Updated in its 3rd edition, Basic Methods of Policy Analysis and Planning presents quickly applied methods for analyzing and resolving planning and policy issues at state, regional, and urban levels. Divided into two parts, Methods which presents quick methods in nine chapters and is organized around the steps in the policy analysis process, and Cases which presents seven policy cases, ranging in degree of complexity, the text provides readers with the resources they need for effective policy planning and analysis. Quantitative and qualitative methods are systematically combined to address policy dilemmas and urban planning problems. Readers and analysts utilizing this text gain comprehensive skills and background needed to impact public policy.
"What if...? That's the question that began Families with Power/Familias con Poder, a grass-roots organization of low-income students and caregivers in Northampton, MA in 2007. What if the families of students most impacted by the "opportunity gap" somehow had the power to organize whatever activities they felt would best help their children succeed? Mary Cowhey, a teacher who co-founded FWP, shares these stories and the voices of her fellow FWP organizers through vignettes and interviews, weaving in the lessons learned along the way. Inspired by Paulo Freire's popular education and the radical tradition of the Highlander Folk School, some Latina and African mothers, a great-grandmother and a couple of teachers founded Families with Power (FWP). Organizing Family Reading Parties in each other's living rooms (instead of meetings at school) to recruit additional families and identify potential leaders, FWP created a Highlander-style residential retreat that employed Freirean culture circles to pose problems and design programs to address them. Readers will get an inside look at the benefits, successes and challenges of more than a dozen years of student and family engagement in the community and school, tackling issues from academics, race and class to immigration and public health"--
A practical framework to avoid burnout and keep great teachers teaching Onward tackles the problem of educator stress, and provides a practical framework for taking the burnout out of teaching. Stress is part of the job, but when 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years because the stress is making them physically and mentally ill, things have gone too far. Unsurprisingly, these effects are highest in difficult-to-fill positions such as math, science, and foreign languages, and in urban areas and secondary classrooms—places where we need our teachers to be especially motivated and engaged. This book offers a path to resiliency to help teachers weather the storms and bounce back—and work toward banishing the rain for good. This actionable framework gives you concrete steps toward rediscovering yourself, your energy, and your passion for teaching. You’ll learn how a simple shift in mindset can affect your outlook, and how taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally is one of the most important things you can do. The companion workbook helps you put the framework into action, streamlining your way toward renewal and strength. Cultivate resilience with a four-part framework based on 12 key habits Uncover your true self, understand emotions, and use your energy where it counts Adopt a mindful, story-telling approach to communication and community building Keep learning, playing, and creating to create an environment of collective celebration By cultivating resilience in schools, we help ensure that we are working in, teaching in, and leading organizations where every child thrives, and where the potential of every child is recognized and nurtured. Onward provides a step-by-step plan for reigniting that spark.
The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs is a resource to develop effective and high quality comprehensive school counseling programs that align with Texas statutes and rules governing the work of school counselors. It outlines a process for tailoring school counseling programs to meet the varying needs of students across an array of school districts through implementation of the four components of school counseling programs, Guidance Curriculum, Responsive Services, Individual Planning, and System Support. With this resource, a school counselor will learn to use campus-specific data to identify the unique needs of a campus and design a comprehensive school counseling program to meet those needs. Recognizing the important roles of the entire educational community, the Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs provides examples of how parents, teachers, administrators, principals and school counselors can best contribute to implementation of each of the four components of comprehensive school counseling programs. It provides a developmental framework for a school counseling program curriculum that includes activities at each grade level to enhance students¿ educational, career, personal and social development.
Empowering striving writers to thrive as writers! Somehow, in every classroom during every year, there are students who keep us up at night because of the instructional challenges they face as writers. These students—our striving writers—may find success exploring different entry points and pathways than those their classmates travel. Every Child Can Write will help you lead striving writers along their journey toward growth, confidence, and success. Filled with practical strategies, classroom-management ideas,and reproducible tools, this book also offers low- and high-tech solutions for increasing writing volume and boosting self-esteem. Plus, with suggestions for differentiating instruction based on standards and student needs, it will help you: Implement principles of UDL to optimize your classroom environment and student learning; Identify and honor students’ strengths throughout your writing instruction; Maximize the power of formative assessment to set goals with students; and Integrate the most appropriate technology that empowers students and leads them to independence. As essential as writing is in elementary school, it will be even more important when your students reach middle school. Now is the time to give them the skills, practice, and confidence they need to succeed. As we know, in distance learning caregivers and teachers partner more than ever to help students with writing. The Distance Learning companion to Every Child Can Write is for teachers to share with caregivers to help children develop their writing lives—even while learning at home. Each of the eight modules contains video clips that talk caregivers through tools for supporting their student writers, along with downloadable tools that can be used by teachers or caregivers.
Beat burnout and bring joy back to teaching—and learning. Recharge the optimism that made you an educator in the first place! School is where students and staff should feel safe, engaged, and productive—and choosing optimism is the first step toward restoring healthy interactions necessary for enacting real change. In this book, learn to implement the Five Principles of Deliberate Optimism. Research-based strategies, practical examples, and thought-provoking scenarios help you Rediscover motivation Take a positive view of events beyond your control Build an optimistic classroom where students flourish Partner with other stakeholders to create an optimistic learning environment Take the road to new potential and positive outcomes! With a healthy dose of humor to make it fun, Deliberate Optimism shows you the actual differences a change in attitude can make. "This book provides a framework for taking responsibility in classrooms, choosing to see the positives, dealing with problems rather than dwelling on them, recognizing choices are always available, and building relationships with all in the school community." Charla Buford Bunker, Literacy Specialist Great Falls High School Sun River, MT "The authors have a realistic view of a teacher’s daily life and provide realistic solutions for teachers to embrace optimism and positivity in a myriad of situations." Kati Searcy, Teacher Mountain Park ES Roswell, GA "This book is a nice synthesis of current research and classic literature about climate, culture, and the environmental context of the classroom and the teachers’ lounge." Chris Hubbuch, Principal Excelsior Springs Middle School
What could happen if we viewed every read aloud as an invitation to learn more about literacy and ourselves? In Layers of Learning: Using Read Alouds to Connect Literacy and Caring Conversations, author JoEllen McCarthy explores read aloud strategies designed to enhance your reading and writing standards by capitalizing on the way literature can impact caring communities. Layers of Learning is structured around four key elements: Community, Agency, Respect, and Empowerment, or CARE. The book provides tools necessary to emphasize reading and writing connections, character education, and culturally responsive teaching, all while championing the power of read alouds. Inside you’ll find: Over 200 picture book suggestions introducing the Heartprint Framework , which demonstrates how you can layer literacy with life lessons 60 read aloud based connections that support caring classroom conversations, lesson planning, and extensions Instructional opportunities for nurturing readers and writers during workshop time, small-group gatherings, or individual conferring sessions Literacy Snapshot photo essays with ideas on how to adopt or adapt Continuing connections with additional resources and invitations for further learning Layers of Learning pulls together the ideas that the books we share not only serve an academic purpose, but also convey big, affective messages. This can lead to richer and more meaningful classroom conversations.
The authors draw upon scientific studies, theories, site visits, nd their own extensive experiences to describe approaches to social and emotional learning for all levels.
