, parents, and educators at all levels. Administrators will value the numerous tools that it provides for hiring, coaching, mentoring, and motivating effective teachers, while new and experienced teachers will be inspired to fully embody the ten traits and renew their zeal for teaching.
Don't Smile Until December and Other MYTHS About Classroom teaching
by Peggy Deal Redman
Explore the realities behind eight well-known teaching myths with veteran teacher educator Peggy Deal Redman. With insightful classroom stories, reflective questions, how-to tips and strategies, and inspirational quotes to encourage, inspire, and motivate every teacher in today's professional learning community, this creative resource offers: tools for building a positive classroom environment, sound advice for developing respectful relationships with students, and tips for collaborating with colleagues, and parents.
No Room for Bullies
by Jose Bolton, Sr., Ph.D., L.P.C., & Stan Graeve, M.A.
From the Classroom to Cyberspace, Teaching Respect, Stopping Abuse, and Rewarding Kindness
This book shatters popular myths about bullying to reveal its stark realities. You’ll learn who’s playing the intimidation game, and how they play it… from social exclusion, physical violence, and emotional backstabbing to sexual sleaze and cyberspace cruelty. But No Room for Bullies takes you beyond problem recognition to proven solutions. Parents will find… · How to advocate for a child and work with the school when bullying is a problem · Safe Internet-Surfing Contract for kids that lays down the law on Internet use at home · Helpful strategies on what to do when a child acts like a bully, is a victim, or suffers from “bystander silence” School administrators will find… · Suggestions on how to measure the social climate of schools, including sample surveys to give to students, staff, and parents · A 12-point checklist on preventing problems in hallways, classrooms, and common areas Teachers will find… · Advice for creating and enforcing classroom rules, including an “Airport Rule” that gives students a sense of safety · Ideas to minimize the chaos that occurs during passing periods and in “unowned” areas like restrooms and hallways The contributing authors include child psychologists, parent trainers, and teachers. Drawing on their years of experience, they tackle bullying from all the angles: the bully, the victim, the bystander, the teacher, the parent, and the environment.
The Wonder of Girls
by Michael Gurian
Understanding the Hidden Nature of our Daughters
Therapist Gurian probes the unique aspects of girls' emotional, social and physical development in a follow-up to his bestselling The Wonder of Boys. First, though, he takes a few stabs at feminism, arguing that several of its theories (which, it must be noted, he incorrectly oversimplifies) need to be revised or even discarded by parents seeking to raise healthy girls. But Gurian's trademark is examining how biology impacts behavior. Biological matters hormones, brain differences (girls' brains are "more broadly active" than boys' and have 15% more blood flow) ultimately define girls' and boys' journeys through childhood and adolescence, Gurian argues. Even a girl's drop in self-esteem during adolescence is a "natural," biological phenomenon rather than a result of negative cultural influences. Feminists, he argues, have ignored the biological differences in order to successfully compete with men in the workplace; in so doing, they have denied or downplayed a girl's desire for intimacy and the experience of motherhood. Gurian urges parents to use a new model in raising girls (he calls it "Womanism") in which motherhood is a "season" when careers must be adjusted or put on hold. The author boldly suggests that parents prepare their daughters for the sacrifices of motherhood, and ensure that girls establish a three-family system (the nuclear family, the extended family and institutions such as church or school) that will meet their need for intimate relationships. Expect Gurian's arguments to stir controversy and inspire thought. (Jan.)Forecast: Gurian's success with The Wonder of Boys and other parenting titles should make this an easy sell, though some readers may object to what feels like a rejection of feminist tenets.
A Field Guilde to Boys and Girls
by Susan Gilbert
Differences, Similarities: Cutting-Edge Information Every PARENT Needs to Know
New York Times science writer Gilbert taps into parents' natural fascination with gender issues and urges readers to move beyond the fear that discovering sex differences will lead to sex biases.Beginning with gender differences in the womb, Gilbert walks parents through such issues as early brain development, Barbies, guns, math and personality traits such as aggressiveness or sociability. While much of the information won't seem earth-shattering to parents who keep up on such matters, they will be pleased by Gilbert's thorough research. Some may be surprised to learn that boys are more vulnerable than girls at birth or that girls have a higher risk of sports injuries as they grow older. Each chapter includes a helpful summary and advice on what parents can do to combat problems related to their child's gender. For instance, the author suggests parents talk more to their infant sons to help them develop language skills and help their toddler daughters build self-confidence by resisting the urge to shield them from failure. Parents and educators will find this a useful resource that summarizes the main issues and provides solid advice on how to ensure equality for kids of both genders at home and at school.
How to Deal with Parents Who are Angry, Troubled, Afraid, or Just Plain Crazy
by Elaine K. McEwan
Emotionally charged, often disgruntled, and occasionally abusive parents - sound familiar? The newly revised, second edition of Elaine McEwan's bestselling classic will help you manage your most difficult audience, adding several new features and examples that will give you the confidence and skills you need to handle such situations. Every educator will find invaluable strategies for handling angry and unresponsive parents and the critical issues that cause misunderstandings. Following McEwan's seven steps of effective problem-solving will help with quick solutions while creating a nurturing, healthy school environment. And in today's schools and a NCLB environment, developing a supportive parent-community relationship is essential to everyone's success.
The Manipulative Child
by E.W. Swihart Jr., M.D., & Patrick Cotter, Ph.D.
How to Regain Control and Raise Resilient, Resourceful, and Independent Kids
Why do so many of our kids--raised in the most affluent nation on earth--fail to thrive and strive and enter adulthood lacking appropriate and effective coping skills? Drs. Swihart and Cotter have come up with a revolutionary theory on why our kids are having such a tough time of it today: It is because we allow our children to manipulate us, and the world around them, rather than teaching them how to respond to life and life's tough situations. The result is that manipulative behavior is directly tied to low self-esteem, which only heightens its negative impact on kids, families, and the larger communities we live in. The good news is that Drs. Swihart and Cotter have created a radical and clinically proven program for breaking manipulative behavior and getting our kids back on track. The program teaches parents to say no without feeling guilt; to resist the urge to feel responsible for their child's happiness; to view their children as emotionally competent and resilient; and most importantly, to realize that effective parenting means allowing your child to make mistakes and develop a sense of competence, which leads to enhanced self-esteem and an ability to live independently and successfully in the real world. Drawing on their twenty-five years in private practice, the authors illustrate their program with examples of successful kids, as well as case studies of how parents have regained control and effectively blocked their children's manipulative behavior. The positive results will enlighten, and even astound you, and give you the tools needed to become a better parent.
Choice Words
by Peter H. Johnston, Foreword by Richard Allington
How Our Language Affects Children's Learning
Choice Words shows how teachers accomplish this using their most powerful teaching tool: language. Throughout, Peter Johnston provides examples of apparently ordinary words, phrases, and uses of language that are pivotal in the orchestration of the classroom. Grounded in a study by accomplished literacy teachers, the book demonstrates how the things we say (and don't say) have surprising consequences for what children learn and for who they become as literate people. Through language, children learn how to become strategic thinkers, not merely learning the literacy strategies. In addition, Johnston examines the complex learning that teachers produce in classrooms that is hard to name and thus is not recognized by tests, by policy-makers, by the general public, and often by teachers themselves, yet is vitally important.
The Ambitious Generation
by Barbara Schneider & David Stevenson
America's Teenagers Motivated but Directionless
Presenting a surprising portrait of American youth that contrasts with the conventional image of Generation-X slackers, this significant study finds that U.S. adolescents today are much more ambitious than teens of previous eras. More adolescents than ever expect to graduate from college, earn graduate degrees and become well-paid doctors, lawyers, judges, engineers, professors, architects, athletes or business executives. Yet their collective expectations are not reasonable, the authors assert, because they outstrip the projected number of such jobs in the year 2005. Schneider, a University of Chicago sociology professor, and Stevenson, senior adviser in the U.S. Department of Education, base their conclusions on the Alfred P. Sloan Study, a five-year national research project that tracked more than 8000 adolescents in the 1990s; the authors also analyzed major studies of youth from the 1950s through the 1980s. Compared with the 1950s generation, today's teens have fewer long-lasting friendships and spend more time alone; many remain in college more than four years, instead of leaping into marriage, parenthood and (for males) the working world directly after high school, as '50s teenagers did. Straightforward and accessible, the book provides a useful roadmap for parents and teachers who want to help students match their abilities and resources to educational opportunities and the job market. This worthwhile report should spark national debate and discussion.
101 Great Classroom Games
by Alexis Ludewig and Amy Swan, Ph.D.
Easy Ways to Get Your Students Playing, Laughing, and Learning
101 ways to energize any ho-hum day Created by award-winning educators, these easy-to-learn, giggle-as-you-go games are designed to be both fun and educational. These activities in reading, logic, science, measuring, listening, social studies, and math are the perfect complement to your K-5 curriculum. Get the fun and the learning started with games such as:
Bug Bite: Players flip over vocabulary word cards and slap the table when a bug card comes up. Whoever slaps first reads all the words and then keeps the card. The child with the most cards wins!
Bull's-Eye Feather Math: Children blow feathers around a bull's-eye game board with straws as they sharpen their multiplication skills.
Geography Baseball: Players find map locations that are “pitched” to them. The more “hits” they get, the faster they score runs.
Fishy Facts: Players snag paper fish with a fishing pole and hook. If they can answer the question on the side of the fish, they score.
. . . and many more!
Teaching Young Gifted Children in the Regular Classroom
by Joan Franklin Smutny, Sally Yahnke Walker, Elizabeth A. Mechstroth
Identifying, Nurturing, and Challenging Ages 4-9
Proven, practical ways to recognize and nurture young gifted children and create a learning environment that supports all students. Entire chapters are devoted to topcs including curriculum compacting, social studies, language arts, math and science, cluster grouping and cooperative learning, and finding and supporting giftedness in diverse populations. Scenarios and vignettes take you into teachers' classrooms. Extensive references and resources point you toward books, organizations, videos, publications, and Web sites to explore.