Book Reviews / Data-driven Instruction
by MiddleWeb · Published 09/03/2014 · Last modified 11/22/2019
“How Teachers Can Turn Data into Action” is an excellent guide to planning, ordering, and running data talks that lead to better instruction. Teacher-reviewer Dina Murphy also recommends its appendix, filled with protocols, flow charts and checklists to help get your team started.
The Essentials of Science, Grades 7–12: Effective Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment, by Rick Allen, is a great reference to use when preparing to teach a new unit or reflecting on a lesson recently taught, says reviewer Deborah Gaff, who likes Allen’s inquiry focus.
Thomas Hoerr’s brief book offers enough resources to start a conversation about student “grit” but not to add a focus on resilience into daily teaching, says reviewer Katie Gordon.
MS teachers looking for a quick reference to Common Core math standards or a text to stimulate deeper thinking will find it in Common Core Standards For Middle School Mathematics: A Quick-Start Guide, says teacher Rebecca Anderson.
Reviewer Renee Moore agrees with Ron Wolk’s assertion that America’s public education problem is not about “performance” but poor system design in Wasting Minds: Why Our Education System Is Failing and What We Can Do About It.
