Education: Books

"Grades and assessment are elephants in almost every room where discussions of education are underway. This book examines the what, why, and whether of grades: When do they fail? What harm do they do and how can we mitigate that harm? Can we construct more poetic, less supposedly objective, models for assessment? The word 'ungrading' means raising an eyebrow at grades as a systemic practice, distinct from simply 'not grading.' The word is a present participle, an ongoing process, not a static set of practices. Ungrading is a systemic critique, a series of conversations we have about grades, ideally drawing students into those conversations with the goal of engaging them as full agents in their own education. This book represents over 20 years of thinking and writing about grades. The work of ungrading is to ask hard questions, point to the fundamental inequities of grades, and push for structural change. There are lots of places to begin this work. This book offers a handful of jumping off points, pedagogies and practices to explore to make assessment more equitable." back cover

"In a 2011 summary written for the Centre for Strategic Education, Michael Fullan identified four "wrong drivers" in education policy responsible for stifling successful, effective reforms. These wrong drivers are meant to accomplish improved outcomes for students and teachers, but have little chance of meeting their stated goals without a foundational set of "right drivers" oriented toward measurable, whole-system changes; specifically, changes that build capacity, promote group solutions, focus on instruction, and employ integrated or systemic strategies. Reliance on wrong drivers for equity have resulted in pressures to embrace standards, raise test scores, and purchase off-the-shelf programs that treat inequitable conditions as formulaic. None of these provide educators with the tools they need to engage in hard conversations about racism, cultural hegemony, and achievement disparities"-- Provided by publisher.

"Religious Education in the Secondary School is a comprehensive, straightforward introduction to the effective teaching of Religious Education in the secondary classroom. Acknowledging the highly valuable yet often misunderstood contribution of RE, this text shows how the subject can be taught in a way that explores the impact of religion on the lives of people and society, engaging pupils and preparing them to become individuals who celebrate and respect diversity. This second edition has been thoroughly updated and includes a new chapter on 'Religion and Worldviews' and new material on the development and assessment of an RE curriculum. It is illustrated throughout with ideas for teaching at different key stages and offers expert chapters introducing you to both the World Religions and the core aspects of effective teaching and learning. With an emphasis on developing an understanding of the importance - and different ways - of meeting the learning needs of all pupils, key chapters cover: - The nature of Religious Education; - What is religion and worldviews; - Understanding different pedagogies of RE; - Effective planning and assessment; - An approach to teaching across the Key Stages; - Core subject knowledge in Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism. Written by an experienced teacher, teacher educator and examiner, Religious Education in the Secondary School is a succinct compendium and has a real classroom applicability offering all trainee RE teachers, as well as those teaching Religious Education as specialists or non-specialists, a wealth of support and inspiration"-- Provided by publisher.

"Since Brown v. Board of Education in 1954 Americans have viewed school integration as a central tenet of the black civil rights movement. Yet, school integration was not the only-or even always the dominant-civil rights strategy. At times, African Americans also fought for separate, Black-controlled schools dedicated to racial uplift, community empowerment, and self-determination. An African American Dilemma offers a social history of debates over school integration within northern Black communities from the 1840s to the present. This broad geographical and temporal focus reveals that northern Black educational activists vacillated between a preference for either school integration or separation during specific eras. Yet, as there was never a consensus, this study also highlights the chorus of dissent, debate, and counter-narratives that pushed families to consider a fuller range of educational reforms. A sweeping historical analysis that covers the entire history of public education in the North, this study complicates our understanding of school integration by highlighting the diverse perspectives of Black students, parents, teachers, and community leaders all committed to improving public education. It finds that Black school integrationists and separatists have worked together in a dynamic tension that fueled effective strategies for educational reform and the black civil rights movement. This study draws on an enormous range of archival data including the black press, school board records, social science studies, the papers of civil rights activists, and court cases"-- Provided by publisher.

"The French have a name for the uniquely hellish years between elementary school and high school: "l'âge ingrat" or "The Ugly Age." Characterized by a perfect storm of developmental changes-physical, psychological, and social-the middle-school years are a time of great distress for parents and children alike, marked by hurt, isolation, exclusion, competition, anxiety, and often outright cruelty. Some of this is inevitable; there are intrinsic challenges to early adolescence. But these years are harder than they need to be, and Judith Warner believes that adults are complicit. With piercing insight, compassion, and humor, Warner walks us through a new understanding of the role that middle school plays in all our lives. Part intellectual investigation and part call to action, this timely book unpacks one of life's most formative periods and shows how we can help our children not only survive it, but thrive"-- Provided by publisher.

This volume has been brought together to generate new ideas and provoke discussion about what constitutes arts education in the 21st century, both within the institution and beyond. It is intended for educators who teach the arts from early childhood to tertiary level, artists working in the community, or those studying arts in education from undergraduate to Masters or PhD level.

"Between Zoom meetings, online classes, social media, gaming, and binge-watching TV series, humans now spend most of their free time submerged in screen life--and that's taking a toll on real life. The good news: there is a way back. Bestselling author David Murrow's new book is a rescue plan for parents, adults, teachers, and ministers who want to help others (or themselves) achieve screen-life/real-life balance. Built around five simple parables, Drowing in Screen Time shows you what screens are doing to your family and relationships, why screen content is so addictive, how to find freedom and confidence in real life." -- Back cover.

"With a growing population of children diagnosed with autism, there is a critical need for teachers and administrators to have a solid understanding of the evidence-based practices necessary for positive academic, behavioral, and social outcomes for this population. Dr. Carnahan and Dr. Lowrey have created a framework that can be used to review and assess the current teaching environment to determine if the evidence-based practices are being implemented and offer strategies on how to improve the delivery of instruction to ensure that these students are being supported"-- Provided by publisher.

"Although illegal, racial segregation was strictly enforced in a number of American states, and public libraries were not immune. Numerous libraries were desegregated on paper only: there would be no cards given to African Americans, no books for them to read, and no furniture for them to use. It was these exact conditions that helped create Freedom Libraries. Over eighty of these parallel libraries appeared in the Deep South, staffed by civil rights voter registration workers. While the grassroots nature of the libraries meant they varied in size and quality, all of them created the first encounter many African Americans had with a library. Terror, bombings, and eventually murder would be visited on the Freedom Libraries--with people giving up their lives so others could read a library book. This book delves into how these libraries were the heart of the Civil Rights Movement and the remarkable courage of the people who used them"--Back cover.

"FRIEND is a social, communication and play-based program to help school-aged children with social challenges. All students deserve a positive school experience where they can reach their social and academic potential. However, this can prove difficult for students with difficulties such as attention deficit, anxiety, emotional or autism spectrum disorders, who may struggle daily with social situations. This manual provides everything educators need to support these students with their social skills in everyday situations, throughout their school years. This program is designed to help any student with social challenges, no matter how subtle. For students without social challenges, it teaches tolerance, acceptance and understanding. The characteristics of successful social skills programs are described, with an emphasis on how FRIEND implements them through three key components: the Peer Sensitivity Curriculum, the FRIEND Lunch Program and the FRIEND Playground Program. These can be implemented individually or in any combination as a comprehensive program. Parents and family are offered information on working together with schools and implementing FRIEND strategies at home and in the community. Emphasizing peer sensitivity, education and a supportive environment, FRIEND is for any educator wanting to create an inclusive and safe atmosphere for students to learn social skill-building strategies"-- Provided by publisher.

"The story of Black education is about more than desegregation and inclusion in mainstream schooling. Jarvis Givens returns to the classrooms of Jim Crow to highlight the forgotten work of Carter G. Woodson and his followers, who undertook the radical act of educating Black children. Their subversive methods continue to provide a model today"--Provided by publisher.

"Deliver game-changing--and brain-changing--results for your students. Research on the brain continues to evolve, providing fresh insights educators can use to guide students toward success. In the sixth edition of this international bestseller, world-renowned educational neuroscience consultant David Sousa once again translates that research into concrete actions and strategies for the classroom. Featuring important updates and brand-new findings, the latest edition includes: A new section on the expansion of SEL to SECL, integrating the cognitive component of social-emotional learning; Additional research on mindsets--including cautions; Effective, brain-compatible ways to safely use social media and online learning; New information on the importance of student engagement, especially through academic teams; Connections between Bloom's Taxonomy and current instructional strategies, such as teaming and project/maker learning; Whether you're already a fan of brain-compatible learning or just getting started on this exciting approach to teaching and learning, How the Brain Learns will set your neurons firing--and give you the tools you need to help students succeed." -- Provided by publisher.

"An inclusive approach to education is not confined to the classroom. The school playground is where the real test for diversity and difference occurs, and a focus on play during break times is needed for the health, well-being and learning of all students. This book explores pre-school, primary and secondary school play environments as well as transitions between them, and foregrounds the impact of physical environments and adult involvement on choices for play. Grounded in both practical experience and theory, it includes discussion questions, case studies, breakout boxes and a 'Playground Audit' that can be used to plan for change and build positive playground experiences for all students"-- Provided by publisher.

"The Routledge Handbook of Spanish as a Heritage Language brings together contributions from leading linguists, educators and Latino studies scholars involved in teaching and working with Spanish heritage language speakers. This state-of-the-art overview covers a range of topics within five broad areas; Spanish in U.S. public life, Spanish heritage language use and systems, educational contexts, Latino studies perspectives and Spanish outside the U.S. The Routledge Handbook of Spanish as a Heritage Language addresses for the first time the linguistic, educational and social aspects of heritage Spanish speakers in one volume, making it an indispensable reference for anyone working with Spanish as a heritage language" -- Page 4 of cover.

"Born without arms or legs, Nick Vujicic knows what it's like to be different. And he knows what it's like to be bullied and to rise above it. In Stand Strong, Nick gives you strategies for responding to the bullies in your life, empowering you to feel stronger than you ever have felt before."--[book jacket].

"An NPR education reporter shows how the last true social safety net--the public school system--was decimated by the pandemic, and how years of short-sighted political decisions have failed to put our children first. School has long meant much more than an education in America. 30 million children depend on free school meals. Schools are, statistically, the safest physical places for children to be. They are the best chance many children have at finding basics like eye exams, safe housing, mental health counseling, or simply a caring adult. Flawed, inequitable, underfunded, and segregated, they remain the most important engine of social mobility and the crucible of our democracy. The cost of closing our schools for so long during COVID, made with good intentions, has not yet been fully reckoned with. In The Stolen Year, NPR education reporter Anya Kamenetz shows that the roots of our crisis run far deeper than COVID. She follows families across the country as they lived through the pandemic. But she also dives deep into the political history that brought us to this point: Why we have no childcare system to speak of, why subsidies for families were cut to the bone, how children became the group most likely to live in poverty, how we overpolice and separate families of color, and how we are content to let the unpaid and underpaid labor of women, especially women of color and immigrants, stand in for a void of public and collective concern for children. Kamenetz makes the case that 2020 wasn't a lost year--it was taken from our children, by years of neglect and bad faith. We have failed to put them first. The American Rescue Plan offers new tax benefits for families and new funding for schools. But if progress stops there, and we revert to cutting funding and laying off school staff, another crisis will surely come. The Stolen Year is a passionately argued and emotional story, but also a demand for recompense"-- Provided by publisher.

"This book seeks to educate the general population in a way that can be passed on to younger generations for years to come. It's adulting for all ages! J.J. will walk you through how he encouraged his three kids to save birthday and allowance money, then use a portion to buy stocks. You will learn the same lessons he taught his kids at home, and thousands of financial professionals at work. It's OK if you know nothing about stocks, he's here to help fix that. This book simplifies the stock market and stock picking in a way that anyone can understand and teach. If you can understand the business concepts behind a lemonade stand, you'll be able to understand these basics and teach them by the end of the book"--Amazon.

"The second edition of this best-selling book offers the tools teachers need to get started with an innovative approach to teaching history, one that develops literacy and higher-order thinking skills, connects the past to students' lives today, and meets state and national standards. The author provides an introductory unit to build a trustful classroom climate; over 70 primary sources (including a dozen new ones) organized into six thematic units, each structured around an essential question from U.S. history; and a final unit focusing on periodization and chronology. As students analyze carefully excerpted documents-speeches by presidents and protesters, Supreme Court cases, political cartoons-they build an understanding of how diverse historical figures have approached key issues. At the same time, students learn to participate in civic debates and develop their own views on what it means to be a 21st-century American. Each unit connects to current events, and dynamic classroom activities make history come alive. In addition to the documents themselves, this teaching manual provides strategies to assess student learning; mini-lectures designed to introduce documents; activities to help students process, display, and integrate their learning; guidance to help teachers create their own units, and more"-- Provided by publisher.

Coaching track and field is a unique challenge given the number of disciplines, the specific technical skills to teach each one, and the planning and organisation needed for practicing and competing effectively as a team. This book covers what coaches need to know to help their athletes achieve their potential.

"1925. High school substitute teacher John Scopes was arrested for teaching the science of evolution, a violation of Tennessee's Butler Act. When attorney Clarence Darrow defended Scopes, the trail catapulted the small town of Dayton, Tennessee, into the national spotlight. Darrow's seminal defense of freedom of speech helped form the legal bedrock on which our civil liberties depend today. Jarrett and Yaeger call upon our past to unite Americans in the defense of the free exchange of ideas, especially in this divided time"--Adapted from the book jacket

"What are the beliefs and behaviors that set great teachers apart? In this internationally renowned bestseller, Todd Whitaker reveals 19 keys to becoming more effective in the classroom. This essential third edition features new sections on why it's about more than relationships, how to focus on a consistent, engaging learning environment, and the importance of choosing the right mode to improve your classroom management. Perfect for educators at any level of experience, for independent reading or for schoolwide book studies, this practical book will leave you feeling inspired and ready to do the things that matter most for the people who matter most-your students"-- Provided by publisher.

"In this new edition of the highly regarded Why Don't Students Like School? cognitive psychologist Daniel Willingham turns his research on the biological and cognitive basis of learning into workable teaching techniques. This book will help you improve your teaching practice by explaining how you and your students think and learn. It reveals the importance of story, emotion, memory, context, and routine in building knowledge and creating lasting learning experiences. With a treasure trove of updated material, this edition draws its themes from the most frequently asked questions in Willingham’s “Ask the Cognitive Scientist” column in the American Educator. How can you teach students the skills they need when standardized testing just requires facts? Why do students remember everything on TV, but forget everything you say? How can you adjust your teaching for different learning styles? Read this book for the answers to these questions and for practical advice on helping your learners learn better"-- Provided by publisher.

Come on, kids: Grab a hammer, step up to the workbench, and get ready to measure, saw, drill, and make cool things! Wood Shop is an exciting introduction for today's kids to an ages-old tradition: building with wood. With step-by-step photographs and clear instructions, aspiring woodworkers learn essential skills such as how to drive a nail, use a power drill, "measure twice, cut once," and saw correctly. Then the fun begins as they put these skills to work building 18 cool and creative projects to furnish the wood shop, decorate their bedrooms and homes, and create their own play equipment. Favorite projects include the Sky-High Stilts, Suspended Shelves, an Easy-Up Tent, and a Mighty Message Board. Wood Shop is the perfect gift for tinkerers, young makers, fans of Lego toys, and want-to-be carpenters and engineers-- Provided by publisher.

Authorized teaching resource in Alberta for elementary, junior and senior high special education. 1995-2005.

"Beginning to Read reconciles the debate that has divided theorists for decades over the "right" way to help children learn to read. Drawing on a rich array of research on the nature and development of reading proficiency, Adams shows educators that they need not remain trapped in the phonics versus teaching-for-meaning dilemma. She proposes that phonics can work together with the whole language approach to teaching reading and provides an integrated treatment of the knowledge and process involved in skillful reading, the issues surrounding their acquisition, and the implications for reading instruction." - Publisher description

"Our students are tested to an extent that is unprecedented in American history and unparalleled anywhere in the world. Politicians and businesspeople, determined to get tough with students and teachers, have increased the pressure to raise standardized test scores. Unfortunately, the effort to do so typically comes at the expense of more meaningful forms of learning." "That disturbing conclusion emerges from Alfie Kohn's devastating new indictment of standardized testing. Drawing from the latest research, he concisely explains just how little test results really tell us and just how harmful a test-driven curriculum can be. Written in a highly readable question-and-answer format, The Case Against Standardized Testing will help readers respond to common questions and challenges."--Jacket.

"Research on teacher effectiveness has focused on a variety of areas over the years. This book argues that, in addition to any other factors, effective teaching depends significantly on the context of teaching and the conditions of the workplace. Chapters examine the secondary school workplace from a number of vantage the dimensions of the workplace that teachers believe are most salient to their performance and effectiveness, specific features of the context thought to be powerful in shaping teachers' work, the influence of structural features that organize work in secondary schools, and the ways in which the context shapes problems of reform and change." - Publisher description

"Little has been written about the practical considerations for reforming schools from the inside. This booklet explores how people responsible for schools can develop better relationships, new forms of colleagueship, and new ways of working together more productively. Three aphorisms describe the phenomenon of faculty-led school improvement: (1) taking a trip without a roadmap; (2) rebuilding the airplane while in flight; and (3) rediscovering the "if it's not local, it's not real" adage. To restructure education effectively, educators must foster the dynamics of group functioning and build an environment in which research-proven teaching methodologies promoting positive student interaction can flourish. Cooperation and collaboration are often hampered when groups of teachers and students are asked to work together without using group building activities, which incorporate heterogeneous grouping, positive interdependence, group reward, and individual accountability. Four chapters discuss specific group builders to enhance positive interactions between administrators and teachers, among teachers, and among both younger and older students. The last chapter discusses approaches to assessing the outcomes of the interactive process. Numerous sources for group-building activities are included, along with a selected bibliography of 35 references. (MLH)" - Publisher description

Takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with their vocation and their students.Teachers choose their vocation for reasons of the heart, because they care deeply about their students and about their subject. But the demands of teaching cause too many educators to lose heart. Is it possible to take heart in teaching once more so that we can continue to do what good teachers always do -- give heart to our students? In The Courage to Teach, Parker Palmer takes teachers on an inner journey toward reconnecting with their vocation and their students -- and recovering their passion for one of the most difficult and important of human endeavors. -- Publisher description.

"The purpose of this book is to consider early literacy education and whole language from the perspective of constructivist theory (which states that human beings acquire knowledge by building it from the inside in interaction with the environment) and research. More specifically, the book intends to show that the whole language movement is part of a larger revolution in thinking about learning and teaching, and to enable whole language advocates to explain, evaluate, and improve upon their beliefs and practices on the basis of a scientific, explanatory theory about how children acquire knowledge. The first four chapters of the book describe constructivism and the research supporting it, while the rest of the book deals with classroom practices and related issues such as assessment." - Publisher description

This edition of Woolfolk's book has been reformatted to give instructors greater course flexibility and to help students master the material even more easily. It provides state of the art information, delivered in multiple media and modalities, for students with a variety of learning styles.

Contributors to this award-winning book share practical ideas for day-care workers, classroom teachers, and curriculum specialists. Special illustrated format features "Ideas You Can Use" with 2- to 8-year-olds in classrooms from prekindergarten through second grade.

"This volume is a collection of theoretical and practical cooperative strategies, models, and frameworks which support and enhance the improvement of thinking in the classroom. Chapter authors provide educators with a wide range of effective cooperative thinking approaches for both small- and large-group cognition and metacognition, and show the value of such constructs in improving student thinking performance. Using classroom vignettes and supportive research, contributors illustrate how cooperative small-group learning is more effective than traditional whole-class learning in helping children to think effectively. Each chapter also includes suggestions for practice and implementation of the authors' ideas." - Publisher description

Suggests a wide variety activities to foster a positive self-image and an enjoyment of learning. The materials are tested and will encourage individual creativity and self-expression.

"Presents children's literature references, current research in language development, and classroom-oriented strategies geared towards early childhood education." - Amazon description

A comprehensive resource that addresses the "whole child, " as well as the team approach to meeting the needs of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Includes management techniques that promote on-task behavior and language arts, whole language, and multi-sensory instruction strategies that maintain student attention and keep students involved.

A guide for educators on putting the whole language theory into practice in their school.

"The authors integrate cooperative learning with competitive and individualistic learning by providing guidelines for managing critical issues such as teaching social skills, assessing competencies and involvement, and resolving conflict among group members. Each type of learning is clearly defined; the advantages and disadvantages of each are covered; and the research is analyzed to illuminate the conditions under which each should be used. Pre-service and in-service teachers with an interest in cooperative learning and teaching methods." - Amazon description

Originally presented at the second annual Whole Language Umbrella Conference, the 18 essays in this book address the three related themes of identity, responsibility, and practice. The essays in the book discuss how whole language is defined, and how its practitioners come to define themselves; how whole language teachers act upon their identities through being informed, responsive, and accountable; and how identity and responsibility work together to inform daily practice in the classroom.

Howard Gardner's brilliant conception of individual competence is changing the face of education today. In the ten years since the publication of his seminal Frames of Mind, thousands of educators, parents, and researchers have explored the practical implications of Multiple Intelligences (MI) theory -- the powerful notion that there are separate human capacities, ranging from musical intelligence to the intelligence involved in understanding oneself. Multiple Intelligences: The Theory in Practice brings together previously published and original work by Gardner and his colleagues at Project Zero to provide a coherent picture of what we have learned about the educational applications of MI theory from projects in schools and formal research over the last decade. -- Back cover.

Suggests a wide variety activities to foster a positive self-image and an enjoyment of learning. The materials are tested and will encourage individual creativity and self-expression.

"What is the definition of play and the play curriculum? Whattools and means are used to assess play development? How is a play classroom organized? What is the role of the teacher or caregiver in the play process? These are the fourfundamental questions addressed by Wolfgang and Wolfgang in this practical, hands-onbook. This clearly written, practical book focuses on teaching young children through a play curriculum. Utilizing methods and techniques that are solidly based in developmentally- appropriate theory and research, the text omits large sections of abstract theoretical material so as to encourage the practical application of concepts. Moreover, most chapters provide a list of practical activities, enabling readers to apply chapter ideas to real-life situations. Charts, classroom maps, checklist of materials, and new assessment instruments enable readers to easily apply the educational principles and practices. Early childhood educators, administrators, school counselors, day care workers, and parents." - Publisher description