“Of the over one hundred new publications on the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), this one truly stands out! In the second edition of Building Academic Language, Jeff Zwiers presents a much-needed, comprehensive roadmap to cultivating academic language development across all disciplines, this time placing the rigor and challenges of the CCSS front and center. A must-have resource!” —Andrea Honigsfeld, EdD, Molloy College “Language is critical to the development of content learning as students delve more deeply into specific disciplines. When students possess strong academic language, they are better able to critically analyze and synthesize complex ideas and abstract concepts. In this second edition of Building Academic Language, Jeff Zwiers successfully builds the connections between the Common Core State Standards and academic language. This is the ‘go to’ resource for content teachers as they transition to the expectations for college and career readiness.” —Katherine S. McKnight, PhD, National Louis University With the adoption of the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) by most of the United States, students need help developing their understanding and use of language within the academic context. This is crucially important throughout middle school and high school, as the subjects discussed and concepts taught require a firm grasp of language in order to understand the greater complexity of the subject matter. Building Academic Language shows teachers what they can do to help their students grasp language principles and develop the language skills they’ll need to reach their highest levels of academic achievement. The Second Edition of Building Academic Language includes new strategies for addressing specific Common Core standards and also provides answers to the most important questions across various content areas, including: What is academic language and how does it differ by content area? How can language-building activities support content understanding for students? How can teachers assist students in using language more effectively, especially in the academic context? How can academic language usage be modeled routinely in the classroom? How can lesson planning and assessment support academic language development? An essential resource for teaching all students, this book explains what every teacher needs to know about language for supporting reading, writing, and academic learning.
Bring Common Core Math into high school with smart, engaging activities Teaching Common Core Math Standards with Hands-On Activities, Grades 9-12 provides high school teachers with the kind of help they need to begin teaching the standards right away. This invaluable guide pairs each standard with one or more classroom-ready activities and suggestions for variations and extensions. Covering a range of abilities and learning styles, these activities bring the Common Core Math Standards to life as students gain fluency in math communication and develop the skillset they need to tackle successively more complex math courses in the coming years. Make math anxiety a thing of the past as you show your students how they use math every day of their lives, and give them the cognitive tools to approach any math problem with competence and confidence. The Common Core Standards define the knowledge and skills students need to graduate high school fully prepared for college and careers. Meeting these standards positions American students more competitively in the global economy, and sets them on a track to achieve their dreams. This book shows you how to teach the math standards effectively, and facilitate a deeper understanding of math concepts and calculations. Help students apply their understanding of math concepts Teach essential abstract and critical thinking skills Demonstrate various problem-solving strategies Lay a foundation for success in higher mathematics The rapid adoption of the Common Core Standards across the nation has left teachers scrambling for aligned lessons and activities. If you want to bring new ideas into the classroom today, look no further. Teaching Common Core Math Standards with Hands-On Activities is the high school math teacher's solution for smart, engaging Common Core math.
Practice makes perfect – and helps deepen your understanding of physics Physics I Practice Problems For Dummies gives you hundreds of opportunities to learn and practice everything physics. A physics course is a key requirement for careers in engineering, computer science, and medicine and now you can further practice classroom instruction. Plus online content provides you with an on-the-go collection of physics problems in a multiple choice format. Physics I Practice Problems For Dummies takes you beyond classroom instruction and puts your problems solving skills to the test. Reinforces the skills you learn in physics class Helps refine your understanding of physics Practice problems with answer explanations that detail every step of every problem Customized practice sets for self-directed study Whether you’re studying physics at the high school or college level, the 500 practice problems in Physics I Practice Problems For Dummies range in areas of difficulty and style, providing you with the help you need to score high on your next exam.
The secrets behind China's extraordinary educational system – good, bad, and ugly Chinese students' consistently stunning performance on the international PISA exams— where they outscore students of all other nations in math, reading, and science—have positioned China as a world education leader. American educators and pundits have declared this a «Sputnik Moment,» saying that we must learn from China's education system in order to maintain our status as an education leader and global superpower. Indeed, many of the reforms taking hold in United States schools, such as a greater emphasis on standardized testing and the increasing importance of core subjects like reading and math, echo the Chinese system. We're following in China's footsteps—but is this the direction we should take? Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? by award-winning writer Yong Zhao offers an entertaining, provocative insider's account of the Chinese school system, revealing the secrets that make it both «the best and worst» in the world. Born and raised in China's Sichuan province and a teacher in China for many years, Zhao has a unique perspective on Chinese culture and education. He explains in vivid detail how China turns out the world's highest-achieving students in reading, math, and science—yet by all accounts Chinese educators, parents, and political leaders hate the system and long to send their kids to western schools. Filled with fascinating stories and compelling data, Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Dragon? offers a nuanced and sobering tour of education in China. Learn how China is able to turn out the world's highest achieving students in math, science, and reading Discover why, despite these amazing test scores, Chinese parents, teachers, and political leaders are desperate to leave behind their educational system Discover how current reforms in the U.S. parallel the classic Chinese system, and how this could help (or hurt) our students' prospects
Make your school soar by escalating trust between teachers, students, and families Trust is an essential element in all healthy relationships, and the relationships that exist in your school are no different. How can your school leaders or teachers cultivate trust? How can your institution maintain trust once it is established? These are the questions addressed and answered in Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools, 2nd Edition. The book delves into the helpful research that has been conducted on the topic of trust in school. Although rich with research data, Trust Matters also contains practical advice and strategies ready to be implemented. This second edition expands upon the role of trust between teachers and students, teachers and administrators, and schools and families. Trust Matters: Leadership for Successful Schools also covers a range of sub-topics relevant to trust in school. All chapters in the text have questions for reflection and discussion. Engaging chapters such as «Teachers Trust One Another» and «Fostering Trust with Students» have thought-provoking trust-building questions and activities you can use in the classroom or in faculty meetings. This valuable resource: Examines ways to cultivate trust Shares techniques and practices that help maintain trust Advises leaders of ways to include families in the school's circle of trust Addresses the by-products of betrayed trust and how to restore it With suspicion being the new norm within schools today, Trust Matters is the book your school needs to help it rise above. It shows just how much trust matters in all school relationships—administrator to teacher; teacher to student; school to family—and in all successful institutions.
Offers best practices for implementing RTI at the school-wide level-to ensure success for all learners Response-to-Intervention is now mandated at schools across the country. While there are a handful of books offering tips on implementation, schools are still struggling to find the best approaches. This book, from a prominent RTI researcher, explains how the most successful schools using RTI manage the process. Sailor offers best practices for implementing RTI not only at the classroom level, but also at the school-wide and district-wide levels, to ensure no student falls through the cracks and schools fulfill the promise of RTI. Offers clear guidance on implementing Response-to-Intervention effectively Reveals the framework used by the most successful schools using RTI Includes information on applying RTI for behavioral problems as well as academic challenges Contains illustrative examples of how the approach is applied at all levels, from individual student to school-wide and district-wide Written by a top researcher in the field of Response-to Intervention
Donalyn Miller says she has yet to meet a child she couldn't turn into a reader. No matter how far behind Miller's students might be when they reach her 6th grade classroom, they end up reading an average of 40 to 50 books a year. Miller's unconventional approach dispenses with drills and worksheets that make reading a chore. Instead, she helps students navigate the world of literature and gives them time to read books they pick out themselves. Her love of books and teaching is both infectious and inspiring. The book includes a dynamite list of recommended «kid lit» that helps parents and teachers find the books that students really like to read.
Problem-solving techniques for all aspects of the English teacher's job This unique time-saving book is packed with tested techniques and materials to assist new and experienced English teachers with virtually every phase of their job from lesson planning to effective discipline techniques. The book includes 175 easy-to-understand strategies, lessons, checklists, and forms for effective classroom management and over 50 reproducible samples teachers can adopt immediately for planning, evaluation, or assignments. It is filled with creative and functional ideas for reading response activities, writing assignments, group and individual projects, and speeches. Offers instructions for creating and implementing an effective classroom-wide behavior management program Shows how to practice the art of teaching English effectively and reduce time on labor intensive tasks Reveals how to work effectively with parents, colleagues, substitute teachers, administrators, and community resources The second edition includes coverage of technology in the classroom, advice for working with reluctant readers, a wealth of sample teaching units and more.
Thoroughly revised edition of the bestselling resource for new teachers–complete with discussion questions, downloadable handouts, and a staff development guide This award-winning book gives beginning educators everything they need to survive and thrive in the classroom. The third edition covers new material including working as a part of a professional learning community (PLC), teaching media literacy and social responsibility, incorporating Common Core State Standards, handling «homework push-back» from parents, changes in classroom technology, techniques for motivating students, seeking feedback, and much more. A fully revised edition of a trusted resource, offering solutions to challenges and typical scenarios encountered by new teachers Bonus CD features downloadable versions of the book's checklists, forms, worksheets, and self-assessments Includes Discussion Questions and a handy training guide for Professional Development providers This popular resource offers teachers an essential guide for knowing what to expect when they begin their career and ideas for solving classroom problems.
An updated edition of the best-selling book for teacher success in the classroom Designed for new and experienced teachers alike, this thoroughly revised and updated edition offers a value-packed, practical source of ready-to-use tips and strategies for meeting the challenges teachers face everyday while organizing and managing a classroom. The third edition includes entirely new sections on teaching English language learners, inquiry-based learning, building positive teacher-student relationships, wrapping up the school year, and much more. The book also features many new forms, pre-written letters, checklists, and reproducibles, along with bonus forms and reproducibles that are available for free download from the web. Includes tools and techniques proven to help teachers succeed in the classroom Contains new sections on teaching English language learners, teacher-student relationships, inquiry-based learning, and more Many handy reproducible forms, handouts, and checklists Includes access to free downloadable bonus material on the web, including pre-written letters, reproducible forms, and worksheets