Category: Book Reviews

The Essential Traits of School Leader Credibility

Fisher and Frey’s “Leader Credibility” provides a roadmap to strengthening leadership skills. It outlines traits of those who engage, inspire and transform and offers guidance on the essentials of trust, competence, dynamism, forward thinking and more, says Cathy Gassenheimer.

A Poetry Resource Sure to Engage Students

Linda Rief’s Whispering in the Wind shows how poetry helps us listen to the voices of others and allows us to share our voices. She offers practical advice, concrete examples, and specific resources to expand the teaching of poetry by creating “Heart Books,” writes ELA teacher Kasey Short.

Using Conferences to Grow Mathematicians

Gina Picha’s book offers advice, examples and resources for brief math conferences that focus on listening and observing, naming students’ strengths, and encouraging them to share ideas. Fifth grade math teacher Kathie Palmieri finds it a practical, easy-to-implement guide.

Assessment That Aligns with SEL Skills and Goals

Star Sackstein’s Assessing with Respect is about focusing on meeting students’ SEL needs and how that allows us to work with them on greater academic achievements. She effectively discusses the theory of CASEL competencies and their implementation, writes NBCT Megan Balduf.

Texturing Culturally Sustaining Practices

Lorena Germán easily weaves her personal experiences into the presentation of her Textured Teaching framework, holding our interest as she invites us into a deeper reflection about what it means to grow a culturally sustaining teaching practice and how we can bring that about.

Succeed with Students Who Need You Most

If you are teaching in a low-performing, high-poverty school, Eric Jensen’s Teaching with Poverty and Equity in Mind is a must read, writes Anne Anderson. Jensen begins with the process of teachers adopting an equity mindset and offers proven tools to support all students.

Practical Ways to Find the Magic in Literature

In Love & Literacy, the authors walk readers through key priorities of literacy learning, offer examples of real teaching moments, and give teachers what they need to use their ideas. Veteran teacher Rebecca Crockett now sees engagement and student understanding in a new way.