New teaching staff, whether novice or veteran, are a central part of a successful school year. So why is it that they are often greeted at the door of our school community with the autopilot vibe of a ticket taker at the movies? "Onboarding Teachers" changes the rules of engagement, offering activities and practical strategies that focus…

We have never known more than we do now about teaching multilingual students -- nevertheless, we teeter on the edge of retreating to old-think practices. The next generation depends upon our getting this right, and this spare, salient guide helps ensure we do. "Kids Come in All Languages" provides teachers and leaders with all they need…

The content, skills, and understandings students need to learn today are as diverse, complex, and multidimensional as the students in our classrooms. How can educators best create the learning experiences students need to truly learn? "How Learning Works: A Playbook" unpacks the science of how students learn and translates that knowledge…

Color. Carpets. Configurations. The classroom can create a sense of safety, calm, and invitation to learn if designed correctly. Authors and educators Nancy Frey, Douglas Fisher, and Dominique Smith describe their journey to making their school's classrooms trauma-informed and safe, inviting spaces for students.

Huge numbers of our students are caught in storms of trauma--whether stemming from abuse, homelessness, poverty, discrimination, violent neighborhoods, or fears of school shootings or family deportations. This practical book focuses on actions that teachers can take to facilitate learning for these students. Identifying positive, connected…

For every teacher it's different, but you know who they are for you--the students who are "hard to teach." Maybe they're reading far below grade level. Maybe they're English learners. Maybe they have diagnosed learning disabilities or behavioral issues. Maybe they're underachieving for reasons that are unknown. They have been overlooked…

Time pressures, standards-driven curricula, and rising populations of students who are struggling with English can make it hard to include discussions in your teaching, yet there are more good reasons than ever to use academic discourse to promote learning. Read this book to find out why and how discussion-based lessons help students--especially…

The increased focus on reading strategies has had a number of unintended consequences, including the creation of strategy worksheets and isolated strategy instruction. We explore these unintended consequences and provide examples of how middle school teachers can engage students in authentic reading comprehension instruction that results in…

All teachers want their students to become independent learners, but even motivated students are reluctant to take responsibility for their own learning. So what every teacher needs is this book's tried-and-true method for gradually enabling students to take on more of the "work" of classroom learning. Two experienced teachers describe a…

Interviews with 23 teachers in an inclusive suburban high school in southern California focused on how inclusive education affected teachers personally and professionally, the accompanying changes in classroom climate and curriculum, and teachers' recommendations. Teachers had positive experiences and identified benefits that disabled students…

Presents an example of how professional development measures and an integrated approach to literacy positively affected one urban high school. Notes that the reading achievement of these urban high school youths was influenced by quality instruction and support for classroom teachers. Indicates that school structures influence student achievement.…

Notes how 80 students who spoke Spanish at home were randomly assigned one of four teachers, two who used a great deal of music in their classrooms while the other two did not. Suggests that music had a positive effect on oral language and reading scores. (SG)