In Celebrating Writers: From Possibilities to Publication, Ruth Ayres & Christi Overman provide clear, powerful ways to recognize and encourage the writer in all students – even those reluctant ones, says middle grades ELA teacher Kevin Hodgson.
Reviewer Linda Biondi says Aimee Buckner’s new Nonfiction Notebooks “has been my friend, companion, teacher, and guide as I begin to navigate a new curriculum,” taking the angst out of teaching informational writing and replacing it with confidence.
Reviewer Susan Shaver recommends Igniting Your Potential to help adolescents develop into responsible & successful adults. The conversational writing & organization make the book good for sharing with parents & teens or in guided class discussions.
In her new book Teaching in High Gear, middle school teacher Marsha Ratzel describes a transformational journey, marked by a gradual shift toward student-driven learning and energized by a global network of collaborators. In this excerpt, Marsha describes how her development of a “coaching mode” helped students become more self-reliant learners.
What makes Jim Burke’s The Common Core Companion so valuable to teachers? The layout, says reviewer Anne Anderson. The 2-page spread gives teachers a big picture view of standards, “what they say, what they mean, and how to teach them.”
Book Reviews / Student Driven Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 12/10/2013 · Last modified 11/17/2019
Reviewer Elisa Waingort highly recommends Student-Driven Learning to those who want to move toward a classroom where students are in the driver’s seat. The authors show how teachers can analyze current practice and begin leading students on hops, drives, and journeys toward ownership of learning.
Whether it’s Grandma’s biscotti recipe or a lesson plan, adding new ingredients (like digital tools) shouldn’t distract from the end result you seek, says teacher and technology consultant Mike Fisher. “The modern mindset is really about willingness, not digital knowledge. It’s about trying new things and exploring new tools and avenues for instruction WITH the students rather than FOR the students.”
Too many manic, even eruptive meetings? Reviewer Lyn Hilt recommends the preventatives and interventions crafted by these authors to promote productivity.
This is a must-read book for teacher leaders, says our reviewer, offering the stories of 8 educators who seek a new kind of teacher role in America’s schools.
Bringing iPads and apps into your classes? Having author Lori Elliott along is like having a technology mentor in the room, says Laura Von Staden.
