Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 08/22/2019 · Last modified 01/17/2020
Creating Strong Kids Through Writing is an easy-to-use book of 20 fully resourced lessons lasting 30 minutes to help adolescents grow socially and emotionally. Consultant Anne Anderson notes the lessons are not just for ELA classes and include topics in math and science.
Students can follow the trek of early humans toward global expansion through inquiry-based lessons and use resources to hypothesize responses to organizing questions. Ancient History teacher Joanne Bell says the book’s connections approach “is a phenomenal find for me.”
In the 3rd edition of Assistive Technology in Special Education, author Joan Green helps readers navigate the complex topic with a straight forward, organized approach to understanding and effectively implementing AT. Green’s handbook is the resource Carol Willard has long sought.
Educator Joanne Bell was attracted to The ADHD Empowerment Guide because the authors focus on students’ strengths and potential – not just problems and comorbidities. The resource-filled book details how an analysis of strengths can be used to help kids facing ADHD challenges.
Book Reviews / Social & Emotional Learning
by MiddleWeb · Published 04/25/2019 · Last modified 11/19/2019
Teaching Tenacity offers a series of thoughtful, research-based lessons that will provide students with the tools to make the pursuit of excellence a life-long endeavor. Jeny Randall looks forward to bringing the lessons to her morning advisory time but says advisory isn’t a must.
Building on case studies of 11 gifted students in special populations, the authors provide resources to help all educators understand how to best serve gifted students who also have other special needs. Reviewer Pamela Shaw is a parent of two twice-exceptional kids.
With this volume of their Jacob’s Ladder program Joyce VanTassel-Baskel and Tamra Stambaugh have devised a way to garner the most impact from nonfiction mini-lessons while allowing for flexibility and choice within the texts, says educator Erin Corrigan-Smith.
Librarian and NBCT Amy Klein teaches in a growth mindset school and finds Creating a Growth Mindset School by Mary Cay Ricci a perfect book for administrators who want to better understand how growth mindset works, how to establish such a school, and how to sustain it.
In the 2nd edition of Visual-Spatial Learners, Alexandra Shires Golon looks at the needs of these often bright but disengaged students. Golon explains the brain science underlying student learning and offers extensive tools for differentiation, says teacher Joanne Bell.
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.
