The Thinking School: Developing a dynamic learning community

"Despite experiencing our teaching in different times, we are both oriented to traditional math teaching. It wasn't because we were both taught that way, as some may believe, but because that method worked for us and we have seen it work for our students. It is efficient, effective, non-confusing and helped our students develop mathematical reasoning, understanding, and confidence. Most importantly it helped them to be successful." So begins the book on traditional math, which provides a glimpse of what explicit instruction looks like in the classroom for grades K through 8. Barry Garelick and J.R. Wilson are retired math teachers who describe the methods of traditionally taught math that they used in their teaching. Their descriptions serve two purposes: 1) It provides assurance to teachers who may already practice these methods that they are not alone, and 2) For others, it may provide some new ideas.

In The Path of the Mindful Teacher, Danielle A. Nuhfer introduces educators to a process that will help them positively manage stress, find work-life balance, lessen symptoms of burnout, and increase classroom job satisfaction. Teachers walking this path will be able to determine their own needs and the needs of their students, so they can successfully and sustainably do one of the most important jobs in the world: teaching the future of our planet. Drawing on Danielle’s experience as a teacher, mindfulness practitioner, and teacher wellness coach, The Path of the Mindful Teacher will: • Explain the basics of mindfulness and how it can inform teaching practice. • Illustrate a simple step-by-step path that will help teachers choose calm over chaos and serenity over stress. • Provide ways to integrate mindfulness practice into the classroom and beyond. • Offer mindfulness activities that can be adapted to an individual teacher’s needs. • Present tools to balance the ever-changing landscape of teaching.

This is a story about English language learners - one in particular - and a reflection on what we, as educators, can do to promote their success. As educators, we're faced every day with the question of how to teach the thousands - many thousands - of children who arrive in our schools as immigrants and refugees, coming with no English, from cultural backgrounds so different from America's, often from impoverished households and often from households where education of the kind we know was completely absent. Our work as educators is to help these children start to climb the wall that stands between their past, wherever and however that was lived, and a future in America, where their education will prepare them to take advantage of the same opportunities everyone else here enjoys. This is not an easy job. But it's one we can't afford to get wrong. And this is not a small corner in our education system today. The number of English language learners in U.S. school systems is large and growing. And the educators involved in teaching this exceptional population include basically everyone, not just those teachers with direct classroom contact. When they're in the building, the entire school is the English language learner's world.

We are spoiled for choice. Educational research abounds and countless teaching tips and trends are available at our fingertips. Where do you start? Connect the Dots presents three key interconnected areas of focus that will have the most impact on teaching and learning. 1. Building Strong Relationships: creating a sense of belonging, establishing norms and high expectations; and understanding barriers, like unconscious bias and misconceptions, in order to break them down 2. Maximising Memory: managing cognitive load, using effective learning strategies, planning for long term retention and application of knowledge 3. Cultivating Learning Mindsets: building self-efficacy; developing metacognitive skills; and using feedback, goal setting and talk effectively. Each of these three chapters lays out the research worth knowing and applies that research to ready-to-use teaching tools for real classrooms. The chapters conclude with detailed guides to support leadership in creating personalised professional learning sessions to turnkey these concepts to school staff. Connect the Dots is a book for educators by educators. Conceived by lead author Tricia Taylor, who started as a teacher in the US but has been teaching in UK schools for nearly two decades as well as running her consultancy, Tailored Practice, and co-authored by Nina Dibner a veteran US educator and founder of PowerTools, an American educational consulting firm, Connect the Dots offers a transcontinental lens. Illustrated by Oliver Caviglioli, the graphics and layout make the book incredibly accessible and a joy to read.

What is it that enables students to learn from some classroom activities, yet leaves them totally confused by others? Although we can't see directly into students' minds, we do have Cognitive Load Theory, and this is the next best thing. Built on the foundation of all learning, the human memory system, Cognitive Load Theory details the exact actions that teachers can take to maximise student outcomes.Written under the guidance, and thoroughly reviewed by the originator of CLT, John Sweller, this practical guide summarises over 30 years of research in this field into clear and easily understandable terms. This book features both a thorough discussion of the core principles of CLT and a wide array of classroom-ready strategies to apply it to art, music, history, chemistry, PE, mathematics, computer science, economics, biology, and more.

Capstone: Inquiry & Action at School addresses the what, why, and how of capstone education. Capstone programs are modern rituals that give meaning back to "schooling” and create transformative relationships between students and teachers. Capstone programs energize schools and can point the way for institutional change. Written by teachers for teachers, Capstone contains ready-to-implement materials derived from decades of experience in the classroom. The authors share authentic narratives of failure and success to encourage teachers who are engaged in the risks and rewards of deep learning. Capstone is implementable. Capstone offers concrete tips and templates for teachers. Capstone collects in one place all the resources a teacher needs to build a program from the ground up. Capstone is compelling. Written by teachers, Capstone communicates through a shared experience of the classroom. Capstone offers support for teachers who are committed to authentic student learning. Capstone is connected. Capstone shares emerging practices being developed by current capstone educators and informed by the collected wisdom of the National Capstone Consortium.