Packed with strategies, tips, and activities you can quickly put into practice, this book shows how to build productive teams and intentionally create an environment of professional engagement in your school. Authors Margaret Searle and Marilyn Swartz organize the work into four key steps: (1) establishing guidelines and protocols, including drafting agendas and timelines; (2) managing and resolving conflicts, including giving honest feedback and building team morale; (3) refining decision-making skills, including creating win-win situations and improving flexibility and efficiency; and (4) building team capacity, including evaluating and sustaining teamwork. With the guidance in this book, you’ll soon see the benefits that come from highly effective teams of teachers who powerfully focus on student results.
Whether students leave the classroom confident and goal-directed or frustrated and aimless depends on our ability to do two things: diagnose their needs and deliver support. This challenge can be daunting when students come to school with weak vocabulary, poor planning and organization skills, and problems with memory, impulse control, and attention span. Causes & Cures reveals new neurological research about the root causes of these obstacles and lays out a comprehensive five-step protocol designed to help all educators identify and address common student academic and behavior issues. This essential guide provides * Illuminating case studies that walk you through the protocol in a variety of content areas and grade levels.* Strategies and tools to help you diagnose root causes and develop targeted, effective interventions for your students.* Guidance for extending individualized interventions to large groups. Most of us went into teaching with the dream of helping all our students succeed. We can't let students who struggle wear us down or wait us out. No matter which subject or grade level you teach, this indispensable resource will show how you can help students overcome difficulties and experience real success in the classroom. Note: This product listing is for the reflowable (ePub) version of the book.
What is Response to Intervention and why should we care? With this question, Margaret Searle begins her exploration of the RTI approach to classroom instruction and intervention from the perspective of a seasoned teacher, principal, and administrator.
Built on a solid foundation of best practice, RTI draws on the strengths and successes that many districts and schools already have in place. For the plan to be effective, however, proactive and consistent leadership is essential. With this in mind, Searle outlines the critical roles played by school leaders at each step and offers practical answers to the questions they will likely face.
* Where should I start implementing or improving our RTI plan? * Where do I find high-quality research-based interventions? * What’s a pyramid of interventions and what do I put in the tiers? * How can I help teachers set and reach student goals? * How is RTI different from what we’ve tried before? * How can we make this whole thing work without going crazy?
Searle shows how school leaders can use the RTI model to coordinate resources and foster continuous student improvement and achievement. This breakthrough approach replaces the old “wait to fail” mind-set with proactive efforts that will support all students in danger of not reaching their potential.
This is an essential guide for school leaders who want to support, focus, and sustain their RTI goals and build a culture of data-driven decision making.