The book that inspired millions of educators to refine their approach to teaching returns for an all-new third edition. Built on a more rigorous research base and updated to emphasize student diversity, equity, and inclusion, The New Classroom Instruction That Works offers a streamlined focus on the 14 instructional strategies proven to promote deep, meaningful, and lasting learning: Cognitive interest cues Student goal setting and monitoring Vocabulary instruction Strategy instruction and modeling Visualizations and concrete examples High-level questions and student explanations Guided initial application with formative feedback Peer-assisted consolidation of learning Retrieval practice Spaced and mixed independent practice Targeted support Cognitive writing Guided investigations Structured problem solving These strategies-all of which are effective and complementary-are presented within a framework geared toward instructional planning and aligned with how the brain learns. For each strategy, you'll get the key research findings, the important principles of classroom practice, and recommended approaches for using the strategy with today's learners. Both new and veteran teachers will finish this book with a better understanding of how effective teaching boosts student achievement and a clearer idea of what to do, when to do it, and why.

Now in its third edition, this bestseller has remained popular, relevant, and a must-read for new teachers, mentors, administrators, and staff development professionals. Appropriate for individual or collaborative study, this book provides simple, practical solutions to the challenges experienced by both new and veteran teachers, including: managing the classroom; handling discipline problems; dealing with challenging students, coworkers, and parents; planning lessons effectively and managing time wisely; accommodating individual differences in students; getting students excited about learning; and much, much more. In this new edition, you'll find advice on incorporating technology into your lessons and using social media to connect with others. You'll also find new Ask Yourself questions (following each of the 101 Answers) and Chapter Highlights to help you apply the ideas in your own classroom. These resources are available in the book and on our website for easy download. Though written for new teachers, the book's practical, easy-to-implement strategies will appeal to teachers of any grade level, subject area, or level of expertise, as well as to mentors, induction coordinators, or anyone seeking to find answers to classroom challenges and improve teaching skills.

In We Can Do This! writing expert and Stella Writes author Janiel Wagstaff pairs examples of student writing with writing lessons. Student writing samples are extremely powerful tools for boosting the growth of young writers and the student samples provided in this book serve as mentor texts and the basis for each lesson. The samples are mentors that are "doable" for students: they highlight skills, strategies, craft moves, and traits within the reach of their intended audience. As teachers and students study the examples, they will think, "I can do that!" Additionally, samples that reflect the most common errors or trouble spots are included, enabling teachers to explicitly teach to these points.

Do you remember a time when you used the right words at the right moment, and they made all the difference? With the aim of helping you repeat that experience every day, this book provides hundreds of examples of what we call "Best Practice Language" (BPL), a research-based technique designed to help teachers use words to improve student behavior - in the classroom and beyond. In their years of working at the K-12 levels, educators Hal Holloman and Peggy H. Yates have identified the exact phrases and key words you can use to handle: recurring disruptions, inappropriate outbursts, and students' low self-confidence, among other classroom realities. BPL will enable you to: Set your expectations clearly on the first day of school Prevent and resolve conflicts between students Create a safe haven for shy, apprehensive students Establish meaningful relationships with students built on trust Help students foster a respect for themselves, their peers, and for adults Maintain a positive classroom environment that encourages personal responsibility Whether you're a new teacher, a veteran teacher, a pre-service teacher, or school administrator, the tools in this book will help you use words effectively, in ways that resonate with students and provide them with clear and promising direction.

Although much has changed in schools in recent years, the power of differentiated instruction remains the same-and the need for it has only increased. Today's classroom is more diverse, more inclusive, and more plugged into technology than ever before. And it's led by teachers under enormous pressure to help decidedly unstandardized students meet an expanding set of rigorous, standardized learning targets. In this updated second edition of her best-selling classic work, Carol Ann Tomlinson offers these teachers a powerful and practical way to meet a challenge that is both very modern and completely timeless: how to divide their time, resources, and efforts to effectively instruct so many students of various backgrounds, readiness and skill levels, and interests. With a perspective informed by advances in research and deepened by more than 15 years of implementation feedback in all types of schools, Tomlinson explains the theoretical basis of differentiated instruction, explores the variables of curriculum and learning environment, shares dozens of instructional strategies, and then goes inside elementary and secondary classrooms in nearly all subject areas to illustrate how real teachers are applying differentiation principles and strategies to respond to the needs of all learners. This book's insightful guidance on what to differentiate, how to differentiate, and why lays the groundwork for bringing differentiated instruction into your own classroom or refining the work you already do to help each of your wonderfully unique learners move toward greater knowledge, more advanced skills, and expanded understanding. Today more than ever, The Differentiated Classroom is a must-have staple for every teacher's shelf and every school's professional development collection.

The secret to every positive learning environment? Belonging. When students feel that they belong in their school and classroom, commitment to learning goes up and behavioral disruptions subside. And when teachers embrace an SEL-infused approach to classroom management that helps every student feel valued, safe, and competent, belonging soars. We Belong offers 50 targeted strategies to increase students' sense of belonging and reinforce the habits that support classroom harmony and learning success. Authors and award-winning educators Laurie Barron and Patti Kinney explore the dynamic partnership of belonging and classroom management and share specific ways to * Build authentic, positive relationships with students and among students * Create spaces that feel physically and emotionally safe for all * Teach and foster social-emotional competence * Increase student engagement and motivation * Foster a sustaining sense of communityCovering a range of key topics-from behavioral expectations to conflict resolution to more effective collaboration-this practical guide for elementary and secondary teachers includes downloadable forms and templates to support strategy implementation. Use it to revisit your priorities and reshape your practices so that all students in your classroom can say of themselves and their peers, "We belong.

Whether it's a trickling stream, a grassy slope, or an abandoned rail spur, the natural world offers teachers a wonderful resource around which to centre creative, inquiry-based learning throughout the year. Nobody knows this better than veteran teacher Laurie Rubin. In To Look Closely: Science and Literacy in the Natural World, she demonstrates how nature study can help students become careful, intentional observers of all they see, growing into stronger readers, writers, mathematicians, and scientists in the process. Laurie invites you to join her class of twenty-one second graders as they visit a small stream in the woods behind a suburban elementary school, and she shares her reflections on class discussions, activities, and learning experiences. From setting a tone of inquiry-based thinking in the classroom to suggesting specific units of study for reading, writing, and science, Laurie guides teachers step-by-step through the basics of how to integrate the skills acquired through nature study into every subject. You will also discover all the ways this purposeful work nurtures "green" citizens who grow up determined to value and protect the natural environment. Filled with student journal entries, narratives, and poems inspired by experiences in the natural world, To Look Closely will inspire and encourage you to become a careful observer of your own "sit spots" outdoors and embrace nature study for a year-or for whatever part of a year is possible for you.

Today's teachers face a daunting challenge: how to ensure a positive school experience for their students, many of whom carry the burden of adverse childhood experiences, such as abuse, poverty, divorce, abandonment, and numerous other serious social issues. Spurred by her personal experience and extensive exploration of brain-based learning, author Marilee Sprenger explains how brain science-what we know about how the brain works-can be applied to social-emotional learning. Specifically, she addresses how to: Build strong, caring relationships with students to give them a sense of belonging. Teach and model empathy, so students feel understood and can better understand others. Awaken students' self-awareness, including the ability to name their own emotions, have accurate self-perceptions, and display self-confidence and self-efficacy. Help students manage their behavior through impulse control, stress management, and other positive skills. Improve students' social awareness and interaction with others. Teach students how to handle relationships, including with people whose backgrounds differ from their own. Guide students in making responsible decisions. Offering clear, easy-to-understand explanations of brain activity and dozens of specific strategies for all grade levels, Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain is an essential guide to creating supportive classroom environments and improving outcomes for all our students.nd dozens of specific strategies for all grade levels, Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain is an essential guide to creating supportive classroom environments and improving outcomes for all our students.

Writers in every field play with words each time they sit down at their desks. In his newest book, Ralph Fletcher demonstrates how playful craft can energize student writing and breathe new energy into the writing workshop. Children have a natural affinity for language play; Pyrotechnics on the Page demonstrates how writing teachers can tap into it. This book provides a wealth of resources for teachers: Information on the roots and developmental importance of language play; A how-to on using the writer's notebook as a playground for students to explore and experiment with verbal pyrotechnics; An in-depth look at the kind of language play commonly used by writers, including chapters on Puns and Double Meanings, Idioms and Expressions, Inventing Words, and Harnessing the Supple Power of Sentences (these chapters end with a Bringing It to the Writing Workshop" section that includes explicit classroom connections) Twenty-four brand new craft lessons to bring pyrotechnics into the classroom An extensive bibliography of relevant mentor texts that make it easy to model language play for students. Pyrotechnics on the Page is vintage Fletcher: personal, anecdotal, and practical. It represents the latest chapter in Ralph's efforts to widen the circle in the writing classroom, make it a more engaging place for student writers and, in the process, lift the quality of their writing.

Challenging behavior is one of the most significant issues educators face. Though it may seem radical to use words like love, compassion, and heart when we talk about behavior and discipline, the compassionate and heartfelt words, actions, and strategies teachers employ in the classroom directly shape who students are-and who they will become. But how can teaching from the heart translate into effective supports and practices for students who exhibit challenging behavior? In From Behaving to Belonging, Julie Causton and Kate MacLeod detail how teachers can shift from a ""behavior management"" mindset (that punishes students for ""bad"" behavior or rewards students for ""good"" or ""compliant"" behavior) to an approach that supports all students-even the most challenging ones-with kindness, creativity, acceptance, and love. Causton and MacLeod's approach: Focuses on students' strengths, gifts, and talents. Ignites students' creativity and sense of self-worth. Ensures that students' social, emotional, and academic needs are met. Prompts teachers to rethink challenging behavior and how they support their students. Helps teachers identify barriers to student success in the cultural, social, and environmental landscape. Inspires teachers to reconnect with their core values and beliefs about students and teaching. We need to transform our classrooms into places of love. To that end, this book represents a paradigm shift from a punitive mindset to a strengths-based, loving approach and encourages the radical act of creating more inclusive and caring schools.

Reading is all about understanding. Many English language learners simply do not understand what they are reading, whether it's a picture book, a literature selection, or a science textbook. Juli Kendall and Outey Khuon believe that small group comprehension lessons have a key role to play in advancing students' understanding of texts."Making Sense" provides answers to many common questions asked by teachers of English language learners: How do we organize small-group comprehension instruction? How do we select books to teach strategies? How do we know our kids are getting it--and what do we do when they don't get it? It is an easy-to-use, practical resource for ELD, ESL, and ESOL pull-out teachers, and for push-in teachers working "in-class" to support English language learners.The book's five main sections are geared to the stages of language proficiency, and lessons are divided into 'younger' and 'older' students, spanning kindergarten through grade 8. The authors outline fifty-two lessons that teach students how to make connections, ask questions, visualize (make mental images), infer, determine importance, and synthesize. Each lesson follows a four-part teaching framework: Start Up/Connection--helping students build background and use prior knowledge to connect to the lesson;Give Information--explicitly telling students what they are going to learn and why they are learning it, and then teaching them;Active Involvement--often occurs during the teaching as students practice what they are learning while the teacher checks for understanding and monitors and adjusts instruction;Off-You-Go --opportunities for students to practice what they learned with peers or independently."Making Sense" also explores the stages of language proficiency through descriptions of ten English language learners of different ages. A chart of student characteristics for each stage shows how students demonstrate understanding and outlines the implications for planning instruction. This book will appeal to experienced teachers seeking to expand their repertoire of lessons, as well as new teachers just beginning the adventure of teaching comprehension to English language learners.

As professional learning communities become more widespread, educators have learned that they can't simply form grade-level or subject-area teams and call it a day. To profoundly affect teacher practice and student learning, PLCs need strong and knowledgeable leadership. In Facilitating Teacher Teams and Authentic PLCs, Daniel R. Venables draws on his extensive experience helping schools and districts implement effective PLCs to explore this crucial but often-overlooked need. Taking a two-pronged approach to PLC facilitation, Venables offers targeted guidance both for leading the people in teacher teams and for facilitating their work. This practical resource provides: Strategies for facilitating interactions among colleagues in PLCs and building trust and buy-in. Field-tested, user-friendly protocols to focus and deepen team discussions around texts, data, teacher and student work, teacher dilemmas, and collaborative planning time. Tips for anticipating and addressing interpersonal conflicts and obstacles that commonly arise during use of protocols. Current and prospective PLC facilitators at every grade level will find this book an essential guide to navigating the challenging and rewarding endeavor of leading authentic PLCs. Build your skills, and help your team rise to the next level.

In this 2nd edition of Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning, Mike Schmoker extends and updates the case that our schools could be on the cusp of swift, unparalleled improvements. But we are stymied by a systemwide failure to simplify and prioritize; we have yet to focus our limited time and energy on the most essential, widely acknowledged, evidence-based practices that could have more impact than all other initiatives combined. They are: simple, coherent curricula; straightforward, traditional literacy practices; and lessons built around just a few hugely effective elements of good teaching. As Schmoker demonstrates, the case for these practices-and the need for them-has grown prodigiously. In every chapter, you'll find late-breaking discoveries and practical advice on how to simplify the implementation of new state standards in the subject areas; on the hidden pitfalls of our most popular, but unproven instructional fads and programs; and on simple, versatile strategies for building curriculum, planning lessons, and integrating literacy into every discipline. All of these strategies and findings are supported with exciting new evidence from actual schools. Their success confirms, as Michael Fullan writes, that a focus on the best ""high-leverage practices"" won't only improve student performance; they will produce ""stunningly powerful consequences"" in our schools.

In this thoughtful guide for novice and veteran educators alike, Baruti K. Kafele takes readers on a reflective journey designed to reignite their passion for teaching. Kafele's 50 questions and penetrating insights reveal how you can: Inspire students of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds to strive for academic excellence. Develop strong relationships with students, their parents, and the greater community. Address the challenges and promises presented by millennial learners. Boost your motivation and excitement about teaching despite entrenched obstacles and daily frustrations. Replete with ideas for strengthening your practice and investing in student success, this book is an indispensable companion for teachers who want to give their absolute best in the classroom at all times and under all circumstances.

While qualitative research has become increasingly popular in music education over the last decade, there is no source that explains the terms, approaches and issues associated with this method. In The Oxford Handbook of Qualitative Research in American Music Education, editor Colleen Conway and the contributing music educators will provide that clarification, as well as models of qualitative studies within various music education disciplines. The handbook outlines the history of qualitative research in music education and explores the contemporary use of qualitative approaches in examining issues related to music teaching and learning. It includes 32 chapters and is divided into five parts. Part I defines qualitative research and examines historical, philosophical and ethical issues associated with its use in music education. Part II discusses ways of approaching qualitative research including: case study, ethnography, phenomenology, narrative inquiry, practitioner inquiry, and mixed methods. Ways of collecting and analyzing data are examined in the third part of the text (observations, interviews, document analysis, music as data and technology). Part IV examines various music teaching and learning contexts that have been studied using qualitative approaches including: early childhood, general, instrumental-band, instrumental-string, choral, preservice and inservice teacher education, adult and community settings, student with exceptionalities, underserved populations, and world music. The final section of the book tackles permission to conduct research, teacher qualitative research, publishing qualitative research and direction for the future. An ambitious and much-needed volume, this handbook will stand as a key resource for drawing meaning from the experiences of students and teachers in music classrooms and communities.

We differentiate instruction to honor the reality of the students we teach. They are energetic and outgoing. They are quiet and curious. They are confident and self-doubting. They are interested in a thousand things and deeply immersed in a particular topic. They are academically advanced and ""kids in the middle"" and struggling due to cognitive, emotional, economic, or sociological challenges. More of them than ever speak a different language at home. They learn at different rates and in different ways. And they all come together in our academically diverse classrooms. Written as a practical guide for teachers, this expanded third edition of Carol Ann Tomlinson's groundbreaking work covers the fundamentals of differentiation and provides additional guidelines and new strategies for how to go about it. You'll learn: What differentiation is and why it's essential. How to set up the flexible and supportive learning environment that promotes success. How to manage a differentiated classroom. How to plan lessons differentiated by readiness, interest, and learning profile. How to differentiate content, process, and products. How to prepare students, parents, and yourself for the challenge of differentiation. First published in 1995 as How to Differentiate Instruction in Mixed-Ability Classrooms, this new edition reflects evolving best practices in education, the experiences of practitioners throughout the United States and around the world, and Tomlinson's continuing thinking about how to help each and every student access challenging, high-quality curriculum; engage in meaning-rich learning experiences; and feel at home in a school environment that ""fits.

In this galvanizing book for all educators, Kristin Souers and Pete Hall explore an urgent and growing issue-childhood trauma-and its profound effect on learning and teaching. Grounded in research and the authors' experience working with trauma-affected students and their teachers, Fostering Resilient Learners will help you cultivate a trauma-sensitive learning environment for students across all content areas, grade levels, and educational settings. The authors-a mental health therapist and a veteran principal-provide proven, reliable strategies to help you: Understand what trauma is and how it hinders the learning, motivation, and success of all students in the classroom. Build strong relationships and create a safe space to enable students to learn at high levels. Adopt a strengths-based approach that leads you to recalibrate how you view destructive student behaviors and to perceive what students need to break negative cycles. Head off frustration and burnout with essential self-care techniques that will help you and your students flourish. Each chapter also includes questions and exercises to encourage reflection and extension of the ideas in this book. As an educator, you face the impact of trauma in the classroom every day. Let this book be your guide to seeking solutions rather than dwelling on problems, to building relationships that allow students to grow, thrive, and-most assuredly-learn at high levels.

Feeling overwhelmed-constantly, on a daily basis-has unfortunately become the status quo among educators. But it doesn't have to be. Schools need to stop adding more programs, strategies, activities, resources, projects, assessments, and meetings. Though they are often implemented with the best intentions, these things ultimately end up as clutter-that which inhibits our ability to help students learn. Instead, teachers need more clarity, which emerges when we prioritize our efforts to do less with greater focus. This isn't simply a matter of teachers doing less. Rather, teachers need to be intentional and prioritize their efforts to develop deeper understanding among students. In Teaching with Clarity, Tony Frontier focuses on three fundamental questions to help reduce curricular and organizational clutter in the interest of clarity and focus: * What does it mean to understand? * What is most important to understand? * How do we prioritize our strategic effort to help students understand what is most important? By prioritizing clear success criteria, intentional design, meaningful feedback, and a shared purpose, teachers can begin to clear away the curricular clutter that overwhelms the profession-and embrace the clarity that emerges.

What does it mean to teach with empathy?Whether it's planning and delivering instruction or just interacting with others throughout the day, every action you take is an opportunity to demonstrate empathy toward your students, your colleagues, and yourself. "I'm already empathetic to my students and their stories," you may be thinking. But a teacher's actions, even unintentional and especially uninformed, can be implicitly shaming, compounding any disconnect students may already feel and undermining your efforts to create a safe and positive classroom environment. Rather than try to identify who needs empathy, start with the premise that all learners deserve empathy because it is a prerequisite for learning and growth. In Teaching with Empathy, Lisa Westman explores three types of empathy-affective, cognitive, and behavioral-and clarifies how they intertwine with curriculum, learning environment, equity practices, instruction and assessment, and grading and reporting. Through her own experience as an instructional coach, Westman shares tips and tools, real-world classroom examples, powerful stories, and even a bit of herself as she guides you to a better understanding of yourself and others. Ultimately, you'll learn what's possible when you let compassion and acceptance inform all aspects of your daily practice.