Research and Rhetoric, based on the CLEAR curriculum, is a must-read for teachers who have been wondering how to foster creativity and increase student engagement while teaching research and persuasive writing, says classroom teacher Linda Biondi.
Being a school leader is incredibly demanding, requiring principals to stay current on education trends while managing day to day operations. Williamson and Blackburn share five actionable trends they’ve observed in their work with middle grades leaders.
Teaching students to write effective arguments supported by reliable evidence is one of the notable “stretch goals” of the common core. Expert Sarah Tantillo has added a critical new step to her own strategy in an effort to help more students reach the goal.
As the 2016 Presidential Campaign heats up, media literacy expert Frank W. Baker brings the political races to the classroom with standards-based activities to help students understand the persuasive power of plentiful and often misleading political ads.
The professional wisdom of teacher educator and consultant Barbara Blackburn shines through in “Motivating Struggling Learners,” writes 7th grade math teacher and coach Karen Bloom. Blackburn’s clear advice and multiple resources make the book “fantastic.”
Katie Egan Cunningham stresses the importance of caring for our students’ stories even as we explore fiction and story-making with them. Reviewer Mary Langer Thompson highly recommends the book for its practical focus mixed with a philosophy beautifully expressed.
Jeff Benson’s 10 Steps to Manage Change in Schools offers an efficient blueprint for leadership teams, forcing participants to think critically about the rationale for change and its likely impacts. Sustainable improvement will justify the time commitment.
Genius Hour gives students the opportunity to be autonomous in their learning. Sometimes, though, they need a little start-up help. Experts Gallit Zvi and Denise Krebs share lots of starter ideas for students and classrooms and urge readers to add their own.
“The Educator’s Guide to Writing a Book” makes the process of creating a book-length manuscript less daunting, more doable, and much less mysterious, says reviewer Susan Schwartz, who recommends it to anyone who has the urge to share what they’ve learned.
Book Reviews / Common Core State Standards
by MiddleWeb · Published 02/11/2016 · Last modified 11/18/2019
The activities in Lisa Morris’ book on teaching ELA with the CCSS in grades 2-5 are easily adapted for each level, including middle grades 4&5. Reviewer Linda Biondi also liked the extensive mentor texts and came away with oodles of lesson ideas.
