Among different transitions that happen in a young person's life, transition to adulthood can be one of the most challenging. The new post-school environment requires increased self-determination, including self-awareness, self-advocacy, self-management, and other important skills that help one function as an independent adult. Because it takes…

The book that inspired millions of educators to refine their approach to teaching returns for an all-new third edition. Built on a more rigorous research base and updated to emphasize student diversity, equity, and inclusion, "The New Classroom Instruction That Works" offers a streamlined focus on the 14 instructional strategies proven…

Self-determination refers to a person's ability to have control of their life choices, decisions, and interactions with others. Self-determination skills include: 1) decision-making, 2) goal setting, 3) self-awareness, 4) problem-solving, 5) self-advocacy, 6) self-monitoring, and 7) self-efficacy. Researchers suggest that youth with or at-risk for…

Student learning communities (SLCs) are more than just a different way of doing group work. Like the professional learning communities they resemble, SLCs provide students with a structured way to solve problems, share insight, and help one another continually develop new skills and expertise. With the right planning and support, dynamic…

Parents in the United States expect their students to have homework; and students, especially in middle school and high school, expect daily homework assignments from their teachers. However, it is difficult to create effective homework assignments. Despite the challenges involved, the authors believe that homework "can" be an important…

The Essential Skills Team knows that each student has a unique learning style, home and school environment, academic and personal strengths and experiences, and family backgrounds. One of the goals when creating the Essential Skills Campus was to provide resources that harness the strengths and experiences students bring with them to their first…

The ability to memorize facts is not enough to equip students to solve problems or navigate an evolving world. If we educate young people to become flexible, metacognitive thinkers--and model that behavior for them--they will understand how to adapt their learning and successfully find their way in new territory. This book shows school leaders how…

Today, more than ever, teachers must work effectively and efficiently to meet seemingly contradictory demands placed on them by society. On the one hand, school personnel are tasked with attaining and publicly reporting high levels of student achievement in response to No Child Left Behind. On the other, school personnel must ensure that students…

Efforts to promote self-determination have been a principal focus of transition planning in support of students with disabilities for nearly two decades. However, research and recommendations related to self-determination have been primarily centered on promoting student participation in the IEP process and ensuring broader preparation for…

Learn the 5 practices for facilitating effective inquiry-oriented classrooms: (1) Anticipating what students will do--what strategies they will use--in solving a problem; (2) Monitoring their work as they approach the problem in class; (3) Selecting students whose strategies are worth discussing in class; (4) Sequencing those students'…

"Number Talks" is: (1) A five- to fifteen-minute classroom conversation around purposefully crafted computation problems that are solved mentally; and (2) The best part of a teacher's day. Whether you want to implement number talks but are unsure of how to begin or have experience but want more guidance in crafting purposeful problems, this…

The "Life Skills and Leadership Manual" is designed to be used by Peace Corps Volunteers and their counterparts who work with youth worldwide to develop the knowledge, skills, and attitudes integral to three Youth in Development sector competencies: (1) Support healthy lifestyles and prepare youth for family life; (2) Prepare youth for…

Teachers try to help their students learn. But why do they make the particular teaching choices they do? What resources do they draw upon? What accounts for the success or failure of their efforts? In "How We Think", esteemed scholar and mathematician, Alan H. Schoenfeld, proposes a groundbreaking theory and model for how we think and act in the…

Accessible and practical, this book helps teachers incorporate executive function processes--such as planning, organizing, prioritizing, and self-checking--into the classroom curriculum. Chapters provide effective strategies for optimizing what K-12 students learn by improving how they learn. Noted authority Lynn Meltzer and her research…

An account is given of the importance and role of trust in motivating teachers to understand students and develop instructional approaches. Three examples of student actions, teacher learning, and instructional change that resulted from understanding students' goals are presented, as well as guidelines for teacher reflection. (Contains 3 figures.)