The Critical Black Studies Reader is a ground-breaking volume whose aim is to criticalize and reenvision Black Studies through a critical lens. The book not only stretches the boundaries of knowledge and understanding of issues critical to the Black experience, it creates a theoretical grounding that is intersectional in its approach. Our notion of Black Studies is neither singularly grounded in African American Studies nor on traditional notions of the Black experience. Though situated work in this field has historically grappled with the question of "where are we?" in Black Studies, this volume offers the reader a type of criticalization that has not occurred to this point. While the volume includes seminal works by authors in the field, as a critical endeavor, the editors have also included pieces that address the political issues that intersect with - among others - power, race, class, gender, sexuality, religion, place, and economics.

"The stories kept me wanting more and the lessons are valuable information for pre-service teachers. Bravo!" -Sharon Ulanoff, California State University, Los Angeles "Narratives from the Classroom will be useful in its ability to stimulate students to get in touch with their past experiences in education in a critical way. The questions offer a natural beginning for sharing experiences. In this way, beliefs and values can be recognized, scrutinized, and defended." -James Curtiss, Wayne State College "These narratives provide expansive opportunities for reflection and encourage each student to come to their own understanding about what it means to be a teacher." -Betty C. Eng, Hong Kong Institute of Education In order for pre-service teachers to fully understand what it means to choose teaching as a career, it is important for them to connect with experienced teachers who can share their experiences of what occurs within the walls of schools. Narrative accounts of teachers' experiences with students, parents, administrators and colleagues are an excellent way for pre-service teachers to obtain a clearer picture of what teaching really involves. Narratives from the Classroom: An Introduction to Teaching introduces the reader to many of the important classroom issues surrounding the field of teaching. This book is unique in that it is a collection of personal accounts and ideas written by the teachers and teacher educators who lived those experiences. Because this is an introduction to teaching, each chapter addresses a different topic, ranging from the purpose of schools and teachers, issues about policies and programs in the school, and various practices found within the classroom walls. There is also a section that addresses preparation for the job market and what the first year of teaching is like. This book deliberately avoids being prescriptive and encourages the reader to form his or her own conclusions about the presented issues. Narratives from the Classroom is designed as a supplemental text for teacher education courses, especially those at the introductory stages. Beginning teachers and anyone considering teaching as a career will also find this collection an important and insightful addition to their libraries. Key Features Editor's introduction to each narrative provides context Questions and further readings stimulate the reader's engagement and commitment to the topic Narratives provide readers with significant exposure to 16 experienced teachers and teacher educators Coverage includes diverse experiences and opinions from authors of various ethnic backgrounds

Stress and Coping of English Learners addresses the many ways that ELs face academic and socioemotional stress in the K-12 school environment, the consequences of this stress at school, how they cope with this stress, and how school personnel and families can provide support and help. While enrollment in school programs offers assistance to many ELs, it often fails to provide the socioemotional support that ELs need as they navigate the rough waters of schooling. American schooling is often not prepared and/or unwilling to help ELs as they adapt to an unfamiliar language, culture, social norms, communication techniques, and teachers' expectations. Given the proper foundation and emotional support, ELs will be positioned for greater academic success, comfort at school, and a decrease in their sense of alienation in both the school environment and at home as they try to negotiate between two cultural environments.

Stress and Coping of English Learners addresses the many ways that ELs face academic and socioemotional stress in the K-12 school environment, the consequences of this stress at school, how they cope with this stress, and how school personnel and families can provide support and help. While enrollment in school programs offers assistance to many ELs, it often fails to provide the socioemotional support that ELs need as they navigate the rough waters of schooling. American schooling is often not prepared and/or unwilling to help ELs as they adapt to an unfamiliar language, culture, social norms, communication techniques, and teachers' expectations. Given the proper foundation and emotional support, ELs will be positioned for greater academic success, comfort at school, and a decrease in their sense of alienation in both the school environment and at home as they try to negotiate between two cultural environments.

The editors intended for this volume to provide queer and ally athletes a space to have a voice and share the experiences that have been significant in their identity as an athletic member of the LGBT community. To that end, this book is a collection of autobiographical short stories of LGBT athletes and their experiences in sports and athletics, some who are publicly out and some who are not. Based on the narratives collected, the book is organized around themes that illustrate various perspectives and the power that sport can play in 1) finding one's true identity, 2) bridging communities, and 3) challenging gender norm stereotypes. The goal of this book is to help change the expectations of what it means to be a successful athlete and promote greater inclusivity of LGBT athletes. Providing the space for these voices to be heard will help to pave the way for a non?discriminating sporting environment, allow LGBT athletes to focus on their given sport without any distractions, and enable these athletes to live an authentic life without having to hide their true identity.

The editors intended for this volume to provide queer and ally athletes a space to have a voice and share the experiences that have been significant in their identity as an athletic member of the LGBT community. To that end, this book is a collection of autobiographical short stories of LGBT athletes and their experiences in sports and athletics, some who are publicly out and some who are not. Based on the narratives collected, the book is organized around themes that illustrate various perspectives and the power that sport can play in 1) finding one's true identity, 2) bridging communities, and 3) challenging gender norm stereotypes. The goal of this book is to help change the expectations of what it means to be a successful athlete and promote greater inclusivity of LGBT athletes. Providing the space for these voices to be heard will help to pave the way for a non?discriminating sporting environment, allow LGBT athletes to focus on their given sport without any distractions, and enable these athletes to live an authentic life without having to hide their true identity.

Most students struggle with learning how to find references, use them effectively, and cite them appropriately in a required format. One of the most common formats is that of APA. The authors all teach at the same university, where their current off-the-shelf reference book, while helpful, is filled with a lot of extra information that they do not use and contains missing or incorrect information. The cost of this book also continues to rise. In a search for something else to meet their needs, they discovered that there are no concise guides that deal with APA only that are cost effective or user-friendly for students who are not familiar with using references and formatting an essay in the APA format. In order to offer student writers a source of information that is concise and cost-effective, the authors have written this handbook to provide students with important information in clear, concise, user-friendly language, as well as to offer practical examples that will help them grasp the concept of secondary research writing. Much of the published materials present the nitpicky details of APA in very technical terms that are not easy to understand. This handbook presents the same information in simplified terms with images and step-by-step instructions in ways that will make sense to both undergraduate and graduate student writers. Additionally, student writers often struggle with understanding the concept of plagiarism, as well as how to find sources, evaluate the appropriateness of sources, and use sources in effective ways (e.g., how to integrate quotes, when to paraphrase, among others). This book provides this information in a concise and easy-to-understand format.

Teacher Education programs have largely ignored the needs of LGBTIQ learners in their preparation of pre?service teachers. At best in most of such programs, their needs are addressed in a single chapter in a book or as the topic of discussion in a single class discussion. However, is this minimal discussion enough? What kind of impact does this approach have on future teachers and their future learners? This book engages the reader in a dialogue about why teacher education must address LGBTIQ issues more openly and why teacher education programs should revise their curriculum to more fully integrate the needs of LGBTIQ learners throughout their curriculum, rather than treat such issues as a single, isolated topic in an insignificant manner. Through personal narratives, research, and conceptual chapters, this volume also examines the different ways in which queer youth are present or invisible in schools, the struggles they face, and how teachers can be better prepared to reach them as they should any student, and to make them more visible. The authors of this volume provide insight into the needs of future teachers with the aim of bringing about change in how teacher education programs address LGBTIQ needs to better equip those entering the field of teaching.

Most students struggle with learning how to find references, use them effectively, and cite them appropriately in a required format. One of the most common formats is that of APA. The authors all teach at the same university, where their current off-the-shelf reference book, while helpful, is filled with a lot of extra information that they do not use and contains missing or incorrect information. The cost of this book also continues to rise. In a search for something else to meet their needs, they discovered that there are no concise guides that deal with APA only that are cost effective or user-friendly for students who are not familiar with using references and formatting an essay in the APA format. In order to offer student writers a source of information that is concise and cost-effective, the authors have written this handbook to provide students with important information in clear, concise, user-friendly language, as well as to offer practical examples that will help them grasp the concept of secondary research writing. Much of the published materials present the nitpicky details of APA in very technical terms that are not easy to understand. This handbook presents the same information in simplified terms with images and step-by-step instructions in ways that will make sense to both undergraduate and graduate student writers. Additionally, student writers often struggle with understanding the concept of plagiarism, as well as how to find sources, evaluate the appropriateness of sources, and use sources in effective ways (e.g., how to integrate quotes, when to paraphrase, among others). This book provides this information in a concise and easy-to-understand format.

Teacher Education programs have largely ignored the needs of LGBTIQ learners in their preparation of pre?service teachers. At best in most of such programs, their needs are addressed in a single chapter in a book or as the topic of discussion in a single class discussion. However, is this minimal discussion enough? What kind of impact does this approach have on future teachers and their future learners? This book engages the reader in a dialogue about why teacher education must address LGBTIQ issues more openly and why teacher education programs should revise their curriculum to more fully integrate the needs of LGBTIQ learners throughout their curriculum, rather than treat such issues as a single, isolated topic in an insignificant manner. Through personal narratives, research, and conceptual chapters, this volume also examines the different ways in which queer youth are present or invisible in schools, the struggles they face, and how teachers can be better prepared to reach them as they should any student, and to make them more visible. The authors of this volume provide insight into the needs of future teachers with the aim of bringing about change in how teacher education programs address LGBTIQ needs to better equip those entering the field of teaching.

A volume in Research in Queer Studies Series Editors Paul Chamness Miller and Hidehiro Endo, Akita International University This inaugural volume of the new book series, Research in Queer Studies is a collection of memoirs or short narrative essays in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer PK-12 teachers and/or administrators (either "out" or "not out") recount their personal experiences as a queer teachers. The authors of these stores write about significant experiences that describe how their sexual identity has shaped who they are today as teachers/administrators, by answering the following questions: In light of your sexual identity, how did you become who you are today? Why did you decide to become a teacher? What role did your sexual identity play in that decision? What kinds of significant moments, including queer issues (e.g., bullying) regarding students and/or yourself, have you experience in your teaching? In light of who you are as an individual, what do you hope to achieve and become as a queer teacher in the future?

A volume in Research in Queer Studies Series Editors Paul Chamness Miller and Hidehiro Endo, Akita International University This inaugural volume of the new book series, Research in Queer Studies is a collection of memoirs or short narrative essays in which lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex or queer PK-12 teachers and/or administrators (either "out" or "not out") recount their personal experiences as a queer teachers. The authors of these stores write about significant experiences that describe how their sexual identity has shaped who they are today as teachers/administrators, by answering the following questions: In light of your sexual identity, how did you become who you are today? Why did you decide to become a teacher? What role did your sexual identity play in that decision? What kinds of significant moments, including queer issues (e.g., bullying) regarding students and/or yourself, have you experience in your teaching? In light of who you are as an individual, what do you hope to achieve and become as a queer teacher in the future?

Dewey's idea of Project-based Learning (PBL) was introduced into the field of second language education nearly two decades ago as a way to reflect the principles of student-centered teaching (Hedge, 1993). Since then, PBL has also become a popular language and literacy activity at various levels and in various contexts (see Beckett, 1999; Fried-Booth, 2002; Levis & Levis, 2003; Kobayashi, 2003; Luongo- Orlando, 2001; Mohan & Beckett, 2003; Weinstein, 2004). For example, it has been applied to teach various ESL and EFL skills around the world (e.g., Fried-Booth, 2002). More recently, PBL has been heralded as the most appropriate approach to teaching content-based second language education (Bunch, et al., 2001; Stoller, 1997), English for specific purposes (Fried-Booth, 2002), community-based language socialization (Weinstien, 2004), and critical and higher order thinking as well as problem-solving skills urged by the National Research Council (1999). Despite this emphasis, there is a severe shortage of empirical research on PBL and research-based frameworks and models based on sound theoretical guidance in general and second and foreign language education in particular (Thomas, 2000). Also missing from the second and foreign language education literature is systematic discussion of PBL work that brings together representative work, identifying obvious gaps, and guiding the field toward future directions. This, first of its kind, volume bridges these obvious gaps through the original work of international scholars from Canada, Israel, Japan, Singapore, and the US.