Books published by Solution Tree Press

With foreword by Rick WormeliMerging educational neuroscience with a formative assessment process and differentiated instruction, LeAnn Nickelsen and Melissa Dickson developed a four-step cycle of instruction -- (1) chunk, (2) chew, (3) check, and (4) change -- that has the power to double the speed of student learning. Compatible with any subject area, the book's brain-friendly teaching strategies and plentiful tools are designed to help transform students into active learners and independent thinkers.Educational neuroscience- and research-based teaching strategies to improve student achievement:Combine brain science with a formative assessment process and differentiated instruction to maximize student learning.Examine effective teaching strategies and differentiation practices so you can bump it up or break it down according to student needs.Consider the four-step instructional cycle and understand the components of chunk, chew, check, and change.Explore how the formative assessment process can double the speed of learning.Learn how to plan instruction and preassess efficiently so that daily learning targets and formative assessments enable each student to meet standards.Receive templates and teaching strategies that can be easily differentiated and implemented in daily lesson plans.Contents:Introduction: Maneuver Your Footwork With Four StepsPart I: Setting Up Your Classroom Dance FloorChapter 1: Choreograph Your Instruction With the Cha-Cha StepsChapter 2: Move Smoothly From Broad Ideas to Smaller IdeasChapter 3: Get to Know Your Dance Partners Part II: Putting the Steps TogetherChapter 4: Take Step One: Chunk (Instruct)Chapter 5: Take Step Two: Chew (Learn)Chapter 6: Take Step Three: Check (Evaluate)Chapter 7: Take Step Four: Change (Differentiate)Chapter 8: Finesse the Chunk, Chew, Check, and Change CycleEpilogue: Swing Into Action With the Four Steps

With foreword by Harry K. WongChange is coming at us from all angles: technological, cultural, social, and environmental. This presents a great challenge (and a great opportunity) in schools and in the teaching profession. With Owning It, you'll discover an array of easy-to-implement strategies designed to help you excel in the myriad of modern-day responsibilities of teachers and educators: classroom leader, mentor, colleague, team member, and public professional.This book will empower teachers to own their careers, teach effectively, and develop strong relationships:Acquire straightforward strategies for dealing with everyday situations found in classrooms, schools, and communities.Understand the multifaceted role of a teacher in today's schools and how to balance the numerous responsibilities -- from classroom management to relationships with colleagues.Feel inspired and motivated to bring out the best in yourself as well as in your students.Observe creative approaches to improve teaching strategies and student engagement.Answer reflection questions to connect with and relate to the strategies covered in the book.Contents:Part 1: Owning It in Your Classroom: Strategies for Creating an Environment of AchievementChapter 1: Revisit Your Personal Philosophy's ValueChapter 2: Make the Most of the First Five Minutes of Any ClassChapter 3: Increase Your Classroom Presence to Seem Like You're Everywhere at OnceChapter 4: Never Sabotage a Teachable MomentChapter 5: Help Students Learn Out Loud and Still Keep a Handle on Your ClassroomChapter 6: Transform Your Perception of Data and Help Your Students SucceedChapter 7: Think Outside the Bubble on All-Important Standardized TestsPart 2: Owning It With Your Most Challenging Students: Strategies for Succeeding With At-Risk and Struggling Student PopulationsChapter 8: Bring Ethnic Identity and Culturally Relevant Curriculum Into Your ClassroomChapter 9: Close the Achievement Gap With At-Risk StudentsChapter 10: Succeed With At-Risk YouthChapter 11: Manage Disruptive Classroom BehaviorChapter 12: Establish a Negotiation With At-Risk and Struggling StudentsChapter 13: Reel Parents in With Three Basic StrategiesChapter 14: Empower Students by Putting Them in ChargePart 3: Owning It at Your School and District: Strategies for Succeeding as a Member of a Staff TeamChapter 15: Turn "e;Not Another Meeting"e; Into "e;Let's Get to Business!"e;Chapter 16: Help Your School's New Teachers Succeed (and Stick Around)Chapter 17: Improve Schools by Minding Collegial Generation GapsChapter 18: Approach a Colleague About a ConflictChapter 19: Five Ways to Make Shared Positions Work for Teachers, Students, and AdministratorsPart 4: Owning It in Your Community: Strategies for Making a Positive Impact Beyond Your School and ClassroomChapter 20: Turn Potential Foes Into Supportive AlliesChapter 21: Put the Spotlight on Your SchoolChapter 22: Get Teachers Into the Community and the Community Into TeachersChapter 23: Step Up and Share Your Ideas With Fellow EducatorsChapter 24: Make Blogs an Essential Support Mechanism for Teaching

This book is unique in that it goes beyond individual teacher assistance to provide creative systems that work in concert with a student's literacy education. This easy-to-use reference guide provides K8 teachers with practical strategies to motivate all students to develop their reading abilities across grade levels and content areas. Focus on what early-literacy instruction and intervention struggling students should receive and what tips parents should know to help struggling readers. With instructional practices that can be adapted for a wide range of academic interventions, this book shows educators where to start in building an action plan for student literacy achievement. It is an ideal professional development resource for team study and discussion.BenefitsGain insight into the early signs of reading struggles.Examine relevant theory and research related to literacy, including the fundamental elements of reading that need to work in balance in literacy instruction.Review questioning strategies to help students broaden their understanding when reading challenging texts.Explore graphic organizers that can engage higher-level thinking skills.Survey a toolbox of instructional practices for supporting literacy in inclusive classrooms.Study a blueprint for success for literacy programs.ContentsIntroductionThe Struggling ReaderKey Elements of Balanced Literacy ProgramsEffective Early Literacy InterventionVocabulary StrategiesHelping Students Become Word WiseGraphic OrganizersMaking Thinking VisibleContent StrategiesNavigating Informational TextQuestioning TechniquesFostering Higher-Level ThinkingDeveloping an Action Plan for SuccessAppendix: Teacher's ToolboxReferences and ResourcesIndex

Developed as a companion to Embedded Formative Assessment, 2nd edition, this handbook guides K-12 teachers through the process of developing effective formative assessments. Inside its pages, you'll find tried-and-tested classroom strategies, practical how-tos, and exercises designed to guide implementation. The book also includes discussion questions that can be answered as teams or used for individual reflection. Learn how to implement the strategies of formative assessment in the classroom: Explore research that states classroom formative assessment is the most impactful (and cost-effective) approach to raising student academic achievement. Review the five key strategies of classroom formative assessment. Gain more than 50 practical techniques for classroom formative assessment. Clarify and share learning intentions and success criteria, elicit evidence of student achievement, and give feedback that moves learning forward. Understand that teacher quality remains the most important determinant of student engagement and learning. Contents: Chapter 1: Understanding Formative Assessment Chapter 2: Clarifying, Sharing, and Understanding Learning Intentions and Success Criteria Chapter 3: Eliciting Evidence of Learners' Achievement Chapter 4: Providing Feedback That Moves Learning Forward Chapter 5: Activating Students as Instructional Resources for One Another Chapter 6: Activating Students as Owners of Their Own Learning Appendix: Observation Tools References and Resources