Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. School management and organiza    5. School management and organization    6. United States    7. Education / Administration   

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Administration - School Plant Management    3. Aims and objectives    4. Curricula    5. Education    6. Education / Teaching    7. Educational Policy & Reform    8. Educational change    9. School improvement programs    10. Testing & Measurement    11. United States   

Reviews (4)

Hidden Gem!
I happened to find this book while browsing the teaching section.It has truly been a great resource that every (new) teacher should have.Unlike most of our teacher ed. programs, this book gives practical information about how to run a classroom.You won't regret buying this book, it is a wonderful resource!

A great resource for any teacher!
My school district gave every new teacher a copy of this book.The new teacher that I am mentoring shared it with me.After reading through it I was excited to find a book that focuses on instruction instead of some silver-bullet discipline plan.The instructional strategies are written clearly and consisely.Both of us bring our copies of Why Didn't I Learn This in College? and use them as we plan our units and lessons every Monday for the following week.I highly recommend this book to any teacher.

An ESSENTIAL for All Educators!
Practical, positive, and pure Paula! WHY DIDN'T I LEARN THIS IS COLLEGE? is an ESSENTIAL professional resource for educators at all levels of experience! Paula Rutherford applies her 30 years of teaching and educational leadership to create this book of research-based teaching tips and user-friendly tools that will help increase student achievement in our classrooms. She offers a logical framework for creating learning-centered environments, planning "with the 'end' in mind", and organizing learners and professional tasks for positive results for students, parents, and teachers. Read more

Subjects:  1. Classroom management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Education / Teaching Methods & Materials / General    5. Educational Policy & Reform    6. First year teachers    7. Higher    8. Professional Development    9. Teaching    10. Teaching Methods & Materials - General   

Reviews (2)

Professional Learning Communities at Work (Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement)
Professional Learning Communities at Work (Best Practices for Enhancing Student Achievement) by Dr. Richard Dufour and Dr. Robert Eaker, is a well-written/user-friendly piece of literature.This book may be useful as a text for graduate and/or post-graduate level students who are studying and/or working within the area of education, administration, and/or curriculum and instruction.It is also an excellent resource to have if you are dealing with staff and/or curriculum development.The basic premise of the book goes about showing how (via PLC's (Professional Learning Communities)/Small Learning Communities) school staff and administration can work collaboratively to help change, redefine, and/or shape their school's mission and goals.Through this teaming process and through the steps/best practices the authors suggest; school improvement, cultural change, and positive curriculum development and implementation can more likely be achieved.

Practices from some of the best schools in the country
The collaborative work of Richard DuFour (Superintendent of Adlai Stevenson High School District 125, Lincolnshire, Illinois) and Robert Eaker (Dean of the College of Education, Middle Tennessee State University), Professional Learning Communities At Work: Best Practices For Enhancing Student Achievement offers the reader informed and informative information on how to transform any private or public school into a results-oriented "professional learning community" based upon practices from some of the best schools in the country. Professional Learning Communities At Work covers curriculum development, teacher preparation, school leadership, professional development programs, school-parent partnerships, and assessment practices. Of vital interest to education professionals, Professional Learning Communities At Work is completely accessible and highly recommended reading for parents and other non-specialist general readers with an interest in improving their community schools and school systems.
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Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Educational Reform    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Policy & Reform    5. Educational change    6. Group work in education    7. Leadership    8. Professional Development    9. School improvement programs    10. Team learning approach in educ    11. Team learning approach in education    12. United States    13. Educational Reform   

Reviews (1)

Develops six guiding principles for creating and sustaining high-performing schools
Failure Is Not An Option: Six Principles That Guide Student Achievement In High-performing Schools is an impressive introduction to enhancing student performance which directly addresses transforming theory into practice and illustrating diverse applications with case studies and vignettes. Failure Is Not An Option develops six guiding principles for creating and sustaining high-performing schools. Also available in a hardcover edition, Failure Is Not An Option is especially commended to the attention of administrators and faculty responsible for providing primary leadership in developing curriculum and policies for meeting enhanced federal and state standards for individual school and school district criteria under the "no child left behind" education standards for student academic performance levels.
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Subjects:  1. Academic achievement    2. Administration - General    3. Aims & Objectives    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Educational leadership    7. Leadership    8. School improvement programs    9. United States    10. Education / Leadership    11. Organization & management of education   

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education / Teaching    3. Educational Policy & Reform    4. Experimental Methods    5. Professional Development   

Reviews (4)

An online review by Courtney and Jenny
This book has opened our eyes to many issues we did not think about or explore prior to reading this book.Richard Rothstein does an excellent job pointing out the many contributing factors to the "Black-White Achievement Gap" in America.Even though some of Rothstein's ideas are expressed in other articles and books, these important issues and topics he reiterates only emphasizes the attention that this issues needs.Rothstein addresses that, as a society, we need to do more for students than just a good job of addressing issues and raising questions.The last chapter of his book deals with different ways teachers, educators, parents, and health officials can step in and intervene into children's lives in order to work on closing the achievement gap between lower- and middle-class families.

Well researched defense of public education
I looked to Rothstein's book for a thoroughly documented defense of public education in light of its inability to resolve fundamental inequalities.I was not disappointed but those who seek feasible proposals to remedy the problem will not find it here.The basic solution seems to be to extend the public education system into early childhood.I see a number of problems:1. if we cannot afford the employment of highly paid teaching professionals in K-12, how will we do it for early childhood professionals paid at comparible salaries.2. If the stress on on cognitive skills is problematic, why would such professional status be required anyways. He points out the importance of behavioral/character training but rules out the use of less educated adults in these communities to impart that training.I believe that they will be most effective in training and disciplining the children than a middle class college grad.Moreover, they will provide the intensive coverage needed at the lowest cost.Have the high priced professionals train the aides from the area and then send them to the day-care and other preschool programs to do the early childhood education.In conclusion, the non-sequitars involved in the proposed soluctions do not invalidate the objective summaries of the research and the entirely valid objections to standardized testing as enshrined in the NCLB.I would certainly recommend it for a critical understanding of the issue.Then go to Valerie Lee and Ted Sizer for better solutions.

ASK A SILLY QUESTION ...
Richard Rothstein is no more qualified to advise on education than the new governor of California(who is a body-builder).Theobjective of education is economic self-sufficiency.Getting ahead in life requires connections, not "knowledge."American blacks are denied connections.We allknow why and how.The black-white gap which Rothstein writes aboutis notinformation but access.
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Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education / Teaching    3. Ethnic Studies - General    4. Social Classes    5. Social Science    6. Sociology   

Reviews (13)

Review of Golden's _Price of Admissions_
This is a book full of handwringing and incessant whining.Golden, a Harvard alumnus, lacks any subtlety or literary range, not to mention consistency.He'll rail against "development cases" pushing out "well qualified" candidates from "top-tier" NYU and Georgetown then pages later treat both schools as inferior backups or consolation prizes.Which are they?Golden shoots so broadly that his complaint gets lost.Again and again he laments that a seat given a "development case" or alumni "legacy" could have gone to someone more deserving.Who would that be?He writes as if a champion of the oppressed but anyone sensible knows that these seats would most probably go to some other child prepped at Hotchkiss or Choate; or graduated from Greenwich or Beverly Hills public.In short, a seat given to SAT and GPA is no less a seat programmed for the perpetuation of wealth and social position -- just blander.Does Golden understand, like Groucho, that no one would care to attend HYP if there weren't wealthy and celebrated connections to be made?Golden doesn't see that a truer psychological intrigue is to be found in the alliance of court and commons when thrown into a mix with the carnivorous middle.In such circumstances it might be better to end the masquerade and simply have foreigners, legacies, celebrities, minorities and the poor appear daily on stage in Memorial Hall -- curio objects for collection and enlightened entertainment.It's all very silly, really!But, still he rails.How can Golden possibly conceive of affirmative action for intellectuals?Repeat:This is the United States of America.I am sure they read Hofstadter when Golden attended Harvard.I'm also certain they understood PT Barnum.Does Golden think today's economy offers better rewards for aesthetic beauty or intellect?He should reconsider as U-Tube scores billions but pure science waits on tables.If America really cared about intellect and talent it would eagerly fund gifted education in the public schools.If it really cared about equality it would step up and pay for better schools all around.If Golden really held dame egalite's torch he would befriend Jonathan Kozol.Even George Steinbrenner recognizes that teams composed from imbalanced talent, and ego, make far more satisfying stories.Holmes needed his Watson, many great scientific discoveries were accidental, and "gated communities" are extremely dull places to live.Real diversity is social, economic, racial, intellectual and talent broad.If Harvard falls short, it can afford to try harder -- and it will.The last thing an egalitarian should desire is to attack "legacy" or "development" or "celebrity" admits only to replace their peculiarities with admissions by the numbers. Listen up defenders of affirmative action: Do not call in the wolves to help you fight the dogs.

Right on
A brief stroll across the Porsche, BMW, Mustang, and SUV packed parking lot of a Stanford undergrad dorm shows that this book must have a kernel of truth, unfortunately.

It's Okay
I found this book to be a fascinating read.One thing I did not like though was Golden's characterization of affirmative action.Although this wasn't the explicit focus of his book, his brief references to it I think lead to false impressions.In fact, there aren't large numbers of black and Latino students walking around these schools.The majority of the "minorities" are Asians, particularly at the graduate level where the largest campus organization at one Ivy League school in particular is the Chinese Students Association.Most of the black and Latino students are immigrants or second-generation immigrants.Because of the "immigrant effect" (e.g. the high performance of Asian students), these kids generally have higher test scores and better grades than any Americans--white or black.I can count on one hand the number of Jamalsor Letitias growing up in the inner city walking around these schools.Therefore, it's kind of ignorant when whites say they are at a disadvantage because "they don't have race."It's too bad that they didn't get into the schools to be able to see that their impressions about how many spots were given to blacks and Latinos because of affirmative action is not really accurate.
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Subjects:  1. Admission    2. College choice    3. Costs    4. Economics Of Education    5. Education    6. Education / Teaching    7. Education, Higher    8. Educational Policy & Reform    9. Finance    10. Higher    11. Social Classes    12. Social Stratification    13. United States    14. Universities and colleges    15. Current Events / American   

Reviews (3)

Excellent resource for busy educators
Having purchased many types of teaching resources over the last few years, I have finally found onemore helpful than all the others combined. Evertson not only outlines the procedures in an easy to read manner, but she also gives excellent examples of her theories in practice. I was expecting a book that strictly dealt with keeping order in the classroom, but what I received was so much more. This book describes ways to teach that will ensure that classrooms run smoothly and more importantly the students learn. I only hope that other new teachers find this text at the beginning of their careers as the advice contained is invaluable. If your budget or time schedule only allows for one book, definitely buy this one!

Recommended 100%
Great Book!!!!Shipped quickly!!!!!Would order from again!!!!

Elementary Management for Elementary Teachers
Specific suggestions and tips help teachers solve common organization andmanagement problems *Case studies at the elementary level provideteachers withrealistic expectations of what they will encounter in the classroom and how to deal with a wide range of differentsituations.*Case studies give teachers real-world examples on managingcooperativelearning, literature-based and whole-languagelearning, and inclusionclassroons. *The authors have increased the coverage of diversity in student populations and have added new suggestions forworking withspecial needs students. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classroom Management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Education, Elementary    5. Elementary    6. Teaching    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    8. Education / Classroom Management    9. Industrial or vocational training    10. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (2)

Dual Language
As a dual-language elementary teacher it is important that I teach my students the meaning of specific words in the subjects they have to learn in order to get the meaning.This book allows me to concentrate on the meaning, context and usage of words in the different subjects I teach rather than having to look for the words and then do what I described.It has also helped me build a stronger vocabulary and made me a better teacher for my students.

Organized into 11 subject areas and 4 grade-level categories
Building Background Knowledge For Academic Achievement: Research On What Works In Schools by Robert J. Marzano (Senior Scholar, Mid-Continent Research for Education and Learning, Aurora, Colorado and Associate Professor, Cardinal Stritch University, Milwaukee, Wisconsin) discusses how two combined approaches - sustained silent reading and careful study of subject-specific vocabulary terms - can help young adults overcome weaknesses in background knowledge that would otherwise undermine their educational pursuits, from elementary to high school. In addition to the outlined principles for a sustained silent reading program, and effective vocabulary instruction, over 7,923 actual vocabulary terms have been culled for presentation from national standards documents and other publications, organized into 11 subject areas and 4 grade-level categories. A superb home schooling, self-study, or curriculum supplementary guide, highly recommended for parents, educators, tutors, and studious individuals seeking to hone the tools that maximize their comprehension skills.
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Subjects:  1. Academic achievement    2. Administration - General    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Research    6. School supervision    7. Silent reading    8. United States    9. Vocabulary   

Reviews (8)

A lot of truth, but also a lot of willful oversight
Kohn leads off with some solid observations.Some children are given what seems to them and their parents to be a lot of homework.It is often more than the rule of thumb guideline of 10 minutes per day per grade.And, as Kohn points out, that rule of thumb has never been so subjected to any empirical test of reasonableness.
Good Ideas, Poor Presentation
In The Homework Myth, Alfie Kohn has some good things to say.Take this (from p. 59): "People are active meaning makers.They are not passive receptacles into which knowledge, or skills, or dispositions can be poured."This is a powerful statement which has wide implications in the field of education.And, in fact, Mr. Kohn has a number of other good things to say in this book beyond his insistent calls to eliminate homework.But he does little with his big ideas.They are hidden beneath his avowed purpose in this book: to convince us that homework is a bad idea. But, no matter how you feel about Mr. Kohn's thesis, it is a bitter pill to swallow since his tone is so stridently negative and he falls into the same traps that he accuses the supporters of homework of sliding into.
A Teacher's Point of View
As a second grade teacher with children of her own, I have to say that I disagree with the idea that homework is not a "valuable" educational experience.The issue of how valuable an experience it is happens to be a moot point.The true value of homework is in having a task, being responsible for doing that task, and doing it to the best of one's ability.It is also valuable to learn that sometimes we have to do things we don't want to do.My 2 cents... ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Education    2. Education (General)    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Policy & Reform    5. Family And Child Development    6. General    7. Parenting - General    8. Research    9. Teaching skills & techniques   

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Administration    5. Leadership    6. Problem-based learning    7. School administrators    8. School management and organization    9. Study and teaching (Higher)    10. Training of    11. United States    12. Education / Leadership    13. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (3)

Great read!
If you like What Great Principals Do Differently you will also appreciate reading Ryan Delaney's Mission Accomplished by Anna T. Erickson.

A Great Read
Sometimes we all have to "recharge" in our professions.I enjoyed the read, as that's exactly what it did for me.I am refreshed and renewed.I am also more "reflective" about my relationships with other professionals in my school.

What Great Principals Do Differently
This is an excellent practical guide for making you a more effective school principal.If you like and live this book, then you will also want to share "What Great Teachers Do Differently"with your teaching staff. Anyone who has heard Todd Whitaker speak will be inspired by his down-to-earth methods and insights that make sense, show respect to students and motivate everyone to do an excellent job. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational leadership    5. School management and organiza    6. School management and organization    7. School principals   

Reviews (3)

Nice tool for new teachers.
This book is a practical resource for new secondary teachers. The authors discuss classroom set-up, student resources, and behavior problems.There are many ideas ready for application in your own classroom and no boring or unnecessary narratives that most classroom management books have.
Harry K. Wong Implements Research of Evertson
In his video series "The Effective Teacher" Part II: The First Days of School, Harry Wong cites the work of Carolyn Evertson and how he implements her research in the classroom:Wong says "Now, why do I assign seats?Now, you may know the name Carolyn Evertson.She is arguably the leading authority on classroom management.She did her work at the Univ. of Texas, Austin campus, many years ago.They wrote a book called Classroom Management for Elementary Teachers and a book called Classroom Management for High School and Junior High School Teachers.They went out and they looked at thousands and thousands of very effective teachers, and they went out and they looked at thousands and thousands of very ineffective teachers, and this is what they discovered.They discovered that effective teachers assign seats on the first day of school..."He shows a graphic of the covers of the two books.This is one of the books he refers to.Harry Wong is the author of the book The First Days of School.Anyone who liked The First Days of School, therefore, might be interested to read this resource that Harry Wong found to be useful.

This is a must have book for any secondary teacher.
I use this book as the text for one of my classes at VanderbiltUniversity.The students always love it.It is one of the most practicaltextbooks that I have seen.This book contains everything beginningteachers need to make a smooth and effective start on their journey as ateacher. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Classroom Management    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Education, Secondary    5. Secondary    6. Secondary Education    7. Teaching Methods & Materials - General    8. Education / Classroom Management    9. Industrial or vocational training    10. Organization & management of education    11. Teaching skills & techniques   

Reviews (1)

The School and Community Relations
My order came right on time!Just like it said that it would.The book was in excellent condition.It was neatly wrapped and packed for safety.I will shop here again in the near future.
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Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Communication in education    3. Community and school    4. Education    5. Education / Teaching    6. Philosophy & Social Aspects    7. Public relations    8. Research    9. School Public Relations    10. Schools    11. United States    12. Education / Leadership   

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Reference   

Reviews (25)

See Your Son or Your Students Here
The library at the college where I work puts out a list of new books they have purchased in our area once per month, and this book was on the psychology list back in January.I thought it looked interesting and picked it up then, thinking it might have some good things to say about a book I'm writing about men and depression.I finally picked it up and started reading it last week, and finished it in less than a week.I really enjoyed the authors' styles of writing which made some of the technical information more accessible and easier to understand, which to me means it would be a great resource for students studying education and for parents of boys of all ages.
A teacher's review
More informative than 'Boys and Girls Learn Differently,' 'The Minds of Boys' is a fascinating look into the specific reasons why boys are doing so poorly in school nowadays. Very, very awfulif you did not know - Boys are the overwhelming majority of special education students, are more likely to drop out, and are much less likely to attend college.
A needed step forward for boys:
I really sympathize with Michael Gurian.I felt much the same way about the failures of the industrialized education system in the 1950s that he described a couple of decades later.It's set up to fail boys, and has gotten worse over the past several decades as men teachers have been driven out.
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Subjects:  1. Academic achievement    2. Boys    3. Child Care/Parenting    4. Developmental - Child    5. Education    6. Family & Relationships    7. Family / Parenting / Childbirth    8. Parenting - General    9. Psychology    10. Sex differences in education    11. Family & Relationships / Parenting    12. Men's studies    13. Organization & management of education   

Reviews (1)

What works in Schools
I have been a classroom teacher for 25 years. In that time, I have seen many trends in educational philosophy. Finally, Marzano has written a book that addresses research based methods of instruction that actually are proven to increase student achievement. He addresses three key areas: School-Level Factors, Teacher-Level Factors, Student-Level Factors, and a section on how to implement these factors into classoom instruction. Marzano states,"Thirty-five years of research provides remarkably clear guidance as to the steps schools can take to be highly effective in enhancing student achievement."I have found that the researched based information that Marzano provides about each of these key areas to be invaluable in the instruction of our students. This book is a must read for all serious educators. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Academic achievement    2. Administration - General    3. Education    4. Education / Teaching    5. Research    6. School improvement programs    7. Teaching    8. Teaching of specific groups   

Reviews (2)

At last--A Synthesis on Leadership That Models Great Leadership!
Robert Marzano and his colleagues translate the knowledge base on effective school leadership into a clear and precise format applicable to 21st century schools.It is a great gift to both successfuil veterans and aspiring leaders.Students and the nation are better off for this work.Education professors and school board members will use Marzano's meta-analysis to understand and articulate the qualities we need in today's leaders.

Leadership Behavior to Promote Student Academic Achievement
In this book, Robert Marzano, the most effective force in educational reform today, continues his efforts to promote excellence in schools.Here, he and his colleagues turn their attention to defining school leadership behaviors and actions that raise student achievement.They blend practical advice and research to come up with specific steps that school leaders can take to see that students improve academically.
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Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational leadership    5. Leadership    6. School management and organization   

Reviews (9)

A Fine Introduction to the Field
Contrary to some of the other reviews on this page, I found the book to be a helpful and very readable itroduction to the field of educational psychology.No, it is not a definitive and cutting edge expert treatise, but that is not its purpose.It is introducing first year students to the major theories and ideas that have historically shaped educational psychology, and it does so very concisely and thoroughly.Just like an Introduction to Christian History text is not going to delve into the finer points of Crossan's theories about Jesus' death, or a first year Calculus text is not going to stress the use of set theory and formal proofs, so this book serves its purpose best by giving a broad, yet thorough introduction to a very interestig field without confusing students with unecessary details.If you are looking to dive into educational psychology and need a helpful introduction to help guide you, this is a great place to start.Recommended.

Nonplussed by criticisms.
It is notable that the critics of this title have failed to indicate a text that they consider superior. Woolfolk's text is so broad in its scope that the accusation of bias is difficult to sustain. In any case, would be educators would willingly accept recommendations on more up-to-date texts.

Badly dated - be afraid when educators defend this book.
Woolfolk's book reflects educational psychology ca. 1975. She cynically - and selectively - cites references that are much more recent to give this the gloss of being current, but don't be taken in.Read more

Subjects:  1. Administration - General    2. Education    3. Education / Teaching    4. Educational Psychology    5. General