Additional Resources: Books
At-Risk Students Reaching and Teaching Them
This book is organized around the basic psychological needs of all students: competence, belonging, usefulness, potency, and optimism. The author feels that when teachers and schools focus on meeting these needs, the number of at-risk students is drastically reduced. The practical strategies and tips could help all students become successful learners, including school wide initiatives restructuring, prevention programs, developmental constructivism, and mastery learning. Cox, Jonas (2013). At-Risk Students Reaching and Teaching Them. Routledge. |
CHAMPS, a Proactive and Positive Approach to Classroom
Management
This book introduces teachers to the five components of CHAMPS (conversation, help, activity, movement, participation.) These components give classroom teachers a proactive design for effective and positive classroom management. The book describes the actions to be taken by the teacher and offers a common-sense method for the teacher to cope with misbehavior in the classroom and to teach students responsible behavior, resulting in behavioral and academic success for all students. Sprick, R. S. (2010). CHAMPS a proactive & positive approach to classroom management: DVD inservice series (2nd ed.). Eugene, OR: Pacific Northwest Pub.. |
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The Elementary Teacher’s Discipline Problem Solver
This book is a resource filled with practical, concrete, and teacher-tested strategies that will help you maintain order in your classroom while preserving your students' dignity. Each of the techniques outlined in the book has been designed with the goal of helping maximize teaching time and minimize the time spent on discipline. The strategies provided from this book can be used for RTI or MTSS interventions or simply applied as needed when problematic behaviors occur in the classroom. Shore, K. (2003). Elementary teacher's discipline problem solver: a practical A-Z guide for managing classroom behavior problems. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. |
Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind.
Practical Strategies for Raising Student Achievement
This is a follow up to the book above by identifying student engagement as the key factor in the academic success of economically disadvantaged students. Again it references research, experience, and real school success stories. It includes engagement strategies that all teachers can use to expand student cognitive learning, increase motivation and effort, and build deep meaningful learning. It encourages teachers to increase effective engagement and empower students to take ownership of their learning. It includes steps for immediate implementation to make school the best part of every student’s day. Jensen, Eric (2013). Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind. Practical Strategies for Raising Student Achievement. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
Focus Elevating the Essentials to
Radically Improve Student Learning
The author explains the need to focus on reading and writing across all subject areas.. His advice is straight forward- read text daily closely, model how to read closely for students, have students practice reading closely daily. Another important strategy is to have students discuss the texts they read and to formulate and support in writing an opinion. He offers clear concise straightforward actions in every subject area which he outlines in each chapter, we can make swift dramatic improvements in all schools. Schmoker, Mike (2011). Focus Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
A Mind Shaped by Poverty 10 Things
Educators Should Know
This book lists ten phenomena that explains how poverty can shape a child’s mind. It includes personal stories that illustrate each topic. It is a comprehensive look at how poverty affects academic success and what educators can do to solve the problems It suggests strategies that teachers can use to enhance students' confidence, improve academic achievement, and most importantly, banish the negative effects of a poverty mindset.. Rawlinson, Regenia (2011). A Mind Shaped by Poverty 10 Things Educators Should Know. iUniverse, Incorporated. |
Other People's Children: Cultural Conflicts in the Classroom
In a radical analysis of contemporary classrooms, MacArthur Award–winning author Lisa Delpit develops ideas about ways teachers can be better “cultural transmitters” in the classroom, where prejudice, stereotypes, and cultural assumptions breed ineffective education. Delpit suggests that many academic problems attributed to children of color are actually the result of miscommunication, as primarily white teachers and “other people’s children” struggle with the imbalance of power and the dynamics plaguing our system. Delpit, Lisa (2006). Other People’s Children. Cultural Conflict in the Classroom. New York, NY: The New Press. |
Pam Allyn’s Best Books for Boys, K-8
A great resource to engage your most reluctant readers with a wide range of must-read titles organized by interest, age, and development. Each book is carefully chosen and accompanied by a brief explanations. Another feature, Talk About It, helps extend the book and includes themes and topics of special interest to boys that will motivate and inspire them to read more. The author addresses challenges for boys as readers and gives tips to maximize environments, routines, and structures to engage boys in reading. Allyn, Pam (2011). Pam Allyn’s Best Book for Boys, K-8. Scholastic Teaching Resources. |
Raising Black Students’ Achievement
Through Culturally Responsive Teaching
This book presents the results of the author’s in-depth study of a group of teachers in grades 3-8 who managed to radically narrow the achievement gap between their black and white students by using culturally responsive strategies in their classrooms. The book includes an overview of the research literature on effective responses to the achievement gap. It includes how to set and maintain expectations, establish positive social interactions, and design, implement, and assess culturally responsive teaching strategies that bring about high quality learning. McKinley, Johnnie (2010). Raising Black Students’ Achievement Through Culturally Responsive Teaching. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
Results Now How We Can Achieve
Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and Learning
The author stresses the importance of consistent curriculum, authentic literacy education, and professional learning communities for teachers. He suggests that students will become learners for life when they have more opportunities to engage in strategic reading, writing with explicit guidance, and argument and discussion. He stresses strong teamwork, true leadership, and authentic learning, with this schools and their students can reach new heights. If we increase instructional practices that include the use of scoring rubrics, high-yield strategies and higher-order thinking, student achievement will rise. Schmoker, Mike (2006). Results Now How We Achieve Unprecedented Improvements in Teaching and Learning. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
Results The Key to Continuous School
Improvement
The book outlines how to achieve school improvement through the use of regular teacher collaboration. In this expanded 2nd edition, Mike Schmoker declares the need to focus on student learning. By setting goals, working collaboratively, and keeping track of student-achievement data from many sources, teachers and administrators can facilitate great improvements in student learning. It includes hundreds of up-to-date examples and success stories from real schools and districts. Schmoker, Mike (2003). Results the Key to Continuous School Improvement. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
Rethinking Intervention Supporting
Struggling Readers and Writers in Grades 3-6 Classrooms
This book includes strategies, practical examples, and the real life stories from an author who has spent decades as a teacher, specialist, and literacy coach in public schools. It includes three sections whole class instructional strategies, small group and individual instructional practices, and classroom teacher and interventionist collaboration. The suggested techniques are field-tested, and help teachers in grades 3-6 adapt instruction for challenging students in normal classroom settings, and for specialists meeting the needs of these children within classroom communities. Frost, Shari (2013). Rethinking Intervention Supporting Struggling Readers and Writers in Grades 3-7 Classrooms. Choice Literacy. |
Saving our Students, Saving Our Schools: 50 Proven Strategies For Helping Underachieving Students and Improving Schools
Saving Our Students Saving Our Schools: 50 Proven Strategies for Helping Underachieving Students and Improving Our Schools is an excellent reference and starting point for educators and administrators to use to understand the basic components of many issues surrounding the education of underachieving students. Part 1 works to define at-risk students while, at the same time, explains that “at-risk” can have abroad, multi-faceted definition. It also outlines the many policies, programs, and practices that are destructive to student achievement and the challenges the myths that keep these in place. The last section of part 1 is a call to action to “establish the commitment to educate children and youth at risk” and points out why educators should do just that. Part 2, the majority of the book, contains the 50 strategies that should be used to reach at-risk students. Each strategy is well-referenced and each numbered strategy piece contains an introduction to and definition of the strategy, bulleted highlights of the research done in relation to the strategy, and a “take action” section that explains how the strategy can be implemented. Each of these is organized into chapters that are theme based, with headings such as “Establish Priorities That Focus on Student Learning,” and, “Teach All Students to Read.” One unusual aspect to each chapter is the “Unconventional Wisdom” section that highlights what real teachers and administrators are doing in their schools and classrooms to put the strategy to use. Part 3 concludes the book by reiterating the call to action, stressing the importance of providing a quality education to all students. As Barr and Parrett explain, “Many of these strategies are directly focused on classroom teaching practice; others address school, district, and/or community policy and practices” (29). There is an extensive variety of strategies that range from ones that need to be internalized by a teacher so that he or she can begin to think about how to best teach underachieving students to well-described classroom, whole-school, and district strategies that could be used immediately. This section of the book provides an excellent reference for a vast array of strategies that can be used by any teacher or administrator who is working to improve educational equality in a classroom or school. Barr, R.D. and Parrett, W. H. (2008). Saving our students saving our schools: 50 Proven strategies for helping underachieving students and improving our schools. California: Corwin Press. |
The Teacher’s Encyclopedia of Behavior Management: 100 Problems/500
Plans
The purpose of The Teacher’s Encyclopedia of Behavior Management: 100 Problems/500 Plans is to assist in helping students learn to behave more responsibly. It should be used as a reference guide to help quickly develop and implement effective interventions for common classroom problems. These interventions are for use with individual students to whole class, covering topics from arguing to cyber bullying. The interventions that are listed meet two criteria: 1) they ensure students are treated with dignity and respect; and 2) They provide a reasonable chance of helping the student(s) learn to behave more responsibly. Sprick, R. (2012). The Teacher’s Encyclopedia of Behavior Management: 100 Problems/500 Plans. (2nd ed). Pacific. Eugene, Oregon: Northwest Publishing. |
Teaching Students Who are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk
This text is an easy to use guide for beginning general education classroom teachers with the knowledge, tools, and practical strategies to use in diverse classrooms including students with disabilities, culturally diverse students, and students with limited English proficiency to economically disadvantaged students. It contains current research, terminology and teaching practices. It contains strategies for both elementary and secondary classrooms and activities for teaching reading, writing, and mathematics. It includes resources for Progress Monitoring and full integration of the RTI framework. Vaughn, Sharon. (2010) Teaching Students Who are Exceptional, Diverse, and At Risk. Pearson. |
Teaching Through the Storm A Journal of
Hope
The book is part reflection, part
narrative. Through reflection/ narrative, a first grade teacher takes the
reader into her classroom during an emotionally stormy year. This book shows a
threefold focus on theory, data, and method. It a first-hand account of
powerful methods for understanding students and for shaping curriculum. This
describes the wrenching dilemmas of classroom life, the hopes of teachers and
the sometimes stark realities they face.
Hankins, Karen Hale (2003). Teaching Through the Storm A Journal of Hope. Teachers Colllege Press. |
Teaching with Poverty in Mind. What
Being Poor Does to Kids’ Brains and What Schools Can Do About It
This book contains strategies and action steps in every chapter that are easy to apply. It draws from research, experience, and real school success stories. The author shows how teachers can really make a difference in a poverty-stricken student's life. Chapter 3 Embracing the Mind-Set of Change is a must read for all educators, offering a practical guide for enriching the minds and lives of all students. It includes the issues students, parents, teachers and administrators need to consider when working with poverty related individuals. Good background referenced research about why poverty students are different than non-poverty students and includes good examples and advice on how teachers and schools can effectively meet the needs of the poverty mind with a rich balanced learning environment and caring relationships that build students’ resilience, self-esteem, and character. Jensen, Eric (2009). Teaching with Poverty in Mind. What Being Poor Does to Kids’ Brains and What Schools Can Do About It. Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development. |
The Tough Kid Tool Box
This book provides teachers with simple, ready to use materials to help motivate and engage students who are displaying problematic behaviors in the classroom. The book provides ready to use reproducible materials suitable for all ages and grades levels. The strategies given are designed to implement positive behavior management strategies in the classroom quickly and still elicit positive results from students who have exhibited inappropriate classroom behaviors. Jenson, W. R., Rhode, G., & Reavis, H. K. (1994). The tough kid tool box. Longmont, CO: Sopris West. |
The Trouble with Black Boys and Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of Public Education.
This text is divided into three main parts: “The Student Experience,” “The Search for Equity,” and “The Schools We Need.” It begins with stories of real teens and discusses their struggles with racial identity and academics. Additionally, it focuses on ways to create equity for students such as violence prevention and reevaluating disciplinary practices as well as addresses issues with standards and accountability, racial isolation and the effects of poverty, and other needs essential to transforming schools into a system that creates equity and support for all students. Noguera, P. A. (2009). The Trouble with Black Boys and Other Reflections on Race, Equity, and the Future of Public Education. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. |
Troubled Children and Youth: Turning Problems into Opportunities.
Brendtro and Shahbazian’s book offers research-based strategies to improve relationships between youth with troubled backgrounds and teachers, mentors and parents. This book uses a strength-based approach to bridging those gaps while reinforcing the age-old concept “it takes a village to raise a child.” The authors highlight the Circle of Courage ideology of nurturing children and its four concepts in their book: belonging, mastery, independence, and generosity. Brendtro and Shahbazian offer numerous strategies to reclaiming youth and connecting teachers, mentors and parents with challenging children. Rather than providing more lip service on our expectations of how today’s youth should behave and punishing them, this text is invigorating, in the sense, it offers a fresh perspective on recognizing children’s strengths and building on those strong points. Brendtro, L., & Shahbazian, M. (2003). Troubled Children and Youth: Turning Problems Into Opportunities. Champaign, Illinois: Research Press. |