Book Reviews
by MiddleWeb List Members
Check
out our latest book reviews here
This We Believe:Successful Schools for Young
Adolescents and Research and Resources in
Support of This We Believe (review by Sheila R. Gloer)
History Makers: A Questioning Approach to Reading
and Writing Biographies (review by Ann Bianchetti)
Differentiating Professional Development: The
Principal's Role (review by Chris Toy)
Day One and Beyond and The First Days of
School (review by Barbara Mathews)
Not Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of
Middle Schoolers (review by Cossondra George)
Better Answers: Written Performance That Looks
Good and Sounds Smart (review by Beverly Maddox)
Learning To Learn: Student Activities For Developing
Work, Study And Exam-Writing Skills (review by Beverly Maddox)
Differentiating Professional Development: The Principal's
Role (review by Debbie Bambino)
Change My Life Forever: Giving Voice to English-Language
Learners (review by Elisa Waingort)
Taking Teaming to the Next Level: The Principal's
Role (reviewed by Melba Smithwick)
Help, I've Got a Middle Schooler! (reviewed
by Chris Kingsbery)
The Math Explorer: Games and Activities from Middle
School Youth Groups (two reviews by Lynne Menechella and Kathleen Allemana)
Lessons That Change Writers (reviewed by Martha
Butler)
Past, Present and Personal: Teaching Writing in
US History (reviewed by Marsha Ratzel)
Are They Really Reading? Expanding SSR in the Middle
Grades (reviewed by Stacy Kula)
Urgent Message: Families Crucial to School Reform
(reviewed by Deborah Bambino)
The Heart of the Matter: Using Standards and Assessments
to Learn (reviewed by Marsha Ratzel)
How Rude! The Teenagers' Guide to Good Manners
(reviewed by Deborah Bova)
When Students Write video series (reviewed
by Mary Anne Kosmoski)
First Year Urban Teacher (reviewed by Naomi
Smith)
The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook
(reviewed by Tracy Miller)
The Kid's Guide to Social Action (reviewed
by Lise Spangenthal)
Listening to Urban Kids: School Reform and the
Teachers They Want (reviewed by Ann Bianchetti)
Strategies for Integrating Reading & Writing
in Middle and High School Classrooms
(reviewed by Ellen Berg)
Strategies for Integrating Reading & Writing
in Middle and High School Classrooms
(reviewed by Melba Smithwick)
Looking into Literature Circles (video) (reviewed
by LeeAnn Moore)
Reading and Writing in the Middle Years (reviewed
by Beverly Maddox)
Crossing Over to Canaan (reviewed by Deborah
Bambino)
Strategy Instruction in Action (video set)
(reviewed by Juli Kendall)
Three Books about Middle Grades Teaming (reviewed
by Toni Norris)
Nonfiction Craft Lessons (reviewed by Joanne
Payling)
The Energy to Teach (reviewed by Amy Heinsma)
Reimagining Reading, A Literacy Institute with
Janet Allen (reviewed by Juli Kendall)
Meet Me in the Middle (reviewed by LeeAnn Moore)
Literature Circles, Second Edition (reviewed
by Janet T. Smith)
Teaching Kids with LD in the Regular Classroom
(reviewed by Sally Burton-Szabo)
Response Journals Revisited (reviewed by Kathy
Renfrew)
Choosing Excellence (reviewed by Amy Heinsma)
Reinventing the Middle School (review by Pam
Buchanan)
The Information-Powered School (reviewed by
Judith Schaffner & Naomi Smith)
The Information-Powered School (reviewed by
Susie Highley)
Seeing and Believing: Media Literacy in the English
Classroom (reviewed by Amy Heinsma)
This We Believe: Successful
Schools for Young Adolescents
National Middle School Association
2003 (56 pp./paper)
ISBN: 1-56090-142-X
$6.40
Research and Resources
in Support of This We Believe
National Middle School Association
2003 (56 pp./paper)
ISBN: 1-56090-143-8
$8.00
Reviewed by:
Sheila R. Gloer
Baylor University
On November 5th, 2003, in an auditorium in Atlanta, Georgia, the fourth
version of This We Believe was presented to an audience of the National
Middle School Association (NMSA). The newest version, This We Believe,
Successful Schools for Young Adolescents (2003) has a companion volume
entitled, Research and Resources in support of This We Believe (2003).
In 1982, seeing the need for a position statement, the Board of Trustees
of the National Middle School Association approved the publication of the
first edition of This We Believe. Ten essential elements of a "true"
middle school were discussed in this document and it became the standard
for middle school philosophy for almost a decade. In 1992, the document
was reissued with minor changes.
In 1995, NMSA produced a second position paper with an expanded title, This
We Believe, Developmentally Responsive Middle Level Schools. There were
six foundational characteristics and six major elements or program components
outlined in this document. In the introduction to this position paper the
authors stated: "The document you hold in your hands is not just a
revision, but a re-vision of middle level education that more fully
expresses the Association's beliefs as we approach the twenty-first century"
(p. 2). In 2001, NMSA published This We Believe and Now We Must Act.
Now We Must Act is actually not a positional statement but rather
a collection of articles which develops the 1995 document in much greater
depth. Practicing middle level educators authored articles for Now we
Must Act, as did many of the authors of the 1995 version. According
to editor Thomas O. Erb (p. ix), the hope was that these documents would
"help to sort out the conflicting recommendations in order to create
a total-school program that [would be] concurrently academically sound and
developmentally responsive".
The authors of the new edition, This We Believe, Successful Schools for
Young Adolescents, state in the preface that, "Although only seven
years passed since the second edition of This We Believe was revised,
significant events made anther rewrite imperative." (2003, p. X) Although
not mentioned, the signing of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) on January
8, 2002 significantly changed education and the way in which all educators
must now look at our statements of belief and purpose. The language of the
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is clearly directing all educational action
and now should be included or addressed in every educational statement.
The newly revised This We Believe, Successful Schools for Young Adolescents
is no exception. The committee members worked diligently in 2002 to review,
revise and rewrite the association's position paper. The NMSA Board of Trustees
unanimously approved the new document in July of 2003.
Although the rewrite was perhaps politically motivated, the writers accomplished
more than just rewording to make the document "politically correct."
In the authors' own words, the document "sets forth a vision to guide
the decisions of those responsible for shaping educational programs that
are committed to improving both learning and learners." (p. 1)
One particular theme that runs through this document is "that the 14
characteristics described in This We Believe: Successful Schools for
Young Adolescents are interdependent and must be implemented in concert."
(p.2) This idea was clearly spelled out by the authors of Now We Must
Act (p. 9) when they stated, "while it is important to understand
the dimensions of each element of reform, it is also important to realize
that these elements are not just additive; they are interactive." Interestingly,
Research and Resources in Support of This We Believe notes, "that
corresponding programmatic characteristics and structures found in This
We Believe (NMSA, 1995) have not been adequately addressed in the research."
(p. 3) The call for middle level reform found in the NCLB rhetoric therefore
must clearly be a call for research to understand and implement the best
Middle School programs.
Again quoting the authors of Research and Resources, "the inconclusive
nature of middle school research should not be adopted as a rationale for
inaction or refusal to move forward in improving middle level schools. There
is, indeed, a promising and expanding body of research that demonstrates
positive results when schools fully implement the recommended tenets of
the middle school philosophy." (p. 4). One resulting chapter "reviews
the major studies that have grounded and helped to conceptualize This
We Believe (NMSA, 1995) and Turning Points (Carnegie Council
on Adolescent Development, 1989) as integrated reform initiatives."
(Research, 2003, p. vii)
The authors of Successful Schools for Young Adolescents have greatly
clarified the12 characteristics found in the 1995 version while adding two
new characteristics. These 14 characteristics are divided into eight "cultural
aspects" and six "programmatic aspects" of the successful
middle school. The first of the eight cultural aspects refers to teachers'
attitudes and qualifications to work with this age group. While the 1995
version of This We Believe calls for "educators committed to
young adolescents" and later notes the need for exemplary preparation
programs and continuous professional development, the addition of the words
"and are prepared to do so" in the 2003 version strongly reflects
an added emphasis on qualified teachers that NCLB also mandates,
but the 2003 This We Believe goes on to state how this preparation
should take place:
Educators need specific teacher preparation [programs] before
they enter middle level classrooms and continuous professional development
as they pursue their careers. Such programs require depth of knowledge in
at least two content areas, understanding of the learning process, and extensive
field-based experiences at the middle level. State departments of education
and institutions of higher learning share responsibility for developing
appropriate programs to provide both initial preparation and graduate programs
leading to middle level licensure." (This We Believe, 2003,
p.10)
The second cultural aspect added in the 2003 version states: "Courageous,
collaborative leadership." This is an important addition in the 2003
document, which calls for the principal to "influence student achievement
and teacher effectiveness by advocating, nurturing and sustaining an effective
instructional program" (p. 10). This collaborative element was alluded
to in the Now We Must Act document (p. 13). The third cultural aspect
reveals a directional change in the new wording; the words "that guides
decisions" were added to "a shared vision." The fourth characteristic,
"an inviting, supportive, and safe environment" [italics
added] was changed to reflect the serious concern for the safety of mind,
body and spirit that all who are concerned with adolescents now feel as
a result of the tragedies which have occurred in our society in the past
decades.
The changes to statements five and the addition of statement six, emphasize
the collaborative learning atmosphere for students, teachers, and all who
are working with young adolescents. On pages 14-16 of the Successful
Schools document, these high expectations and the mutual nature of engagement
in the learning journey are described. The descriptions make it clear that
the authors are suggesting a radical change in the way "minimum standards"
are now "covered." The authors are suggesting a place where life-long
learners are created, where democratic processes are lived, and where relationships
are nurtured in the course of upholding rigorous academic standards.
The six programmatic characteristics that can evolve in such a culture are
relatively similar to the six that were stated in the 1995 document. Word
changes have clarified, emboldened, and modernized the statements, although
they remain relatively similar. However, NMSA's second new document, Research
and Resources, adds great depth to the understanding of these statements.
Each of the six characteristics is supported by a research review. The research
is summarized, annotated references are listed and an additional recommended
resource section for each of the characteristics is included.
The authors of Research and Resources have carefully included both
research studies and, in the recommended resources section, a more practical
action research approach for those who are seeking to employ the program
components in their schools. For example, in a section entitled, "Organizational
Structures that Support Meaningful Relationships and Learning", the
authors have included in the references cited, "Making big schools
feel small: Multiage grouping, looping, and schools-within-a-school"
by George and Lounsbury -- a book oriented to effective practice. In section
2 of Part Three, "Multiple Learning and Teaching Approaches that Respond
to Their Diversity", the authors have included annotations of research
as well as recommended resources like Harmin's Inspiring Active Learning:
A handbook for teachers.
Because of the way the authors have crafted the bibliography, Research
and Resources in Support of This We Believe is an invaluable tool for
researcher and practitioner alike. Part Four addresses one of the two new
characteristics: "Courageous, Collaborative Leadership." The concern
is for teachers and administrators who are specifically prepared to lead
in the area of effective education for adolescents. The authors suggest,
"Rarely can one find a middle school administrator who has received
specific university preparation for working in middle schools. In short,
we have a well-designed reform initiative with few people properly prepared
to take the lead" (Research, p. 55).
This fourth part includes references to research involving leadership and
preparation. Dr. Peter C. Scales prepared a new section on the characteristics
of young adolescents for the 2003 version of This We Believe. The
characteristics that were listed in the 1995 version were an expansion of
a list prepared by the Maryland Task Force on the Middle Learning Years.
The new list prepared by Dr. Scales demonstrates his recent research, which
helps to link these "developmental assets" to young people's success
in school and in life. The characteristics are more descriptive and related
to the middle school experience. This section will help the practitioner
to better plan developmentally appropriate learning experiences.
The two new offerings from NMSA for 2003, This We Believe: Successful
Schools for Young Adolescents and Research and Resources in
Support of This We Believe, are timely tools for the middle level advocate.
In a era when politicians are calling for reform in our schools and crying
that no child should be left behind, the National Middle School Association
has provided teachers, parents, administrators, board members, and teacher-educators
with two guides which will "revitalize efforts to improve middle schools
in ways known to be compatible with human growth and development and accepted
principles of learning." (This We Believe, 2003, p. 37) We can
only hope that the next "edition" of This We Believe will
not require such a desperate call to action and plea for more research.
These two tools should be a source for each middle school advocate to use
in the fight for more effective, developmentally responsive, successful
schools for young adolescents.
References:
Orb, T. (Ed.). (2001) This We Believe: And Now We Must Act. Westerville,
OH: National Middle School Association.
National Middle School Association. (1995) This We Believe: Developmentally
responsive middle level schools. Columbus, OH: Author.
National Middle School Association. (2003) This We Believe: Successful
schools for young adolescents. Westerville, OH: Author.
National Middle School Association. (2003) Research and Resources in
Support of This We Believe. Westerville, OH: Author.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Public Law 107-110, 2002.
History
Makers: A Questioning Approach to Reading and Writing Biographies
By Myra Zarnowski
(200x, 124 pp.)
Heinemann Publishing
ISBN: 0-325-00434-X
$13.50
Reviewed by:
Ann
Bianchetti
History teacher
Academy of Peforming Arts
Newark, New Jersey
Reading, writing and math teachers have the benefit of numerous books and
methods that spotlight how students learn to read or compute and what distinct
skills and thought processes that students must master in those subjects.
Teaching history, or social studies, however, has been a subject of much
controversy.
Most of the literature on teaching history have not focused on how to do
it or what skills students need to master in order to think historically.
Rather the literature has focused on what to teach and the ensuing battles
between multiculturalism and its opponents so that teaching students history,
or rather teaching students to think historically, is a daunting task. The
writer Sam Wineburg, author of Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural
Acts believes that students must be taught to think as historians. He
argues that historical thinking is a process with specific steps and strategies
involved; it does not come naturally.
Myra Zarnowski in her small but worthwhile book History Makers outlines
a technique to make this historical thinking come naturally by using biographies
to teach history (Grades 4-8). Zarnowski believes that by using biographies
students are drawn into history by the lure of the personal story. Biographies
are also written in a more narrative or story form, far different from the
usual stilted textbooks found in many history classrooms. Zarnowski also
claims that biographies are useful for teaching history because "Anyone
who reads a biography learns about the time and place in which the subject
lived-the larger social, political, and economic factors of the time."
After this short explanation of the reasons to use biographies, Zarnowski
devotes the rest of the book to the "how-to's" of using biographies
to teach history. The methods range from teaching students to think historically
-- to learn how to interpret historical facts in order to form a conclusion,
how to analyze a variety of sources and how to put it all together in a
biography project.
The projects Zarnowski illustrates encourage students to write creatively
and she offers interesting extras that students can incorporate. For example
in her chapter "Sidebars, Captions, Timelines and Authors' Notes,"
she writes, "[these] features make books more interactive and provide
greater access to information." Zarnowski goes into detail on how to
teach students to create and use sidebars, captions and graphics to add
in more information about the biography they read or the historical period
it encompasses. This method, she says, encourages students to ask, "what
else, is there more," which is the basis of not only good historical
thinking but also good scholarship.
The book's strength is its consistent advocacy of and specific teaching
methods to encourage critical thinking. Each method Zarnowski writes about
is rooted in higher level thinking skills, as well as scaffolding ladders
and lessons to help students get there. Her focus on the analytical interpretation
of history (through biographies) is invaluable. It is this kind of thinking
that is not only necessary for academic growth but is often more engaging
to students than simply memorizing facts and dates in history. Zarnowski
encourages teachers and students to delve into history by asking "why"
and "so what?" and "what else." She teaches history
teachers how to make students the historians.
Each chapter not only includes how-to methods for using the strategies but
examples from Zarnowski's own students as well. Through text and ample photographs
she demonstrates actual middle school students' work using the strategies
she suggests. Included is an extensive bibliography that lists biographies
at all reading levels for many historical time periods, eras and places.
The only downside is that it can be quiet expensive for a teacher to acquire
enough class sets of biographies to use in the classroom. Nevertheless,
this book is a valuable asset to any social studies or history teacher's
library.
Day
One and Beyond: Practical Matters for New Middle-Level Teachers
by Rick Wormeli
2003 (208 pp/paper)
Stenhouse Publishers
ISBN: 1-57110-355-4
$19.50
The
First Days of School: How To Be an Effective Teacher
by Harry and Rosemary Wong
17th printing; 2001 (338 pp/paper)
Harry K Wong Pubn
ISBN: 0-96293-602-2
$20-$30
Reviewed by:
Barbara Mathews (Student)
Post Baccalaureate Teacher Education Program
Pima College Community Campus
Tucson, AZ
While both "Day One and Beyond" (by Rick Wormeli) and "The
First Days of School" (by Harry Wong) are intended for the new teacher,
the approach of each book is radically different from the other.
Wormeli's book is like a veteran teacher having a quiet lunchroom chat with
a rookie as he tells the rookie about strategies that have worked for him
and for other teachers in the classroom.
On the other hand, Wong's book is like a teachers' conference pep rally
where Wong exhorts the gathering to be effective teachers. Throughout the
book, Wong contrasts the behaviors of effective and ineffective teachers.
Wong's book is divided into five units. The first unit defines the effective
teacher, while the last one is about each teacher's professional growth.
Each of the three remaining units is dedicated to one of Wong's three characteristics
of an effective teacher: positive expectations, classroom management and
lesson mastery.
The unit concerning positive expectations has chapters on: "Why Positive
Expectations Are Important," "How to Help All Students Succeed,"
"How to Dress For Success," How to Invite Students to Learn,"
and "How to Increase Positive Student Behavior."
Wormeli's book is written with a light touch overall. The introduction bears
the title, "You Mean I Get to Do This Every Day?" and in the first
chapter, titled "The Unique Nature of Middle School Teaching,"
Wormeli reprints teacher Marjorie Shepherd's parody of a popular comedy
routine, "You Might Be a Redneck" called "You Might Be a
Middle School Teacher."
"If you have no qualms about telling adolescents to pull up their pants,
spit out their gum and get their hair out of their faces, even if these
adolescents are not in your normal jurisdiction - in grocery store lines,
at fast-food restaurants, at family reunions or at your spouse's boss's
house - you might be a middle school teacher.
"If you can detect gum chewing at fifty paces by one movement of the
jaw - you are a middle school teacher... .
"If you can stroll down an aisle of adolescents checking homework and
snarf a note from one, a skateboard catalog from another, and a Gameboy
from a third without so much as disturbing the modulation of your voice
as you explain the causes of the Civil War or the formula for the calculation
of the volume of a cone, then you might be a middle school teacher... .
"And if, although people tell you, repeatedly, that you must be a saint
or that you have such patience when you tell them what you do for a living,
and you are fully aware that you are where you are because really, you never
actually left young adolescence in the first place, then you are definitely
a middle school teacher."
Wormeli's book is divided into twelve chapters: "The Unique Nature
of Middle School Teaching," "What to Do on the First Day and in
the First Week," "Discipline," "The Physical Classroom,"
"Grade Books, Tardies, Absences, and Other Record Keeping," "Grouping,"
"Teaming," "Dealing With Homework." "Parents,"
"Substitute-Teacher Plans," "Our Own Professional Development,"
and "Relating to Students."
When talking about homework, Wong 's focus is on objectives. He believes
that by using strong, descriptive verbs, like those in Bloom's Taxonomy,
teachers can write objectives so clearly that students will know exactly
what they are responsible for knowing or being able to accomplish because
they did the homework. They will do the assignment because they know what
to do.
Wormeli looks at several facets of homework. He discusses the purpose of
homework, how to make the homework load more manageable for the student,
and how to motivate students to do the homework.
One surprise he shares is that, despite what one might expect, the greater
the complexity of the assignment, the more likely it is that the students
will do it..
"Another way to make homework motivating is to increase its complexity.
Students are more likely to do thought-provoking homework. I know it sounds
counterintuitive, but it works. Every time I increase the complexity of
assignments, more students complete them." (p.119)
Bell work is an important teaching strategy in Wong's book. It means a classroom
procedure taught and rehearsed from the first day, where students enter
the classroom, go immediately to their seats and begin work on the three
to five minute assignment they find in a specified place on the white board
every day.
Having experienced bell work in my classroom management class, I've found
that it does provide an excellent transition between the classroom and the
world outside it. I looked for it, and may have missed it, but I found no
reference to this strategy in "Day One and Beyond."
Both books have much to recommend them. "Day One and Beyond" has
a lot to say in an easy, readable style and Wormeli isn't afraid to recount
some of the embarrassing moments of his first year of teaching. He spends
time on subjects, such as several different desk arrangements, that Wong
never considers.
I wish his chapter on "Relating to Students" had come earlier
in the book, but perhaps he was saving the best until last.
Wong constantly reminds his readers that their focus should be on "What
are my students going to achieve, learn or master today?" rather than
on "What am I going to teach today?" He says that the one working
is the one learning. Therefore, the key to increasing student learning is
to increase the amount of time students spend on task and working.
By reading and thinking about the ideas and strategies both books present,
the new teacher will avoid many of the potholes and pitfalls he/she encounters
on the road to teaching and learning.
Not
Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of Middle Schoolers
by Linda Perlstein
2003 (304 pages - hardback)
Farrar Straus & Giroux
ISBN: 0374208824
$24.00 (available September 2003)
Reviewed by:
Cossondra George
Newberry Middle School
Newberry, MI
"There's nothing to be scared of in middle school," the teacher
said, "except all the teachers, and half the students."
Such is the wisdom of being a middle school teacher, according to Linda
Perlstein in her new book, Not Much Just Chillin': The Hidden Lives of
Middle Schoolers. Following a group of students at Wilde Lake Middle
School during an entire school year, Perlstein takes a brutally honest look
into the lives of this unique set of youth.
"Middle school pulls in children and pitches back teenagers."
Parents and teachers are often amazed by the transformation these adolescents
experience between 11 and 14, the middle school years. Perlstein points
out, though, that the youths themselves are often as shocked as anyone else
about the changes their bodies, minds, and souls endure. They have the "desire"
to be both adult and childlike, at the same time, with traits such as mood
shifts, short attention spans, clumsiness, and defiance marking the transition.
By introducing the reader to a full cast of characters, Perlstein gives
a wonderful overview of the diversity in this age group.
We meet Mia who is popular, but does not always realize the power this affords
her. Mia unwittingly manipulates her following of girls through a complex
social hierarchy.
Our introduction to Eric, whose biggest struggle is the lack of stability
in his family, shows the impact a middle schooler's home life has on school.
His study skills class tells him a "well-lit place to study each day"
is critical to his success, but even Eric can understand that "having
at least one person in your family who consistently takes an interest in
you and your schoolwork" has much more to do with school achievement
than where he completes his assignments.
Elizabeth's parents, who are realistic about their daughter and the changes
she is experiencing, struggle with the appropriate level of involvement
when Elizabeth has teacher relationship problems. Elizabeth feels everyone
is out to get her, even declaring the lunch monitor as singling her out.
She declares, "She doesn't pick on anyone else the way she picks on
me."
Perlstein's words of wisdom on Elizabeth's proclamation: "This is the
unanimous complaint of middle schoolers, a scientific impossibility."
My favorite character was Lily, a smart talented young lady who flits from
decision to decision almost like a butterfly in a field of wildflowers.
She cannot commit to a new friendship with Beth with whom she has much in
common, because Mia is more popular, and just being around Mia affords her
more social opportunity. Her struggles with friendships and clothes and
parents and life, seem so typical of the seventh graders in my math classes.
Aside from interviewing the wide cast of characters, Perlstein points out
such insights of middle school as for a middle school boy, being called
gay is the "biggest insult in the male middle school lexicon,"
worse even than having your pants pulled down or being made to touch another
male. Bullying takes many such forms but the most prevalent in middle school
is exclusion from a group. The large popular group takes on the role of
the bully, as one large entity, with those at the lower ranks suffering
at their mercies.
Perlstein offers sound advice for parents and educators in how to make these
emotionally charged years less traumatic. Ideally, middle schools would
offer students the opportunity to think and create, while collaborating
on real-life projects on which they have input in designing. Teachers would
make lessons hands-on and relevant. They would also realize that in the
world of reality for most of their students, schoolwork takes a far back
seat to friends and relationships, family, and social commitments.
Advice to parents gives ideas on the appropriate level of involvement in
school work and social lives, looks at brain development research on how
video games, forgetfulness, and moodiness all tie together to create young
adults, and offers comfort that parents are not alone in this difficult
journey through adolescence.
Perlstein has captured the very essence of "middle-schoolness"
through her winding tales interspersed with sound scientific practices and
analogies. As the reader becomes more involved with the characters, you
can't help but feel the pain, the joy, and the frustration, but you come
away from the book understanding more than ever, that often the journey
for these adolescents requires the roadblocks and side trails adults often
seek to eliminate. Without those obstacles, it really isn't middle school
after all.
It is almost as if middle school is a play: the students are the characters,
the adults in their lives are the stagehands, and the director has gone
home early. While the characters on stage are whom the audience sees, the
back stage folks are just as critical to the ultimate success of the play.
As the Wilde Lake principal points out, "You just ever know who you're
getting through to. That's middle school for you."
Better
Answers:
Written Performance That Looks Good and Sounds Smart
by Ardith Davis Cole
Stenhouse Publishers
2002 (136 pp/paper)
ISBN: 1-57110-341-4
$16.00
Reviewed by:
Beverly Maddox
Middle School Teacher
Little Rock, Arkansas
A teacher looking for materials to prepare middle level students for those
state writing assessments could not find a better resource than Better
Answers: Written Performance That Looks Good and Sounds Smart by Ardith
Davis Cole ($16.00, Stenhouse Publishers).
Obviously written by a savvy teacher for those teachers who don't know how
to teach straight-forward expository writing, the book is a quick first-read
and an easy step-by-step procedural. Although a ready-to-go package, the
book is a training manual, too. Teachers who use the book to teach the Better
Answer strategies will be able to create original lessons to extend and
enrich student writing. I was leery of something that sounded this easy
and formulaic, but student reaction convinced me Cole's simple system empowered
hesitant and inexperienced writers. In the introduction, Cole writes that
the purpose of this book is to "help teachers demonstrate the written
response process in a step-by-step developmental manner. As soon as the
process is in place, it will support all school subjects p; anytime,
anywhere, students are asked to construct a brief or extended written response,
that is, an essay."
Better Answer protocol is useful in all subjects. In fact, a middle school
team who wished to collaborate on improving the writing abilities of students
could easily integrate Cole's strategies into all the content areas. The
Better Answer Formula has five strategies; strategies one through four are
related to content and strategy five is related to presentation.
Strategy 1: Restate the question.
Strategy 2: Construct a gist answer.
Strategy 3: Use details to support your answer.
Strategy 4: Stay on the topic.
Strategy 5: Use proper conventions.
Cole derived this Formula from an analysis of written responses from a class
of 18 students who had not met the standards on the state fourth grade literacy
assessment. The first thing she noticed was that "they appeared to
have answered a different question! Thus, step 1 began to take shape."
The remaining steps are equally rational in origin.
The Better Answer technique is developmental; the steps become gradually
more difficult, but are cumulative. Each supports the next, and Cole simplifies
the process so that the teacher becomes a coach who gracefully scaffolds
the student to the next step. Cole uses fairy tales and fables to anchor
the lessons for each strategy, or step. She says she has used this protocol
with "grades 3 through 8, including inner-city students identified
as special education and ESL. . . .It has even worked with adults."
This reviewer received the book only a week prior to the eighth grade assessment
in my state. I tossed aside the test preparation booklets of practice tests
we had been provided and guided my students through the Better Answer Formula,
emphasizing the first two, since time was short. The results of the assessments
have not yet been released, but my students radiated confidence on the written
response items during the reading test and the writing assessment-many students
reported that restating the question helped them understand the question
and focus their answers.
I am eager to start the next school year with Cole's Better Answer Formula.
I am certain that my classes of under-achieving, inner-city eighth graders
will take to it like ducks to water! In addition to the narratives in the
book proper, Cole has generously provided appendices with supporting materials
for classroom practice. Appendix A contains fairy tales and fables retold
in accessible form and Appendix B contains nonfiction articles with Questions
and Prompts so that the students and teacher can practice the methodology
with comfortable, non-threatening texts. Appendix C contains samples of
student responses that Cole recommends as suitable for transparencies that
can be used as models throughout the various steps. Appendix D contains
a general lesson plan form and seven lesson plans that teachers can follow
as written or rework to suit their purposes. Cole has thought of everything
a teacher will need to implement this system: Appendix E contains forms
that can be used to follow individual and class progress, and Appendix D
contains a bibliography of resources for locating good essays for grades
3 p; 8.
Gifted, experienced teachers who have a proven track record in teaching
writing to middle level students may not need this book. However, teachers
stricken with anxiety just thinking about their students' performances on
state-level assessments will benefit from this reassuring, low-key, and
enjoyable approach.
PS: This reviewer took the National Boards assessments in June. I made sure
to follow the Better Answer Protocol. Ardith Cole is correct-it works for
adults, too!
Learning
To Learn:
Student Activities For Developing Work, Study And Exam-Writing Skills
by Mike Coles, Chas White, and Pip Brown
Stenhouse Publishers
2000 (128 pp/paper)
ISBN: 1-55138-153-2
$18.00
Reviewed by:
Beverly Maddox
Middle School Teacher
Little Rock, Arkansas
Learning to Learn provides seven units of activities designed to
assist students to develop a repertoire of skills to further academic success.
The units are "Managing Time and Space," "Note making,"
"Library and Research Skills," "Reading Strategies,"
"Learning," "Writing Essays," and "Exams."
The authors provide the purpose for each activity as well as suggestions
for discussion questions and extension activities.
Adapted from Learning Matters: Active Approaches to Studying, a book
originally published in the United Kingdom, the book contains occasional
British terms-"overhead projectiles" for "overhead transparencies,"
and the exam taking section seems related to the British system, for example.
There is little text-a one page introduction to the book and an introduction
to each unit are all the information provided for the teacher-but that's
enough. The handy index allows a teacher to search for key words. The book
is well-suited for the brief "study skills" course popular among
middle schools, but its effectiveness would be maximized if a team of teachers
were to examine it to see which strategies could be adapted to suit their
instruction and agree to "teach" the appropriate units in their
classes. Unless teachers plan instruction and learning activities with the
strategies in mind, the students would be practicing the activities in a
vacuum. For instance, the unit on note-taking would seem irrelevant to students
whose teachers did not require notes during instruction or while reading.
Savvy teachers can pick and choose among the units and activities to find
ones suited to their classes.
The unit on reading strategies presents activities for five strategies:
Skimming, Scanning, Detailed Reading, Reading for Enjoyment, and Detecting
Bias. Additional activities are included for SQ3R, Unlocking New Vocabulary,
Interpreting Data, Presenting Data, and Recommended Reading. Any content
area teacher would find the activities applicable and relevant to the curriculum.
Activities can be easily adapted to fit any course content. While none of
the activities are dramatically different from material available elsewhere,
having them collected and organized into the seven units is a tremendous
time-saver for the teacher or team of teachers who want to review and/or
instill these learning strategies. At the price ($18.00 from Stenhouse),
it's a bargain.
Differentiating Professional
Development: The Principal's Role
by Michelle Pedigo
National Middle School Association
2003 (42 pp./paperback)
ISBN 1-56090-138-1
Online Price: $5.60
Reviewed by:
Chris Toy
Principal
Freeport Middle School
Freeport, Maine
Having read Michelle Pedigo's thoughts, insights, and advice for the past
three years on the Middle Web discussion group, I opened her book on Differentiating
Professional Development with much anticipation.
Michelle thinks and writes from the perspective of an educator who has experienced
the profession in a variety of roles, from teacher, athletic coach, co-curricular
advisor, principal, and a national leader of middle level reform. As with
many truly powerful ideas, the concept in Michelle's short, readable book
(45 pages) is actually very simple -- with complex and fundamental implications
for school leaders working to improve student learning.
Michelle takes the concept of differentiated instruction as a way of meeting
the needs of each student and applies it to adults and professional development.
The principal's role becomes analogous to the role of the skilled educator,
facilitating each teacher's movement toward the goal of improved instruction.
In her first two chapters, Michelle makes a case for creating an individualized
professional development program that includes individual growth plans for
teachers. In the third chapter, Michelle examines the balance between the
management and leadership roles of the principal. She concludes with a look
at several professional development strategies for improving instruction.
Although Michelle has condensed a lot of information and ideas into a book
that can be read in less than an hour, the best part of the book is its
concise listing of action items. Many leaders know intuitively or philosophically
what is needed but lack steps for strategically implementing a plan. At
the end each chapter Michelle lists several action steps that can be implemented
as soon as you've finished reading this very engaging and informative book.
If you are a leader working to improve student learning, Michelle's book
does a good job of laying the groundwork for implementing an effective system
of differentiated professional development and supervision as a way of accomplishing
this goal.
Differentiating Professional
Development: The Principal's Role
by Michelle Pedigo
National Middle School Association
2003 (42 pp./paperback)
ISBN 1-56090-138-1
Online Price: $5.60
Reviewed by:
Debbie Bambino
National School Reform Faculty
Philadelphia, PA
As a teacher who often presented to her peers and as an administrator in
charge of delivering our District's professional development program, I
often heard complaints that can be characterized as the "been there,
done that" chorus. Sometimes, these complaints came from a minority
that was resistant and didn't want to hear about or try anything new, but
sometimes the complaints came from veterans who were tired of yet another
"cooperative learning" session.
Michelle Pedigo, in her new book, Differentiating Professional Development:
The Principal's Role, tackles the problem from the administrative side
of the desk. Michelle starts out by challenging the inconsistency of recognizing
differences among student learners while we ignore those same needs among
adult, or teacher learners. She then goes on to identify options for differentiated
professional study and support.
Michelle, a former national middle-grades principal of the year, advocates
a policy of intentional leadership development throughout the ranks of a
staff, starting with the team leaders. She recognizes the need to turn team
meetings into collective problem solving sessions as opposed to sessions
where staff members get the latest directives about grades, trips, lunches...from
their team leaders.
She calls for the development of an Individual Professional Growth Plan
for each staff member. The plan is co-constructed by each teacher and a
member of the administrative team. The teachers are then supported with
resources and feedback that help them realize their plan's goals.
Some of the strategic options or supports that Michelle writes about are:
visits to other school sites, attendance at professional conferences, and
an academy approach that could include study groups, Critical Friends Groups,
etc. The specific options that a school or staff chooses are all aligned
with the school's vision and mission and connect directly to the individual
plans of the staff members.
Michelle writes as one who is actively involved in "walking the talk"
of differentiated staff support. I plan to urge administrators and teachers
alike to read her sound advice!
Change
My Life Forever: Giving Voice to English-Language Learners
by Maureen Barbieri
Heinemann
2002 (240 pp/paperback)
ISBN: 0-325-00473-0
Online Price: $18.38
Reviewed by:
Elisa Waingort, middle grades teacher
Colegio Americano de Quito
Quito, Ecuador
I read Change My Life Forever with high expectations. I teach second
language students; I knew--through NCTE's journal, Voices in the Middle--that
Maureen Barbieri's philosophy about reading and writing was closely aligned
to mine. This was the first book of hers that I had the privilege to read.
I looked forward to learning something new that I could take back to my
classroom and put into practice right away.
This book is written as a series of case studies of the students that Maureen
Barbieri worked with during the two years she was a staff developer at a
middle school in New York City's Chinatown. She tells us of her struggles
to get the students, some newly arrived in the US and some with less than
two years' residence, to use English to make sense of their lives in their
new country.
Her first major discovery, and one that permeates the rest of the book,
was that despite her best efforts, most of her students were not very interested
in writing about their new lives in NY City. Instead, they used the opportunities
she offered them to write about the lives they left behind in China. Although
Maureen was unable to completely understand this fact she didn't give up
on her students and allowed them the space they needed. If she had compared
her situation as a newcomer to NY City with her students' similar situations
as newcomers to the US then she could have progressed a lot more with them
than she feels she did.
Something I liked about this book is that Maureen Barbieri genuinely comes
to care for her students. She develops relationships with them in a way
that goes beyond her responsibilities as their teacher. Rather, these are
human relationships that are what help her to be as successful as she is
with her second language students.
I identified with Maureen Barbieri's teaching situation because it is very
similar to the reality at the school I teach. "Learning English was
for our students tantamount to learning a foreign language the way many
of us had in high school, by hearing, speaking, and reading the new language
only in the classroom." (p.5) I appreciated Maureen Barbieri's attempts
to immerse her second language students in rich reading and writing experiences
despite the fact that they weren't used to being engaged in conversations
about reading and writing. She had to start from zero. This kind of teaching
experience is very challenging. You really have to dig deep into your toolbox
and start out with simple activities (many of which you might use in early
childhood classrooms, as she herself admits) before moving on to more complex
engagements.
Another great feature of the book is that it is peppered with her students'
writing. Not only does she use the writing to illustrate teaching points,
she celebrates their work, and as a result we get to know Maureen Barbieri's
students through their writing. She also provided her students with experiences
that later served as prompts for talking about books and for writing their
lives. Hence, book clubs, after school museum outings, etc. were born.
I would recommend Change My Life Forever to teachers who have very
little or no ESL teaching background but who find themselves teaching more
and more students with very limited English vocabularies. If one of your
goals in the classroom is for your students to become life-long readers
and writers then it won't matter if your students are limited or fluent
English speakers. You will develop classroom experiences that will allow
them to use language to express themselves and to learn. This is what Maureen
Barbieri did and she has her students' writing to prove that holistic teaching
and learning does work.
Taking Teaming to the
Next Level: The Principal's Role
by Jerry Rottier
National Middle School Association
2002 (56 pp., softcover)
ISBN 1-56090-135-7
Reviewed by:
Melba Smithwick
Staff Developer / Paul R. Haas Middle School
Corpus Christi ISD
This easy-to-read 56-page little book is one of a series on middle level
leadership. Taking Teaming to the Next Level provides principals, staff
developers, and anyone in a leadership position the rationale, fundamentals,
and the research on the necessities of teaming. The book is so versatile
that it lends itself to a book study on building leadership capacity, and
team building with sets of questions for leaders to use either to guide
their training or to set up group studies.
The book is divided by topics rather than chapters. Each topic divided into
smaller chunks that can easily be used as read-aloud pieces with participants.
Additionally, in Topic V, the author has delineated stages of team development
based on each team's level of performance. The four stages clearly identify
the attributes of teams in stages one through four. Teams could be placed
on this continuum of stages by the campus leader/principal, shared with
each team, and together they could develop a plan for growth.
The staff development piece begins with Topic VI. Establishing teams after
teachers have worked together as a "team" but without the look
and behavior of a team is a difficult task to accomplish. I have implemented
many of the activities from this book and have found them to be quite successful.
We are still not where we need to be, but I have not exhausted its entire
contents.
To further demonstrate the positive impact this book has had on those around
me: I shared this book with my principal, and she, in turn, shared it with
our Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Instruction at a middle school
principal's meeting. He has ordered a copy for all of the middle school
principals in the district. Their next book study will be on Taking Teaming
to the Next Level by Jerry Rottier!
Help, I've got
a Middle Schooler! A Practical Guide for Parents
by Susan Quattrociocchi
Bellevue Community College Printing Services
2002 (40 pages, soft cover)
$3 for single copy; discount for bulk orders
[Click on book title to order]
Reviewed by:
Chris Kingsbery
Parent Advocate
Bryn Mawr, PA 19010
"Two words strike fear into parents' hearts---middle school."
Thus starts Susan Quattrociocchi's new book in a letter to parents, her
intended audience. I would recommend that teachers of pre-adolescents as
well as parents read this guide. Teachers will gain an understanding of
the fears and quandaries parents feel as they enter this new realm, and
parents will find pragmatic discussion and advice on how to negotiate this
new "planet" called Middle School.
Her chapter titles and subtitles reveal her themesThe Marvelous Middle School
YearsDiscovering Your Middle Schooler's AbilitiesMaking Sense of Middle
SchoolMaking the Most of Middle School for Your Child.
Susan Quattrociocchi goes on to address parental fears with pointed advice.
First on her list is a plea to parents to educate themselves about the incredible
"changes" their children will endure during their middle school
years. These physical, emotional, social and intellectual changes weigh
in closely to the impact of the changes these children went through between
birth and age three, the magnitude of which they will never again have to
endure.
Second, Susan suggests that parents work with their children to find their
passion. Help the middle schooler find something they have a particular
talent for or interest in -- or a question they can pursue in school or
in the community. Help your pre-adolescent even more by sharing their interest
with them, Dr. Quaattociocchi advises.
Third, the author suggests that parents find out how middle school differs
from and converges with their child's elementary school experience. Discovering
how middle schools work (and they do work differently) will help
parents better negotiate this transition for their children.
Finally, Susan invites parents to be engaged in their pre-adolescent's world
of school. She cautions parents not to breathe a sigh of relief because
their child is now negotiating a perceived "grown up" schooling
experience. She encourages parents to remain involved in their child's school
lifewhether through PTA, homeroom parenting, chaperoning, or volunteering
in the building. Find a way is the critical message that resonates
with me as a former and perhaps future PTA president.
The message of parent engagement at the middle level is the most compelling
aspect of this book for me as a parent and educator. Throughout the book
Susan shows her advocacy for middle level students and their families.
Susan also takes a stand on the importance of the middle school experience
to the future success of American students. Her thoughts on using the middle
school experience as a stepping stone for future academic and social endeavors
are a valuable resource for parents and teachers.
The appendices offer practical tools for parents ready to take actions that
will help their children successfully negotiate the transition from elementary
to middle school.
Dr. Quaattociocchi's booklet was originally prepared for use in communities
around Bellevue WA, but is written so that it can be used by any school.
Its tone seems most appropriate for suburban audiences. Its core messages,
however, might be adapted for use in urban settings with more diverse families.
The
Math Explorer: Games and Activities from Middle School Youth Groups
by Pat Murphy, Lori Lambertson, Pearl Tesler, and the Exploratorium
Key Curriculum Press
2003 (232 pages/paper)
ISBN 1-55953-540-7
$24.95
Two reviews!
Reviewed by:
Lynne Menechella
Horseheads Middle School
Horseheads, NY
The Exploratorium in San Francisco bills itself as "the museum of science,
art, and human perception." By encouraging experimentation with math
ideas in fun ways, the collection of diverse math activities in The Math
Explorer challenges negative math perceptions and may also be used to
alleviate the math anxiety that affects many middle schoolers. Each activity
was kid-tested and kid-approved for inclusion in this book, consistent with
the hands-on design of the Exploratorium museum itself.
The Math Explorer contains twenty-four broad activities divided into
six categories: Playing Games, Fast Times (to improve computation); Tricks
and Puzzles, Cool Things to Make;Looking Up; and Tools You Can Make and
Use. The activities address a wide variety of interests and learning styles
while they also meet the needs of many local, state and national math standards.
For example, to address a content standard such as Number and Operations,
you can choose from playing a game of Pig, drawing a Colossal
Cartoon, or launching a Stomp Rocket. To address a process standard
such as Communication you might get your students into groups to play Fantastic
Four or to discover the trick behind Mind Reader. A chart at
the back of the book (p. 209) helps classroom teachers match activities
to their curriculum.
The format and purpose of the book reaches beyond the classroom teacher,
however. As suggested by the subtitle, Games and Activities for Middle
School Youth Groups, the book is written in a very friendly, non-threatening
manner to invite non-mathematicians to use the activities in non-classroom
settings. Each activity includes explicit directions and management suggestions,
blackline masters as needed, and down-to-earth explanations of the math
involved. Materials needed for each activity are inexpensive and easily
obtained (crayons, dice, playing cards, straws, glue sticks, hole punches,
etc). The fun of making Greeting Card Boxes, experimenting with Flying Things,
or challenging oneself with Madagascar Solitaire in a relatively informal
setting might be just the thing to engage even the most math phobic students.
The book would also be useful in planning activities for a Family Math Night
for math phobic parents!! I believe this is the main strength of the book
-- each activity is very flexible and can be easily adjusted to meet the
structural, math, and "entertainment" goals of various settings.
I recommend that anyone who loves math, is intimidated by math, or is somewhere
in-between consider adding The Math Explorer to their resource collection.
As a math teacher and department chair, the 24 activities have already been
catalogued into my collection of curriculum content resources. As a member
of a "non-traditional" middle school team working with at-risk
students, I find the activities well suited to engage reluctant learners.
As a former recreation program supervisor and leader, I see the book as
a wonderful resource for non-classroom settings and accessible to any adult
who enjoys working with youth. The materials needed for each activity are
inexpensive and readily available. If you are looking for a truly versatile
collection of middle school math activities, this book is one of the best
I have ever seen.
Sample activities from the book can be seen at http://www.exploratorium.org/math_explorer/index.html
and
http://www.keymath.com/ME
The
Math Explorer: Games and Activities from Middle School Youth Groups
Review by:
Kathleen Allemana
Grade 8 Math Teacher
Marquardt Middle School Glendale Heights, IL
The Math Explorer has become an excellent resource for my "Lunch
Bunch", an ever-changing group of eighth grade students who need extra
support in math. The book includes math games that are easy to play, group
activities that are hands-on explanations of number theory, and some tools
for students to make to clarify concepts and to keep as supports when needed.
I have only played three of the games with this small group of students.
"Boxed In" uses a pair of dice, markers and graph paper. It's
a fun way to practice multiplication and increase a student's understanding
of area. My students really like this. I've seen some of the kids showing
other students how to play this game during homeroom time. It's easy and
doesn't require many materials to play. (You can buy 10- and 30-student
kits from the publisher that include all the supplies needed for the activities.
Or you can assemble your own stuff!)
Another game they like is "Pig" which encourages mental math and
explores probability. Students need 10 small objects such as paper clips
or pennies and several copies of a record sheet found in the book. Listening
to the students' analysis of their games makes me smile. Many of these students
are bilingual and this allows them to discuss probability using English
math vocabulary.
The other games are also simple, with easy instructions and include all
charts or record sheets needed to play. There are good tips for teachers
to read before introducing the games. They also do a good job of explaining
the mathematics behind each game.
The whole group activities include the Sieve of Eratosthenes, Magic Squares,
Jacob's Ladder and Tetrahedral Kites. Most of the activities are very hands-on
and also include tips for teachers, including how to make the activity more
challenging, and explanations of the mathematics behind each activity.
The last section of making tools students can use are excellent ways to
help non-English speakers understand vocabulary. They work well for other
students who are still operating at a concrete level. Again, the mathematics
behind the tools is explained and there are activities for students to do
using the tools.
There is a section that explains how the NCTM Standards are addressed with
all of the activities. There is also a glossary of terms at the end. I highly
recommend this book as an excellent resource for any middle school mathematics
classroom. We all have students that need just a little more concrete experience,
or need concepts presented in a little different way in order to be successful.
I also plan to use some of the activities with a whole class, just as review
in a fun way.
Lessons That
Change Writers
By Nancie Atwell
Heinemann/Firsthand
pp/Paper + 3-Ring Binder
$58.00
ISBN: 0-86709-506-7/2002/288
Grade Level: 5-9
Review by:
Martha Butler,
Oak Lane Day School, Blue Bell PA
Nancie Atwell's Lessons That Change Writers is a cause to celebrate!
In this practical, jam-packed resource, Atwell continues her conversation
with writing teachers by highlighting how the mini-lesson can "change
writers." But it's not just a conversation. Using the book and its
big thick companion binder is like climbing through the pages until you
are standing in Atwell's classroom watching her work and then taking home
all the handouts along with her wisdom, wit and experience.
The inaugural book in Heinemann's "firsthand" series, Lessons
That Change Writers is a year's worth of the mini lessons that Atwell's
students cited as the most helpful. The book delivers on the promise of
the "firsthand" series, which is to publish practical curricular
resources for classroom teachers developed and written by the most respected
educators in the field.
The mini-lessons are grouped together in four sections. The first section,
Topics, has powerful lessons to help student writers find rich starting
places. Principles, includes mini-lessons on the basics from "The
Rule of So What" to "Really Bad Words." Genres lays
out mini-lessons for courses of study in fiction, poetry and the essay.
In the final section, Conventions, the mini-lessons are designed
to give students the necessary knowledge and editing tools so that their
writing will "look and sound as they wish it to." There is also
a useful secondary organization: a chronological listing of the mini-lessons
as Atwell uses them throughout a school year. So you get the lessons organized
by topic as well as how they fit in the flow of the writing workshop year.
Within each section, the lessons follow this format: a list of materials
needed ("Preparations"), a discussion of the purpose of the lesson
("What I was Thinking"), the actual mini-lesson, and follow-up
lessons and assignments. I especially appreciate her choice to present the
mini-lessons in script form. Rather than describing what a mini-lesson is
about, she just gives, in her own voice, the actual lesson. Show and not
tell, right? Accompanying the book is a huge 3-ring binder that is packed
with materials for every lesson: student samples; lists of rules, prompts,
questions, reminders to copy and tape into writing notebooks; a veritable
Bartlett's worth of the best quotes about writers and writing ready
to be copied and posted in the classroom.
In December, I put Lessons to work when the emphasis of our writing
workshop shifted to free-verse poetry. I used about eight lessons, all with
excellent results. For some reluctant poets, the lesson "Where Poetry
Hides" gave a concrete starting place for their poems and the reluctance
faded. "Breaking Lines and Stanzas and Punctuating" resulted in
the most authentic writing conversations this year, with a group of 6th
graders arguing passionately about the change in the meaning of each others'
poems when a line break is moved.
In the midst of using the Lessons That Change Writers, I witnessed
a shift in my class' experience of writing workshop, namely that they are
taking their writing and themselves as writers much more seriously, with
a new confidence emerging throughout the room. My students and I all see
the result of this in the more literary quality of their poems. And that's
about the most exciting result I could have asked from this book.
Past, Present
and Personal: Teaching Writing in US History
By William Kashatus
Heinemann
(2002; 144 pp/paper)
ISBN: 0-325-00449-8/
Grade Level: 6-12
$15.30 online
Review by:
Marsha Ratzel
Overland Park, KS School District
The back cover to this book promises a "blueprint for teaching teenagers
to write in US history classes." And I think it delivers on that promise.
Three sections organize William Kashatus' approach to increasing his students'
ability to analyze history via writing multiple types of information. One
of the most helpful techniques used by the author is to explain his methodology
and provide several examples of student work. He follows those examples
with descriptions of how he would have evaluated that work, "thinking
aloud" about his grading process.
"Past History" takes on primary and secondary sources, a familiar
topic. He breaks these into 1) Treaties, Declarations and Speeches, 2) Broadsides
and Letters, 3) Photographs, and 4) Cartoons. Kashatus helps the reader
with prescriptive steps for each type and dissects them into manageable
pieces for students. His lessons are simple, yet they guide students to
sophisticated thinking. That's his whole point; to develop a student's ability
to read about the past and write about their thinking.
"Present History" delves into how to use writing to build a student's
ability to "explain cause-and-effect relationships, interpret the significance
of past events and clearly articulate a position and defend it." Two
kinds of papers are suggested; either a position or research paper. These
papers are really one and the same and distinguished by only length. I thought
Kashatus' sequential breakdown of the tasks was very clear and his graphical
representations of the process very helpful. The inclusion of student work
helps to frame my teacher thinking. You'll love the student paper entitled
"American Bandstand: A Revolution in the Guise of a Television Show"!
The last section, "Personal History", discusses methods that "inspire
other genres of historical writing." While these projects may not require
a writing product, they require some type of reflective writing to help
students process what they're learning. Herein lies the power of the genres
he suggests. Living History, Oral History, Simulations and Service Learning
(not to be confused with community service) projects ask students to personalize
history by realizing there are no "right" or "wrong"
answers in family stories. They underscore the practicality of history in
helping make sense of today's world. And they could be fun! Kashatus does
not provide detailed blueprints in this section and teachers will need to
build their own lesson plans from his seed ideas.
I would recommend this book with only one reservation for middle grades
teachers. It is not written with a middle school student in mind. Despite
the publisher's 6-12 grade level designation, it is very high school oriented
and well done for that level. So if a middle school teacher were to apply
these ideas, they would need to retool the lessons a bit in order to fit
the age group. A very worthwhile read, in my opinion.
Are They Really Reading?
Expanding SSR in the Middle Grades
by Jodi Crum Marshall
Stenhouse Publishers
(2002; 184 pp/paper)
ISBN: 1-57110-337-6
$16.00
Review by:
Stacy Kula
Life Pacific College & Claremont Graduate University
Around the country, language arts teachers and sometimes entire schools
are allotting ten to twenty minutes of time every day for SSR (Sustained
Silent Reading). Even if these programs operate under a different acronym,
the concept is the same: give students time for sustained, self-selected
reading, and it will motivate and empower students to be better readers.
But many teachers and administrators are not seeing the engagement or improvements
in reading they expected. They are asking themselves, "Are these students
really reading?"
This is the question Jodi Marshall tackled in her own classroom of middle
school struggling readers. She knew the research well and was committed
to giving students the time to read that would improve their skills and
enthusiasm, but she remained unsatisfied with the results of her SSR program.
Primarily with the help of her own students, she learned how to expand the
scope of her program. She changed the name to SSL p; Supporting Student
Literacy p; to reflect her revised approach. In her book she chronicles
the main structures and elements of SSL, including building an adequate
library (including books on tape), helping students find books at their
level, and varying the focus of the time from sustained silent reading (SSR),
to sustained silent writing (SSW), to a read-aloud (RA) time.
With student help, Marshall even devised a measure of accountability for
students that both she and students could feel comfortable with. Her commitment
and ability to assess the program through student input gave a structure
for ongoing improvement as well. The change was powerful for her students,
both because it was more comprehensive in scope and because it provided
all of the support they needed to make the most of their SSL time.
Eventually, Marshall was able to take this program to a middle school in
Southern California where it was implemented school-wide, with good results.
Although she is quick to acknowledge that there is still much work to be
accomplished in this school-wide SSL program, Marshall has the evidence
and the conviction that this more comprehensive approach better serves her
school's students.
Marshall's book is helpful to teachers who are struggling with the same
SSR issues -- or who simply have questions about incorporating a more comprehensive
literacy program in their classrooms. She gives very direct and practical
advice about a multitude of issues, from setting up the classroom to creating
assessment measures for the program. The book has also been formatted for
easy reference, making it more than a one-time read for teachers.
I highly recommended Are They Really Reading to any teacher who is
unsatisfied with the results of a school-wide or classroom SSR program,
any teacher or administrator who has questions about implementing such a
program, or any teacher who wants to have insight into what a comprehensive
literacy approach might look like in a middle school environment.
Urgent Message: Families
Crucial to School Reform
Anne C. Lewis & Anne T. Henderson
Center for Law and Education
(1997; 120 pp., softcover)
$14.95
Reviewed by:
Deborah Bambino
Philadelphia Public Schools
As a public school parent activist who returned to school to become a teacher,
the topic of parental engagement has always been a hot topic for me. I remember
first hand what it felt like to be treated as though I was supposed to listen
and blindly support the "professional wisdom" of school staff
members. I also remember how I felt when I attended public forums and heard
educators' complaints about their time in the "trenches." I used
to ask people if they saw our kids as their enemy whenever I heard this
war metaphor used to describe our schools. I also used to wonder how much
of the disconnect, the us/them mentality about kids and parents was connected
to class, racial and cultural divisions between those doing the teaching
and those being taught or served.
Fast forward to the here and now, some fifteen years later, and I'm still
thinking about a lot of the same issues, albeit from the other side of the
desk. Good resources that can be used to move beyond just talking about
the whole issue of parent engagement to really doing something about it
are few and far between, so I was really pleased to read Urgent Message:
Families Crucial to School Reform.
The authors do a good job of identifying the hard questions, examining the
possibilities for action and finally, they hold out some concrete examples
of low income schools where parents and families really are successful partners
in the process of reform.
Here are a few quotes from the book:
"Many schools continue to view parent involvement as a way to make
the parents better parents, which they define as parents who are more responsive
to what the school perceives to be its needs."
-- Siobhan Nicolau, Hispanic Policy Development Project, NY
"I used to drop my kids and run. I didn't feel comfortable at the school.
Now I take the time to walk the playground. For a change, I am asked for
my input into how the classroom can be better. The school is my second home."
-- Sara Campa, Ysleta parent, TX
"Too often parent education efforts speak 'down' to parents, simplify
the issues, or assume lack of interest or understanding. We need more techniques
that start from the assumption that parents and other community members
are perfectly capable of learning relevant information when presented with
the right opportunities."
-- Donna Beegle, Marshall Caring Community, Portland, OR
I am anxious to use this book with colleagues this coming year. I think
that some of these quotes paired with the data that shows the positive impact
of parent/teacher partnerships will help us turn the corner on the destructive
divisions that often exist between our childrens' homes and schools.
"Weighing the cows won't make them fatter, feeding them will. Testing
our kids won't make them smarter, teaching them will."
-- a Wisconsin colleague to Pedro Noguera
A version of this report, prepared especially for parents in both English
and Spanish, is also available. This 16-page publication is written at a
fifth-grade reading level and can be used to reach people of all backgrounds.
(See the Center's publications page for "Urgent Message for Parents.")
A
seven-page summary of the report can be downloaded in PDF format.
The Heart
of the Matter: Using Standards and Assessment to Learn
Beverly Falk
Heinemann
(2000; 208 pp/Paper)
ISBN: 0-325-00280-0/2000
$17.55
Review by:
Marsha Ratzel
Overland Park, KS School District
Sifting through everything I learned while reading this book is no easy
task. Chapter titles like "What Gets in the Way of Important Learning:
Problems of Tests and Testing Practices" or "Possibilities and
Problems of a Standards-Based Approach: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly"
or "Sitting Down to Score: Professional Learning Through Standards
and Assessments" give a taste of the meaty portion that this book holds
for teachers as well as anyone who wants to explore how to transform standards
and assessments into something that helps meaningful learning.
Chapter 1 sets the tone by methodically explaining the "nature"
of tests. Certainly this is a tried and true topic, but Ms. Falk used student
stories to make her point. It made a typically dry topic very interesting
reading and gave a common foundation to the rest of the book. Having told
her readers what was flawed, Ms. Faulk proceeds in Chapter 2 to explain
her view of a "Better Way". Indeed this chapter proposes that
overarching principles of assessment should include 1) making the experience
a learning one; 2) connecting student assessments to their corresponding
learning goals; 3) using multiple forms of student work as evidence to generate
a more accurate accounting; and 4) using evidence from over time to verify
the findings of the student's assessment. Additionally the idea of matching
assessment type to the purpose was well explained.
The next two chapters should help teachers reflect on how to best tackle
the huge job of collecting student work, managing it and analyzing it. I
think these will be wonderful resources for many of my district's beginning
teachers.it's full of practical ideas and actual illustrations. I think
the author's comment about how this effort is one that is a "balance
of extra work and the reflective insight that's gained" is right on!
Chapters 4 ,5, and 6 provide the reader with a straightforward account of
standards-based assessment with all the pluses and minues. I think these
chapters would be most useful to people who are interested in schoolwide
improvement and who might be trying to figure out what the standards reform
movement is all about. Chapter 6, "Using Standards and Assessments
to Support Teaching Learning" moves all the theoretical ideas towards
the classroom. It does a good job of explaining the need to teach the big
ideas, to guide students towards deep understanding and that learning is
not a destination but a process. Again the notion of performance evaluation
verses pencil/paper assessments is explained and the reader begins to see
why these kinds of assessments will provide more reliable data about student
progress.
Chapter 7 explains, in depth, how performance and standards-based assessments
are critical to developing a keen understanding of student progress. At
the heart of this is the idea that teachers are themselves lifelong learners.
The reflective practices that accompany these types of student assessment
are foundational to truly understanding where a student is in the curriculum,
how you should plan the next steps of instruction to move them towards your
learning goal, and how to know when you arrived. "Sitting Down to Score"
is a chapter about building the professional knowledge of teachers where
it counts --- in the trenches of their classrooms where it can effect student
learning.
The last chapter calls teachers to make sure their teaching practice "embodies
clear goals, values and standards", that they "create rich learning
environments that capitalize on what you know about your students' needs,
and to develop "rich assessments.by documenting what students know
and can doas well as how students go about learning." Ms. Falk outlines
the challenges to adopting such a teaching practice style and I could see
using these could be the conversation starters for PTA, faculty or grade
level meetings.
I highly recommend this book. I had to put it down often, just to sit and
think. I came away with lots of insight and even more questions. But I believe
that my understanding of this topic is much clearer and I have a better
grasp of the issues. I think it would be a wonderful book to use in a reading
group where you could tear it apart and dialogue with trusted friends.
How
Rude! The Teenagers' Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing
People Out
Alex J. Packer
Free Spirit Publishing
(1997; 448pp/paper)
$19.95 ($13.97 Amazon)
ISBN: 1575420244
Review by
Deborah Bova
6th grade lang. Arts/8th grade publications
Raymond Park Middle School
MSD Warren Township
Indianapolis, IN
Teeth clench, sweat surges, the average teenager struggles with the social
graces, rudeness, and proper behavior as often as he or she deals with oxygen
exchange. What to do when and how to do it --and with whom to do it -- is
cleverly addressed in Alex J. Packer's 14-chapter A-Z etiquette book , How
Rude! The Teenagers' Guide to Good Manners, Proper Behavior, and Not Grossing
People Out.
Parker (author of Bringing Up Parents) deals with everything
from the simple minding of manners, saving the earth from a manners meltdown,
Netiquette, family life, school rules, and more. He offers seven reproducible
lists for topics like "The Fourteen Commandments of Tolietiquette"
and "The Code of Etiquette for Children of Divorce." Surveys segue
into a series of "Dear Alex" interspersed with "True Stories
from the Manners Frontier." It is rich in humor, graphics, and illustration,
and Parker employs a technical style that enhances readability for parents,
students, and teachers.
A well crafted work, How Rude uses a touch of laughter and insight
to embrace the multifaceted lives of young people. In conservative settings,
both family and school, this particular work might be problematic in light
of the author's stance on several issues. On page 199, in the section on
school decorum, Alex responds to an inquiry about random drug testing in
schools. His personal point of view colors his response, "politeness
demands that school administrators show more interest in the process of
education and less in the process of elimination. " Sections dealing
with gay lifestyles, homophobia, and sex etiquette (who brings the condom),
might not be well received in some middle schools, albeit in the school
library of on an individual teacher's shelf.
How Rude is a book that I would buy for my own children (if they
were still adolescents) and for my grandchild, who is an adolescent. It
is informative and readable. It answers questions that young people wrestle
with on a regular basis, and in most cases, the author's motivation does
not color the presentation of materials. It is a reference that all kids
need but some probably will not have because of censorship policies in certain
school communities. I know that I could not place this work in my classroom
or access it in my school library because of district policies -- even though
my students need it and would read it. However, How Rude is a text
I would recommend to parents and friends.
When Students Write (Video
series)
Ralph Fletcher and JoAnn Portalupi
Stenhouse Publishers
(2002; 4 30+-minute 1/2" vhs videotapes)
ISBN: 1-57110-334-1
$395.00
Produced by StrayLight Media
Review by:
Mary Anne Kosmoski
Reading Resource Teacher
Stewart Middle Magnet
Tampa, FL
When Students Write is a four-video series crafted by the authors
of Craft Lessons and Nonfiction Craft Lessons. You can read
countless books on the benefits of using the workshop approach to teaching
writing, but these videos take you to classrooms where writers workshop
is practiced and is making a difference in the writing ability of children.
A note to keep in mind: all of the examples shown are from elementary school
classrooms of about 18 students.
This is not a "how-to" video. There are no formulas or step by
step directions. You will not find handouts or forms for the teacher to
use to keep organized. Rather, you will find frank discussions on the impact
that the workshop approach has on a learning community and how to create
an environment that supports student choice and exploration. This was a
"whole school" project. It is important to keep in mind that these
students began using writers workshop in kindergarten and use the program
throughout their elementary school years. This is evident in student behavior
throughout the video.
I started by watching the videos alone and experimenting with strategies
on my own, but the power of the videos is in the discussion. Sharing them
with other teachers is perhaps the best way to utilize the vast amount of
information.
The first video Building a Writing Community, explores how the teachers
at Bailey's Elementary School in Falls Church, Virginia set the tone for
stressing high expectations, clear routines, respective response and writing
for authentic purpose in their classrooms. The teachers discuss at length
the routines they have set up in their classrooms to create independent
learners so they can work individually and in small groups with other students.
The video also stresses the idea of teachers discussing student writing
together and planning for student success.
Teaching Writing Skills in Context focuses on teaching the students
the difference between "craft" and mechanics. A good "picture"
of this in the video is a writing coach talking with a student about drafting
and editing and making clear distinctions between the content of a piece
and spelling and punctuation. This video also offers practical ways of teaching
mechanics in the context of writing.
The third video, Literature that Supports Writing," discusses
the reading-writing connection. This was my favorite of the videos, but
I was disappointed in the small number of books actually used as examples.
There was a section of this that touched on the text-self connections and
using books as springboards to our own writing. One powerful example was
a lesson done by a third grade teacher that asked the students "What
did this author do well?" She then transferred that to using samples
of student work and asking the same question.
In the final video, teachers grapple with the idea of a "craft lesson"
and how is it that we really inch students toward improving their writing.
The classroom examples in this video show students at the publication stage
of writing showing off their products. The evening performance with parents
was a great way to end the series.
In summary, the video series provides the opening to begin a conversation
about improving student writing using a writer's workshop approach. The
classroom examples are clear and fun to watch. The teacher discussions are
focused and allow us to "see" teachers in reflective practice.
First
Year Urban Teacher
Jessica G. Parenti
Teacher for Hire Publishers
(2001; 132 pp., hardcover)
ISBN: 0-9715551-0-9,
Discount Price at publisher's website: $19.95
Review by:
Naomi Smith
Director
Central Park East 2 Elementary School
New York, NY
First Year Urban Teacher has many good suggestions for the new teacher,
but it also has many statements that concern me a great deal. How would
a new teacher be able to sort these out?
For instance, if I were telling a first-year teacher about supplies, I would
give a short list of "must haves" that would include pencils,
lined paper, drawing paper, chalk, eraser, materials to make name cards,
material to create initial bulletin boards, a stapler, staples, paper clips,
tape and scissors. I would suggest that they check with the school, if possible,
to see which of these would be provided, then purchase the rest.
In this book there are two lists of supplies. One includes 35 items that,
according to the author, are usually not provided by the school. In my opinion,
many of these are unnecessary (extra snacks for children, microwave, etc.).
The other list is composed of 20 items that the author feels schools usually
provide. Included here are several items that many schools in New York City,
definitely an urban area, never provide. A stapler (my personal number one
item) is on neither list, nor are books for a classroom library.
Another concern I have is the the way in which the issue of classroom management
is presented. Although I feel that this issue is critical for new teachers,
I am opposed to the way it is approached in this book.
The word discipline is defined as instruction, training
of the mind or body and subjection to authority. Its definition clearly
portrays its importance, and, therefore, sustains the necessity of its incorporation
in the classroom.
Discipline in the classroom is behavior training: teaching the students
respect, obedience and self-control. Behavior training means that students
are expected to produce specific characteristics and patterns of behavior.
Discipline in the classroom also means that control is rendered by the teacher
and is obtained by enforcing, not requesting, student compliance and total
classroom order. Students should be flexible and adhere to the teacher's
authority and to the classroom rules.
Students should be punished for abusing rules...... p.58
Effective teachers create a classroom environment that is safe and caring.
The curriculum must engage students to minimize classroom disruption. Most
effective teachers create a short set of important rules. This is often
done in cooperation with the students. Yes, students must follow these rules,
so that learning can go on and that all students are safe. However, we want
to help our students to follow rules because they understand them, and understand
their importance. After more than 20 years in New York City public schools,
I cringe when I hear things like "subjection to authority," "obedience"
and "control is rendered by the teacher."
The section on Classroom Arrangement does offer several possible ways in
which a classroom might be set up. The Tips for New Teachers section has
suggestions from a variety of professionals which I found interesting and
enlightening. In every other section I found advice that I not only disagreed
with, but some that would absolutely cause problems for a new teacher.
One example is the answer to "How do I break up a fight?". Ms.
Parenti suggests that teachers "Begin by startling the fight to a stop.....Throw
a chair, slam a book on a desk---anything to draw the students' attention
toward you." This is not only incorrect procedure, it is actually dangerous.
In the last few months alone, two New York City teachers were removed from
the classroom for similar actions. One teacher slammed a book down on a
desk in order to get student's attention. He accidentally hit a child's
finger, inflicting an injury for which she needed surgery. Another teacher
slammed a broom, sending large splinters flying and injuring first graders.
In addition, it is important for teachers to remember that they should always
model appropriate behavior. Books, chairs and other objects should never
be thrown.
Another example is the list of "Things to Remember when Dealing with
Classroom Problems." One of the items says, "If administration
is unhelpful, write letters to school district officials." For a new
teacher this can be very detrimental. Going over the principal's head in
one's first year can have very serious repercussions.
I worked for several years as a staff developer. As part of my job, I ran
a weekly support group for first year teachers. At one session I asked how
each of them plan. One of the teachers, who was having a hard time, became
indignant. She said that she spent so much time grading papers and calling
parents that she had no time to plan. Her classes were falling apart.
I explained that effective planning is the single most critical element
to a successful classroom. I told the teacher to set aside everything else
and plan for her students. Within a week her classroom was turned around.
This is the message that should be in any book for new teachers. While there
are several ideas in First Year Urban Teacher about planning for
the first few weeks, they are primarily focused on procedures and rules,
and not on effective academic planning.
Ms. Parenti offers several good suggestions for teacher-made bulletin boards.
These include a board that posts the number of books students have read,
sight word display and "how to" skills boards. However, nowhere
does she indicate that students work should be displayed. As a teacher I
welcomed students with bulletin boards covered with fadeless art paper,
bordered with color and designs, with a minimum of teacher-made or purchased
material. Within the first few days I found ways to highlight the students
in the class. I used photos of students along with their writing or student-made
pictures that included their names on the boards. Having student work displayed
gives the students a sense of ownership, which is so important in creating
an effective learning environment.
This is definitely not the book I would suggest for a first year teacher.
What I would suggest is that all new teachers check out the MiddleWeb's
resources for new
teachers. This page has dozens of excellent resources that would be
helpful to any new teacher.
Two sites, included on this MiddleWeb page would be particularly helpful
-- Responsive Classroom's First
Six Weeks of School and Harry
Wong's first days columns at Teachers.net Gazette. A book I would recommend
would be The First Days of School
by Harry & Rosemary Wong .
[Editor's note: This fall, Stenhouse
Publishers will release a book for new teachers by Rick Wormeli, a List
member and middle grades teacher in Virginia. The tentative title is From
Hall Passes to Homework: Practical Matters for the New Middle School Teacher.]
The
Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook
Judith Galbraith and Jim Deslisle
Free Spirit Press
(1996; Trade Paperback - $15.95)
ISBN: 1575420031
Reviewed by:
Tracy Miller
Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator
American School Foundation
Mexico City
Judy Galbraith and Dr. Jim Deslisle propose useful advice for eleven to
eighteen-year-old gifted students in The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide:
A Teen Handbook (1996), a book based upon surveys of gifted teenagers
and the authors' combined professional experiences working with gifted teenagers.
Galbraith is an author of various books and has ten years of experience
in the classroom or counseling gifted teens, their parents, and their teachers.
Deslisle is an author, professor, middle school teacher, and parent of a
gifted teen. Prospective readers who connect their giftedness with feelings
of confusion, conflict, frustration, isolation, or unhappiness may find
encouragement by consulting pertinent sections of this handbook. As well,
parents, teachers, and other advocates of the gifted will discover an invaluable
resource.
The most powerful aspect of this survival guide that will particularly appeal
to teens is the process the authors recommend for student empowerment in
the school system, the classroom, family life, and peer relationships. Glabriath
and Deslisle make sound suggestions for taking responsibility in each of
these areas which are as true for adults as they are for gifted teens.
Secondly, for those teens who trust the voices of their peers more than
they do adult voices, five chapters include sections entitled "Gifted
Voices Speak Out." Sometimes these sections are written by gifted teens
or sometimes they are written by gifted adults reflecting back on their
teenage experiences. Readers will easily make connections to similar experiences
in their own lives.
Besides relying only upon their own professional experience, Galbraith and
Delisle end each chapter with other resources gifted teens might consult
for more information. The handbook ends with even more resources, including
associations, programs, and websites pertinent to gifted teens.
Furthermore, the authors introduce gifted terms and definitions, explanations
of intelligence testing, and educational options with which teenagers may
be unfamiliar.
Undoubtedly, The Gifted Kids' Survival Guide: A Teen Handbook makes
an essential contribution to the personal libraries of gifted teens, counselors,
teachers, coordinators, and parents. It is a book that makes a fascinating
read from cover-to-cover or for a quick consult. It surely will be picked
up again and again.
The
Kid's Guide to Social Action
by Barbara A. Lewis
Edited by Pamela Espeland and Caryn Pernu
Free Spirit Press
(1998; Trade Paperback-USA $16.95 - $13.27 at Amazon)
ISBN1-57542-038-4
Reviewed by:
Lise Spangenthal
Middle school English/Language Arts/ Social Studies
Phoenix, Arizona
Have you ever wondered about how to inspire your students to develop awareness
and a commitment to their community? If your school encourages service learning
as a component, then this is the guide for you. As an owner of Barbara Lewis'
book, "What Do You Stand For?" I was delighted to add The Kid's
Guide to Social Action: How to Solve the Social Problems You Choose - And
Turn Creative Thinking into Positive Action to my collection of Social
Justice and Action books.
The book is engaging and written for students. It uses real life stories
from schools. It teaches a very important lesson: Kids can make a difference.
This is a particularly important book for adolescents as their strong sense
of fairness could help them look beyond their own developing egos.
The book is divided into five main parts: Part one introduces us to a school
in Salt Lake City, where students' involvement in their community resulted
in the clean up of hazardous waste and passage of new laws. The chapter
is full of practical ideas on how to take social action.
Part two teaches valuable skills, how to make phone calls, and write letters
to editors and public officials. Included is information on using technology
to further causes; including a section on "netiquette".
Part three discusses lobbying and how to work with the court system to change
the laws in your community.
The resource section has lists of phone numbers and zip codes for state
capitals. There is a wealth of information with addresses, phone numbers
and contact groups.
The final section includes templates for brainstorming, letter forms, grant
applications, press releases and everything kids need to get started.
I highly recommend this book. I found it to be incredibly user friendly.
What better ways to bring in real life writing experiences, than have your
students learn how to write a grant?
This is an excellent tool to begin a dialogue on how we can change the world,
it is an incredibly empowering experience for kids to see how they, too
can make a difference.
As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that
ever has."
Listening
to Urban Kids: School Reform and the Teachers They Want
Bruce L. Wilson and H. Dickson Corbett
State University of New York Press, 2001
156 pp.; ISBN # 0-7914-4840-1
$17.95 paperback
Reviewed by:
Ann Bianchetti
Academy of Performing Arts Middle School
Paterson NJ
We are all aware of the swirling mass of reform movements in education today.
It seems teachers are constantly bombarded with a 'new, improved' way to
teach that will guarantee high-test results. Agencies from the national
government to prestigious universities present reform models with yearly
regularity. An important question that never seems to be asked is "Is
it working for the students?"
A reform model may look great on paper, may even result in those elusive
high test scores, but is it making a difference in the lives of children?
Is it having an impact on their learning, not just in the classroom but
also in life? Is it a permanent change in students that will go with them
once they leave the classroom or school in which a particular reform model
is practiced?
Listening to Urban Kids attempts to answer these questions. The authors
conducted interviews in six of Philadelphia's lowest performing schools,
with support from the
Philadelphia Education Fund. However, they did not talk to the teachers,
principals or superintendents; they talked to the kids. Wilson and Corbett
wanted to see if reform efforts for urban education have "penetrated
to the classroom level" (pg. 2).
The authors interviewed 247 students in grades 6-8 over a 3-year period.
The interview questions focused on the differences, if any, students noticed
in schools after reform efforts were put in place. The questions also attempted
to identify the key characteristics that make for effective teachers, from
the students' point of view. Wilson and Corbett do point out that relying
solely on kids' subjective analysis of schooling has its drawbacks, but
argue that if the goal of reform efforts is to improve education delivery,
the receivers' opinions about its efficacy must be considered.
The book is a slim, easy-to-read 156 pages, yet packed with valuable research
findings. I found myself marking off almost every other page for ideas that
I would use in my classroom. The book is filled with many direct quotes
from students on what good teachers do and what good schools look like.
These quotes are then followed up with an analysis and suggestions for schools
by the authors. Wilson and Corbett did an excellent job of taking the words
of the students and molding them into very specific characteristics of good
teachers and good schools. They organize the information in logical and
practical classroom-ready sections.
The main thesis of the book is that in order for reform efforts to be considered
truly effective, they must address the daily lives and needs of students
and they must be in effect across the whole district. The authors dismay
at what they call "pockets" of success where one or two classrooms
in a school or district have teachers willing to implement the reforms that
work and that kids say they need and want, while other classrooms in the
same school or district still retain the status quo. The authors say that
a student getting a quality education should not be left up to the "luck
of the draw" of what class a student is assigned to.
I found this book to be very helpful for all teachers, not only those in
urban districts. I plan to encourage the teachers in my school to read it
and I encourage anyone interested in improving education where it really
matters-in kids' daily lives-to read this book.
Strategies
for Integrating Reading & Writing in Middle and High School Classrooms
by Karen D. Wood & Janis M. Harmon
National Middle School Association
(2002, trade paperback)
159 pages, , ISBN:1-56090-172-1
$20.00 ($16 on Internet)
Review by
Ellen Berg
6th grade Language Arts
Turner Middle School
St. Louis, MO
Have you ever attended a workshop or faculty meeting where the presenters
said: "All teachers should be teaching reading and writing." The
language arts teachers formed an amen chorus and you left feeling frustrated
and confused because no one ever bothered to tell you how?
If so, Strategies for Integrating Reading & Writing in Middle and
High School Classrooms is the place for the willing -- but not yet able
-- to begin their search.
This book is a practical guide for teachers who want to infuse literacy
into their classrooms. With a forward by reading guru Richard Vacca, the
authors have created a teacher-friendly text that translates theory into
practice. Each chapter is uniformly formatted with a brief statement of
the research, theory, and rationale for the topic; the procedures and description
of each strategy; sample lessons; and references for further investigation.
The explicit nature of the book offers the structured support many beginners
crave while providing veterans with new ways to incorporate literacy strategies
into their lessons.
Topics include assessing literacy abilities of students across subject areas,
cooperative learning and group participation exercises, visual imagery,
questioning strategies, working with struggling readers and writers, and
integrating technology. Each chapter includes samples that demonstrate how
the strategy works in different content areas. For example, the chapter
on assessing the level of literacy for each student includes a content inventory
for both social studies and science.
As a language arts teacher, the book added to my understanding of literacy.
Language arts teachers tend to think of literacy in terms of just reading
and writing, which is only part of the overarching concept. The ideas that
each content area has its own language and skills and that cooperative group
projects are part of literacy were new to me, and I now see the possibility
to deepen my students' understandings as well.
Strategies
for Integrating Reading & Writing in Middle and High School Classrooms
by Karen D. Wood & Janis M. Harmon
National Middle School Association
(2002, trade paperback)
159 pages, , ISBN:1-56090-172-1
$20.00 ($16 on Internet)
Review by
Melba Smithwick
First-year Staff Developer (long-time MS teacher)
Corpus Christi (TX) Independent School District
Strategies for Integrating Reading and Writing in Middle and High School
Classrooms is a book that should be in every middle school teacher's
hands! Every page in this book is like driving along The Road to the
Sun in Montana's Glacier Park. Every turn is breathtaking! The chapters
begin with a rationale, theory, and research for the strategy that is addressed,
complete with explanations and samples for math, science, and social studies.
Fine arts, language arts, and even technology teachers will love this book.
The strategies and activities are adaptable for all subject areas and all
grade levels.
I plan to use this book in my first staff development activity this August.
I am going to begin the first hour by doing a book study on the first chapter
on content inventories. My principal ordered a copy for all of our teachers.
Then I am going to ask all of our teachers to create a content inventory
for the textbook that they plan to use the most for instruction.
Chapter 2 is all about cooperative learning. I am holding a 3-part series
refresher course for our teachers on cooperative learning since most of
them were junior high teachers and have not really learned how to do this.
Part 3 will be on the various grouping activities they can teach their students.
The chapter on retelling will help us continue this practice and provides
a smooth transition into writing. The authors have done a great job tying
reading to writing throughout the book.
This book is going to be our "book of the year." We are going
to use and refer to it so much that our copies will need to be replaced!
Looking into Literature Circles
Based on Harvey Daniels's book
(2001; video - approx. 15 min. 1/2" vhs)
ISBN: 1-57110-336-8
$30.00
Review by
LeeAnn Moore
8th grade literature teacher
Morley, MI
After having used Harvey Daniel's book Literature Circles in my eighth
grade classroom for the first time this year, I was very excited to be able
to view the tape that goes along with it.
This tape has many positives. It is short, about 30 minutes, and it was
easy to find time for viewing it in a teacher's busy schedule. I liked being
able to see what a literature circle looked like; it affirmed that my kids
were on the right track, so I felt like I must have done a decent job of
getting them ready for the process. I think that it would be valuable to
show small segments of it to students that may have a hard time seeing at
first how these roles they are taught and that they spend much time practicing
actually translate into the practice of a literature circle. Seeing snippets
of the video could make it much less abstract for them.
On the other hand, I am not sure I would recommend purchasing this tape.
The audio quality was very poor, with voices actually skipping out entirely
quite often. Thirty dollars in a teacher's budget is a lot to spend on something
of less than good quality.
On the whole, teachers interested in incorporating literature circles in
their classrooms would most likely enjoy this tape and find value in viewing
it.
Reading and Writing in the
Middle Years
David Booth
Pembroke Publishers
(2001; Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 1-57110-344-9
Review by
Beverly Maddox
Middle school English/Language Arts
Little Rock, AR
[Editor's note: The entire text of this book can be browsed
on-line.]
Suppose you're a parent of a newly hired first-year language arts teacher
and you'd like to give the new teacher a little headstart in getting ready
for the new job. How to do that? Give the earnest new teacher a copy of
Reading and Writing in the Middle Years by David Booth. Unless your
offspring attended a progressive college of education, chances are this
book will be unfamiliar.
I loved this book- -- it was like having a gossipy chat with someone who's
a better teacher than I am and who has read all those books I've been meaning
to read but maybe read only half. Booth namedrops without offense -- he
synthesizes the most useful tips from Keene and Zimmerman, Tovani, Harvey,
and others (including himself) and intersperses them with anecdotes about
teaching practices of teachers he knows. Some of the most enjoyable anecdotes
and suggestions are based on his personal teaching experiences. Booth reflects
on what others have written about language arts instruction and about his
and others experiences, then he shares the fruits of those reflections in
conversational language that makes the concepts and practices readily accessible
to the neophyte as well as the veteran.
His prose is full of common-sense insights, too. For instance, regarding
the use of manuals and prefab study guides for reading, he explains how
relying too heavily on those demonstrates for the students that "someone
else always decides what is important in their reading and writing, and
that they will never need to take control of their own literacy needs....
and my guilt-ridden teacher voice asks, 'Why did I spend so much of my teaching
life inventing questions, when the students might have brought forward much
better ones?""
I can remember occasions when I or a searched frantically for a teacher's
guide to the novel we decided just yesterday (or that morning) to "teach."
Stirred to reflect on Booth's question before I turned the page in Booth's
book, I posited that the answer was "because I didn't want to on didn't
have the time" or "I didn't have the patience" or "I
didn't think the kids could do it" or "I lacked the necessary
self-confidence."
The other language arts teacher on my team, younger and more cynical, suggests
for some teachers the desperate search for a study guide occurs because
the teacher doesn't want to have to read the book. Booth doesn't pose an
answer to his rhetorical question, but proceeds to advise the teacher how
to create and use effective questioning in reading discussion. One of his
tips resonated with me and brought about a revelation for my language arts
partner and myself in its simplicity. Booth writes, "Separate assessment
questions from your text discussions." We monitor ourselves on that
point now, and our class discussions are becoming meatier and less literal.
Regarding analyzing text, Booth asserts "Our goal is not to dissect
the selection, but to notice how it works, how the author has built the
text, whether we are reading an emotion-filled story or a resource containing
information." He offers helpful suggestions for doing this and proffers
charming examples that inspire emulation.
Throughout the book, Booth scatters text boxes with bulleted lists of tips
and suggestions that deserve copying and placing in our lesson plan books
(does anyone remember those?)-here are a few titles: "Suggestions for
students on keeping reading journals," "Helping students with
spelling," "Writing goals for students," "Reading goals
for students," "Keeping a portfolio," "Guidelines for
taking part in a reading workshop."
Useful checklists for the teacher abound, too, summarizing the basics for
the middle school language arts classroom. I especially appreciated chapter
four, which included a section on "Developing a Framework for Literacy."
What a boon for the first year teacher or the veteran who has decided to
turn the English classroom into a full-blown literacy program! Booth provides
the basics for modeling demonstrations of strategies for reading and writing,
conducting mini-lessons, and student conferences in roughly four pages,
but it's enough to get one started without overwhelming the novice teacher.
I can't picture any response to reading it but "I can do this."
Booth's descriptions of reading aloud and his explanation of its importance
to a reading/writing classroom reinforced my own love of sharing good stories
and poems with my students; his defense of shared reading interested me,
too. I'm aware than sometimes teachers will read a selection aloud while
the students stare at the text selection. That's not shared reading, which
must be "an engaging and interactive process in which our students
notice the sounds and shapes of words all at once." Booth's point is
that modeling reading strategies helps the students "make connections
that might not have happened otherwise. I can use the experience as a source
for all kinds of literacy learning."
How to run a literacy classroom- -- it's all here, in streamlined form,
with self-assessment guides, a comprehensive four-and-a-half page bibliography,
an index- -- everything in a nutshell that the new teacher needs to learn
and practice.
Crossing
Over to Canaan: The Journey of New Teachers in Diverse Classrooms
by Gloria Ladson-Billings
John Wiley & Sons
(2001; hardback)
ISBN: 0787950017
Reviewed by:
Deborah Bambino
National School Reform Faculty
Teacher on Leave / School Dist. of Phila.
Having read The
Dreamkeepers, I was anxious for my Barnes & Noble shipment of the
new Gloria Ladson-Billings book to arrive. From the introduction, where
she explains the metaphorical title that compares our new teachers to the
chosen as they cross into the promised land, I knew I was hooked.
The entire book held my interest, with its questions about cultural competency
and the way(s) our cultural baggage and bias impact on our teaching and
learning in diverse classrooms. I enjoyed the easy back and forth from her
personal experiences, to the vignettes about the new teachers, to the research
based structure of the Teaching for Diversity Master's Program that she
helps to administer.
My favorite chapter was number four, entitled, "Nobody Wants to Be
Urkel." As I read about the dilemma of students who are capable and
want to succeed but don't want to be separated from their peers and families,
I was deeply moved. However, when I read one new teacher's experience with
the "two Myron's," I was sent way back into my teaching memory
bank..
How many times had I been "confused" by the behavior of my students,
generally African American males, who performed well in my class and got
in serious trouble in others? Why were so many kids like night and day,
articulate and capable on the outside and practically incompetent in our
schools? What were we doing to elicit this transformation?
I thought about the two Jamars, Ervins, and so many others. I wondered about
the clarity of these new teachers. Was it easier to see clearly when you
weren't yet a big part of the problem? Does becoming a veteran automatically
signal complicity, especially for Caucasians?
I also remembered the boys, who could lay me, or any other white teacher,
out in class, only to become practically docile in front of their mothers
and grandmothers. Clearly, these young men knew how to behave -- the problem
was not in their upbringing. Why have we been so willing to accept labels
of this or that deficit on the part of our kids, but so reluctant to examine
ourselves and our practices?
These students choose to act in different ways in response to different
types of treatment. It's really not hard to see, if we're willing to look.
Ms. Ladson-Billings has done us a big favor by surfacing the seemingly schizophrenic
behavior of many of our children, and tracing it back to the cultural bias
that we play out in our classrooms, despite our good intentions.
I'm hoping that this book will form the basis of ongoing discussions about
cultural competency and its relationship to both what, and how, we teach
our young people.
Strategy Instruction in Action
By Stephaine Harvey and Anne Goudvis
Four 30+-minute 1/2" vhs videotapes
ISBN: 1-57110-335-X
(Stenhouse 2001) $395.00
Review by
Juli Kendall
Literacy Teacher/Coach
Long Beach (CA) Unified School District
Presenting reading comprehension in the context of reading workshop, your
task -- if you choose to accept the challenge -- is to incorporate the strategies
of asking questions, determining importance and inferring. Daunted? In
Strategy Instruction in Action, the authors organize a set of four instructional
videos into a manageable overview. Within these categories -- Creating a
Culture of Thinking, Modeling Questioning in a Reading Workshop, Reading
and Understanding Nonfiction, and Using Strategies to Enhance Book Club
Discussions -- they've arranged the content in a way they hope makes it
a little easier to absorb.
If one picture is worth a thousand words, then four quality videos demonstrating
reading strategies are worth a whole lot more. With the joy of a teacher
who fell in love with the authors' Strategies
That Work, Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding when
she was expanding her repertory of instructional techniques, I opened the
box and watched the first two videos in one sitting. Perhaps not the recommended
approach, but I did get a great feel for the material. I followed up by
watching all four again with a friend.
Tape1: Creating a Culture of Thinking includes "conditions and
practices that develop engaged readers." Designed as the foundation
of a staff development tool, it offers three classroom vignettes that will
be worth investigating repeatedly.
Similarly, Tape 2: Modeling Questioning in a Reading Workshop piques
my curiosity in some way, whether it is the subject matter, Debbie Miller's
classroom, her mini-lesson, the debriefing at the end of the lesson with
Stephanie and Anne or a combination thereof.
The umbrella for "reading for information," Tape 3: Reading
and Understanding Nonfiction offers some insight into the genre and
material about which we have a reasonably good idea of what to expect. Mary
Buerger, working from an article in a children's magazine, demonstrates
the process -- how to ask questions and determine importance in text.
Tape 4: Using Strategies to Enhance Book Club Discussions includes
among other things, Leslie Blauman working with three different book clubs.
One is in the beginning stages; another is trying to raise their discussion
to the inferential level; and a third is on the way to independence. The
importance of talking about literature to enhance understanding reverberates:
"Nothing enhances our understanding of literature more than talking
about it."
Why would anyone pick up a set of $395 videos to enhance their teaching?
Stephanie Harvey and Anne Goudvis' reputation has become that of the people
who "know how to do it." After viewing this set of tapes, it seems
at least as important "to be able to see it."
THREE BOOKS ABOUT
MIDDLE GRADES TEAMING
Reviewed by
Toni Norris
Instructional Coach
Greenville (SC) Public Schools
Camel-Makers,
Building Effective Teacher Teams Together
by Daniel L. Kain
National Middle School Association
(1998; 102 pp./paperback)
ISBN: 1-56090-151-9
Staff
Development Kit #3 - Revitalizing Teaming to Improve Student Learning
By Sandra Schurr and John Lounsbury
National Middle School Association
(2001; 46 pp/paperback)
ISBN: 1-56090-173-x
Implementing
and Improving Teaming: A Handbook for Middle Level Leaders
By Jerry Rottier
National Middle School Association
(2001; 176 pp/paperback)
ISBN: 1-56090-166-7
If you are looking for answers to teaming questions, one or more of these
three books may be the resource you need.
Our middle school is currently grade-level teamed with about 10-12 teachers
per team and about 250-270 students at each grade level. Our District is
focused on improving middle level education and expects all our middle schools
to provide training for teachers on the Turning
Points 2000 design recommendations. A part of the Turning Points
design, small group teams, is expected in each of our middle schools. Our
journey begins with anxious teachers concerned about the change, but with
a new administrator ready to take on the challenge and move our school in
this direction. As the Instructional Coach, my task will be to provide staff
development opportunities to make this transition an informed and positive
one.
Implementing and Improving Teaming: A Handbook for Middle Level Leaders
provided the path we needed to begin our journey to true teaming. This new,
enlarged edition provided the compass or direction for us as we worked through
the organization and implementation of teams. The handbook, like a map,
provided a variety of strategies to enable us to design the route that would
best fit our school.
We knew our destination was to have small-group teams, but we had no idea
how that would look or feel when we "arrived". We had so many
questions. Would our teams be 3-, 4- or 5-member teams? Would 8th grade
teams look like 6th grade teams? How would the schedule look with our large
number of exploratory classes and student numbers? How would the principal
select team members? Would team members know how to work together? Would
we all benefit from this change -- parents, students, and teachers?
The first step we took as a faculty was to read and discuss Turning Points
2000. This provided a text, supported by research, and gave us a common
language in which to discuss the principles of the middle school concept,
including teaming. Many questions and concerns were raised during these
discussions as teachers wondered and worried about what would "we"
look like next year? Our next step was to look at other middle schools in
our state organized in teams.
Implementing and Improving Teaming provided direction for us as we
journeyed to other middle schools that had successful teams in place. In
addition to the resources in this handbook, we now had a variety of designs
and organizational experiences from other schools to use as we began the
process of organizing teams. Once our organization and schedule of teams
is designed, our next step will be to focus on the staff development needed
for teams. A chapter in this handbook is dedicated to staff development,
emphasizing the importance of training for team members and also team leaders.
We will continue to use the resources in this book again next year as our
team members begin the challenge of working together to raise student achievement.
Staff Development Kit #3 - Revitalizing Teaming to Improve Student Learning
will provide some easy-to-use staff development activities for our teams
next year. We will be able to select and modify the activities from this
kit to suit the needs of each of our team's stages of development. Camel-Makers,
Building Effective Teacher Teams Together was good for me to read as
an instructional leader. It makes you stop and reflect on the human dynamics
of teams; what makes them work well and what impedes their growth. This
could be a great book to use with team leaders using a text-based discussion
format.
Here are my reviews of each text.
Implementing
and Improving Teaming: A Handbook for Middle Level Leaders
By Jerry Rottier
Implementing and Improving Teaming will help you find the answer
to, "What do we need to consider as we move toward the implementation
of teaming in our middle school?" The author Jerry Rottier is a charter
member of National Middle School Association has published numerous articles
and directs the Center for Middle Level Assessment.
This handbook begins with the rationale for why teaming is effective in
middle schools, and provides a wide a variety of team designs, structures,
and scheduling ideas. It will help you answer questions such as, "Why
should we organize our students into teams? What questions should we ask
as we move into teaming? What are some good team designs and schedules?
What is the role of the principal in the implementation of teaming?"
Unfolding next, are the human resource issues of teaming: characteristics
of effective teams, roles of team members, maintaining and nurturing teams
as well as dealing with dysfunctional teams. You will find the answers to
questions such as, "How do team members work together? How do we know
if we have a successful team? What if team members have problems? How can
we create a unique identity as a team?"
Camel-Makers,
Building Effective Teacher Teams Together. "A Modern Fable for Educators"
by Daniel L. Kain
Camel-Makers focuses on the "team" itself. If you read
this book you are searching for the answer to the question, "What does
a successful team look like and how do they work effectively to increase
student achievement?" The author, Daniel Kain, really pulls us into
the human dynamics of teaming. He met the challenges many junior high teachers
faced as his school changed into a middle school model and he found himself
a member of a middle school team. This experience prompted his research
and published work on teaming.
A humorous and engaging format is used to look at the tough teaming issues
facing middle level educators today. The focus of this fable is to provide
the reader an opportunity to look through the glass and observe the inner
workings of a 'team' struggling with a task, watch their progress and see
the good, the bad and the ugly.
The Jamal Group is a team of people, given the charge of designing the perfect
beast of burden for the desert. They left behind a written document, the
Jamal Script, of their meetings as they worked to design the camel. The
transcripts and commentary in each chapter allows the reader the opportunity
to step away, analyze and discuss what is taking place within the team and
what lessons can be learned from the process. The fable provides us with
a safe structure in which we can look at problems confronted by middle level
teams such as personality conflict, lack of leadership and growth.
The reader gets the unique opportunity to watch others grapple with a task
and finally begin to see the importance of setting team goals, establishing
norms, developing behaviors for team members and developing the leadership
necessary to become a productive team focused on the task at hand. Their
lessons learned can help us look at the necessary components or characteristics
of a team that has clear purpose, goals, and accountability.
Staff
Development Kit #3 - Revitalizing Teaming to Improve Student Learning
By Sandra Schurr and John Lounsbury
Is your middle school organized into teams, but functions as teams in name
only? Are you asking the question, "What kind of staff development
activities could we provide our teams to improve instruction?" If your
teams are not functioning effectively, or are not focused on student achievement,
you may be looking for the type of staff development activities provided
in this book. If you are beginning the teaming process in your school, many
of the activities included in this kit could also be used to support the
new teams as they begin to collaborate and work together.
Staff Development Kit # 3 is divided into four modules, each with
a read-react activity in the beginning and have three or more additional
activities focused on improving the way team members work together to improve
student learning. All materials and forms needed for use in the staff development
activities are included in the book and are short enough to be completed
during team planning time. Examples of the activities include, determining
the characteristics of a good team, reviewing and improving teaming, building
a team identity, and planning interdisciplinary units of instruction. It
is clearly evident in all the literature I have read on teaming, that staff
development is critical for teachers beginning the teaming process as well
as for teams that need to be revitalized.
Nonfiction Craft Lessons
- Teaching Information Writing K-8
Joann Portalupi and Ralph Fletcher
Stenhouse Publishers
(2001; Trade Paperback)
ISBN: 1 57110 329 5
Review by
Joanne Payling
8th grade Language Arts
Pleasanton, CA
This book offers excellent, easy-to-use one page lesson plans to teach non-fiction
writing. Subjects as varied as "Exploratory: Activating Prior Knowledge"
to "Putting Tension in Your Title" to "Taking Poetic License"
are covered in this guide for K-8 teachers. The authors have many years
experience teaching and presenting workshops and institutes on how to teach
writing. They explain, "These craft lessons are designed to fit into
the mini-lesson component of the writing workshop." But they add that
these lessons can be used at any "teachable" moment. They are
certainly straightforward, clearly written, and easy to follow with distinct
objectives.
As a middle school teacher, I could wish that all the lessons were aimed
at the middle grades. The content is both focused on specific skills and
lively in its presentation. For example, two different lessons, "Writing
a Good Introduction" and "Using Specifics with How-to Writing",
provide a humorous guide written by an 8th grader. It's title? Guide
for a Clean Outhouse. Students quickly see that non-fiction writing
doesn't have to be dull and pointless. In this case, the author really did
have to keep the family's vacation outhouse clean. In addition, lessons
are geared to the abilities and genres most appropriate for the different
grade levels. However, with some adjustments, a teacher can move back and
forth between the sections to expand their nonfiction-writing repertoire.
The layout of Nonfiction Craft Lessons is well thought out with 26
lesson plans each for grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-8. The two-page Table of Contents
with its alphabetical list of lessons is quick to peruse either by grade
level or title of the writing lesson. Each lesson plan is one page in length
with a three-section format. At the top of the page is a Discussion section
in which an explanation addressed to the teacher discusses the importance
of the topic being covered. Below the Discussion is the How to Teach
It section. This varies in length from three to six paragraphs and provides
the details on how to introduce and carry out the lesson. In a left-hand
sidebar is a Resource Material list that may include book titles
used, supplies needed, or a reference to a related Appendix. Don't miss
the appendices, since they are an integral part of the lesson and well worth
attention. There is also a short, but helpful topic index and a bibliography.
With the advent of State Standards and an emphasis on research and nonfiction
writing, I know I will incorporate many of these ideas and plans when I
teach my required nonfiction-writing units. I have already added the "How
To" lesson plan to my folder!
The Energy to Teach
Donald H. Graves
Publisher: Heinemann
(2001; 180 pp./paperback)
ISBN: 0-325-00326-2/2001
Review by
Amy Heinsma
7th Language Arts & Reading Teacher
Windsor, CO
"Teaching is an emotional roller coaster." This opening quote
from the book The Energy to Teach by Donald H. Graves says it all.
Any teacher, rookie or veteran, realizes that energy and emotions color
our days. Donald Graves attempts to ferret out the specifics of what gives
us energy and what depletes it in our daily lives and gives teachers several
avenues to create energy. Sustaining this energy will prevent the burnout
and frustration that so many teachers experience.
In fourteen chapters, Graves guides teachers to take stock of their own
lives and explores areas to look for energy. Each chapter contains "Invitations",
or opportunities that teachers can choose to do to gain energy. In the second
chapter, "Taking Stock", one of the invitations is to rethink
your data or lesson plans for what constitutes a waste of time. Readers
are asked to consider questions like, "What aspects of my teaching
will not contribute effectively to my students long-term view of learning?"
Some of the areas that Graves suggests to look at to gain energy are surprising.
There are chapters on tapping the energy source in curriculum, from assessment,
and from parents. Most teachers do not usually think of gaining energy from
things like testing. Graves injects a fresh perspective and needed optimism
into the teaching world with his views.
There are also two case studies in the book. One is about how the state
of Maine gives energy to its schools, teachers, and students. Graves studied
five school systems in Maine and found commonalities within the organizations
that created energy. Most systems had been working on changes gradually
over time. There were no overnight success stories. Teachers were experts
and grounded in research and theory. Teacher talk was also very important.
Maine's bottom-up philosophy is one to look at when trying to build energy
statewide.
The second case study is of one teacher who struggles to gain energy and
how she restructured her target areas, realized what appealed to her most,
and found energy in things like new resources for her classroom.
I recommend this book only to teachers who are willing to put in the time
to really practice the invitations. There are some incredible ideas with
the intention of really changing your life, personally and professionally.
But, if you just read the book from front to back with no deep reflection
and are looking for a quick fix, this is not the book for you.
I had hoped originally that it would be easy to read the book quickly, get
a few tricks to gain energy, and move on. In order to truly gain energy,
the reader must be an active participant in the energy-gaining and reflective
activities. I found that the more time that I took to really read and reflect,
the deeper and more thorough my understanding of what affects my own energy.
Read The Energy to Teach only when you have the time and commitment
to think deeply about your teaching life.
Reimagining Reading, A Literacy
Institute
Janet Allen
Stenhouse Publishers
(2002; CD or audiocassettes)
ISBN 1-57110-339-2
Review by
Juli Kendall
Literacy Teacher/Coach
Long Beach (CA) Unified School District
The best part of the Janet Allen Literacy Institutes is, of course, Janet
Allen, and that's what you get on these CDs (or audio tapes). It's just
like being there! Except, perhaps, more convenient.
I attended one of Janet Allen's Literacy Institutes in Baldwin Park, California,
several summers ago. Then last summer, our district sent all middle school
principals and Reading Department Chairs to her Literacy Institute in Huntington
Beach, California. What everyone came away with was the "wonder"
of listening to her speak.
She's at her best when she reads aloud. It's the way she thinks every day
should begin. Her skilled modeling of this strategy manages to inspire adults,
not just students. She demonstrates the task of relating the importance
of reading aloud, the selection of books and students' response to literature
over and over again.
Her own books are great. In these keynote speeches, she draws freely from
There's Room for Me Here; Words, Words Words; and Yellow
Brick Roads. I've read them all and use them regularly, but hearing
how she explains putting "theory into practice" really motivates
the listener.
The possibility of designing professional development around these recordings
is intriguing. A school could use them in multiple ways. For Janet Allen
"beginners," they offer a user-friendly entry into teaching reading.
Janet Allen "aficionados" will have the ability to go back and
revisit her ideas and refine their instruction.
Focusing on reading instruction, the CDs include an introduction and six
independent sections. These sections cover:
Learning to Teach
Reluctant Readers
Instructional Practices
Read Aloud
Shared Reading
Guided Reading
as well as information about assessment and evaluation. There is also a
simple to use "Listening
and Study-Group Guide" (PDF file) that accompanies the set.
Full of humor and intriguing anecdotes, these recordings entertain as well
as educate. As I went around the house wearing earphones and listening to
the CDs, I was laughing out loud. What a great way to think and reflect
about reading instruction while, at the same time, enjoying yourself.
Meet Me in the Middle
Rick Wormeli
Stenhouse Publishers
(2001; 264 pp/paperback)
ISBN: 1-57110-328-7
Reviewed by:
LeeAnn Moore
Morley Stanwood Middle School
Morley, Michigan
[Editor's note: The entire text of this book can be browsed on-line.
The links below will download PDF files for the material cited.]
Rick Wormeli is most definitely an expert in middle level education. His
new book Meet Me in the Middle is a *must* for every middle school's
professional library.
Rick is a National Board Certified Teacher at Rachel Carson Middle School
in Herndon, Virginia, and a columnist for NMSA's Middle Ground magazine.
He has taught science, math, English, and history, and was a winner of Disney's
American Teacher Award for English in 1996.
Part One of the book is entitled Creating
a Culture of Learning. Through this section Wormeli seeks to empower
teachers to create learning environments that are safe, welcoming and exciting.
He gives concrete examples for motivating
students, for incorporating brain
research into the middle school classroom and for creating
games that enhance learning.
Once Rick has the reader excited about this newly created culture of learning,
he begins a journey of student achievement in Part Two, Higher
Student Achievement Through Innovative and Accomplished Practice. He
challenges teachers to tackle differentiating
instruction, but doesn't make the process feel like a monumental task.
There are real world examples of how he has made this work for him.
Rick also takes on the topics of assessment,
block scheduling and
writing in the content areas.
The ideas he gives in the area of assessment could be easily adapted to
teachers in all content areas, and the chapter on scheduling a block classroom
aligns itself very well with an Understanding By Design approach.
Part Three of Meet Me in the Middle deals with the professional practices
of the middle level educator. The ideas and tips for working
in teams, new teacher
mentoring and for communication
with parents were especially helpful Many teachers will also appreciate
his chapter on National
Board Certification as more and more of us seek to be a part of this
process.
The appendix gives teachers
a wealth of readily available material for use, and the final
chapter will leave middle level educators smiling and nodding as they
recognize their own students in statements made by Rick's students like:
"How long should my 200-word essay be?"
"Never pierce your belly button in the dark."
and
"I don't get it. I just don't get it."
Literature Circles: Voice
and Choice in Book Clubs & Reading Groups
Harvey Daniels
Stenhouse Publishers
(2002; 272 pp/paper)
ISBN 1-57110-333-3
Review by
Janet T. Smith
7th/8th Grade Reading/Language Arts Teacher
Rowe Middle School
Conneaut, Ohio
In his book Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in Book Clubs &
Reading Groups, Harvey Daniels equips the everyday language arts teacher
with the necessary tools to make student-led book clubs a successful reality
in today's schools. It is presented as a "sequel" to his 1994
bestseller, Literature Circles: Voice and Choice in the Student-Centered
Classroom. Having never read the 1994 book (which I promise to do),
I had to learn everything from this new book; believe me, I have learned
a lot!
[Read this book online here.]
Mr. Daniels probably assumed that many teachers reading this book had no
experience with literature circles. Therefore, his first four chapters are
devoted to the literature circles boom, problems, eleven key ingredients,
balanced reading programs, the history and current research of literature
circles, and a look into working literature circles in actual classrooms.
Since I have used book "clubs" in my classroom for the past six
years, I read through these chapters relatively quickly. However, I was
clearly interested and somewhat amused when I learned that book circles
were actually banned by the Puritans in the 1600's.
The next three chapters of the book were extremely beneficial to my students
and me. Mr. Daniels clearly outlines and explains the elements necessary
for getting started in the classroom. Although my students are used to reading
self-selected literature, this part of the book gave me a wealth of ideas
to help the students make easier, better, and more suitable decisions.
He gives great ideas for sorting books and readers into groups that will
not only be comfortable to the students, they will help them become life-long
readers at their own pace. For example, in Chapter 5 we are treated to a
7-day sample lesson plan by Tina Peano and Jenny Cornbleet that walks the
inexperienced teacher through the initial start up of literature groups,
including a delightful activity called "book tasting."
Examples from Nancy Steineke's forthcoming book , Reading and Writing
Together: Collaborative Literacy in Action (2002), are plentiful and
highly instructive. There are wonderful solutions to the problems of different
ability classrooms, and alternative plans for using whole-class novels,
novel sets, response logs, shorts stories, and role sheets. Reproducible
role sheets, for fiction and non-fiction, are included in this section,
and are printed in English and in Spanish.
Timing, scheduling for different age and ability levels, and the age-old
problem of "book projects" are also tackled in Chapters 5, 6 and
7. This is a very specific section of the book with common-sense preparations
and suggestions to alleviate problems within groups.
This book is not aimed only at the middle school. Chapters 8, 9 and 10 address
the three different levels of literature circles: primary, intermediate,
and middle/high school applications. For this section, Mr. Daniels calls
upon the resources of experienced teachers of all levels to share their
expertise in literature circles and how they work in real classrooms. I
skimmed through Chapters 8 and 9 because I was so anxious to use the strategies
in Chapter 10 in my own classroom. I have already highlighted and dog-eared
countless passages from this section to use. I was impressed with the ambitious
projects and full assessment procedures suggested in this chapter. There
is a lot of emphasis on daily goals and discussion. Teachers of all experience
levels will feel more confident using these tools in the classroom.
Chapter 12 offers a multitude of suggestions for constructive performance
assessment. Videotaping, observation sheets, student self-assessment, and
conferencing are just a handful of means to judge the students' personal
reading growth. I particularly liked the four suggestions at the end of
the chapter, especially "If a record-keeping procedure interferes with
your relationships with children, get rid of it". Bravo!
Chapter 13 covers reading circles across the curriculum, and integrating
non-fiction into the reading program. (The role sheets in Chapter 7 could
help in this area.)
And of course, every instruction manual needs a chapter that covers "troubleshooting";
this book has it in Chapter 14. Legitimate questions and concerns, such
as kids who dominate the group, absenteeism, bad book choices, the inclusion
of skill instruction, are all covered in this chapter. I'm sure many teachers
will have many more problems to solve, but these suggestions give a good
base to solve other situations that may arise.
Appendix A explains workshops with parents, which is a great idea, but possibly
difficult to arrange and pull off successfully in many school districts.
Appendix B is a research compilation on Best Practice Cluster Schools, and
Appendix C contains a book list of literature circle favorites for a variety
of grade levels. I would use it in conjunction with book lists from other
good reading strategy books that I have read, such as Strategies that
Work: Teaching Comprehension to Enhance Understanding, by Stephanie
Harvey and Anne Goudvis, and I Read It, But I Don't Get It, by Chris
Tovani.
Harvey Daniels is one of the most respected reading professionals in our
country today. I loved his book and will use it and recommend it to other
teaching professionals in my community. There is also available a videotape
Looking into Literature Circles
(from Stenhouse Publishers) that is designed to accompany the book. I bought
it and will use it in my classroom. It helps the students, who are members
of such a visual society, actually see what we, as teachers, expect of them
in literature circles. It models the behavior and expectations we would
like to see in our classrooms.
The 15-minute video may seem pricey at $30, but it is a good investment
and can be used by many teachers in the same building. Any teacher who loves
to see students become life-long readers will find Daniels's book to be
a "shot in the arm" and bring enthusiasm into your classroom once
again.
Teaching
Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom
By Susan Winebrenner
Free Spirit Publishing
(1996; 248 pp./paperback)
ISBN 1-57542-004-X
Reviewed by:
Sally Burton-Szabo
7th grade Language Arts/Reading Teacher
Chagrin Falls, OH
Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in the Regular Classroom
is a book full of many ideas, thoughts and scenarios. Each chapter is geared
toward a particular subject but always with the "general" teacher
in mind. The author understands that classroom teachers have many things
to do in one day and is able to show how using her techniques will not only
benefit the child but also save the teacher some time in the long run.
There is nothing new or magical in her methods. Many of her ideas I have
heard of and tried before. But the way she puts the ideas together, the
forms that she uses and her practical applications -- along with stories
from her experience -- make this book valuable to all teachers. (There's
also a video and discussion leader's guide available.)
Susan Winebrenner does not attempt to say that she can fix every problem
using her methods but offers many strategies to try in an attempt to help
students. In every chapter there is an introduction to the subject (for
example, math instruction), possible activities to help struggling students,
scenarios of cases she has worked with, and a question and answer section.
I especially found the Q&A section interesting because she asked and
then answered all of the typical, negative 'this can't work'" questions
that too many teachers ask. Also extremely helpful is the list of resources
available at the end of each chapter. There are many addresses, phone numbers
and contact points if more information is needed on a particular disability,
idea or concept.
This book includes 52 ready-to-copy handouts that can be very useful in
most classrooms; for example, information on the eight intelligences, sample
behavior and homework contracts, reading logs, project planners etc. Most
forms can easily be adapted to fit the needs of individual students. While
I feel that most of these sheets are written for younger students, I plan
on adapting some for my class
In Chapter 3 she outlines a lot of "typical" learning disabilities
-- what she calls in a more positive light "learning difficulties."
She describes "learning problems," explains how a student might
react, and suggests techniques to try. She makes the point that for most
children we should not worry about the label but worry about finding a strategy
to best help our struggling students. Students, she says, need to learn
strategies to use to help themselves -- what we call them is beside the
point. They will not outgrow their problem in most cases, but we can help
them learn to work well and be successful anyway.
I would highly recommend Teaching Kids with Learning Difficulties in
the Regular Classroom for any classroom teacher. The ideas are easy
to find and understand. Each idea is supported by research and personal
experience. While the author may not have the answer to every problem she
certainly gives teachers a lot if ideas and techniques to choose from. She
truly believes that all students can learn if we just find the right methods
to reach them.
Response Journals Revisited:
Maximizing Learning Through Reading, Writing,
Viewing, Discussing, and Thinking
Les Parsons
Pembroke Publishers
(2001; 128 pp/paperback)
ISBN 1-55138-131-1
Review by
Kathy Renfrew
Grade 5/6 Multiage
Peacham, Vermont
Response Journals Revisited is an awesome book! Once I started it,
I could not put it down!
This book by Les Parsons is a practical resource that teachers will find
invaluable. I have been struggling with using response journals correctly
since I was first introduced to them by Nancy Atwell. Response Journals
Revisited has changed all that. The book doesn't just advocate the use
of response journals, it walks the reader through the process from beginning
to the end.
[Read the complete book online here.]
The first chapter of the book explains response journals and the reasons
for using them. Parsons clarifies the differences between the response journal
and other approaches. The focus of Chapter Two is assisting both the teacher
and the student get started.
As a classroom teacher who is continually struggling with my students' understanding
of the material they read, I found Chapter Three to be a resource that would
go to regularly. It was reminder of the many things I already know about
reading for meaning. Response Journals Revisited gives an in-depth
explanation of how personal response can unlock the door to literature.
The student guidelines included are clear and user friendly.
In Chapter Four Parson demonstrates how response journals can and should
be used for more than just fiction. There are sample student responses to
drama, television, movies and newspapers. The guidelines for response to
newspaper will assist students in their response to non-fiction writing.
research shows that comprehension increases when students talk about their
reading. Chapter Five of Response Journals Revisited illuminates
how personal response journal writing can support and be an integral part
of literature discussion groups.
The last couple of chapters in the book are crucial for classroom teachers.
The focus is the evaluation and grading of the response journal. Response
Journals Revisited also discusses how to process and respond to journal
entries. This is extremely important because many teachers stop using response
journals because of the immense workload. Parsons shares with teachers ways
to manage all of this. There are also many rubrics for both teacher and
student assessment. Having these rubrics as part of the book saves teachers
valuable time.
Throughout the book Parsons includes many student guidelines as well as
samples of actual student work. Response Journals Revisited incorporates
potential student prompts for responses to books, newspapers, television
and read alouds.
Response Journals Revisited is a handbook that includes everything
a teacher needs to begin and continue using response journals. This book
has convinced me to begin using response journals again. There were some
great ideas for getting at students' higher level thinking. I would definitely
recommend this book to anyone considering using response journals in the
classroom.
Choosing
Excellence
John Merrow
Scarecrow Press
(2001; trade paperback)
ISBN 1-57886-014-8
Review by
Amy Heinsma
7th Language Arts & Reading Teacher
Windsor, CO
John Merrow' book, Choosing Excellence: Good Enough Schools Are Not Good
Enough is an education reporter's guide for parents who are looking
for quality schools.
In his 25th year of reporting Merrow developed a list of 25 "measures
of excellence" that he has learned to look for over the years. That
list led to a PBS Series entitled School Sleuth: The Case of an Excellent
School, and then to this book.
Merrow maintains that there are three types of schools -- bad, good enough,
and excellent -- and that most schools can be classified as "good enough."
This book is meant to push those schools "on the fence" to do
better by having informed parents question schools about their practices.
He gives parents an inside look at contemporary issues that are bombarding
today's current teachers -- testing, technology, safety, homework, values,
charter schools, and special education. At the end of each chapter are questions
for parents to ask teachers and principals to gain a perspective on how
their school is doing. These questions are comprehensive and thought-provoking.
I have to admit I was skeptical of an outsider's point of view, especially
an education reporter. But Merrow shows keen insight into what truly makes
an excellent school (not just test scores! Hooray!).
I was very pleased as a teacher to see that Merrow did not oversimplify.
He really gives parents an idea of how frustratingly complicated today's
teaching profession can be. His chapters zero in on all of the tough issues.
He is both supportive of teachers who are doing their best in a system that
sometimes is paradoxical in its stances, and critical of those who prevent
"good enough" schools from becoming excellent.
Merrow writes: "Education is full of people who know how to prevent
change." My own favorite chapter was called, "The Rushed, Crunched,
and Isolated World of Teachers." In this chapter, Merrow demonstrates
that our jobs need reflection and collaboration in order for us to achieve
success with all students. Ever have anyone question why you are grading
papers at home when you have "planning time" at school? Merrow
understands and helps parents and the public realize what excellent teachers
really do with their valuable time. Among the questions at the end of this
chapter: Do teachers have the opportunity to visit other schools? Are teachers
part of on-line conversations about their work with teachers in other parts
of the country? (Yet another reason to join the Middle Web listserv!)
I would definitely recommend this book to any parent out there who wishes
to know more about their own school -- who's willing to look beyond test
scores and wants to help push their school to become excellent. Teachers
should also take a look at it for the questions at the end of each chapter.
They are questions we should be asking about our own schools as we struggle
to show the public what we are about. Is your school "good enough"?
Reinventing
the Middle School
Thomas S. Dickinson, Editor
RoutledgeFalmer
(2001; trade paperback)
ISBN: 0415925932
Review by
Pam Buchanan
Middle Grades Educator
Comstock, MI
Anyone who is truly serious about middle level education should read Reinventing
the Middle School. It is especially for teachers and administrators
involved with middle schools suffering from what editor Thomas S. Dickinson
calls "arrested development." These schools have the outward trappings
of middle school, but they are only surface structures; most middle schools
have not fully implemented the middle school concept.
Additionally, this book is important for students entering the field of
middle level education. It will help them in understanding the history of
middle level education and the roadblocks many schools have faced, as well
as give them a clear picture of what middle schools can and should be.
The middle school concept, philosophy, and movement have been around for
many years. From the late 60's through the early 70's, there was a flurry
of movement toward the creation of middle schools. Many junior high schools
were transformed, or new buildings were created, to match the ideal middle
school. Some successfully reached their goal, encompassing the full philosophical
and pedagogical reforms, as they changed the physical form.
Unfortunately, many schools were given new signs to hang on the building
facade, but little else changed. Others adopted structural changes like
teaming, block scheduling and/or advisory programs that improved the school
climate, but fell short of true, complete reform. These are the schools,
unfortunately in the majority, that Dickinson describes as suffering from
"arrested development."
The body of the book is not a how-to format, but rather a discussion of
the idea that middle schools must reinvent themselves through implementing
the ideals, philosophy and beliefs of the middle school concept in an integrated
way. Divided into four sections: Theoretical Foundations, Curriculum Issues,
Issues of Practice and Unresolved Issues, the chapters are written by authors
who are committed to the middle school concept and the potential it carries
for the education for early adolescents.
In his closing, Dickinson, a Professor of Curriculum and Instruction at
Indiana State University and former editor of the Middle School Journal,
writes:
"Several overarching themes ripple through the book; we
hope we've captured most of them in its conclusion-the constructivist and
democratic underpinnings of the middle school concept, and the middle school
concept's reliance on these exhortations to educators: expect, connect,
respect, and reflect. Young adolescent learning, the many dimensions of
it, is the bottom line for all of us, and learning occurs when educators
expect a lot of learners and of themselves; when they connect subjects,
people, and multiple communities; when they respect learners and themselves;
and when they care enough to reflect on their own and their student's development."
How I wish this book had been available several years ago. My own school
was a prime example of "arrested development." As we began to
take a long hard look at ourselves, it would have been wonderful to use
this book as both a guide and catalyst to change.
Unfortunately, our plan involved what Dickinson described as an incremental
stage implementation model, beginning with the development of teams and
a somewhat flexible block schedule. This book has convinced me that we need
to reinvent ourselves as a middle school, not move piecemeal toward some
elusive goal. I will definitely share this book with my colleagues, present
and future.
Pam Buchanan recently retired from Northeast Middle School, Comstock
Public Schools. She writes: "I am hoping to begin working with preservice
teachers at the university level later this academic year."
Primary chapter authors: Thomas S. Dickinson, James A. Beane,
Debra Pitton, Mary Gallagher-Polite, Janet McDaniel, P. Elizabeth Pate,
David Strahan, Richard Powell, Douglas Mac Iver, Thomas O. Erb, Daniel Kain,
Susan Powers, Gayle Davis, Kim Ruebel, Jeanneine Jones, Laura Allen.
A review by Judith Irvin of Florida State University noted:
"Dickinson has compiled a work that may serve to move middle schools
beyond their 'arrested development' into schools that truly meet the developmental
needs of young adolescents. The important issues in middle level education
are addressed in this book, and various leaders, researchers, and thinkers
in the field offer solutions to reinventing middle schools and recapturing
what was originally intended by the middle school concept."
Read an adapted excerpt from
this book which appeared in the Fall 2001 issue of Middle School Journal.
The
Information-Powered School
Edited by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock
Public Education Network and the American Association of School Librarians/ALA
(2001; trade paperback)
ISBN: 0-8389-3514-1
Review by
Judith Schaffner / School Library Media Specialist
Naomi Smith / Assistant Principal
M.S. 201, Bronx, NY
This compendium of approaches pioneered by the 10-year Library Power project
(funded by the DeWitt Wallacep;Reader's Digest Fund and coordinated
by the American Association of School Librarians) creates a "how-to"
manual for administrators, teachers and school library specialists interested
in changing the way their schools function. This new direction emphasizes
information literacy for all students and puts the library media center
and inquiry at the core of the educational process.
This book provides librarians with many nuggets of helpful advice and numerous
forms to use in practicing the new approach, but it is not just for librarians.
In fact, administative support would be critical for the implementation
of this approach. "The Information-Powered School" provides both
the philosophical and educational justifications for making the library-media
center the hub of the school, as well as the blueprint for bringing it about.
The book includes chapters on teacher-librarian collaboration in its many
forms, curriculum mapping (a technique that allows a school to take a snapshot
of who and which grade is doing what when in terms of skills, standards
and content), collection mapping (a way of evaluating strengths and weaknesses
in a collection), the integration of technology, organizing community and
parent involvement and support and staff development. Each chapter ends
with helpful sample forms and projects that illustrate the chapter's topic,
as well as bibliographic suggestions, and web and organizational links that
relate to the chapter.
Any school can become an information powered school.The large urban middle
school where we both worked has instituted many of the approaches presented
in the book. A typical weekly schedule could include two or three classes
per day coming to do research or hear book talks or start a folk tale unit
by hearing a folktale presentation by the librarian. This leaves two or
three periods a day in which students could come on a pass (four from one
class at a time) for any independent use of the library. In a typical 45-minute
open period 30-40 students might sign in. We had the added benefit, through
our collaboration with the Children's Aid Society, of keeping the library
open after school four days per week for 1.5 hours (also strongly recommended
in the book). This is also typically a very busy time, with up to 60-70
students for some portion of the after- school program.
The book correctly emphasizes the need and value of students having all-day
access to the library to borrow and return books and to do research. While
we agree with this in theory, our experience is that it is very difficult
for a one-librarian library, in a large school, to have a constant free
flow of students, while at the same time servicing classes or small groups
whose teachers have made appointments. Without two librarians and adequate
space, we have found that independent student use of the library tends to
disrupt any class use that is taking place. They are also competing for
the same resources. That is why our schedule, published on a week by week
basis, indicates scheduled time, open time and librarian lunch and preparation
time. Peraps this would be different in a small (or better-staffed) school.
Since education reform is at the top of every political agenda, this book
will be a useful tool in bringing some sanity to the discussion. The forward
to the book written by Wendy D. Puriefoy, president of the Public Education
Network and Julie A. Walker, Executive Director of AASL, says it best: "Our
dream is that the tools and advice of The Information-Powered School will
help you energize your learning community and transform your school to ensure
that all learners are prepared for success in the Information Age of the
twenty-first century."
The
Information-Powered School
Edited by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock
Public Education Network and the American Association of School Librarians/ALA
(2001; trade paperback)
ISBN: 0-8389-3514-1
Review by
Susie Highley / Media Specialist
Creston Middle School, Indianapolis, IN
I could describe my reaction to this book in three words: empowered, overwhelmed,
and inspired!
I was impressed that "way back" in 1988 the American Library Association
and the Public Education Network had the foresight to collaborate on the
project Information Power. At that point, who would have predicted
the technological explosion we have now experienced?
The educator's dilemma: how do we make strategic use of the availability
of information, how do we design tasks to maximize student learning, and
how do we ensure that students are retrieving correct information? The premise
of becoming information literate recognizes that we need to design instruction
in terms of concepts and processes; to simply focus on content alone will
not be efficient, because the content is expanding exponentially! We need
to assist in the development of "information literate" students.
This new book, The Information-Powered School, chronicles ten years
of implementation of the Information Power program. The DeWitt Wallace-Reader's
Digest Fund provided funding to introduce this model to 700 schools, many
of them serving at-risk students. Information Power proposed a new
method for library use, and a new role for librarians.
Rather than providing what some saw as another chance for classroom teachers
to have some free time, it proposed having librarians, teachers, and others
collaborate in planning, instruction, and the selection of resources. Thus,
not only does it contain the dreams, it also outlines the steps to achieve
them. This alone is one of the book's greatest strengths. The methods that
are included have already been field tested, revised, and adapted to practical
use. There are suggestions for implementation, answers to anticipated questions,
and ideas that work!
As I began to read this book, I was so inspired by the scenario it described
that I was almost ready to skip the rest of summer vacation and go
back to school immediately. The "overwhelming" aspect of the book
is that it clearly shows that a media specialist cannot drive this process
alone. Buying into the ideal is simply not enough; to become an "Information-Powered
School," participation by a wide range of individuals is necessary.
There are many diagrams and tables that outline the roles of all involved.
One segment with which I struggled is in the area of community involvement;
this will be challenging to me, although I see the necessity.
Included in the book are numerous forms that have been utilized by Information
Power participants, called "Library Power Tools." I was able
to use the "Collaboration Request Form" for my staff members at
the beginning of the year. I have also copied the "Long Range Planning
Form". To me, it gave a one-page synopsis of most of the roles I need
to fulfill, and encourage me to not lose sight of the need to plan for the
future.
Administrators who are contemplating cutting media specialist positions
should be required to read the chapter "Flexible Access: Essential
to Active Learning" by Sandra Hughes-Hassell and Anne Wheelock. It
contains the strongest articulation of the rationale for having a flexible-access
library system that I have encountered. To add to the explanation, there
is a concrete example of a school schedule outlining a typical week in the
life of the "Information-Powered" elementary media specialist.
An unexpected bonus that was included in this book was a brief but effective
chapter on curriculum mapping. The only book on the subject of which I was
previously aware was one by Heidi Hayes Jacobs, which is referenced in this
chapter. I have attended some professional development training on mapping
presented by teachers from Chattanooga, so I was not surprised that many
of the charts and examples in this book were from their school system. This
chapter by itself could be used as the basis of a professional development
activity.
Other chapters include collection mapping, "Enhancing Student Learning
with Technology," and professional development that is needed. The
editors incorporate several, short "Library Power Lessons" that
highlight strategic questions and techniques. There are over forty forms
and templates ready for educators' use, and each chapter has websites and
other references.
My overall impression of this book? It had more practical, useful materials
than many books five times as long. As a beginning media specialist, I was
able to develop a clearer picture of what my role could and should involve.
The book itself modeled flexibility in that it often gave many alternative
methods for accomplishing the same task. The procedures include models of
instruction and planning that would be beneficial not only to media specialists,
but to administrators, teachers and curriculum designers.
I would not be surprised to see this book selected as a text for any course
involving designs for technology integration, administration, library science
and more. Classroom teachers would also gain valuable insight from this
book, because not only does it effectively explain the theory of "Information
Power," it gives successful ways to implement the program throughout
the building, not just in the media center.
Links:
The Information-Powered School
Information Power
resources
Mapping
the Big Picture:
Integrating Curriculum & Assessment K-12
by Heidi Hayes Jacobs
Seeing and Believing:
How to Teach Media Literacy in the English Classroom
Mary Christel and Ellen Krueger
Heinemann/Boynton/Cook/
(2001; trade paperback)
ISBN: 0-86709-573-3
Review by
Amy Heinsma
7th Language Arts & Reading Teacher
Windsor, CO
Many of us realized the importance of media literacy on September 11, when
we suddenly were trying to help our students cope with the barrage of images
and information that assaulted them. Media literacy should be an integral
part of our everyday teaching in every content area.
Seeing and Believing: How to Teach Media Literacy in the English Classroom
is a book that will help teachers systematically dissect and analyze photographs,
clips, movies and television episodes with students. Although geared mostly
towards high school teachers, some of the information will be helpful to
middle school educators.
Mary Christel and Ellen Krueger are high school English teachers who have
been developing media literacy lessons for over twenty years. Their lessons
and advice are contained within this book. It is very user-friendly for
high school teachers with lots of resources listed. The authors emphasize
that media literacy should not be a distinct unit within a year, but should
be integrated throughout the year, especially in English classes.
The book is separated into three parts. Part One, Deconstructing the Single
Image, describes using the still images that we see every day to help students
understand how they affect us emotionally. Ellen Krueger suggests using
political cartoons, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Photographs, and advertising
to discuss issues such as diversity, prejudice and stereotyping. On page
22 is a helpful list of propaganda techniques.
One of the lessons also entails having the students take a cultural literacy
quiz where they match such expressions as Allah, Mormons, yin and yang,
Watergate, and in loco parentis with their definitions. Immediately after
that, they are given a quiz on advertising slogans. Students usually know
the advertising slogans better than they know the terms. It's a great tool
to use for discussion.
Part Two discusses analyzing the moving image. There is an entire chapter
filled with basic terminology such as "take", "back lighting",
"superimposition", and "montage." The lesson plans in
this chapter include designing storyboards, designing a soundscape, using
film extracts, editing, point of view, and using avant-garde short films.
Part Three Integrates Feature-Length Films and Episodic Television. Mary
Christel has a chapter called "Film in the Literature Class: Not Just
Dessert Anymore." It's an excellent chapter that recommends using films
to provide motivation for reading and then looking at similarities and differences
between text and film.
I've taught media literacy for several years to my seventh graders, and
I found many of the lessons to be too advanced or inappropriate for middle
school students. There are several lessons that are adaptable, but overall
I would only recommend this book to someone who is familiar with media literacy
previously -- and to high school teachers. It is not a book for beginners.
For the middle school level, I think there are some better resources out
there. Many of the Newspapers in Education programs offer an entire curriculum
for teachers that are great for middle school. The recent series by PBS,
The Merchants
of Cool, is an excellent look at advertising and teenagers. Other resources
for middle school teachers are listed below:
MEDIA
ALERT! 200 Activities to Create Media-Savvy Kids by Sue
Lockwood Summers, Hi Willow Research and Publishing.
Changing
the World Through Media Education by Rose, Quesada & Summers, Fulcrum
Publishing p; A complete curriculum for grades four through eight.
The Center for Media Literacy: http://www.medialit.org.
See their list of
useful resources.
Foundation for Media Education: http://www.cme.org
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