Instead of piling on one new reform fad after another, here at last is a book that boils down solutions for improved schools to the most powerful, simple actions and structures that ensure you prepare all students for college, careers, and citizenship. Best-selling ASCD (Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) author and renowned consultant Mike Schmoker explains why and how to take a "first things first" approach to school improvement and focus laser-like on only three essentials: (1) Coherent curriculum (what we teach); (2) Sound lessons (how we teach); and (3) Purposeful reading and writing (authentic literacy). In making his clear and compelling case, Schmoker delves deep into the significance of the three essentials so you get a complete understanding of what they mean to your daily practice, including: (1) How to navigate content standards documents to select just the items that clarify what to teach; (2) Which essential elements to include in every lesson; (3) How to implement lesson templates that simplify teaching and make it more effective with less effort and frustration; and (4) Why including current news in class can have a game-changing impact on student engagement and retention, college preparation, and attitudes toward school. Applying these insights gained from his years of work with schools of all kinds, Schmoker lays out a complete plan for radically improving the way schools teach language arts, social studies, science, and math.