Is homework an essential component of rigorous schooling or a harmful practice that alienates and discourages a significant number of students? Nine years after "Rethinking Homework: Best Practices That Support Diverse Needs" was published, the debate over this complex question endures. In this updated edition, Cathy Vatterott examines…

"Literacy Strong All Year Long: Powerful Lessons for Grades 3-5" equips intermediate educators with engaging lessons that motivate students and help them develop the solid foundation of literacy skills that are essential to learning. Thoughtfully designed lessons linked to specific literacy standards create a seamless flow of learning…

You have a daily to-do list consisting of several dozen items. You're always busy, but you never really feel productive. You know what you need to get done, but you can't figure out where to start. You routinely agree to help others with their tasks but can't make headway with your own work. Sound familiar? If you've ever felt (or been told) that…

If a fundamental goal of schooling is to prepare young people for the unknowable future, why do we assign students so many clearly defined tasks with predetermined solutions? According to educator and creativity expert Ronald A. Beghetto, the best way to unleash students' problem solving and creativity--and thus prepare them to face real-world…

Good ideas, the best intentions, and a stirring vision from the top aren't enough to effect change in schools. "Unstuck" offers a road map to help schools change from the inside out instead of the top down. Inside-out approaches are designed to encourage schools to become more innovative and entrepreneurial, finding better ways to help…

"Design is the rendering of intent." What if education leaders approached their work with the perspective of a designer? This new perspective of seeing the world differently is desperately needed in schools and begins with school leadership. Alyssa Gallagher and Kami Thordarson, widely recognized experts on Design Thinking, educational…

Why aren't more schools seeing significant improvement in students' reading ability when they implement Response to Intervention (RTI) or Multitiered Systems of Support (MTSS) in their literacy programs? These frameworks serve as a way for educators to identify struggling readers and provide the small-group instruction they need to improve their…

The pressure is on. Principals, expected to improve math performance at their schools, often don't know where to begin--as they may be uncomfortable with math themselves or believe that their schools are already doing all that they can. How can K-12 school leaders recognize and ensure that their school or district is supporting good math…

In this 2nd edition of "Focus: Elevating the Essentials to Radically Improve Student Learning," Mike Schmoker extends and updates the case that our schools could be on the cusp of swift, unparalleled improvements. But we are stymied by a systemwide failure to simplify and prioritize; we have yet to focus our limited time and energy on…

In "Differentiation and the Brain: How Neuroscience Supports the Learner-Friendly Classroom, Second Edition," authors David Sousa and Carol Ann Tomlinson examine the basic principles of differentiation in light of what the current research on educational neuroscience reveals. This research offers information and insights that can help…

How can today's teachers, whose classrooms are more culturally and linguistically diverse than ever before, ensure that their students achieve at high levels? How can they design units and lessons that support English learners in language development and content learning--simultaneously? Authors Amy Heineke and Jay McTighe provide the answers by…

In this fully revised and expanded third edition of the bestselling "Reciprocal Teaching at Work," Lori D. Oczkus provides both tried-and-true and fresh solutions for teaching reading comprehension. Reciprocal teaching is a scaffolded discussion technique that builds on the Fab Four strategies that good readers use to understand text:…

Teacher leadership holds great promise for improving the quality of teaching and ensuring student success. But for co-performance of leadership among teacher leaders and principals to be effective, they must learn to lead in sync. "Leading In Sync: Teacher Leaders and Principals Working Together for Student Learning" provides principals,…

What is assessment literacy? It is a handful of fundamental understandings about the testing concepts and procedures that influence educational decisions. And it just might be the most cost-effective means of real school improvement. With characteristic humor and aplomb, assessment expert W. James Popham strips away the psychometrician-speak and…

Is your school prepared to deal with a crisis, whether it's a hurricane, an earthquake, an explosion at a nearby chemical facility, an active shooter, or one of many other possibilities? Does your school have an up-to-date plan to deal with hazards of all sorts? Do teachers and other staff members know what to do in emergency situations to protect…