The 20 lessons in Developing Writers of Argument are perfect for teachers looking for innovative and relevant material that distinguishes argument from persuasion. ELA teacher Erin Corrigan-Smith says the engaging content can also work for cross-curricular assignments.
Jonathan Cornue does an excellent job presenting standards-based grading’s nuances, critical players, and the steps to transition from a traditional 100-point grading system. Teacher Julie Bernardi says the 30-step process, including checkpoints, can be a valuable guide.
It is not the skills or rules of sports that our students will remember from our teaching of physical literacy, writes PHE teacher Anthony De Giorgio, but the environment and experiences we provided that allowed them to not only learn, but to also have fun and be a kid.
Sarah Cooper’s Creating Citizens is brimming with insight on how to connect current events to history, writes social studies teacher Joanne Bell. Cooper offers fresh ideas, higher order skills, and excellent implementation tips, all applicable to any period of history.
With its introduction to engineering design, thoroughly developed projects, teacher’s guide and more, Hands-On Engineering will likely prove a favorite with middle grades teachers. Gail Morris plans to make it a go-to resource as she integrates more STEM into her business and career classes.
The practical format of Regie Routman’s Literacy Essentials makes reading this robust, idea-packed book a pleasure. Its many examples, pictures, anchor charts, lesson plans, and lists make the advice easy to access and implement, writes improvement specialist Deana Jones.
Anyone can doodle, writes Dr. Susan Daniels. When students doodle to represent concepts and ideas, they synthesize information and encode it in memory for easy recall and retrieval. It’s a well-researched strategy that can be used across grade levels and subject areas.
You’ve heard of innovation, and you’ve heard of mindset, but what is an Innovator’s Mindset? School leader George Couros offers his manifesto on how we can change education, not with step-by-step instructions but by growing a teaching culture of “relentless restlessness.”
The Literacy Quick Guide by popular experts Irene Fountas and Gay Su Pinnell is a good planning resource for the busy teacher who does not have much time to read lengthy explanations and theory. Teacher Stacy Thorpe provides a detailed overview of the PreK-8 resource.
Teaching with Mathematical Argument can help support students as they reason through math problems, shifting the focus from “the answer” to the processes that lead to clearer understanding. Cynthia McBride likes the inclusion of assessment and parent communication advice.
