EDUC 250: Owen

In this thought-provoking book, Frank Smith explains how schools and educational authorities systematically obstruct the powerful inherent learning abilities of children, creating handicaps that often persist through life. The author eloquently contrasts a false and fabricated "official theory" that learning is work (used to justify the external control of teachers and students through excessive regulation and massive testing) with a correct but officially suppressed "classic view" that learning is a social process that can occur naturally and continually through collaborative activities. This book will be crucial reading in a time when national authorities continue to blame teachers and students for alleged failures in education. It will help educators and parents to combat sterile attitudes toward teaching and learning and prevent current practices from doing further harm.

Smartphones, videogames, webcasts, wikis, blogs, texting, emoticons. What does the rapidly changing digital landscape mean for classroom teaching? How has technology affected the brain development of students? How does it relate to what we know about learning styles, memory, and multiple intelligences? How can teachers close the digital divide that separates many of them from their students? In Brain-Based Teaching in the Digital Age, Marilee Sprenger answers these and other questions with research-based information and practical advice gained from her years as a classroom teacher and a consultant on brain-based teaching. As she puts it, "It's time to meet the digital brain.' We need to use the technology tools, learn the digital dialogue, and understand and relate better to our students." At the same time, she emphasizes the importance of educating the whole child by including exercise, music, and art in the classroom and helping students develop their social-emotional intelligence. Creativity, empathy, and the ability to synthesize material are 21st century skills that can't be ignored in the digital age. Readers will find easy-to-understand information about the digital brain and how it works, "high-tech" and "low-tech" strategies for everyday teaching and learning, and inspiration for creating classroom environments that will entice and encourage students at all grade levels. With this book as a guide, educators can move confidently across the digital divide to a world of new possibilities--for themselves and their students.

`This author not only summarizes the theories and research regarding how the brain functions in the process of learning--natural learning--she also shows how she has continued to apply it in her own teaching and learning' - Robert Pinney, Director, Extension Teacher Education Programs, Western Washington University `This is an important and useful book--readable, practical, and inspiring advice for the practicing teacher. This is a great translation of theory into practice, and Rita's stories of her own work are especially compelling' - Jean MacGregor, National Learning Communities Project, The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington This book is intended to make it possible for all students to realize their potential as natural learners. It shows teachers how to make this possible - not with attention-getting activities that are more or less peripheral to the curriculum, but with the curriculum itself. Written for all teachers from K-12 through higher education, as well as future educators, this volume also provides information for parents, students in general, and everyone who wants to know how the brain learns. Chapters Two and Three discuss two areas of research related to learning: classroom/field research and neuroscience research. These two areas are brought together in Chapter Six, leading to principles for developing brain-compatible, natural-learning curricula for any subject at any level. The author provides examples of classroom-proven applications of the theory, and Chapters Eight and Nine, using guidelines and models, show how this research-based theory can be applied to the development of curricula for any classroom. Examples of how to develop lesson plans and curricula for a unit, course, or program will be useful for teachers in all subjects.

This text is based on original research from Harvard's Project Zero, the research and development group led by Howard Gardner, to show teachers and administrators how to successfully integrate MI into their schools and classrooms. Based on a national investigation of more than 40 schools and on detailed case studies, this book illustrates how teachers in six real-life situations in a range of different public schools were able to construct and implement curricula that enabled students to learn challenging disciplinary content through multiple intelligences.

Do you remember a time when you used the right words at the right moment, and they made all the difference? With the aim of helping you repeat that experience every day, this book provides hundreds of examples of what we call "Best Practice Language" (BPL), a research-based technique designed to help teachers use words to improve student behavior - in the classroom and beyond. In their years of working at the K-12 levels, educators Hal Holloman and Peggy H. Yates have identified the exact phrases and key words you can use to handle: recurring disruptions, inappropriate outbursts, and students' low self-confidence, among other classroom realities. BPL will enable you to: Set your expectations clearly on the first day of school Prevent and resolve conflicts between students Create a safe haven for shy, apprehensive students Establish meaningful relationships with students built on trust Help students foster a respect for themselves, their peers, and for adults Maintain a positive classroom environment that encourages personal responsibility Whether you're a new teacher, a veteran teacher, a pre-service teacher, or school administrator, the tools in this book will help you use words effectively, in ways that resonate with students and provide them with clear and promising direction.

This practical guide helps explain a simple five-step process that helps educators integrate the two approaches into current lessons, or combine them into new and powerful lessons and units.

Offers educators practical application of recent brain research through the Brain-Targeted Teaching Model an instructional framework that uses current brain research to guide teachers in planning, implementing, and evaluating instruction. This model will increase the potential of brain research to inform instructional strategies and to suggest ways to organize schools or design curriculum on a school-wide or district-wide basis. Features: . Description of brain anatomy . Current brain research findings . Suggestions to provide a supportive yet challenging emotional climate for learning . Highlights the important role the physical environment plays in learning . Ideas for enhancing instruction through organized and attractive classroom space . Stages of planning and implementing a learning unit Intended for classroom teachers at any grade level as well as those who support instruction in schools of higher education."

You no longer have to be a neuroscientist to understand how your students absorb knowledge. This easy-to-comprehend guide pares down the vast field of neuroscience and covers the brain basics that affect your classroom the most--attention, memory, emotions, and stress. With a variety of simple brain-compatible strategies, you'll see a measurable difference in your differentiated classrooms.

Learn how to define proficiency accurately and differentiate to help all students achieve it. With a focus on mixed-ability classes, the author outlines instructional practices that engage, empower, and motivate students. Using stories, strategies, case histories, and sample documents, he explains how to implement equitable instruction, assessment, grading, and reporting practices for diverse 21st century learners.

The problems of boys in schools, especially in reading and writing, have been the focus of statistical data, but rarely does research point out how literacy educators can combat those problems. That situation has changed. Michael Smith and Jeff Wilhelm, two of the most respected names in English education and in the teaching of reading, worked with a very diverse group of young men to understand how they use literacy and what conditions promote it. In this book they share what they have learned. Through a variety of creative research methods and an extended series of interviews with 49 young men in middle and high school who differ in class, race, academic achievement, kind of school, and geography, the authors identified the factors that motivated these young men to become accomplished in the activities they most enjoyed-factors that marked the boys' literate activities outside of school, but were largely absent from their literate lives in school. Their study questions the way reading and literature are typically taught and suggests powerful alternatives to traditional instruction. Building their findings on their understanding of the powerful and engaging experiences boys had outside of school, Smith and Wilhelm discuss why boys embrace or reject certain ways of being literate, how boys read and engage with different kinds of texts, and what qualities of texts appeal to boys. Throughout, the authors highlight the importance of choice, the boys' need to be shown how to read, the cost of the traditional teaching of difficult canonical texts, and the crucial place of meaningful social activity. The authors' data-driven findings are provocative, explaining why boys reject much of school literacy and how progressive curricula and instruction might help boys engage with literacy and all learning in more productive ways. Providing both challenges and practical advice for overcoming those challenges, Smith and Wilhelm have produced a book that will appeal to teachers, teacher educators, and parents alike.

With all the talk of failing schools these days, we often forget that schools can fail their brightest students too. Gifted children forced into a "one size fits all" approach to schooling find themselves bored or frustrated, which can lead to underachievement, behavioral problems, or depression. Without sufficient challenges and resources, say Jan and Bob Davidson, America's brightest young minds languish, never reaching their full potential. Society can't afford that loss. In Genius Denied, the Davidsons -- founders of a nonprofit institute that provides assistance to gifted children -- offer hope and practical advice to parents and students alike. Through their own experiences and those of the families they've worked with, the Davidsons show parents how to find an appropriate education for their children, when to go outside the school system, and how to create a support network with school authorities and other parents. Genius Denied shows that with commitment and creativity, gifted students can get the education they deserve, one that nurtures their talents and minds.

<p>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 teachin--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. Just a few of his ideas: Develop a teacher look. The teacher look says, "There's nothing you can do that I haven't already seen, so don't even bother trying." Show students that you are a "real" teacher by doing things they expect of real teachers, at least for a while. Be prepared to utter a decisive answer to anything within two seconds. Decisive answers inspire confidence. Any teacher--experienced or not--will enjoy this honest and humorous look at the real world of teaching and will come away with some very helpful ideas for classroom management. The book is used all over the country in teacher preparation programs. Ben Guest, Program Manager for the Mississippi Teacher Corps describes the book as "That rare classroom management book that is both thoughtful and realistic. It is also a great read, with parts that are laugh-out-loud funny."</p>

Manage your classroom with proven, positive techniques that promote appropriate behavior. Teachers want to be able to teach the content they were trained to teach. Yet most teachers find themselves faced with the challenge of achieving effective classroom management. Highly readable and engaging, Teaching Discipline &BAD:amp; Self-Respect offers guidelines, specific strategies, and structured activities that have been used successfully in culturally, linguistically, economically, and academically diverse classrooms.SiriNam S. Khalsa, a master teacher and consultant who is passionate about teaching and understanding the individual needs of every student, focuses on developing self-esteem and self-image while maintaining the dignity of each student. Through vignettes and case studies, Khalsa's text provides readers with:Guidelines for changing students' negative behavior Reproducible lessons, such as 'Understanding Anger' and 'Teaching 'I' and 'You' Statements'Engaging activities ready for immediate use in difficult situations15 steps to help teachers keep a positive mental attitude30 techniques for reducing stress and maintaining perspective when working with challenging students This refreshing and energizing approach to classroom management shows teachers how to embrace positive change and improve both their teaching practice and their students' lives.

You can have the best lesson plans in the world, but when your students are playing desk-to-desk leapfrog in the middle of the classroom, lesson plans aren't much help. You need solutions. Solutions that work. Solutions you can use now. That's exactly what you'll find in You Can't Teach a Class You Can't Manage. In this tell-it-like-it-is book, Donna Whyte offers specific strategies for addressing specific management problems, and she doesn't shy away from tough issues such as bullying, lying, and stealing. Her focus, though, is on an even greater challenge: teaching children the skills they need to control their own behavior. Donna knows what works in today's classrooms because she's been there. As she shares her own teaching mistakes and successes with humor and insight, she offers down-to-earth, practical, effective strategies for teaching self-control and appropriate choices. In these pages, you'll find scores of simple but effective ways to teach children how to: Take responsibility Solve their own problems Identify and express feelings Distinguish between want and need Follow directions Make decisions Negotiate for what they want Get back on track after a bad choice This book will change the way you look at the "troublemaker" in your class. It will help you stop tearing your hair out! And it will free you up to become the teacher you always wanted to be. Book jacket.

The Virtual Student is an essential resource for online educators working with students in higher education and training settings. The authors offer an overview of the key issues of student online learning and provide a practical guide to working with online students. The book covers a broad range of topics including learning styles, multicultural issues, evaluation, retention, and the challenging problems of plagiarism and cheating.

A rabbi and educator shows how moral education can be crafted to address each of the three main branches of the moral life: philosophy, civics, and ethics. * 15 illustrations * Ideas and examples for the classroom practice of moral education * Series foreword

A sequel to bestselling memoir, 'Please Stop Laughing at Me', this groundbreaking investigation walks down the hallways of schools to find realistic solutions to the serious problem of bullying.

Practical Classroom Management presents hands-on methods for creating a positive learning environment, working with behavioral problems, and dealing with a range of challenges in the K-12 classroom.   This text uses real-life examples to help both pre- and in-service teachers understand and apply the principles of classroom management in their own classroom situations. The text uses case studies, examples, and descriptions of specific strategies based on current research and classroom experience. Practical Classroom Management features classrooms ranging from kindergarten through the twelfth grade. It focuses on creating positive learning environments for students, and provides extensive, practical materials on both problem solving and building individual behavior change plans for students with behavioral problems.

This book provides battle-tested tips on how to become an outstanding educator. Written by a veteran teacher, it's packed with every classroom management secret he discovered in two decades of teaching. Rookies and veterans alike will learn how to: Create the perfect classroom environment Turn defiant students into stellar performers Transform unruly parents into loyal allies Make peace with difficult administrators Increase productivity and learning This is a real-world guide for creating a calm, nurturing, and effective learning environment. Whether they're just out of college or have been teaching for decades, teachers will learn how to survive, thrive, and excel in the classroom.

Imagine if going to school meant more than preparing kids for a test, teaching a canned curriculum, and training students for their future as workers. What if school were also about cultivating students to be caring, community-involved citizens and critical, creative thinkers who love to read? In Caring Hearts & Critical Minds, teacher-author Steven Wolk shows teachers how to help students become better readers as well as better people. "I want [my students] to be thinkers and have rich conversations regarding critical issues in the text and be able to formulate opinions regarding these issues," says Leslie Rector, a sixth-grade teacher who collaborated with Wolk on some of the units featured in this book. Wolk demonstrates how to integrate inquiry learning, exciting and contemporary literature, and teaching for social responsibility across the curriculum. He takes teachers step-by-step through the process of designing an inquiry-based literature unit and then provides five full units used in real middle-grade classrooms. Featuring a remarkable range of recommended resources and hundreds of novels from across the literary genres, Caring Hearts & Critical Minds gives teachers a blueprint for creating dynamic units with rigorous lessons about topics kids care about--from media and the environment to personal happiness and global poverty. Wolk shows teachers how to find stimulating, real-world "complex texts" called for in the Common Core State Standards and integrate them into literature units. "I know from experience that a great book changes the reader," says Karen Tellez, an eighth-grade teacher featured in the book. "For me, books have helped me escape, fall in love, recover from heartbreak, and have broken open my mind from the age of twelve. . . . I hope [my students] gain better reading comprehension, confidence as readers, connections to the characters and events, a curiosity for the world, and tolerance for others." Caring Hearts & Critical Minds shows teachers how to turn these hopes and goals into reality.

Classroom management and discipline can often be the most challenging part of an already demanding profession. In this third edition of the best-selling You Know the Fair Rule, author Bill Rogers acknowledges and addresses the real challenges faced by teachers. This major revision covers: establishing classes effectively and positive discipline practice in the classroom * working with children with behavioral disorders * developing individual behavior plans * managing anger and conflict * working with the challenging and hard-to-manage class * effective colleague support. You Know the Fair Rule is a comprehensive, practical, and realistic guide to effective practice. The skills and approaches outlined are derived from Roger's work in schools as a consultant and from his mentor-teaching in challenging schools.

It¿s your classroom, here¿s how to manage it for success. Whether you¿re a beginning teacher or a seasoned vet, classroom discipline is an everyday issue that leads to stress or to satisfaction, depending on how the day goes. This powerful little guide will help you get a handle on your classroom management and you won¿t have to take a leave of absence to learn how to do it. You¿ll discover how to handle student bullies, perfectionists, entertainers and others; respond effectively to the various types of parenting; set rules and guidelines for behaviors and consequences; reduce inappropriate behaviors like harassment, cursing, threats, and more; recognize and control your use of "voice" to improve communication; dramatically improve student performance with one simple formula. In a concise and easy to use format, there¿s something here for everyone. Some teachers will find the sections on dealing with individual students and their behaviors most helpful. Others will love the procedures for streamlining daily activities. Still others will appreciate the suggestions for giving students their own management tools. And beyond your particular area of interest, you¿ll learn a proven system that works, not only with your classroom, but also with your school at large. It¿s invaluable!

Learn a four-step research-based program for differentiating instruction based on the cultural needs, beliefs, and values of diverse learners. The authors show you how to build teacher background knowledge; plan for differentiation; and differentiate context, content, process, product, and assessment. This book provides an opportunity for the education community to engage students at risk whom our schools have often failed.

In this insightful and revealing book, the author shows how we can break the cycle of poverty and disadvantage and change the odds for children at risk. Describing how previous reforms have missed the mark, she offers a framework based on seven essential principles for implementing more effective programs and policies. In a highly readable style, Neuman highlights programs that are making a difference in children's lives across the U.S., weaving together narratives that tell a compelling story of hope and promise the most disadvantaged children.

Every day, teachers face the challenge of motivating struggling learners. In this must-have book, bestselling author Barbara R. Blackburn shares how you can finally solve this problem and make your classroom a place where allstudents want to succeed. You'll learn practical strategies for... understanding extrinsic and intrinsic motivation; building a trusting relationship with students; using praise and positive feedback effectively; empowering students and helping them own their learning; moving students toward a growth mindset; communicating high expectations for students; engaging all students in your lessons; scaffolding so all students will want to improve; helping students be resilient and not fear failure; and celebrating diverse groups of students. Each chapter is filled with a variety of examples and tools that you can use immediately. Bonus: Many of the tools are also available as free eResources on our website, www.routledge.com/9781138792432, so you can easily download and print them for classroom use.

Once again, in this expanded Second Edition, Gary Howard outlines what good teachers know, what they do, and how they embrace culturally responsive teaching. Howard brings his bestselling book completely up to date with today's school reform efforts and includes a new introduction and a new chapter that speak directly to current issues such as closing the achievement gap, and to recent legislation such as No Child Left Behind. With our nation's student population becoming ever more diverse, and teachers remaining largely White, this book is now more important than ever. A must-read in universities and school systems throughout the country, We Can't Teach What We Don't Know continues to facilitate and deepen the discussion of race and social justice in education.

Tackles a frequently asked question about multicultural education: How do I teach about racial and cultural diversity if all my students are white? This work proposes seven learning themes to help young white children resist messages of racism and build identity and skills for thriving in a multicultural country and world.

This book provides tips and strategies which unify two popular and effective trends - the differentiated classroom, in which teachers align their instruction to meet the needs of individual students. - the democratic classroom, in which students are intrinsically motivated to learn because they are given chances to make choices.

Award-winning psychologist and educator Thomas Lickona offers more than one hundred practical strategies that parents and schools have used to help kids build strong personal character as the foundation for a purposeful, productive, and fulfilling life. Succeeding in life takes character, and Lickona shows how irresponsible and destructive behavior can invariably be traced to the absence of good character and its ten essential qualities: wisdom, justice, fortitude, self-control, love, a positive attitude, hard work, integrity, gratitude, and humility. The culmination of a lifetime’s work in character education from one the preeminent psychologists of our time, this landmark book gives us the tools we need to raise respectful and responsible children, create safe and effective schools, and build the caring and decent society in which we all want to live.

Presents a comprehensive critique of education and the reforms covering instruction and the institution.

Rather than simply examining gender differences in student performance, this book presents various aspects and considerations of gender equity in classroom teaching through conversations with and observations of eight teachers. It highlights the differences between teacher beliefs and practices, shows how educational institutions contribute to the formation or development of those beliefs and practices, and describes how individual teachers within those institutions can and do combat the inequities resulting from gender socialization.

A Proven Program That Helps Every Child Succeed The number one goal of every parent and educator is to help children become successful adults. To achieve this goal children must learn self-discipline, responsibility, and judgment—the very same principles that help them become good students. But how do we teach such essential concepts in today's complex and temptation-filled world? Nationally acclaimed educators H. Stephen Glenn and Michael L. Brock are renowned for their Developing Capable People workshops. Here they show you how to help children become more confident, motivated, respectful, and emotionally stable. 7 Strategies for Developing Capable Students can help you develop the skills necessary for your child to become a capable adult. No parent or educator should be without this invaluable book! "With this very clear, easy-to-understand book, parents and teachers now have the opportunity to create the best possible learning relationships for children." —Jack Pransky, author of Parenting from the Heart and Prevention: The Critical Need

This book offers a unique perspective on what every educator, parent, and community leader should know about reaping the rich harvest of our diverse schools. Included are anecdotes from Kugler's personal experience as well as information from 80 interviews with key educators, parents, and students.

Everyone knows that educational success is much more likely when students' imaginations and emotions are caught up in learning. While we have a rich educational literature about holding students' interest, we do not have very much sustained work on what the imagination is, how it works in learning, or how it may be inspired in the classroom. Addressing the whole curriculum, this book provides insights into each of those areas central to educational success. Knowledgeable authors describe innovative teaching methods based on these insights, which offer new ways of planning and teaching.

Grades should reflect and motivate learning. This book is relatable, relevant, and effective in improving educators' assessment and reporting processes and supporting students' motivation to learn. Understand how to grade individual assignments and give report card grades that accurately reflect and clearly communicate student achievement. Clear, concrete examples help translate state standards into curriculum goals.

This book introduces a groundbreaking teaching method intended to help English, social studies, and humanities teachers address difficult or controversial topics in their secondary classrooms. Because these issues are rarely addressed in teacher preparation programs, few teachers feel confident facilitating conversations around culturally and politically sensitive issues in ways that honour their diverse students' voices and lead to critical, transformative thinking.

Peer support and social relationships have a tremendous influence on development, motivation, and achievement for all students, including struggling learners and those with disabilities. This highly practical book is one of the few resources available to guide classroom teachers and special educators in the application of peer-assisted instructional strategies in grades K-12. Expert contributors describe evidence-based approaches for building students' skills in reading, writing, math, and other content areas, as well as social competence and executive functioning. Sample lessons and more than a dozen reproducible tools are provided. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

Shift classroom structures to enhance student success. By becoming learning partners with their students, teachers can help them develop enthusiasm for learning and employ deep learning goals. Discover how to cultivate a classroom environment in which students can apply what they've learned, teach it to their teacher and fellow students, and understand how their knowledge will be useful beyond the classroom.

Book with CD-Rom Some children learn easily, while others struggle. How can teachers make sure that every child has opportunities to develop his or her talents? The answer is differentiation: changing the pace, level, or kind of instruction in response to learners' needs, styles, and/or interests. In this timely, practical guide, Diane Heacox presents a menu of strategies for any teacher faced with a spectrum of student needs and styles. This title was updated in 2008 to include a CD-Rom with reproducible forms. 

Standing Up for Something Every Day is written for present and future teachers in the early childhood classroom who truly want to make a difference in the lives of children. Exploring some of the most complex and pressing social and ethical dilemmas confronting early childhood educators, the author provides concrete ways of addressing social justice concerns in practice. Four model teacher-guides accompany readers from chapter to chapter, and demonstrate strategies for standing up for children through ethics, respect for diversity, and commitment to advocacy for children. This book offers important insights, encouragement, and practical suggestions to early childhood educators who are committed to excellence and equity in their classrooms.

With a focus on the leader's role, this book is both a stand-alone text and a perfect companion for Anti-Bias Education for Young Children and Ourselves. It emphasizes that this work is not only about changing curriculum, but requires thoughtful stategic, long-term planning that addresses all components of an early childhood program. With a powerful combination of conceptual frameworks, strategies, and practical tools, the authors explain the structural and individual changes leaders must foster.

The story begins when some committed and curious teachers from the Red Clay Writing Project gathered into a teacher inquiry community to spend a year focusing on and documenting their experiences with one of their most disenfranchised students. By analyzing and rethinking what they do in the classroom and why they do it, the authors come to re-imagine who they are as teachers and as human beings. These honest and compelling stories about connecting with one student uncover valuable insights for becoming more responsive to all students. The book introduces the Oral Inquiry Process and examines its role in fostering critical awareness among educators. Perfect for use in teacher preparation courses and professional learning groups, the text includes prompts at the end of each chapter to support teacher-writer groups, along with a suggested writing exercise.

Describes the beliefs, behaviors, attitudes, and interactions that form the fabric of life in our best classrooms and schools

Teachers are often the first to identify a childa s emotional or behavioral problemsa but with limited time and resources, knowing how to start helping can be a tough challenge. This quick-guide puts key psychological principles and straightforward, classroom-ready strategies at every K-12 teachera s fingertips, they can provide effective supports for students, keep families involved, and recognize when outside help is needed. Based on the authorsa years of experience with students, teachers, and families, this reader-friendly guide is equally useful for working with students with and without a specific diagnosis. Teachers will learn practical strategies they can immediately implement to help students with a wide range of emotional, behavioral, and social difficulties: bullyinga both verbal and physical poor concentration and impulsive behavior performance anxiety during exams and class time trouble fitting in with peers low moods aggressive behaviorrule-breaking and disregard for authority resistance to or fear of school communication challenges struggles with social cueslack of personal boundaries In each concise, accessible chapter, teachers will get a case study and quick profile of a specific emotional or behavioral issue, recommendations on optimal classroom structure and student and family collaboration, and guidelines on when to seek further consultation or referral. Practice exercises and discussion questions make this an ideal resource for professional development sessions, and the helpful forms and handouts (also available online ) are easy to use with students and email to families. A must for new teachers and seasoned educators who want fresh, effective strategies, this book is the perfect starting point for addressing everyday emotional and behavioral challenges so that all students are ready to learn. "

Students thrive when educators commit to proactively meeting their behavioral as well as academic needs. This book will help teachers and school leaders transform the research on behavior, response to intervention, and professional learning communities into practical strategies they can use to create a school culture and classroom climates in which learning is primed to occur.

Learn to manage a wide range of challenging behaviors in early childhood settings with this strategy-filled resource for teachers and other professionals. Based on the latest research and the authors' classroom experience, the book helps early childhood teams assess the classroom environment and link effective behavioral interventions to developmentally appropriate curricula and teaching practices. Preservice and in-service professionals will discover how to understand the needs of individual families and foster strong partnerships with themdesign classrooms with customized supports for children with challenging behaviors, from establishing schedules and setting limits to developing curricula and designing the classroom spaceaddress specific behavioral challenges during selected times in the daily schedule group, nap, play, lunch, and morepinpoint each student's challenges and needs and develop appropriate informal interventionsdecide if and when a formal intervention plan is needed and collaborate with other members of the team including therapists, administrative personnel, parents, and classroom aides to develop and implement the planevaluate the intervention plan for consistency, ease of use, acceptability, and effectiveness, making revisions if necessaryplan for a crisis and decide whether to seek outside support Filled with classroom-based strategies for working with students with or without disabilities, realistic vignettes, and checklists that help readers assess their current practices and implement the suggested strategies, this book gives early childhood teams invaluable guidance on working with children with challenging behavior and building positive relationships with their families. "

Minimize classroom disruptions with these ready-to-use lesson plans. Integrate them into any K-8 content area or use them in a guidance unit to teach students how to manage angry and aggressive reactions.

This inspiring guidebook supports teachers seeking to provide a nurturing and creative classroom environment for middle school and high school students. Lessons supply instruction for creating a community of empathy, reverence, self-awareness, and mindfulness. Each entry features a concise lesson plan ready for implementation, as well as a brief summary of the interfaith and secular philosophies that underpin the lesson. Educators are assisted in building connections among diverse populations, cultivating self-awareness, and rewarding reflective thinking. Handouts and sample writings offer inspirational models for students to explore identity and spirituality.

When a studentâe(tm)s challenging behavior canâe(tm)t be resolved through either traditional disciplinary approaches or schoolwide positive behavior support (PBS), what can a teacher do next? This groundbreaking manual has effective solutions for educators from grades Kâe"12. Developed specifically for use with children with persistent or severe behavior problems, this book introduces educators to the systematic Positive Strategies method, which helps teachers understand why behaviors persist, prevent problem behavior, and replace challenging behaviors with better alternatives. Why does the Positive Strategies approach get results? Because itâe(tm)s grounded in the proven and popular PBS approach thatâe(tm)s already used in schools across the country field tested with hundreds of school teams by the highly respected authors and collaborating school teams nonaversive, stopping escalating cycles of problem behavior and helping students develop a better way adaptable to the unique needs of individual children in different educational contexts equally useful for students with or without special needs Teachers will get complete, step-by-step instructions on the two parts of the Positive Strategies method: 1) conducting functional behavioral assessments to see how student characteristics and environment interact with consequences to shape behavior, and 2) developing behavior intervention plans to prevent problem behaviors and teach replacement skills. Educators will also discover how to assemble effective school teams, implement the Positive Strategies method, and follow up with students to ensure the benefits are sustained. With the appropriate, effective, and individualized solutions in Positive Strategies, school teams will help bring about long-term improvements in the social success, academic achievement, and overall quality of life for children with severe problem behaviors.

Develop sound behavior change plans for both general and special education students. You will learn specific strategies for developing behavior intervention plans (BIPs) that lead to long-term, positive change. You will also gain the tools required to do this important work. The author outlines a practical five-step Plan to Do Better approach and provides reproducibles that ease the information-gathering process so vital to developing your BIPs.

This book provides tested, easy-to-implement strategies for preventing problem behavior in the classroom and responding effectively when it does occur. Chapters describe specific steps that K-12 teachers and other school-based professionals can take to develop effective classroom rules and routines; plan suitably challenging instruction; and promote student engagement and motivation. Presenting a continuum of strategies from prevention to more intensive behavior supports, the book offers clear-cut instructions for implementing behavioral contracts, self-monitoring, and functional assessment-based interventions. Special features include more than a dozen reproducible checklists, self-assessment tools, and planning forms; the large-size format facilitates photocopying. This book will be important reading for teachers, special educators, and school psychologists working in K-12; school administrators; students training to work in school settings. It will also serve as a supplemental text in courses addressing classroom management strategies.

This book demonstrates how to make your classroom more responsive to the needs of individual students with a wide variety of learning styles, interests, goals, cultural backgrounds, and prior knowledge. Focusing on grades K through 6, it showcases classroom-tested activities and strategies. Differentiated Instruction: A Guide for Elementary School Teachers shows you how to vary your instruction so you can respond to the needs of individual learners. The examples and classroom activities in this book focus on - reading fiction - reading non-fiction - vocabulary - spelling - penmanship - map and globe skills - math - science - the arts Also included is coverage of - differentiated instruction for English language learners - brain-based learning and multiple intelligences - the impact of differentiated instruction on high stakes testing.

It may "take a village to raise a child," but most American families are struggling, with diminishing social support, to do the job on their own. While parents work longer hours for less and the costs of childcare, healthcare, and college skyrocket, the share of the U.S. budget spent on kids has fallen 22 percent since 1960. More and more children may well not make it to a healthy, productive adulthood. That's terrible for them--and for us as well. It doesn't have to be this way. In this book, renowned expert David L. Kirp clarifies the importance of investing wisely in children. He outlines a visionary "Kids First" policy agenda that's guided by a "golden rule" principle: Every child deserves what's good enough for a child you love. And he offers lively and inspiring, on-the-ground accounts of five big cradle-to-college initiatives that can change the arc of all children's lives: strong support for parents; high-quality early education; linking schools and communities to improve what both offer children; giving all youngsters access to a caring and stable adult mentor; and providing kids a nest egg to help pay for college or kick-start a career.

The Kids Left Behind: Catching Up the Underachieving Children of Poverty examines critical studies on high-performing, high-poverty schools to identify how schools can fulfill the mission of educating all students to proficiency, especially students at risk. The authors identify eight best practices and then further break those down into specific strategies, often using real-life examples from successful schools.

The titles of chapters 4¿11 correspond to the eight best practices of high-performing, high-poverty schools identified by the research. Each chapter begins by comparing ¿the Old World of education¿ with ¿the New World of education¿ to show how best practices can revolutionize teaching and learning. Next each chapter outlines specific strategies to implement the practices at the district, school, and classroom levels. Each chapter concludes with a rubric that readers can use to evaluate the progress of their school or district.

The Kids Left Behind compiles the most important research on how low-performing, high-poverty schools can achieve radical improvements in learning for their most vulnerable students¿and does so in an accessible, easy-to-use format.