The purpose of Blueprint for Thoughtful Lesson Planning is to encourage you to drill deeper during lesson planning. Rigor in lessons is easily developed when teachers adequately reflect, from beginning to end, lessons and incorporate strategies to develop conceptual understanding in all their students. This guide will enhance your ability to deliver quality instruction resulting in higher levels of critical thinking, application and long-term retention of concepts and skills.
The Educator’s Field Guide helps teachers get off to a running start. The only book that covers all four key cornerstones of effective teaching—organization, classroom management, instruction, and assessment—this handy reference offers a bridge from college to classroom with a hearty dose of practical guidance for teachers who aspire to greatness. At a time when school leaders are pressed to hire and retain high-quality teachers, this guidebook is indispensable for defining and nurturing the qualities the qualities teachers strive for and students deserve. Helpful tools include: Step-by-step guidance on instructional organization, behavior management, lesson planning, and formative and summative assessment User-friendly taxonomic guides to help readers quickly locate topics The latest information on student diversity, special needs, and lesson differentiation Teacher testimonials and examples Explanations of education standards and initiatives Each key concept is addressed in a resource-style format with activities and reproducible that can be customized. Teachers will also find lesson plan templates, graphs, charts, quizzes, and games—all in one easy-to-use source.
Your blueprint to planning Grades 6-8 math lessons that lead to achievement for all learners When it comes to planning mathematics lessons, do you sometimes feel burdened? Have you ever scrambled for an activity to engage your students that aligns with your state standards? Do you ever look at a recommended mathematics lesson plan and think, "This will never work for my students"? The Mathematics Lesson-Planning Handbook: Your Blueprint for Building Cohesive Lessons, Grades 6–8 walks you step by step through the process of planning focused, research-based mathematics lessons that enhance the coherence, rigor, and purpose of state standards and address the unique learning needs of your individual students. This resource deepens the daily lesson-planning process for middle school teachers and offers practical guidance for merging routines, resources, and effective teaching techniques into an individualized and manageable set of lesson plans. The effective planning process helps you Identify learning intentions and connect goals to success criteria Select resources and worthwhile tasks that make the best use of instructional materials Structure lessons differently for traditional and block middle school schedules Anticipate student misconceptions and evaluate understanding using a variety of formative assessment techniques Facilitate questioning, encourage productive struggle, and close lessons with reflection techniques This author team of seasoned mathematics educators make lesson planning practical and doable with a useful lesson-planning template and real-life examples from Grades 6–8 classrooms. Chapter by chapter, the decision-making strategies empower teachers to plan mathematics lessons strategically, to teach with intention and confidence, and to build purposeful, rigorous, coherent lessons that lead to mathematics achievement for all learners.
Better Learning Through Structured Teaching describes how teachers can help students develop stronger learning skills by ensuring that instruction moves from modeling and guided practice (situations where the teacher has most of the responsibility) to collaborative learning and, finally, to independent tasks. You'll find out how to use the four components of this approach to help meet critical challenges, including differentiating instruction and making effective use of class time: 1. Focus Lessons: Establishing the lesson’s purpose and then modeling your own thinking for students.2. Guided Instruction: Working with small groups of students who have similar results on performance assessments. 3. Collaborative Learning: Enabling students to discuss and negotiate with one another to create independent work, not simply one project. 4. Independent Tasks: Requiring students to use their previous knowledge to create new and authentic products. The authors explore each component using student dialogues and examples from a variety of disciplines and grade levels. They provide tips and tools for successfully implementing this instructional approach in your own classroom, including checklists for classroom setup and routines, critical questions, real-world lesson plans, and more. No matter what grade level you teach, Better Learning Through Structured Teaching is your essential guide to helping students develop and expand their capacity for authentic and long-lasting learning.
What is understanding and how does it differ from knowledge? How can we determine the big ideas worth understanding? Why is understanding an important teaching goal, and how do we know when students have attained it? How can we create a rigorous and engaging curriculum that focuses on understanding and leads to improved student performance in today's high-stakes, standards-based environment? Authors Grant Wiggins and Jay McTighe answer these and many other questions in this second edition of Understanding by Design. Drawing on feedback from thousands of educators around the world who have used the UbD framework since its introduction in 1998, the authors have greatly revised and expanded their original work to guide educators across the K-16 spectrum in the design of curriculum, assessment, and instruction. With an improved UbD Template at its core, the book explains the rationale of backward design and explores in greater depth the meaning of such key ideas as essential questions and transfer tasks. Readers will learn why the familiar coverage- and activity-based approaches to curriculum design fall short, and how a focus on the six facets of understanding can enrich student learning. With an expanded array of practical strategies, tools, and examples from all subject areas, the book demonstrates how the research-based principles of Understanding by Design apply to district frameworks as well as to individual units of curriculum. Combining provocative ideas, thoughtful analysis, and tested approaches, this new edition of Understanding by Design offers teacher-designers a clear path to the creation of curriculum that ensures better learning and a more stimulating experience for students and teachers alike.
"Crafting Effective Lesson Plans: A Comprehensive Guide for Educators" is a practical and comprehensive book that provides educators with the knowledge and skills needed to create impactful lesson plans. The book explores the importance of lesson planning and its direct correlation with student achievement. It delves into the essential components of a lesson plan, including clear learning objectives, aligned curriculum standards, effective instructional strategies, and comprehensive assessment methods. The book emphasizes the significance of understanding student needs, interests, and diverse learning styles when preparing lesson plans. It guides educators through the process of designing engaging learning experiences, incorporating hands-on activities, fostering critical thinking, and promoting student collaboration. Furthermore, it offers insights into utilizing technology and multimedia resources effectively to enhance teaching and learning. Assessment and evaluation are key aspects of lesson planning, and the book provides guidance on utilizing formative and summative assessments, aligning assessments with learning objectives, and providing constructive feedback to students. It also addresses the importance of reflection and continuous improvement, encouraging educators to reflect on their lessons and make necessary adjustments based on student outcomes and feedback. Additionally, the book explores the integration of interdisciplinary approaches and the adaptation of lesson plans for special populations, including students with special needs and English language learners. It highlights the value of collaboration and provides strategies for collaborative lesson planning, sharing resources, and engaging in professional learning communities. The book concludes with practical tips, organizational tools, online resources, and time management strategies to assist educators in optimizing their lesson planning processes. It emphasizes the importance of embracing professional growth and development as lifelong learners. Overall, "Crafting Effective Lesson Plans" aims to empower educators with the skills and knowledge necessary to create engaging, purposeful, and student-centered lesson plans. By implementing the strategies outlined in this book, educators can enhance their instructional practices, foster student achievement, and create meaningful learning experiences for their students.
A Wall Street Journal and Publishers Weekly Bestseller Lift your leadership to new heights Doug Conant, Founder of ConantLeadership, former CEO of Campbell Soup Company, and former President of Nabisco Foods, shares transformational insights in his new book, The Blueprint. Conant is the only former Fortune 500 CEO who is a New York Times bestselling author, a top 50 Leadership Innovator, a Top 100 Leadership Speaker, and a Top 100 Most Influential Author in the World. Get Unstuck In 1984, Doug Conant was fired without warning and with barely an explanation. He felt hopeless and stuck but, surprisingly, this defeating turn of events turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to him. Doug began to consider what might be holding him back from realizing his potential, fulfilling his dreams, and making a bigger impact on the world around him. Embarking on a journey of self-reflection and discovery, he forged a path to revolutionize his leadership and transform his career trajectory. Ultimately, Doug was able to condense his remarkable leadership story into six practical steps. It wasn't until Doug worked through these six steps that he was able to lift his leadership to heights that ultimately brought him career success, joy, and fulfillment. Reach High - Envision Dig Deep - Reflect Lay the Groundwork - Study Design - Plan Build - Practice Reinforce - Improve In The Blueprint, part leadership manifesto, part practical manual, Doug teaches leaders how to work through the same six steps that he used to transform his journey. The six steps are manageable and incremental, designed to fit practically within the pace of busy modern life. Knowing how daunting the prospect of change can be, Doug arms readers with exercises and practices to realistically bring their foundation to life in every situation. Now, today’s leaders who feel stuck and overwhelmed finally have a blueprint for lifting their leadership to make meaningful change in their organizations and in the world.
Are you looking for high-impact, research-based strategies to transform your students into high-achieving and inspired learners? In The Strategic Teacher, you'll find a repertoire of strategies designed and proven to meet today's high standards and reach diverse learners. Twenty reliable, flexible strategies (along with dozens of variations) are organized into these groups of instruction: *mastery style to emphasize the development of student memory; *understanding style to expand students' capacities to reason and explain; *self-expressive style to stimulate and nourish students' imaginations and creativity; *interpersonal style to help students find meaning in the relationships they forge as partners and team members, united in the act of learning; and *four-style strategies that integrate all four styles. To guide teachers in delivering content to students, the authors started with the best research-based teaching and learning strategies and created a tool called the Strategic Dashboard. The dashboard provides information about each teaching strategy in a concise, visual profile; it is also designed to document how you incorporate current, highly respected research into your instructional plans. For each strategy, you'll find the following information: *a brief introduction to the strategy; *an example of a teacher using the strategy in the classroom; *the research base supporting the strategy and how the strategy benefits students; *how to implement the strategy using a list of clear steps; *guidance through the planning process, providing steps, examples, and suggestions for designing superior lessons; and *additional tools, strategies, and resources for adapting and expanding the use of each strategy. The authors have combined their years of research and practice to deliver reliable, high-impact, flexible teaching and learning strategies grounded in current, highly regarded research to teachers at all levels of experience.
Designed to help K-5 teachers develop and carry out a plan for effective instruction in blended environments, this resource identifies key competencies and strategies for development, culminating in a personalized implementation plan. Readers will Take an in-depth look at the iNACOL Blended Learning Teacher Competency Framework. Develop a personalized blueprint for designing and facilitating blended learning in your classrooms. Tailor your plan when it comes to maximizing instructional time, personalizing learning, empowering students, pursuing professional learning, and more. Explore specific strategies and examples of blended learning in elementary classrooms, and reflect on your own plans.
A design-minded teacher facilitates learning that is flexible, creative, and collaborative—with a healthy mix of critical thinking, trial and error, failure, and success. In The Cardboard Classroom, authors Doug Robertson and Jennifer Borgioli Binis offer practical guidance and sample projects developed from Robertson’s authentic classroom experiences to help you find space for this engaging approach to instruction in your daily practice. Elementary educators will: Discover why design thinking is more the identity of the teacher than instructional strategy Learn how design-minded teaching advances student learning and improves engagement Study real-world examples and experiences of the design process in action Receive comprehensive examples of projects you can utilize and adapt to fit your classroom’s needs Obtain reproducible tools and templates to enhance your understanding of the material Contents Preface Introduction: Lighting and Thunder Part 1: Overview of Design-Minded Teaching Chapter 1: What Does Design-Minded Thinking Mean? Part 2: Design-Minded Teaching in Practice Chapter 2: Define—What’s the Problem? What’s the Goal? Chapter 3: Design—How Can We Solve the Problem? Chapter 4: Build—How Do We Create a Solution? Chapter 5: Test and Revise—What Happens When We Try Out the Solution and Respond to Data? Chapter 6: Reflect—What Did We Learn? Chapter 7: Putting It Into Practice Part 3: Becoming a Design-Minded Teacher Chapter 8: Specific Designs Chapter 9: Assessment in the Design-Minded Classrooms Chapter 10: Cure-Alls, Buy-Ins, and Trust Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) References and Resources Index
