Books published by Dave Burgess Consulting

By Steve Isaacs, Jesse Lubinsky, Christine Lion-Bailey and Chris AvilesPower up learning for all learners.Esports is taking the world by storm, growing to a billion dollar industry with competitions that have greater viewership than the Super Bowl. Colleges are awarding scholarships to talented esports players, and schools are becoming more interested in starting esports programs to provide opportunities for their students. Luckily the experts at Ready Learner One are here to show you how to harness your students'' enthusiasm for gaming and leverage the social, emotional, and communication benefits of esports for electrifying learning.The Esports Education Playbook walks educators through the process of establishing, managing, and coaching a scholastic esports team. From assuring buy-in from stakeholders to addressing common misconceptions about gaming, this book covers everything you''ll need to know in order to build an inclusive, dynamic esports program. What''s more, the Ready Learner One team plugs you into a powerful network of experts and organizations that can help you build your program with school-to-career pipelines and sustainable success. The Esports Education Playbook will get your athletes, and your whole school, cheering."As someone who has played and coached football professionally, I can tell you that the collegiate esports athletes I currently coach require the same training and dedication as those in traditional sports. In this book, Chris, Steve, Christine, and Jesse show how esports is changing the game in how we perceive what is a sport and who is an athlete. This is required reading for anyone interested in how to create a successful esports program that provides opportunities for all students to be part of a team." -Ahman Green, four-time Pro Bowl running back, Green Bay Packers, head coach of esports, Lakeland University"Hands down, this is the best guide to scholastic esports ever written! In this book, thought leaders in gaming and education have assembled an unparalleled array of data, strategies, tools, tips, and tricks to enable any school, community organization, or group to start and grow successful, STEM-based, hands-on scholastic esports organizations. Newbies, novices and know-it-alls can use it to build custom gaming programs for kids in elementary, middle, and high school." -Laylah Bulman, senior program officer, Samueli Foundation, founder, Florida Scholastic Esports League\"In esports, players are the experts in the game, while coaches are the experts in communication, planning, coordination, and attitude. Christine, Steve, Chris, and Jesse have perfectly captured the ''why'' of esports. If you want to create a program that enriches the lives of your players and community, this is the book." -Dr. Chris "Doc" Haskell, head coach, Boise State University, 2020 Collegiate Esports Coach of the Year (NAECAD), and 2020 Director of the Year (NACE)

Tech integration for early childhood education as thoughtful as it is wholeheartedTechnology isn''t just a way to innovate instruction; it''s also the key to building classrooms that are dynamic, playful, and truly connected. In Innovating Play, early childhood educators Jessica LaBar-Twomey and Christine Pinto share the insights that led their kindergarten classes to generative, daily collaborations from opposite ends of the United States. In the process, they offer elementary educators a powerful set of digital tools that transform social-emotional learning.LaBar-Twomey and Pinto guide readers through the process of leveraging classroom technology in order to foster empathy and broaden horizons. With a warm, inviting style, and drawing from the rich examples of their own classrooms, Jessica and Christine offer a treasure trove of actionable, impactful tips that will help you seamlessly connect your students with the world around them."Christine and Jessica have created an incredibly insightful, realistic, robust guide to innovating early childhood education based on their own classroom instruction. Their masterfully crafted pedagogy weaves together authentic learning, design thinking, and tech integration all through the play and discovery learning so crucial for our youngest learners. Innovating Play is guaranteed to inspire, guide, and support meaningful technology integration for authentic learning experiences." -Lisa Highfill, technology integration specialist, co-author and creator ofThe HyperDoc Handbook and Teachers Give Teachers"This book will provide coaches the resources and detailed examples to support teachers in implementation. The examples drive digital literacy for all and never deviate from core curriculum practices. Jessica and Christine have showcased a multitude of ways in which equity and inclusion have been intentionally embedded through their cycle of learning." -Nyree Clark, curriculum program specialist, technology, TK-6"Innovating Play is a fun, easy-to-read how-to resource for early childhood educators that blends core curriculum and purposeful tech beautifully. Christine and Jessica not only model their design to teach twenty-first-century skills to our littles, they will inspire you to reimagine and innovate play in your own class!" -Erika Sanchez, MEd, kindergarten teacher 

Learning. Implement Technology. Transform Education!The technology revolution in education has brought teachers across the country into a brave new digital world of blended and distance learning that promises to change how students learn. But with so many new tools at teachers' disposal, how can educators cut through the noise in order to leverage technology for learning, rather than confusion? Enter edtech coaches Adam Juarez and Katherine Goyette. As former teachers, Juarez and Goyette understand the need for educational technologies to be implemented with care, purpose, and collaboration. In The Complete EdTech Coach, they offer both aspiring and longtime edtech coaches a comprehensive plan for developing programs that truly serve students. With Juarez and Goyette's guidance, you'll learn how to meet educators where they are while still offering them the support necessary to reach for what's possible. What's more, you'll be equipped with pedagogical tools that will help you make a difference in every classroom-from high-tech to no-tech-every day you're on the job.Finally, a guide to help those helping teachers! The Complete EdTech Coach is all about coaching from the heart, collaboratively and with empathy, and valuing the educator where they are. Katie McNamara, teacher librarianPragmatic. Relevant. Engaging. The Complete EdTech Coach folds in authentic experiences with the voices of those involved. Kristina V. Mattis, EdDIf you are an edtech coach, want to be one, or know someone who is one, this book is a must-have. With their many years of experience in the edtech coaching world, Adam and Katherine give many pointers on how to tackle this difficult but rewarding job. I guarantee that this will quickly become the #1 go-to resource for novice and experienced edtech coaches alike. Thank you, Adam and Katherine, for sharing your expertise and knowledge! Sylvia Duckworth, author of Sketchnotes for Educators and How to Sketchnote

Get in the game!The research is clear: human beings are born to play. In Game On? Brain On!, Lindsay Portnoy unpacks the games and playful experiences that invite engagement and deep learning. Using cognitive science to explore the ways in which play helps students acquire and maintain critical skills, Portnoy shows how inviting creativity and excitement into the classroom results in big gains for everyone. She also shares how, by being intentional, educators can create equitable access to playful learning experiences for all children. Through relatable vignettes, ready-to-use examples, and informative “Level Up” toolboxes, Portnoy empowers educators to teach a better way—through play!"The best informed, most usable, and best-written book on games and learning we now have for educators, teachers and parents." --James Paul Gee, author of What Video Games Have to Teach Us about Learning and Literacy“Whether you're a n00b or a pro, you’ll gain a deeper appreciation for what happens in the mind when engaged in play.” —Amber Coleman-Mortley, director of social engagement, iCivics “Lindsay Portnoy brilliantly shows us why and how to bring play’s power into classrooms through games.” —Peter Gray, research professor of psychology at Boston College “Lindsay Portnoy does a wonderful job emphasizing the importance of play in learning and how we need to ensure that we are addressing equity in terms of play.” —Steve Isaacs, teacher, game design and development, Bernards Township Public Schools “Game On? Brain On! is guaranteed to make you feel good while learning about play—just like a great, fun game!”—Dr. Kat (Karen) Schrier, author of Knowledge Games 

 Reimagine social studies through culture, diversity, and inclusivity for all primary studentsPrimary educators know that little kids can do big things. So why teach the same old lessons when we can expose students to impactful, interesting, and beautiful ideas about the real world? In an era of heightened political tensions and narrowed curricular focus, superstar educators Naomi O''Brien and LaNesha Tabb have found a surprising way to expose our youngest learners to more perspectives, center culture in the primary classroom, and take the need-and potential-for teaching about citizenship seriously: social studies!By laying out their revolutionary approach to teaching social studies, O''Brien and Tabb explain how to provide students with a deep but achievable understanding of global social systems as they''re transformed by history, sociology, economics, geography, and civics. And, because the Unpack Your Impact curriculum can be folded into existing lessons for almost any topic, students garner an inclusive and interdisciplinary appreciation for how all learning shapes, and is shaped by, a diverse array of human cultures. Inspiring, optimistic, and empowering, Unpack Your Impact shows that primary teachers can make a positive impact-individually and globally.  Unpack Your Impact delivers a profound and fresh perspective on cultural integration in social studies classrooms. It equips readers with meaningful and tangible methods to have honest discussions while exploring topics that have been desperately missing from traditional textbooks. Personally, my favorite aspect of the book is that LaNesha and Naomi present eye-opening ways to provide historical meaning across various subjects.-Dr. Valerie Camille Jones, mathematics specialist and Presidential Award winnerLaNesha and Naomi have done it again! As educators, they understand what steps are needed to help teachers rethink their practices. The duo continues to push educators to do better for ALL kids!-Vera Ahiyya, educator and book curatorThis is what I wish I had in my early years of teaching. It is practical, inspiring, relevant, and needed! I encourage all educators to read this book and learn from two of the best!-Shaun Woodly, PhD, author, educator, speaker, and found of the movement Teach Hustle Inspire  

 We''re defined by our failures only if we let ourselves be.In today''s stressful climate of education budget shortfalls, ever-evolving academic standards, and widespread cultural transformation, how can educators find the confidence to become the leaders they hope to be? Thrive through the Five helps school leaders navigate that challenging 5 percent of work (and life) when things are really, really hard. The goal of this book is to not just help readers survive through those moments, days, and seasons, but to lead through them and truly thrive.The superintendent of Gunter ISD, a growing school district an hour north of Dallas, Dr. Siler offers a refreshingly honest account of the challenges and pitfalls of leadership. Coupled with her infectious optimism, her wisdom and insight invite educational professionals to take the next best step and move confidently-even through the toughest times.Winner of 2021 Eric Hoffer Reference Category2021 Eric Hoffer First Horizon Award Finalist, 2021 Eric Hoffer Short List and 2021 Montaigne Medal Finalist "Thrive through the Five transforms challenges into positive opportunities and achievement. It''s a must-read for school leaders." -Jon Gordon, New York Times best-selling author of The Energy Bus and The Power of Positive Leadership"In Thrive through the Five, Dr. Siler uses her own experiences and expertise to provide practical, relevant insights into how all school leaders can thrive in those difficult times. This should be required reading for anyone who dares to be a great leader." -Kevin Brown, EdD, executive director, Texas Association of School Administrators"Thrive through the Five is a great story of one leader''s journey to find a way through the parts of our jobs that don''t always bring us the most joy, but often take up the most time. The quotes will inspire and the process will clearly help you navigate the 5 percent that has such an impact on our world both emotionally and physically as leaders." -Joe Sanfelippo, PhD, superintendent, Fall Creek School District, and author of Hacking Leadership 

Give your students the world without leaving your classroomChart a course for adventure as you empower your students for the global future on the horizon. In Sail the 7 Cs with Microsoft Education, veteran educators Becky Keene and Kathi Kersznowski bring the world into your classroom through Microsoft Education. Learn how this suite of accessible, innovative digital tools is revolutionizing education around the globe and offering students the chance to become true changemakers.Bringing together the voices of educators from around the world, Sail the 7 Cs is grounded in solid pedagogy, offering a toolkit that will ignite the imaginations of tech newbies and power users alike. Guided by the authors’ optimism, vision, and insight, you’ll be sure to find inspiration throughout this book about the wondrous things that can be achieved with Microsoft Education products and the brilliant educators who use them. “Ahoy! Becky and Kathi are true changemakers and have provided an informative and engaging resource for educators. Preparing students to chart a course for their future in the modern workplace requires a focus on unleashing and developing skills. We need to build creative, collaborative, critically thinking learners who can effectively embrace technology and communicate their vision and passion to others. Most of all, we need to build a culture of compassion to enable students to apply their talents to helping others. While many valuable Microsoft technologies are highlighted throughout this resource, the voice of our community of hero educators remains the critical component to drive and sustain change.”—Anthony Salcito, vice president, Microsoft Education, United States“I loved this comprehensive guide to developing skills with technologies easily within my reach. Reading this felt like having a chat with my coolest, most innovative teacher friends. It’s sincere and warm, and it makes teachers like me want to do even better!”—Nikkie Lange, associate principal, New Zealand educator“Each page offers valuable knowledge and strategies on using digital classroom technologies to empower the educators of today to create the world of tomorrow. Highly recommended if you are a passionate edtech professional, teacher, or student looking for innovative teaching and learning methods.”—Waqas Shafique, Microsoft Educator Fellow, Pakistan