Learn how to differentiate instruction while maintaining a rigorous learning environment. In this practical book, rigor expert Barbara R. Blackburn shows that the differentiated classroom doesn't mean extra work for top students and easy work for others; instead, you can have high expectations for all students and provide scaffolding so that…

This refreshingly frank handbook shows teachers how to close the achievement gap in their classrooms by teaching students innovative paths to academic success. Drawing on over 20 years' experience, Kelley presents straightforward strategies for helping learners improve their grades and test scores and experience greater school engagement--all…

The key to improving student achievement isn't more teacher time--it's more teacher impact. But how do you decide which instructional practices will deliver the most bang for your buck? In this handbook, written for teachers but suitable for use by principals and instructional coaches, best-selling author Jim Knight presents the high-leverage…

Each new school year brings high hopes, great expectations and challenges for both new and seasoned educators. The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) has developed a series called "Classroom Tips" to help educators start the year right and anticipate the year ahead. Over the past 40 years, most research studies on homework have found that…

Describes a teacher rationale for the use of homework and a take-home page to help parents understand the importance of good homework tasks for enhancing mathematics education. (YDS)

A system for grading student work based on contracts is examined. Types of contracts, methods for controlling quality as well as quantity of work, advantages of the contract grading system, and the results of research into the use of grade contracts--including student reaction to the system--are some of the topics discussed. (JMP)

This book provides a set of principles and analytical methods that are based on research findings and are designed to be adapted to different assessment scenarios, thus enabling instructors to construct their own assessment methods. Part 1 covers the underlying principles of assessment, examining its purposes, assessment criteria, and the nature…

This guide helps Wisconsin educators at all grade levels and in all content areas identify specific methods to help them achieve equity in their classrooms. Although most suggestions are simple ones, others may require some time to develop new ways of teaching, grading, and interacting with students. The following strategies are outlined in this…

Presents a learning activity to help students see themselves as part of the historical process. Describes the nine-week project in which students solicit written or oral remembrances of family, local, and national history. Maintains that the project integrated history and writing in a meaningful way for students. (CFR)

College instructors concerned about student writing quality are provided with information on writing in the content areas and writing across the curriculum. Following an overview of writing in the content area, the chapters focus on writing and learning--"workaday" writing (personalizing knowledge through writing, forms of workaday…

The recommendations presented in this report were developed by Triton College's Retention Committee, which was established in Fall 1980 to involve a large and representative number of faculty in the identification of actions teachers could take to improve student retention and success. After introductory material detailing the committee's mission…