Teacher evaluation systems are being overhauled by states and districts across the United States. And, while intentions are admirable, the result for many new systems is that good--often excellent--teachers are lost in the process. In the end, students are the losers. In her new book, Linda Darling-Hammond makes a compelling case for a…

Every teacher dreams of the perfect, well-behaved class, but the reality can be quite different. On those less-than-perfect days, having a system in place helps you and your students stay on track. This gold mine of teacher-developed and -approved strategies goes beyond classroom management theory and gives you ready-to-use tools that not only…

Those who teach college students have extensive training in their disciplines, but unlike their counterparts at the high school or elementary school level, they often have surprisingly little instruction in the craft of teaching itself. "The Chicago Handbook for Teachers, Second Edition", is an extraordinarily helpful guide for anyone facing the…

"Improving Your Reflective Practice through Stories of Practitioner Research" shows how research has informed and created effective and valuable reflective practice in early years education, and offers depth to the arguments for a research-orientated stance to this vital field of study. This thought-provoking text explores and documents a variety…

Eleven authors, writing from different vantage points and offering different kinds of expertise, were asked to respond to a teacher-initiated professional development activity. Researchers were chosen who hold very diverse views and conducted very different kinds of studies. Other professionals were also asked to respond. They included a classroom…

Leadership development has traditionally focused on administrators' responsibility for promoting and enhancing school improvement efforts. Today, there are a growing number of educators who believe leadership in the classroom plays an equally significant role in building a strong school culture. In Teacher Leadership, Elaine L. Wilmore offers a…

If teaching is the effective communication of knowledge, the teacher first must be knowledgeable about the subject being taught. Communicating that knowledge to students is just as important. One standard teaching method is the lecture. A lecture is prepared before class by the teacher and should include not only the facts to be learned by the…

This book provides an array of strategies that can help teachers, administrators, and staff-development personnel as they plan, develop, and deliver content within extended periods of instructional time. It emphasizes the importance of teachers and administrators working together to improve instruction and contends that staff development remains…

This has been written as a handbook for administrators who want to develop a first-year teacher-induction plan. The book provides a profile of the beginning teacher's needs, expectations, common problems, and transition issues. A framework for structuring year-long assistance and strategies for problem solving are included. The work draws from the…

This volume offers 20 case studies of classroom situations selected to stimulate college teachers to think about a wide array of problems they may face. All the situations were written by ordinary teachers who actually faced the incidents which they describe. Preceding each case is a brief paragraph identifying "Issues Raised" and another…

This book is designed to offer practical advice to beginning, as well as experienced, teachers of college courses on navigating many of the common challenges faced both in and outside the classroom. Chapters include "Getting Ready," which covers three discrete components of course design: deciding what you want students to learn, choosing…

This publication looks at approaches and strategies available to beginning and experienced teachers to increase their effectiveness in the classroom setting. The book highlights ways in which a classroom may be organized and curriculum decisions made to encourage students to achieve their academic potential. Chapters cover the following topics:…

Claiming that observation is the first and most authentic tool for assessing young children's learning and development, this book advises educators of young children how to improve observation skills by recording children's growth and development. The book also serves as a tool to evaluate and improve early childhood programs. Specific benefits of…

This qualitative study of community college faculty, based on classroom observation and interviews of 257 instructors and 60 administrators at 32 community colleges across the country, was undertaken to explore what "teaching looks like in a teaching college." The researchers were especially interested in the collective nature of teaching: the…

This guide gives adult educators and trainers in the literacy field concrete suggestions and alternatives for their work. It provides historical and evolutionary frameworks they can use to shape a new philosophy of adult literacy and improve their practice. Part 1 looks at literacy through the eyes of society, describing myths, rhetoric, and…