Helen Hume’s survival guide for grades 7-12 art teachers, coordinators, content teachers and homeschoolers proves to be a rich resource for lessons, project ideas, and art history touching on all the arts. Retired principal Mary Langer Thompson recommends it.
Psychotherapist Noah Kempler presents ways to help kids develop five core skills: understanding feelings, communication, flexibility, respect, and problem solving. Retired principal Mary Langer Thompson finds his discussion about temperament particularly valuable.
“Culture is the key to transformation,” says Ron Ritchhart, and anyone interested in seeing lasting change in schools needs to read this book, says reviewer Mary Langer Thompson. They will find the elements of needed systemic change.
Frank Buck provides a total organizational system for the busy classroom or administrative leader. Mary Langer Thompson reports his paper and digital strategies, all presented in a user-friendly and supportive tone, cost little and can be implemented immediately.
Learning needs to become active and stay that way. Ron Nash’s 2nd edition of “From Seatwork to Feetwork” explains how teachers can let go of traditional teaching methods and shift to student-directed classrooms, says educator and writer Mary Langer Thompson.
In The Gift of Failure, teacher/writer Jessica Lahey calls on parents to value failures along the way to help children build growth mindsets. She also effectively describes how educators can work with parents, reports retired principal Mary Langer Thompson.
Katie Egan Cunningham stresses the importance of caring for our students’ stories even as we explore fiction and story-making with them. Reviewer Mary Langer Thompson highly recommends the book for its practical focus mixed with a philosophy beautifully expressed.
In “Standing in the Gap” Lisa Dabbs and Nicol R. Howard encourage all educators, especially new teachers, to find support by connecting on social media, using internet resources in class, and facilitating e-communication with parents. A must read, says educator/writer Mary Langer Thompson.
Franklin P. Schargel’s guide to school safety addresses student drug abuse, teen driving accidents, pregnancies, truancy, gambling and more. Former principal Mary Langer Thompson would like more detailed discussion about responding to violence and addressing resource issues.
In “Argue with Me” Deanna Kuhn et al present a full curriculum on teaching argument, informed by their research in low income schools. Used in full or in part, the process can benefit thinking & writing skills, says Mary Langer Thompson.
